Anyone know of a Beanbag that attaches to the lens?
I am planning my next photo safari and working on the gear to bring on safari. In the past, I had folks bring three bean bags, but now that gear has changed so much, there might be a better answer. Does anyone know of a smaller bean bag designed to attach to the lens collar foot? I am sure I could make one and will if no commercial one is available, but perhaps this is already done.
Why do I want a smaller bean bag to fasten to the lens tripod collar you ask? On our Kenya safaris, everyone has their own roof hatch and row of seats in the safari vehicle. It makes the safari cost more, but being able to shoot out either side of the vehicle is enormously useful and having your own roof hatch is super too. Now most photo safaris do this. On safari, you might shoot out the roof hatch on either side of the vehicle, and for shorter animals, it is often best not to shoot from the roof hatch, but shoot out the lower windows on either side of the vehicle. That means you need to cover all four locations. That is a lot of bags and you also have to secure them to the windowsill or roof hatch railing or you will lose them when they fall outside the vehicle or on your head. And if you secure them to the window, there will be times when they still need to be adjusted to let you easily photograph toward the front of the vehicle or to the rear.
Now that many zoom lenses are available and because IBIS is on many cameras today, and because they are smaller, it makes sense to use a smaller bean bag and attach it to the tripod mount on the lens and then it is always ready to be used. For example, my Canon RF 100-500mm on the Canon R5 is most effective, and with the RF 1.4x teleconverter, it reaches 700mm. That would cover most mammals and birds in Kenya, and I still have the option of going to the 1.6x crop factor for the tiny birds and now that is a reach of 1120mm! (I find the crop factor is useful when I need the reach because I can see the subject better in the viewfinder since it is larger and then I better know when to shoot images.)
You get the idea, any thoughts or suggestions?

This Lens is like the day it was purchased. Considered NEW. No adverse and/or spots, rubs, marks to the naked eye. The Lens features the following: Macro0.45/1.5ft.; Auto Focus & Manual: Original CANON Hood-EW-83H and Front and Rear caps. Included with the lens are the Original Box and CANON USA Warranty Card. BARGAIN PRICE is $725.00. Shipping to be divided equally between Buyer and Seller.

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Email address is as follows: tedspix@comcast.net

The first one is a

Kodak "KODO" No.2 Folding Hawk-Eye Model "C" S/N 31263

Circa 1924-1925
Film 620 - 8 or 12 exposure
Focal Length 110mm
Original Cost $8.00
6.5 X 3.5 X 1.25 inches
Available colors: Black, Brown, Green, Pink and Blue



the final 3 images are of the

Kodak Tourist II S/N 325849

This is the last of the folding camera models that Kodak produced.

Produced from 1948-1951
Focal Length - 86mm
Film 620 - 8 or 12 Exposure
Original Cost $24.50
You could buy an adapter back plate to use 828 film.

With the exception of the folding bellows this camera was 100% pure metal in construction.

Here are a few of the old cameras I have in my collection of about 20 oldies. The first one is interesting because it is the first camera to use modern film. Eastman Kodak invented what they called "safety film" in 1908 and this would have been the camera to use it. The other photos show the beauty of some of the old cameras -- just look at that chrome on the Optima and the other Argus.

The last photo is of a slide projector. It apparently would only load one slide at a time. Can you imagine someone sitting through a friend's presentation of their trip to Yellowstone with 400 slides!

Now the quiz: The 1908 camera has one interchangeable part that is on the newest most advanced cameras on the market the Z9 and Sony a1. Who can name it?