Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/02/21

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Leica lenses & Group Professionals Responsibility?
From: Harrison McClary <mcclary@iname.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Feb 1999 12:22:38 -0600

Sunday, February 21, 1999, Rbedw51767 wrote:
> would you please answer a few stupid questions for me?  How do you
> guys carry those heavy lenses?  Do you use tripods or monopods?  Do you hire
> someone to carry the equipment for you?   Do you use a special strap?  My back
> and neck hurt at the thought of it

Bob,

Usually when using my 400 2.8 I use a mono pod...unlike Ted's son I am
not  man  enough to shoot that monster hand held. I mount the mono-pod
into  the  lens  and put the mono-pod over my shoulder to carry it. It
helps  to  get  a mono-pod shoulder cushion, or put foam rubber at the
top  of the mono-pod. Even with this my shoulder usually ends up black
and blue from slinging that much weight on and off my shoulder after a
day of heavy shooting.

I usually  only  use that long of a lens for sports...football, NASCAR,
Golf where the day is long with a lot of running around.

Special Straps...If using a lens like a 300 2.8 or up you really ought
to  get  a  strap  on  the  lens and carry the camera/lens by the lens
strap.  Just think about a lens that big being supported by only those
tiny screws that hold your mount onto your camera body.....

And  Yes I hire someone to carry my crap IF I can get my client to pay
for  them.  Otherwise  (most  of  the  time)  I haul it around myself.
Example:  when  I  was  covering  The  Masters  golf  tournament I was
carrying  3  bodies(Nikon  F3/80-200  2.8,  Nikon F2AS/24mm, and Canon
F1n/4002.8  first  2 days & Nikon N90/400 3.5 last 2 days...my 400 got
water  logged  on  Friday  and  I  had to use an NPS loaner on Sat and
Sunday;  Canon  was officially kicked out of the Masters several years
ago  and can't get back in.) I had to carry all of this junk plus lots
of  film,  envelopes  &  a 2 way radio to keep in contact with my film
runner, other photogs, and photo editor.

Keeping  warm on  a  cold day with a long lens is almost impossible for
me.  I  never learned to shoot with gloves.  The mono-pod is aluminum,
camera  metal...all  very  cold. My hands  get  very cold.


Best regards,
 Harrison                          mailto:mcclary@iname.com
http://people.delphi.com/hmphoto
preview my book: http://www.volmania.com