Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/05/31
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Doug, YMMV.You make a living doing this. I dont. You are also on the ground. In Indian wildlife reserves, at least, it is prohibited to step down from your vehicle/elephant. And I dont think that the Nikon D70 or F100 with the 80-400 VR is particularly heavy or uncomfortable to hold. Of course, this is a consumer lens, and you lose the advantage of large apertures. but I think its a great via media. Incidently, I have seen many professional wildlife photographers at work in the Indian reserves, and they use a similar zoom - either Nikkor 80-400VR or Canon 100-400IS. And they always have a small sensor digital camera - no full frame for them. Cheers Jayanand Douglas Herr wrote: >Jayanand Govindaraj <jgovindaraj@eth.net> wrote: > > > >>... the VR (or IS) is a godsend. It eliminates, to a large degree, >> the lack of mobility and speed imposed by a tripod. >> >> > >Jayanand, there are numerous ways to eliminate the tripod, an electronic >technology such as IS or VR is only one way. What the IS or VR does not do >is take the weight of the camera out of your hands, and one unfortunate >thing it does is add a large number of air/glass surfaces in the optical >system. > >Of course individual preferences vary, and I'm biased toward maximum tonal >gradation and color richness along with minimum flare so I prefer to use a >simpler optical system, stabilizing the setup with a monopod and shoulder >stock. Not as portable as VR, not as battery-hungry, can be used with any >lens that has a rotating tripod collar, and while waiting for the precise >moment when the animal's head is turned the right way the camera's weight >is not in my hands. I've used this rig at shutter speeds as slow as 1/15 >sec with the280mm lens with excellent results. > > >Doug Herr >Birdman of Sacramento >http://www.wildlightphoto.com > >_______________________________________________ >Leica Users Group. >See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > >