Professional photographer and Youtube creator Peter McKinnon has unveiled a new camera tool. The Swiss army-style PM Camera Tool comes with multiple drivers, a host of 1/4 inch hex bits, and even a secret slot for an extra SD card.
McKinnon is a YouTube star that has had over 1,000,000 subscribers within nine months. He introduced his first product in photography through a partnership between Polar Pro, the Variable Neutral Density (VND) filter.
Now McKinnon is back with his PM Camera Tool, spotted by DPReview, which features all the standard Phillips and flathead drivers, plus a pair of custom concentric extension arm bit driver tools that magnetically accept multiple 1/4 inch hex bits designed to work on camera setups using multiple screw types and sizes.
McKinnon says he spent the last 18 months designing and prototyping the PM Camera Tool chiefly because no other tool was able to meet his demands for usability.
“I’ve never really been stoked with the camera tools inside my backpack,” says McKinnon in his announcement video.
“No matter what kind of camera you have, or what sort of rigging or any job you’re doing, this tool will adapt to you.”
What took McKinnon so long to refine his patent-pending tool design was his desire to have the bit drivers lock into the absolute center of the tool when extended. McKinnon states that this is a common design for such tools. The tool locks onto the right or left side of the tool, which McKinnon believes affects user experience. They should be at the top of their respective positions when extended, which McKinnon wanted to do. This took some time to dial in.
The lever allows you to kick out drivers from either side of the tool, instead of having to reach in with your fingernails to extend the tool. The bit drivers are also slotted, and magnetically house favorite bits that will be used for a special job or project. The tool is crafted with scratch resistant 6061 anodized aluminum scales, hardened 17-4 stainless steel internals, and S2 Tool grade steel hex bits.
Finally, the tool also has a hidden SD card slot to house an extra media card so that the photographer is never without a card when space runs out, or becomes corrupted. It comes with a zippered pouch that can be stored in a top-quality ziplock bag. The metal clip secures it to your front pocket.
The minimalist-designed box also has printed directions on how to use the tool and a visual inventory of the eight bits included in the collection. It also comes with a lifetime warranty.
The PM Camera Tool stands at a preorder price of $95, and there’s no set shipping date as of this publication. McKinnon says, however, that he’s going to make a limited number available on his companion website PetesPirateLife.com for field testing. It’s currently listed as “sold-out .”
Image credits: All photos by Peter McKinnon.
