The Capture Camera Clip is a nifty little widget that lets you snap your DSLR to the shoulder strap of your backpack.  It lets you keep your camera handy without filling your hands or having it swing around on a neck strap.

Background and Detailed Description

The Capture camera clip was first introduced to the world as a Kickstarter project by one Peter Dering.  It’s a machined aluminum device that attaches to flat fabric, such as a backpack strap, on one side, and offers a quick-release mechanism for your camera on the other side.

I picked up one of the early-run Kickstarter editions of the Capture clip, and I’ve used it now for about a month and a half (as of the date of this review).  Some of those days were in urban environments, and some of them were in the backcountry.  These are my impressions.

Capture camera clip on backpack shoulder strap, front view

Side view of Capture camera clip mounted on backpack shoulder strap

Capture camera clip open, showing front side

The Good

• High-quality construction.  The Capture feels well-made.  The fit and finish are excellent, and the overall design has no obvious weak points.
• Camera stays secure. It didn’t swing around like it would have on a neck strap.
• Camera didn’t block vision. I was worried that the camera might block my vision on the trail, but that hasn’t been the case.
• Trustworthy quick-release. The red button visible in the photos is the quick-release.  When depressed, it will allow your camera to slide free of the Capture clip.  I was a bit concerned about the durability of the quick-release, but in practice it seems fine.  The quick-release bears no weight when the Capture is mounted properly.
• Handy thumb-screw backup. The thumb screw provides additional peace of mind, which is nice.  When tightened down, it will prevent the camera from coming loose from the clip even when the quick-release button is pressed.  In practice, I haven’t found a need to engage the thumbscrew.
• Mounts easily on backpack straps. Once I figured out that the Capture is supposed to swing open, as shown in the photos, mounting it to either of my two backpacks was really easy.
• Doesn’t slide when mounted. I haven’t had any problems with the capture sliding down my Osprey Stratos 24 backpack shoulder strap, not even when I had the relatively heavy combination of a Canon EOS 7D and 70-200 f/2.8 IS hanging on it.
• Good icebreaker. I’ve had a couple of people strike up conversations with me while I’ve been walking around with a camera in my Capture.  One interested party was a park ranger at Yellowstone NP.

Capture clip open, showing back side

The Bad

• Highly variable comfort.  It took quite a bit of fidgeting to find a comfortable place to position the Capture on one of my backpacks, but on the other one, it was simple.  Specifically, on my big 60-liter REI Cruise UL pack, it took the entire first day on the trail before I found a position for the Capture that didn’t dig into my chest.  On the other hand, with my 24-liter Osprey Stratos backpack, the first position I tried was comfortable. (I should also note that in both cases I was using a Canon 7D in combination with a 17-55 f/2.8 IS lens, which is a moderately heavy combination.)
• Overbuilt?  Not sure if this is a flaw.
• Thumbscrews to tighten against pack strap don’t provide much feedback.  There’s some guesswork involved in deciding when the two screws are tight enough.
• Restricts arm movement. I’ve found that it’s more awkward to swing the arm on the side of my body where the Capture is mounted.  That sets up an asymmetry that is annoying on the trail.
• Still have to carry a waterproof camera bag. Not really the clip’s fault, but it obviously won’t do anything to prevent your camera from getting wet, dirty, or dusty.

Capture camera clip with piece that mounts to camera

Conclusion

The Capture clip isn’t perfect, but it’s better than anything else on the market.  It keeps your camera accessibly, feels solidly built, and isn’t too expensive.