Terry in Indiana Loc: rural Indiana

I'm considering purchasing a chest-pod for our Botswana safari. Anyone have any experience/recommendations/advice about this? Apparently the safari vehicles there are open and no place to set a bean-bag (which I used on previous safaris in pop-top vehicles). I had never heard of them, but found this one on the B&H website: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/240748-REG/Novoflex_PISTOCK_C_Chest_Shoulder_Pod_Reduces.html

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Clever, and not too large/heavy. It looks like it would give a lot of support. If you don't like it, you can return it.

MtnMan Loc: ID

Having just returned from an Africa trip that included two camps in Botswana and two in Zimbabwe I can confirm that beanbags were unusable in the open vehicles at all four of those camps.

This device might be useful. It will be awkward because you must remain seated. I don't know that it will help much because you still must contend with the wriggeling of other people in the vehicle. Your best friends are OS/IS/VR and high shutter speed.

On the last couple of days I figured out to use M mode with min f-stop and a min shutter speed of 1/500 and auto ISO. VR on. Those images came out sharpest.

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

Looks like the old Rifle stock/ gun stock mounts for tele lenses except for more adjustments. tried one with a 400mm lens years ago, cannot remember using it more than maybe once, try it before you pack it, Bob.

Terry in Indiana Loc: rural Indiana

Thank you, Jerry! You always give sound, reasonable answers! :) I appreciate your thoughts...

Terry in Indiana Loc: rural Indiana

Thanks for the advice, MtnMan! I thought about the being seated part...don't envision using it for every shot, just when I've got the big lens on...very difficult to hand-hold for me. Thanks for the reply!

Terry in Indiana Loc: rural Indiana

Good advice. Yes, I'll definitely try it before I dedicate any space (and weight) in my camera bag for it! Thank you!

pecohen Loc: Central Maine

I've looked at advertisements for these supports but not tried one. What kept me from investigating further was that I could not think of how they offer any significant advantage over a monopod.

big-guy Loc: Peterborough Ontario Canada

I found this very true and remember they love to pack you in like sardines. I found the best spot on the truck was on the left hand side as it is MUCH easier to twist left and shoot over your left shoulder. Now it's up to the ani-mammals to cooperate with your decision.

And a word of caution; when you nail that shot, save the "OH YEAH BABY!" for after the drive so you don't distract the leopard or what ever and piss off the rest of the folks in the truck who are still fumbling with their cameras. Yes, this comes from personal experience. Maybe not NG worthy but a personal triumph under the conditions none the less.

Leopard on the nightly prowl

(Download)

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

I would consider:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/818082-REG/Cotton_Carrier_779_SSV_0062_Steady_Shot_with_Camera.html

I have the cotton carrier products and like them very much. It will work well on your safari>

Szalajj Loc: Salem, NH

What neither of the above products list, is how much weight they're rated to hold. You don't want to find out the hard way that your equipment is too heavy for the head, and suddenly find your gear on the ground.

Also, think about spacial displacement with whatever you choose. Sitting in safari vehicles limits your personal space. The second chest pod will limit the mobility of your camera, as it fixes the location of your camera to dead center in front of you.

Wouldn't you be better off with a simple over the shoulder sliding camera strap for mobility sake?

Think of those shots where you need to swing around quickly, move your camera around to dodge others in their rush to shoot, aim, compose, focus, adjust for different lighting conditions, and shoot. Having your camera in a more mobile condition that the two chest pods don't offer should be considered.

I'm not knocking body or chest pods under the correct conditions, but I do question their serviceability on a safari. They would be great for birding or where long walks or hikes were involved and carrying a tripod over long distances wasn't practical. Been there, done that many times. I've been known to carry my heavy Manfrotto tripod many times, only to hand hold the majority of my shots on those occasions.

Back to your safari, what are you trying to accomplish with the chest pod, that adjusting the settings on your camera would compensate for instead? Are you trying to reduce motion/blur caused by hand holding your camera? Auto focus, vs. manual focus is another consideration. What equipment are you planning to travel with, will the lens be long enough? Remember that you DO NOT want to be changing lenses out in the field on this trip.

Collie lover Loc: St. Louis, MO

Check out the vest at Cotton Carrier at www.cottoncarrier.com. I think you will like it better and it has more functions.

Bobbee

I would think, if your moving, the camera will still be bouncing around. If you are stopped. You are still moving. Why not a monopod? You could also use it for off camera lighting when you jump out of the vehicle to shoot a lion (OMG!!!) or as a weapon to bet off attacking animals. Also you could use it as a walking stick in the camp.

Collie lover Loc: St. Louis, MO

I also have this and like it very much. It's more versatile than the one posted at the beginning. It costs more, but is more flexible.

bcrawf

You need comments from those here who have gone on such excursions. My sense is that a guy with a long lens and sitting down (as you mentioned later) will simply be out of action as everybody seeks to get a shot of the same animal. IS and camera settings seem to be the solution.