Quick Post about Equipment Reliability - Updated

I just have a quick post regarding a thought I had today. It must have been a quick thought too!

Tony & Chelsea Northrup on YouTube

I saw a YouTube from Tony and Chelsea Northrup addressing the question "Are Camera Reviews a Waste of Time?" I enjoyed and agree with a lot of the points they make, but somewhere during the course of the video it led me to another thought...

Third Party Devices

I remember when I was first getting into this expensive hobby that somewhere I saw a discussion about what type of additional batteries are good. One person (or perhaps more) said that they'd had issues with 3rd party batteries but others had experienced satisfactory results. One or more others said that they only bought their camera manufacturers batteries and none of them had experienced any problems.

First Party Reliability

Based on my research, I decided to buy Nikon batteries for my additional batteries. Likewise for my lenses. I have bought a few non-Nikon items when the cost just didn't seem to justify the likely results. You can see a list of most of my equipment on this blog by clicking on the "My Gear" link on the lower right side of this page.

In more than 3 years of pursuing photography and spending more than $10,000 on equipment, I can say that I have had very little go wrong with any of the things I've bought. In fact, there are only 2 items that have had issues:

1. Level indicator that mounts on the shoe
2. Opteka GPS

The level indicator was one of those cube types with the 3 way bubble indicators and green fluid. I used it a lot on my Nikon D3200. I'm not sure what happened to it but one time when I went to use it the fluid had leaked out. It had cost maybe $5.00. I haven't replaced it because I mainly use my D610 and it has an electronic level indicator that I use.

The Opteka GPS broke because of my actions. It mounts on the shoe too, and I often left it mounted. One time I put the camera in the back of my car with the GPS still mounted and eventually either the camera slid or I sat something else on top of it. The damage was not due to the device. That device is about $35 or so (note: I decided to buy one of the cheaper brands instead of the Nikon brand because the Nikon GP-1A GPS Unit is about $250 and sticks out of the camera in an even more awkward manner. I could buy about 7 of the Opteka units for the price of the Nikon unit).

All in all, I have to say I've had great experience with everything on my list. And, being hardware, I've had little frustration - unlike my experience with software during that time! I still think it's probably better to buy name brand when possible but for the cheaper things I've bought I have not been let down there either.

Update, 12/6/2016

Hakuba PSTC200 Tripod Case
Get this one!

I remembered another item that I had issues with, a VidPro 35 inch Tripod Carrying Case for $14.95. I may have used it for a year before it fell apart. The cheap zipper came apart at some point but I could still carry my tripod in it to the car and it provided a bit of protection. I don't use the tripod bag out of the car - I just store my tripod in the bag in the house and use the bag to carry the tripod, the tripod strap, a cleaning rag, a screwdriver, and the Manfrotto socket wrench. When I'm shooting, I either just have the tripod on my back with the tripod strap or I'm carrying it in my hand. The bag just provides a bit of protection on the floor of my car in the back seat.

At any rate, the VidPro is junk and a waste of money. I replaced it with a Hakuba PSTC200 Tripod Case from Adorama for $37.79, about 3 times the cost of the VidPro but well worth it. The Hakuba is wonderful. Heavy duty zippers, much thicker padding, and room enough for two tripods.