Whether you’re a camera body photographer or you just carry your iPhone with you to take pictures, we think you can find an accessory called Capture by Peak Design to be a useful piece of equipment.
Peak Design Capture is a handy gadget
The Peak Design Capture Device is a durable and versatile machined aluminum mount that lets you mount your camera or smartphone anywhere on or near your body, such as a belt, bag or backpack strap.
Capture has an original scissor design that is secured with a set of screws on both sides. The inside of the product has a rubberized grip that prevents it from sliding down or moving after being tightened.
Once you “click”the desired object in Capture, it will stay there until you press the shutter button. You can avoid accidental presses by rotating the button 90º to the locked position, where it cannot physically push into its cavity until it is returned to its normal position.
Versatile use cases for Capture
One of the things I love about Capture is how it works with Peak Design’s unique mounting plate – the same one that comes with the travel tripod we showed you a few months ago. Potential customers can purchase Capture with a plate, or save money and buy only the Capture unit if they already have a plate.
The plate attaches to the base of any camera body via a tripod mount and must be tightened gently and tightly using the included hex wrench. Peak Design says that once tightened, the clamp and plate can hold over 200 pounds – not that you’ll ever have a camera rig that weighs that much… but it’s nice to have peace of mind.
These plates can also attach to the bottom of some telephoto lenses if those lenses are equipped with a tripod collar, making the Capture a useful device for carrying longer camera lenses when your hands are busy holding and using the camera body. I use a grip for this a lot, especially when I’m bringing along a longer telephoto lens but not really using it at the moment.
Capture works with iPhone too
But don’t be fooled, Capture doesn’t just work with cameras and lenses. It’s also a great accessory for iPhone and other smartphone users as long as they use one of the Peak Design SlimLink everyday smartphone cases (or universal adapters) and the Mobile Creator Kit.
With the combination of accessories mentioned above, you can mount your iPhone or other smartphone directly on any tripod, including the Peak Design Travel Tripod, or you can attach it to the Capture mount we’re discussing today.
By placing your iPhone or smartphone on a Capture device strapped anywhere on you, be it a belt or a backpack strap, you can use a rear camera, like a GoPro action camera, to capture video from the point of view. which is an impressive feature when your hands are already full but you want to use your iPhone to record videos on the go.
My thoughts on capture
I’ve been using Capture for a few months now and loved it so much that I bought a second one so I can take more equipment with me when I travel. This brings me to three mounting plates, as one also came with my travel tripod. This allows me to be able to mount my camera, multiple lenses, and my iPhone.
I appreciate how Capture works with almost all of my photography equipment, whether it’s a heavy mirrorless or DSLR with an attached lens, a telephoto telephoto lens, or my smartphone. I usually attach one to my waist and the other to my backpack strap, and I usually put my telephoto lens on my waist for easy access and use the backpack strap space to secure my camera.
I want to emphasize that the mount is incredibly reliable. You can jump, stretch and even run without falling. While the initial “click”you feel after locking the hardware seems solid enough, you can take it one step further by rotating the release button 90º to lock it in place and prevent it from being pressed.
Another thing I really like about Capture is that Peak Design’s square mounting plate can be inserted in four different directions. This gives you four different ways to secure your items, whether you prefer to have them facing left or right, up or down. As a general rule, we recommend pointing the heaviest part of your stuff down so that gravity acts as a lever that keeps your equipment from rocking.
In many cases, Capture places all of your gear in an easily accessible place on your body, so it works very well with the human anatomy to give you quick access to your stuff when you need it, all without the movement and insecurity that comes with traditional camera slings.
Here is a short list of pros and cons that I have put together based on my experience with Peak Design Capture:
Pros:
- Original compact design made of durable aluminum
- Universally compatible with a variety of items
- Secure fit and lockable release button
- Easy to wear on yourself or on a backpack strap
- Possibility to purchase with or without mounting plate
- Available in dark discreet black or bright silver.
- Works great with the Peak Design accessories ecosystem.
- Not too expensive
Minuses:
- Knurling on pinch screws can be tricky for sensitive fingers.
- Only fits Peak Design mounting plates (or good copies)
How can you get one
If you are interested in purchasing your own Peak Design Capture Clip, you can purchase it in black or silver for only $54.95 on the Peak Design website. Alternatively, if you would like a matching color mounting plate included with your order, you can purchase a combo kit for $74.95 from the Peak Design website.
You may also be interested in the Everyday case for your smartphone to use with the Capture Clip. If so, the cases cost $39.95 on the Peak Design website and are available for various iPhone, Samsung, and Google Pixel models. If you have an unsupported smartphone, you can purchase a universal adapter for $29.95 from the Peak Design website instead.
Using your smartphone with the Peak Design Capture Clip will require the Mobile Creator Kit, which costs $49.95 on the Peak Design website. If you’re only going to use your smartphone with the Peak Design Capture Clip, you won’t need to buy a combo kit with an extra mounting plate because the Mobile Creator Kit has its own built-in mounting system that saves you $20.
All in all, this is a very handy kit that can be used with both a smartphone and a full-fledged camera body. The prices are also not too high.
Conclusion
I really like the Peak Design Capture Clip and may be purchasing a few more as my hardware collection grows. It is very convenient to have the equipment hanging from the straps of my backpack, rather than hiding deep inside the backpack when I need to quickly change lenses on the go. Also, capturing life’s moments with my iPhone as if it were a GoPro-style action camera, from a point-of-view style video, is also a nice benefit.
Read also: Why Every Photographer Should Have a Peak Design Travel Tripod
What do you think of the Peak Design Capture Clip system and are you planning to try it? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below, or let us know how you prefer to carry your gear with you on set.