Handheld vs. tripod with the Great Whites

[Eldar]

I posted this on another thread, but I think it works well enough to repost it.

We all struggle with getting maximum movability with our long tele lenses. I used to handhold a lot, but a 600mm f4L IS II, with a 1.4xIII extender on a 1DX body is quite a load. But as an old boy scout, who used to carry the flag in parades, I thought of using a flag bandoleer, which I did.

I am still working on a solution to strap the lens to the shoulder straps of the bandoleer, so it can hang in a stable position while I operate another body.

It is cheap small and very efficient.

 

[verysimplejason]

Nice! Monopod isn't enough?

 

[JPAZ]

Clever. Maybe modify a shoulder harness in combination with your setup?

 

[Eldar]

I am still working on a solution to strap the lens to the shoulder straps of the bandoleer, so it can hang in a stable position while I operate another body.

In another thread some time back Neuro mentioned using a Blackrapid Sport Left strap to carry a 600mm f/4L IS II with a 1D X.
For short distances and one camera/lens, this sounds like a good approach although I have yet to try it myself. With the monopod, though, it would involve several operations: release the monopod, store it somewhere, attach the 600 to the BR strap, and then get your other camera.

What I´m looking for is something that would hold this rig up, while I operated an other camera. But all I have thought of so far involves a minimum of three straps and that becomes a bit messy. An option I have not tried is to use a line, where I can tilt the lens downward and tighten the monopod and lens towards my body.

But with all the smart people on this forum, I´m sure someone will come up with a brilliant suggestion

 

[Loswr]

But with all the smart people on this forum, I´m sure someone will come up with a brilliant suggestion

Grow a 3rd hand?

Seriously, though - thanks for posting an image of your rig!

 

[Eldar]

Grow a 3rd hand?

He, he, IMHO evolution should have fixed that. It would have been very practical in many situations. Not sure were we should have it though ...

 

[mackguyver]

For about $309 more than your solution, you could use this from Cotton Carrier:

http://buy.cottoncarrier.com/cotton-carrier-steady-shot-w-CAMERA-VEST-FOR-ALL-p/779ssv.htm

Or perhaps just invest in a nice set of these

 

[Eldar]

I looked at the Steady Shot and I am sure it works great up to a certain point, maybe a 300mm f2.8L IS II. But with a 600mm f4L IS II with extender and a 1DX, I´m rather skeptical. I would expect it to tilt.

And a good thing with the bandoleer is that it packs very compact and weighs close to nothing.

The weight lifting is probably a good idea anyway

 

[AlanF]

I looked at the Steady Shot and I am sure it works great up to a certain point, maybe a 300mm f2.8L IS II. But with a 600mm f4L IS II with extender and a 1DX, I´m rather skeptical. I would expect it to tilt.

And a good thing with the bandoleer is that it packs very compact and weighs close to nothing.

The weight lifting is probably a good idea anyway

You don't need any assistance to hold a 300mm f/2.8L unless you are very weak.

 

[Eldar]

You don't need any assistance to hold a 300mm f/2.8L unless you are very weak.

I think we all agree on that. I actually handheld both the 400 f2.8L IS II and the 600 f4L IS II most of the time, even with extenders. The need for this bandoleer solution came with the 200-400 f4L 1.4x. It is about as heavy as the 400mm, so from that perspective it is hand holdable. But you need that extra arm to handle the zoom. With the bandoleer, that became very easy.

 

[mackguyver]

I looked at the Steady Shot and I am sure it works great up to a certain point, maybe a 300mm f2.8L IS II. But with a 600mm f4L IS II with extender and a 1DX, I´m rather skeptical. I would expect it to tilt.

And a good thing with the bandoleer is that it packs very compact and weighs close to nothing.

The weight lifting is probably a good idea anyway

You don't need any assistance to hold a 300mm f/2.8L unless you are very weak.

Good points and the Steady Shot seems way overpriced - I like the bandoleer option a lot. As Alan says, the 300 2.8 is very hand-holdable, at least for several minutes at a time. If you're holding it up to your eye waiting for some action, it starts to get a little heavy. Weight lifting helps a lot, though . I have yet to put my 300 on a tripod and found it annoying on my monopod, but would love to have a way to secure it to my belt or chest so I could grab shots with my 70-200 or 24-70 on another body.

The 600 is a whole other story, though, and the 800 is ridiculously hard to hand-hold.

 

[JPAZ]

Of course, another (though potentially more costly) solution is a very attractive assistant.

Seriously, given the length and weight of the kit, I still wonder about the bandoleer with a shoulder harness using the monopod, as you've shown. Or, would that be too heavy making you want to lean forward? Then a second body and lens on a BR?

 

[eml58]

Hi Eldar, I like it, simple, in expensive.

There are a few products out there such as the Fly Cam, Steady Cam etc, mostly made for Video use, but also mostly entailing a hinge vest and arm arrangement.

As you mentioned, the 200-400f/4 brings a few small issues to the Party now, when hand holding it's a bit of a task operating the Zoom and Converter as well as the Camera, maybe we are looking at it from the wrong perspective.

Perhaps we should be looking at stabilising the Subject ??

 

[serendipidy]

Hi Eldar, I like it, simple, in expensive.

There are a few products out there such as the Fly Cam, Steady Cam etc, mostly made for Video use, but also mostly entailing a hinge vest and arm arrangement.

As you mentioned, the 200-400f/4 brings a few small issues to the Party now, when hand holding it's a bit of a task operating the Zoom and Converter as well as the Camera, maybe we are looking at it from the wrong perspective.

Perhaps we should be looking at stabilising the Subject ??

LOL....Cheetah IS....now that's something I never thought I would ever see ;D

 

[eml58]

Cheetah IS....now that's something I never thought I would ever see ;D

That's it !!, Cheetah IS, and for all those Canon Knockers saying Canon are no longer being innovative, Canon have brought "Cheetah IS" to the Market first, Take that Nikon !!! & Sony to.

 

[serendipidy]

Cheetah IS....now that's something I never thought I would ever see ;D

That's it !!, Cheetah IS, and for all those Canon Knockers saying Canon are no longer being innovative, Canon have brought "Cheetah IS" to the Market first, Take that Nikon !!! & Sony to.

;D

 

[Jack Douglas]

I'm completely in agreement as far as this idea having merit! I will be trying to come up with some ideas this winter and if I do I'll post. I have an upholstery machine so I can experiment quite a bit.

I like to brag how strong I am too but after refusing to put the 300 X2 down for several minutes because something exhilerating is about to happen, my arms have nearly collapsed.

Never the less, after a good season of shooting I, like AlanF, like my freedom too much to go to a pod unless there is a very compelling reason. And as much as I'd like more reach I simply won't be going heavier than 300. I wonder if we could fill our lenses with helium.

Actually I'm wondering what a 7D2 might achieve with my preferred light 300 X2 - any comment AlanF?

Jack

 

[Eldar]

Of course, another (though potentially more costly) solution is a very attractive assistant.

Seriously, given the length and weight of the kit, I still wonder about the bandoleer with a shoulder harness using the monopod, as you've shown. Or, would that be too heavy making you want to lean forward? Then a second body and lens on a BR?

One thing I tried, which worked reasonably well (in a no-stress situation), was to tilt the 200-400 lens downwards and have a strap I could tighten between the base of the tilhead on the monopod and the left shoulderstrap of the bandoleer. With the other lens on a BR, it worked reasonably well. But you have to stand quite still when you do it. Maybe combine it with a flexible strap to the backside of the shoulder strap could work.

 

[Eldar]

Perhaps we should be looking at stabilising the Subject ??

He he, why didn't I think of that

 

[pwp]

You don't need any assistance to hold a 300mm f/2.8L unless you are very weak.

That's great if you're Mr Muscles. Look around you. The reality is we're not all built that way.
For the rest of us, monopods offer control & stability particularly over a long shoot.

-pw