pdsilen Loc: Roswell, New Mexico

I am the same age that you are. My princilal cameras are Canon 6D and 7D. Yes. they weigh a ton. But I can still manage them. One thing I've learned recently. When I'm out and about and I'm going to do a lot of shooting I take a monopod with me. Its collapsible, portable, and you have reasonable good control of your camera.

lensmaster Loc: Chicago

common sense idea....helps stabilize the camera and can double as a walking stick. TWO for the price of one!!

charles brown Loc: Tennesse

I agree except that I don't think that it applies to all seniors. There was a time as I was entering my senior years when lighter equipment was welcomed. However, as I have gotten older (now 80) I find that the heavier cameras have become easier to hold steady. Of course, lens weight also needs to be taken into consideration. As we get older our needs change and what is best suited for us this year may not be what we need in later years. Getting old is a constant process during which many changes may occur. Go lighter if it helps, but don't get rid of the heavier stuff just yet, one never knows.

charles brown Loc: Tennesse

w00dy4012 Loc: Thalia, East Virginia

As people get older, for some reason, they think they should just sit in a chair, eat pork rinds, sit back in a recliner, and watch Netflix. That's the why a lot of people can't manage a "heavy" camera and lens. You rally have to stay active as you age.

I'll be 80 in two months. Up until two years ago I was able to run five mile until knee surgery put an end to it. I try to walk at least two miles most days carrying a Sony 7Riii, relatively light camera. with a Sony 200-600 super zoom. a total weight of +/- 6 lbs. I have no problems with this.

I'm not saying that i"m something special as there are more men, and women, my age who are much more fit. Anybody can improve their fitness level by doing a bit of exercise. I've done it. After a life of too much beer and whisky, 2-3 packs of Pall Malls a day, and driving around the parking lot to find a spot close to the door, I decided to change at age 48, and have been going since.

charles brown Loc: Tennesse

Picture Taker Loc: Michigan Thumb

We do what we can. I'm a dew days from 90 (I'm

whitehall Loc: Canada

I just turned 80, with two artificial hips, but otherwise athletic for my age. So my camera choice is an R5 with the trinity if I travel by car and a micro 4/3 system if I travel by air.

Picture Taker Loc: Michigan Thumb

We are all different. I carry a 5D or R5 and 2 lenses all the time. Spent 3 hours yesterday walking around with my R5 with a 24-240 lens in my hand (use a hand strap and never put it back into my bag) with a 100-400 in the bag.
But I lucky as I will 90 this month.
The good die young,

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

This is beginning to sound like a symposium on gerontology or a bunch of "old guys" sitting around in a "facility" discussing their various and sundry ailments.

As an OLD guy with a grey beard, who has his own compliment of aches and pains, I am certainly not trivializing various health issues and age-related disabilities. The problem is, as I see it, is there's enough AGEISM out there, so that we do not need to practise self-imposed ageism and convince ourselves that we can't carry on with all of our favourite activities just because we have to approach them a bit differently. We may have to go a little slower or lift a little lighter but that is no big deal.

We see images of Ansel Adams and his contemporaries schlepping around an 8x10 view camera and working atop his wooden-clad station wagon. Nowadays, we have equipment that is comparatively lightweight that can produce view-camera-like quality in the hands of a technically savvy photograher. I have a "Featherlight" brand stepladder that I can lift with 2 fingers of one hand. And..,. is it simple common sense that each of us will select equipment that we are able to manage as to size and weight. We certainly would not buy shoes or clothing that does not fit nor should we buy or continue to use the equipment we can not manage. There is plenty of good gear that comes in small packages! If you can handle a heavier or bulkier camera and find it easier to steady and leave- more power to ya! If you can't, think of it this way; for folks, how to have mobility difficulties there and all kinds of mobility aids, many of these things can be adapted to your cameras.

As for physical and mental fitness- you don't need to run marathons at 70 or 80 -years old. You don't need to go to the extreme crazy diets or play tackle football every day. All you need to do is walk, stop taking the car to the corner store, keep active, do normal exercises like household chores, gardening, fixing and constructing stuff, and continue your favourite sport, if you can, knock off the smokes, booze, and recreational drugs and do not eat 3 meals a day at Mc Donalds or Taco-Bell! Photography is great for mental exercise- you need to figure things out, make calculations, be creative and resoursful, solve problems, use your visual perception, and get out of your house a do stuff!

Ageism is just as bad and widespread as racism, sexism, xenophobia, and all the other prejudices. Problem is, there's not very much pushback by organized groups or associations advocating for older folks and it ain't on TV every day.

Just member, a rocking chair is lousy camera support and it won't do yuro videography any good either!

HallowedHill2

The most sensible thought in this thread!

Bottom line: no one solution fits every one. We are all physically and psychologically different. General rules will apply to most, but not to every one. Do what you can, and more importantly what you enjoy, as long as you can. And yes. push yourself some. As my 10th grade history teacher said: "Your not learning (read progressing) if there is not a certain degree of discomfort!"

If not interested in what I do you can stop reading now.

I am 73 and in reasonably good health. I switched from Nikon to Olympus a few years age because of the ISIS and weight. I exercise 5 days per week for a couple of hours a day doing 130 minutes of cardio and leg, chest and back work. I just retired after 33 years of practicing law, and 13 years of counseling male adolescents. We travel to Europe once a year, and for 2 weeks in the US, as well as a couple of weeks at the beach. This plan works for me.

My photography, reading and group with OMEL once a week keeps me active along with church work.

Bottom line: If it hurts, if you nolonger enjoy it remember what Einstein said: " To keep doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity" ( ok, that's probably a paraphrase)

tgreenhaw

There's another way to look at it. With lighter gear you can carry more stuff like extra lenses, flash, tripod etc. That you might otherwise leave at home.

pendennis

I just got rid of all my aluminum tripods, along with the heavy duty heads that accompanied them. Gone are my Bogens (3035, 3046, 3251, 3033), Manfrotto (475B,055), Gitzo 1242. The only tripods which remain are a new Induro CT-303, Manfrotto MT055, Gitzo G1540G. The Induro will support up to 44lbs (their stat), and it does nicely with my Nikon's and the heavy zooms. I've also tried the tripods with my 4x5's and medium formats, and all seem to be well-supported. One of the other considerations, was to stop carrying shoulder bags. Everything now goes on a Cosco convertible hand truck, or my "go-to" Zero-Halliburton Z-Roller. The Induro with a Manfrotto MHXPRO-3D head and Arca Swiss adapter, weighs in at 6.1#, about half the weight of a Manfrotto 475-B and 3047 head.

Along with some mild arthritis, I also have Post-Polio Syndrome, which affects my upper torso, breathing muscles, and limbs. I work as much as possible with light weights, more to keep tone than to develop. Walking does help.

dbrugger25 Loc: Raleigh, NC

I am a 77 year old man who has recently had rotator cuff surgery on both shoulders. I also have a bad back and arthritis in my fingers. I really like big, heavy comeras and lenses. To remain able to use them I work-out with 5 pound weights and hand exercise devices while I sit watching television.

I went to the outflow of a dam and spent hours photographig hawks in flight. I took 873 photos with my Canon R5 with the 100-500 mm lens.

If they want to do it with enough passion, most people can build the strengh to do it. Don't give-up striving to achieve your goals.

Picture Taker Loc: Michigan Thumb

"dbrugger25" That's what life is about. If your gonna live enjoy your life and keep going. Setting around will kill you.