How do you carry a 400mm 2.8 IS L lens thru the woods
How do you carry a 400mm 2.8 IS L lens thru the woods like Art Wolfe and Moose Petersen? I just got mine via Canon thru fed ex and I must say it is much bigger than expected. HEHE ! Don't get me wrong I am a big boy and can lift it and carry it but it is rather large and cumbersome. Just wondered how these guys sneek thru the woods carrying all the other lenses ie. (wide angle, macro, normal zoom, etcetc) and this monstrosity. Along with some of these people are using a 600mm as well. Any thoughts, ideas, or suggestions. Looking forward to using my new lens. Thanks Mike [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
Re: How do you carry a 400mm 2.8 IS L lens thru the woods
400 2.8! drool... Lucky man! Hopefully, next spring I'll be cartin' around a 500 f/4 of my own.
Anyway, I seem to remember a recent Outdoor Photographer article where Art Wolfe mentions having an assistant... as for Moose, well, he's always pictured in Lowepro brochures praising his ProTrekker pack. My guess is though that these guys carry only the stuff they need after scouting a location. Maybe one of the big lenses + converters and one standard zoom for the unexpected. You're not planning to stumble through the bush with your 400 hoping to run into something at random I hope?
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
Re: How do you carry a 400mm 2.8 IS L lens thru the woods
Visit this page for links and names of most bag manufacturers <http://www.kinesisgear.com/competitors.html>. Some soft-side long lens bags can be worn as a backpack for walking in the woods.
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
Re: How do you carry a 400mm 2.8 IS L lens thru the woods
most of the LowePro AW (all weather) backpacks will fit a 400mm 2.8 with a body attached to it. I carry my 300 2.8 with a convertor and body nicely inside a Nature Trekker. Also holds two extra bodies, a 20-35 2.8 and an 80-200 2.8 with room for film and filters.
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
Re: How do you carry a 400mm 2.8 IS L lens thru the woods
First of all, congrats on the lens purchase! I got the poor man's 400 f/2.8 lens - the Canon 400 f/2.8 Mk I. They don't come any heavier than mine!!! I'm 6'6" and weigh 200 lbs, so, luckily, I can handle the weight.
As for how to carry it, if I'm going any distance, I put it in my LowePro Pro Trekker AW. If I'm stalking my subject for a short distance, then I keep it attatched to the tripod and sling it over my shoulder.
If I'm going a real short distance, say less than 30 ft., and the tripod is raised close to eye-level, then I will keep the tripod legs splayed and I'll dip under the tripod so my shoulder touches the underside of the camera mount (i.e. wedge my shoulder between the open legs). Then I stand straight up keeping one or two hands on the tripod legs for stability. This raises the tripod legs a few inches off the ground and allows me to rapidly move the whole rig without having to take time to un-spread and re-spread the legs, which takes a surprisingly long amount of time with such a heavy lens attached.
Oh, in case you're wondering, I use the Wimberely head. I find it MUCH easier to use than a ball-head.
J. C.
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
Re: How do you carry a 400mm 2.8 IS L lens thru the woods
J.C.'s advice is pretty much right on.
As to lenses, it's very unlikely that you'd carry both a 400 & a 600 at once. It's more likely that you'd take one or the other depending on the primary subjects for the shoot (mammals vs. birds, for example).
As to other lenses, most of them stay in the vehicle for a "day shoot" or short hike. With digital you can get away with a long lens on the tripod, maybe a second body with a zoom, and a wide-angle in a hip pack.
One thing to keep in mind when you have the lens & tripod on your shoulder is to keep the lens down if you don't want leaves & bird droppings on the front element.
Re: How do you carry a 400mm 2.8 IS L lens thru the woods
I recommend the Lowe Trekker Series, too. I have made good experiences with lareg telephotolens and the supertrekker because it has the same carrying system as the Lowe trekking backpacks for hiking use. This way I can carry a pretty much gear over large distances (300/2,8 with attached 2x, 35-350, 2 Bodies, binoculars, tripod, extra clothes, 17-35, flash and teleextender, akkupack)
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
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