Camera Armor Protect your camera.

Author: Henrik Paul Published: 02.07.2007 Manufacturer: Camera Armor Product Group: Digital Cameras In English Suomeksi

Intro

For many photographers, the camera is regarded as a tool for the photographer in the same way that a hammer is a tool for a carpenter. You use it to take pictures and no emotions attached. You can easily tell these people apart from the people that have photography as a hobby, and therefore keep their gear more precious, just by looking at the physical condition of their gear. The more nicks and cuts a camera body has, the more rigorously it has been used and most probably is regarded as a mere tool by its wielder. I regard myself as a careful shooter - I don't dive into bushes or climb up trees to scout for shots and angles, mostly because I really can't afford a new camera, should this one would end its life by plummeting to a rocky death. Despite this, my camera still has got some spots missing off the paintwork. I know that the D200 is rugged and can (or at least should) tolerate a fair amount of "natural beating" before giving up on me.

The guys at Made Products have most probably anticipated this concern in many photographers, and they have come up with a product called Camera Armor, addressing just this. What's interesting is not what it does - the name gives it away quite well - but how it performs as an armor to your camera. First, let's peek inside the package:

The Nikon D200 kit

The Armor Itself

The Armor on, from each side

The Camera Armor itself, to restate, is a snugly fitting tough rubber skin for your DSLR body. It covers many of the function buttons on the body with a seamless rubber covering while leaving holes for other parts for the ability of manipulating directly certain controls (such as wheels, latches, doors and the shutter button). Even if the design might make your camera more resistant to airborne sand and water, that is not something I'd leave entirely on the Camera Armor's shoulders. The CEO of Made Products said that he has heard testimonials where several people, from rock climbers to Amazon hikers, claim the Camera Armor actually protects from these elements. However, it's not its primary intent to be water- or dust proof, therefore I would regard it mainly as something to keep your camera a tad safer from a physical beating, like softening the fall onto hard surfaces and better avoid scratches from the occasional tree branch or stone wall - from dangers physically active photographers might encounter. All this, for not very much money (especially when counted with the extra value of approximately 10 USD/EUR, the price for a new Nikon BM-6, for a spare LCD cover). Unfortunately, this is pretty much where the excellence grows thin.

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