Whipsnade zoo. Monopod + tele - how to carry

413x

413x

413x

Caporegime
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Going to zoo next week and I'm thinking of what to take

Probably going to be my 120-300mm f2.8 sigma
Attached to gimbal head and monopod

I haven't got a tripod but don't think it's appropriate anyway due to time and space

So far I haven't found a way that u can carry this lens and monopod all day without it aching

A new strap is on order but with the monopod taking up the lens collar point will I just have to carry this over my shoulder?
How do you make this comfy?
 
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Stick the tripod feet inside a rollerskate and push it around? :D

Only other option I can think of is to get one of those Peak clips that you could hang the lens from but that would mean removing it from the tripod each time you're moving.
 
A small bean bag on your carrying shoulder should make things more comfortable otherwise put up with the aches like I do :D

Not sure about using a gimbal with a monopod (I just have a Wimberley clamp on mine) but horses for courses.

al4x said:
Going to zoo next week and I'm thinking of what to take

Probably going to be my 120-300mm f2.8 sigma
Attached to gimbal head and monopod

I haven't got a tripod but don't think it's appropriate anyway due to time and space

So far I haven't found a way that u can carry this lens and monopod all day without it aching

A new strap is on order but with the monopod taking up the lens collar point will I just have to carry this over my shoulder?
How do you make this comfy?
Click to expand...
 
My brand spanking new 120-300mm should be with me next week so I might invest in a beanbag or some padding lol
 
And said:
A small bean bag on your carrying shoulder should make things more comfortable otherwise put up with the aches like I do :D

Not sure about using a gimbal with a monopod (I just have a Wimberley clamp on mine) but horses for courses.
Click to expand...

Only head I got at the moment. It's a half gimbal
 
one interesting thing i saw with a canon tele was a customised collar foot.
this foot was long enough to have two eye holes either side of the monopod
this allowed attachment to a strap over the shoulder with monopod pointing upwards

i dont think you can get anything like that for the sigma
 
al4x said:
one interesting thing i saw with a canon tele was a customised collar foot.
this foot was long enough to have two eye holes either side of the monopod
this allowed attachment to a strap over the shoulder with monopod pointing upwards

i dont think you can get anything like that for the sigma
Click to expand...

It wouldn't be difficult to make a strap to tie around the foot to hang on something and then it wouldn't need to interfere with the QR plate.

If you get any kind of military style rucksack with the molle webbing on then you can let the rucksack bear the weight of the lens when you're not using it but you don't need to put it away.
 
What do you need a monopod out of interest? OS on the Sigma works well and you're only working at 300mm max. Anyway for carrying, I'd recommend a Blackrapid RS4 and you'll need one of these: http://www.blackrapid.com/products/fastenr-t1 so you can still have your QR plate in use. Having the strap kept the weight balanced and although I found the lens heavy it was never uncomfortable.
 
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Personally I'd still want to use a tripod or monopod to guarantee shots that are as steady as possible and it also gives you a bit more scope for longer exposures if you need them.
 
i was planning on the monopod just incase i have to wait for the animal to turn to me or whatever.
Thats fine with the sigma for a fair few shots but too much and its not going to be fun!

with those little fasteners - im guessing it screws into the QR plate which i would then have to unscrew to use any sort of monopod/tripod?
i completely see the reason on a non mounted lens but obviously awkward/impractical with a monopod?

shame a QR plate doesnt have a hole for the strap!

I have the strap on order for monday
 
al4x said:
i was planning on the monopod just incase i have to wait for the animal to turn to me or whatever.
Thats fine with the sigma for a fair few shots but too much and its not going to be fun!

with those little fasteners - im guessing it screws into the QR plate which i would then have to unscrew to use any sort of monopod/tripod?
i completely see the reason on a non mounted lens but obviously awkward/impractical with a monopod?
Click to expand...

Pretty sure it just replaces the existing fastener in your QR plate so you don't need to remove anything to use the QR plate with your tripod/monopod. It's just a stronger version of what's there already and the loop is rated to carry the weight of the camera/lens whereas the standard one isn't.
 
Janesy B said:
What do you need a monopod out of interest? OS on the Sigma works well and you're only working at 300mm max. Anyway for carrying, I'd recommend a Blackrapid RS4 and you'll need one of these: http://www.blackrapid.com/products/fastenr-t1 so you can still have your QR plate in use. Having the strap kept the weight balanced and although I found the lens heavy it was never uncomfortable.
Click to expand...

Gotta say having had a 120-300 and blackrapid strap for a year or so now I see absolutely boo need for that clip... Just use the one that is already attached to the QR plate, it's plenty strong enough, or at least the manfrotto one is, other brands may vary. It just seems like you're paying for the name badge!:p

Just carry the lens by the shoulder strap and when you actually need the monopod clip the lens to it. Once you use the blackrapid strap (over the head and down the side remember) the lens weight is much easier to deal with.:)
 
Amp34 said:
Gotta say having had a 120-300 and blackrapid strap for a year or so now I see absolutely boo need for that clip... Just use the one that is already attached to the QR plate, it's plenty strong enough, or at least the manfrotto one is, other brands may vary. It just seems like you're paying for the name badge!:p

Just carry the lens by the shoulder strap and when you actually need the monopod clip the lens to it. Once you use the blackrapid strap (over the head and down the side remember) the lens weight is much easier to deal with.:)
Click to expand...

Thought I saw someone say theirs had broken when used in the same way but either way, I wouldn't wanna dangle a few thousand pounds worth or more from something that isn't technically designed to do that!
 
Perhaps another brand? The manfrotto ones are easily up to the job however. I did check to see how the loop was attached before I did it. The weakest point is the locking washer on the rubber side (camera side) that holds the bolt in place. It's exactly the same as the blackrapid version...
 
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Na, mine's a Manfrotto one and I wouldn't trust it to hold any real weight from the thumbgrip part. The washer itself won't be holding any weight when the thread is all the way into the base of the lend/camera but the thumbgrip itself isn't exactly particularly strong looking! I've probably had coathangers which were almost the same gauge :P Also I don't know how far in the grip goes into the head part. It's not all the way through I suspect so with enough weight it would probably bend and slip out.


http://digital-photography-school.com/forum/general-chit-chat/175652-damnit-dropped.html
 
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