cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast

A few steps at a time!

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

This is why I prefer a 300 2.8 with 1.4X and crop with pixel enlargement or use Sony Clear Image Zoom - on a monopod. ....or, maybe if desperate, in good light a 2X.
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nikonnate Loc: Woodbury MN

I was going to say a jogging stroller but the burro/ sherpa jokesters beat me to it :)

Great thread, btw. I'm looking heavily at a few big, used primes for shooting wildlife as well.

n3eg Loc: West coast USA

That in itself is an achievement. Did you use a back brace?
I get the same FOV with a zoom lens the size of a soda can.

Geegee Loc: Peterborough, Ont.

I use a gimbal head on a monopod with my 600mm lens. If I turn it upside down with the monopod sticking up behind my right shoulder the gimbal has a place which is like a handle on a briefcase for my right hand. I don't have to collapse the monopod between walks as it is not in the way sticking straight up.

This can still get heavy on my arm on long walks so I rig my Black Rapid strap with a carbiner clip so that I take some of the weight on my left shoulder and some with my right hand holding on to the gimbal.

wings42 Loc: San Diego, CA

Agree with the backpack advice. This kind of lens isn't made for convenient light weight general use. But if you can hike into a special place and park yourself there for a time, you'll be able to get some stunning captures.

Also, you may find special places near where you live that will justify this lens. Here in San Diego, the Ocean Beach Dog Park is an estuary of the San Diego River and is replete with many species of local and migratory waterfowl. I'm happy with my Nikon 18-300 zoom lens, but most days when the tide is right I usually see photographers with very long lens and a tripod taking photos I couldn't hope to get.

Leitz Loc: Solms

A lot of folks have done your thinking for you - which are you going to copy?

Strodav Loc: Houston, Tx

Not sure yet, but I agree I got some great ideas from the hogs. So the options I'm looking at right now are:
1) shoulder strap attached to the strap lugs on the lens body to be carried horizontally at the waist. I like this option for quick handling. Would use a small backpack for the rest of my gear.
2) backpack big enough for the lens with camera attached with room for other stuff, tripod strapped to the outside of the backpack, and the backpack should have compression straps and transfer some weight to the hips. [I hiked the Sangre de Cristo mountains for a week with an internal frame backpack with compression straps. I was comfortable going up and down the switchbacks with the 40lb pack. My photography pack won't be over 30lbs]
3) Big wheeled cart like a baby cart or golf bag cart. This will work as most of the trails I hike in the Tx State Parks are fairly well maintained.
4) Mount camera and lens on tripod and use a tripod (monopod) "collar and shoulder pad" to put the weight on a shoulder when hiking.
5) This leads me to another option. Have mountain bike and love to ride the trails, so can get a baby cart for my bike.

This is UHH at its best. Not sure which option I'll pick yet, but these ideas are great. Keep them coming.

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

I only take short hikes with my 600mm f/4 lens. I put it in a full sized hikers backpack. I attach a good tripod to my backpack. A friend took a photo of me taking a photo of an eagle.

The photographer (me)

(Download)

The eagles and a carp.

(Download)

global

A company called Ruggard Alpine makes one for 139.00 sold on BH

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

I am currently in the market for a 600mm lens. I must figure a way to convince my wife of my need to spend over $1500. But that is the topic of another post.
I have also seen a bracket called a FOTGA L200 which should facilitate using it. A gentle reminder, don't carry the camera and lens attached to the tripod slung over your shoulder. Sure it lightens the load. It also creates a great deal of torsional stress on the bottom of the camera and tripod. I guarantee the camera and lens will snap off

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

NICE tripod collar !!
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sv3noKin51E

Stroday,
Lens jacket (cover), tripod with gimbal, has worked great for us for years; then the sherpa if you go there. Enjoy, happy shooting.

MrPhotog

Should you opt for a golf bag cart you may be able to leave the tripod at home. Many of these rigs have 2 built in legs which allow you to park your golf gear in a tripod-like arrangement. Just a second to set up, and probably more mass than many photo tripods.

You would probably want to clamp on a tube to raise the camera mounting to suit your height, and put an appropriate tripod head on that. You might be able to scavenge parts from an old tripod.

Consider a quick mounting attachment for your tripod head. Typically a mounting pad would be attached to the camera/lens and a mating base would be attached to the tripod head. The two parts snap together firmly, saving the wear-and-tear of repeatedly screwing the camera/lens onto the tripod screw threads. Quicker, too.

Bill_de Loc: US

That kind of defeats the "tri"pod effect, same as center columns on tripods reduce stability.

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