Getting around with large lens: Does anyone here use super telephoto lenses if so I would love to see how you get around with them. I am not talking about the smaller lenses but the...

Stevenwillemse Loc: Canberra Australia

Does anyone here use super telephoto lenses if so I would love to see how you get around with them. I am not talking about the smaller lenses but the extreme lenses like the f/4 500mm or 600mm or even the 800mm 5.6.

Thank you
Steve

alandg46 Loc: Boerne, Texas

They become parking lot queens. They get hauled out of a vehicle, dragged 100 feet or so, picked up by a crane and mounted on a tripod.

Truly, they do become parking lot queens. I know. I've had a couple of 9-10 pounders.

Haydon

I tripod it and carry my 500 F4 on my shoulder. You get use to it.

Stevenwillemse Loc: Canberra Australia

Thank you but I need to drag / carry mine for about 4-5 km with tripod before setting up. Even been practicing with weights in my backpack as if the birds won't come to me ....
And it's over pretty rough terrain

Stevenwillemse Loc: Canberra Australia

Haydon wrote:

I tripod it and carry my 500 F4 on my shoulder. You get use to it.

Aren't you afraid it will break off on the mount?

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

Stevenwillemse wrote:

Does anyone here use super telephoto lenses if so I would love to see how you get around with them. I am not talking about the smaller lenses but the extreme lenses like the f/4 500mm or 600mm or even the 800mm 5.6.

Thank you
Steve

I carry my 600mm F4 in a Lowepro Lens Trekker 600 with camera attached and tripod strapped to the bag. Very comfortable and quick to setup when you get to where you are going.

chaman

alandg46 wrote:

They become parking lot queens. They get hauled out of a vehicle, dragged 100 feet or so, picked up by a crane and mounted on a tripod.

Truly, they do become parking lot queens. I know. I've had a couple of 9-10 pounders.

:roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

Bill_de Loc: US

I have a Gitzo 1548 with the original Wimberley gimbal head.

For over ten years I carried it over my shoulder with a Nikon 500 F4. This was many miles of walking on beaches, climbing rocky embankments in Newfoundland, through various terrain in Alaska wilderness and waist deep in the Atlantic shooting birds on shore [If you approach from the water they don't get spooked].

Currently I do the same with a Nikon 800 F5.6.

I check all hardware every day!

If you are trying to shoot wildlife, you can't wait until you get somewhere to set up. Unfortunately most animals won't wait for you. I have mentioned before, I knew a guy who used a golf bag caddy/cart with the tripod legs in the bag. He was somewhat limited where he could travel with it, but could get off a couple of shots with the tripod still in the bag.

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Haydon

Stevenwillemse wrote:

Aren't you afraid it will break off on the mount?

It's mounted to my gimbal and two of the legs sit on my shoulder. The Gitzo has lenscoat so it offers a buffer. I've carried it a couple of miles like that. I apologize for not being descriptive.

I sometimes carry my rig in a 36L guru gear backpack but I find that can be frustrating at times. Often the shots I make will not allow assembly time. Mind you, if you walk to a blind, that's a different matter.

Bill_de wrote:

I knew a guy who used a golf bag caddy/cart with the tripod legs in the bag. He was somewhat limited where he could travel with it, but could get off a couple of shots with the tripod still in the bag.
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I know a couple of people that use that method for long walks on the beach.

Some use deviations of this product.

http://www.amazon.com/Eckla-Beach-Rolly-Gear-Cart/dp/B005O9NUR2

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

I've only rented a 400 f/4.8 and 500 f/4. My RRS heads on either the tripod or monopod are certified to lock and hold locked the weight of these monsters over my shoulder. My 300 f/2.8 also travels on monopod being lighter and smaller. I got a lenscoat cover for the 300 for all times except when actively being used. Much more convenient than the suitcase.

A backpack is the option for getting to location where I've ridden a few miles on bike to then set-up and shoot an airshow with tripod and gimbal.

Stevenwillemse Loc: Canberra Australia

Looks like I will just have to get stronger. At the moment after about 30min of hiking my shoulder aches from the tripod pushing into the traps. Do you use any padding when carrying it like this?

Haydon

Stevenwillemse wrote:

Looks like I will just have to get stronger. At the moment after about 30min of hiking my shoulder aches from the tripod pushing into the traps. Do you use any padding when carrying it like this?

Construct a piece of closed cell foam with velcro closures for your shoulder. Lenscoat the tripod legs as well. They offer a level of comfort

Courtesy of Lenscoat
Courtesy of Lenscoat...

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

Stevenwillemse wrote:

Thank you but I need to drag / carry mine for about 4-5 km with tripod before setting up. Even been practicing with weights in my backpack as if the birds won't come to me ....
And it's over pretty rough terrain

Ten pounds at the start of a hike is 100 pounds by the time you get where you are going, especially over rough terrain. Do yourself a favor. Get a good quality, expedition grade rigid frame backpack. There's a reason why you don't see serious hikers and mountaineers carrying their gear in frameless backpacks.

Stevenwillemse Loc: Canberra Australia

Thanks guys all ecellent ideas, my plan is to carry the 100-400 with camera outside the pack for those situations were you dont have time but also need the big lens with tripod for eagles and other birds that you just cannot get close to without disturbing them. Trying to film a full breeding cycle of wedge tail eagles without putting any stress on the breeding couple.

10MPlayer Loc: California

As a land surveyor I'm quite used to hauling a total station survey instrument or GPS unit, wooden tripod,bipod with glass prism, metal detector, wooden hubs, lath, 60d nails, notebooks, plumb bob, calculator, extra batteries and anything else I may need over all kinds of terrain from flat central valley to Sierra Nevada mountains. Compared to that, carrying a camera and aluminum tripod is nothing.