Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/02/21
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Harrison: I feel your pain. I came to the conclusion when shooting football games that all I needed was the 400 2.8, monopod, body with drive, Lowe Pro Orion half moon shaped waise pack, Metz flash, and a 35mm Summicron. I found anything more was too heavy and too much to carry. The football games I shoot are University games and I and the other photographers follow the action up and down the field. I do lots of walking by the end of the day and any more gear just makes my bad back worse. I carry the Summicron and flash for any after game pictures. I was caught in the dark without my flash, after the Atlantic Bowl in the fall and my pictures of the team celebrating were pitiful. Since then I pack a flash. Regards, Robert At 12:22 PM 2/21/99 -0600, you wrote: >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 > > > > > >