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DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> Help with proper technique for monopod and 400mm
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Showing posts 1 - 18 of 18, (reverse)
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 07/26/2008 01:29:59 PM · #1
''Ok'', ''I'' ''am'' ''all'' ''excited'' ''about'' ''my'' ''new'' ''toys'' ''but'' ''I'' ''am'' ''frustrated'' ''because'' ''the'' ''400mm'' ''f''/''5''.''6'' ''is'' ''so'' ''heavy'' ''compared'' ''to'' ''what'' ''I'' ''am'' ''used'' ''to'' ''and'' ''I'' ''am'' ''totally'' ''unaccustomed'' ''to'' ''using'' ''a'' '''monopod'''.

''Anyone'' ''have'' ''any'' ''tips'' ''and'' ''pointers'' ''for'' ''using'' ''a'' ''long'', ''heavy'' ''lens'' ''handheld'' ''and'' ''with'' ''a'' '''monopod'''?

''I'' ''want'' ''to'' ''learn'' ''how'' ''to'' ''use'' ''these'' ''things'' ''properly''. ''I'' ''have'' ''done'' ''some'' ''google'' ''searches'' ''but'' ''haven'''''t'' ''come'' ''up'' ''with'' ''much''. ''I'' ''found'' ''fairly'' ''good'' '''monopod''' ''info'' ''but'' ''not'' ''on'' ''using'' ''heavy'' ''lenses''.
 07/26/2008 01:35:23 PM · #2
''send'' ''them'' ''both'' ''to'' ''me''..''immediately''.

:''D''

''I'' ''wish'' ''I'' ''had'' ''your'' ''problem''..
 07/26/2008 01:41:31 PM · #3
''Interested'' ''to'' ''see'' ''some'' ''informed'' ''replies''. ''To'' ''be'' ''honest'', ''I'' ''find'' ''a'' '''monopod''' ''to'' ''be'' ''next'' ''to'' ''worthless'' ''and'' ''I'' ''haven'''''t'' ''used'' ''mine'' ''in'' ''the'' ''longest'' ''time''. ''While'' ''it'' ''can'' ''be'' ''a'' ''hassle'' ''lugging'' ''around'' ''the'' ''tripod'', ''it'''''s'' ''a'' ''hassle'' ''worth'' ''dealing'' ''with'' ''in'' ''my'' ''experience''.
 07/26/2008 01:47:11 PM · #4
''Eat'' ''your'' ''Wheaties'' ''then'' ''get'' ''to'' ''a'' ''gym'' ''and'' ''workout'' ''with'' ''the'' ''weights''. ''You'' ''need'' ''some'' ''muscle'' ''to'' ''lug'' ''that'' ''thing'' ''around''. :)

''I'''''m'' ''sorry'' ''I'' ''can'''''t'' ''offer'' ''a'' ''real'' ''advice''. ''My'' ''biggest'' ''lens'' ''is'' ''a'' ''70''-''200mm'' ''and'' ''I'''''ve'' ''never'' ''used'' ''a'' '''monopod'''. ''But'' ''I'''''m'' ''sure'' ''that'' ''someone'' ''here'' ''will'' ''have'' ''some'' ''good'' ''advice'' ''for'' ''you''.

''Enjoy'' ''your'' ''big'' ''lens'' ''and'' ''the'' ''nice'' ''muscles'' ''you'''''ll'' ''soon'' ''have''!


07/26/2008 01:49:50 PM · #5
''I'' ''use'' ''a'' '''monopod''' ''for'' ''sports'' ''all'' ''the'' ''time''. ''Just'' ''attach'' ''the'' '''monopod''' ''to'' ''the'' ''attachment'' ''that'' ''is'' ''on'' ''the'' ''lens'' (''do'' ''NOT'' ''connect'' ''the'' '''monopod''' ''to'' ''the'' ''camera'' ''itself'') ''and'' ''you'''''ll'' ''find'' ''that'' ''the'' ''lens'' ''is'' ''pretty'' ''well'' ''balanced''.

''Monopods'' ''are'' ''good'' ''for'' ''horizontal'' ''movement'' (''like'' ''sports''). ''Not'' ''so'' ''good'' ''for'' ''anything'' ''vertical''.

''Not'' ''sure'' ''what'' ''else'' ''to'' ''tell'' ''you'' ... ''would'' ''love'' ''to'' ''have'' ''that'' ''lens''. ''Would'' ''love'' ''even'' ''more'' ''to'' ''have'' ''the'' ''400mm'' ''2''.''8L ''instead''! :-)
 07/26/2008 01:53:13 PM · #6
''which'' '''monopod''' ''are'' ''you'' ''using''?

''I'' ''have'' ''an'' ''el'' ''cheapo'' ''tripod''..''but'' ''it'' ''is'' ''beast'' ''to'' ''carry'' ''around''...
 07/26/2008 01:59:47 PM · #7
''I'' ''found'' ''this'' ''link...''it'' ''gives'' ''a'' ''couple'' ''tips'' ''on'' ''foot'' ''positioning''.

''Edit'' - ''I'' ''didn'''''t'' ''add'' ''the'' ''link'' ''LOL

''Message'' ''edited'' ''by'' ''author'' ''2008''-''07''-''26'' ''14'':''00'':''40''.
 07/26/2008 02:02:55 PM · #8
''Originally'' ''posted'' ''by'' ''egamble'':
''which'' '''monopod''' ''are'' ''you'' ''using''?

''I'' ''have'' ''an'' ''el'' ''cheapo'' ''tripod''..''but'' ''it'' ''is'' ''beast'' ''to'' ''carry'' ''around''...


''I'' ''have'' ''a'' ''Bogen'' ''680B'' '''monopod' ''with'' ''this'' ''Bogen'' ''486RC2'' ''head. ''My'' ''tripod'' ''is'' ''very'' ''similar'' ''to'' ''the'' '''monopod''' ''but'' ''with'' ''a'' ''Bogen'' ''488RC4'' ''head'' (''and'' ''3'' ''legs'' ''of'' ''course'').

''I'' ''noticed'' ''that'' ''horizontal'' ''movement'' ''was'' ''great'' ''with'' ''the'' '''monopod''' ''but'' ''when'' ''I'' ''needed'' ''to'' ''move'' ''vertically'' ''I'' ''couldn'''''t'' ''do'' ''it'' ''very'' ''easily''.
 07/26/2008 02:03:51 PM · #9
''Originally'' ''posted'' ''by'' ''dwterry'':
''Would'' ''love'' ''even'' ''more'' ''to'' ''have'' ''the'' ''400mm'' ''2''.''8L ''instead''! :-)

''You'' ''and'' ''me'' ''both''! ''It'''''s'' ''the'' ''ultimate'' ''lens'' ''for'' ''shooting'' ''many'' ''sports''.

''Since'' ''I'''''m'' ''wishing'' ''I'' ''might'' ''as'' ''well'' ''wish'' ''for'' ''a'' ''Canon'' ''EF'' ''800mm'' ''f''/''5''.''6'' ''L'' ''IS'' ''USM'' ''Lens ''and'' ''a'' ''Wimberley'' ''Gimbal'' ''Tripod'' ''Head ''too''. ''I'''''ll'' ''buy'' ''one'' ''of'' ''these'' ''as'' ''soon'' ''as'' ''I'' ''can'' ''talk'' ''my'' ''wife'' ''into'' ''it''. :)

07/26/2008 02:05:07 PM · #10
''Originally'' ''posted'' ''by'' ''DarkRider'':
''I'' ''found'' ''this'' ''link...''it'' ''gives'' ''a'' ''couple'' ''tips'' ''on'' ''foot'' ''positioning''.

''Edit'' - ''I'' ''didn'''''t'' ''add'' ''the'' ''link'' ''LOL''


''Yeah'', ''that'' ''is'' ''what'' ''I'' ''was'' ''reading'' ''on'' '''monopod''' ''use''...''very'' ''good'' ''info'' ''I'' ''think''.

''I'' ''guess'' ''I'' ''need'' ''to'' ''just'' ''work'' ''out'' ''with'' ''my'' ''lens'' ''to'' ''get'' ''the'' ''muscle''. ''My'' ''arms'' ''were'' ''so'' ''tired'' ''after'' ''going'' ''shooting'' ''and'' ''hiking'' ''for'' ''a'' ''couple'' ''hours'' ''yesterday''. ''I'' ''love'' ''the'' ''reach'' ''on'' ''this'' ''lens'' ''but'' ''the'' ''weight'' ''is'' ''hard'' ''on'' ''me'' ''when'' ''I'' ''go'' ''hiking'' ''with'' ''it''.
 07/26/2008 02:22:08 PM · #11
''If'' ''your'' ''doing'' ''some'' ''hand'' ''held'' ''shots''...''wrap'' ''your'' ''camera'' ''strap'' ''around'' ''your'' ''shoulder'' (''I'' ''use'' ''my'' ''left'' ''shoulder'') ''and'' ''twist'' ''a'' ''little'' ''to'' ''make'' ''some'' ''tension''. ''This'' ''really'' ''helps'' ''add'' ''some'' ''stability''. ''I'' ''keep'' ''my'' ''left'' ''foot'' ''back'' ''right'' ''foot'' ''forward'' ''plant'' ''your'' ''feet'' ''and'' ''bend'' ''your'' ''knees'' ''a'' ''bit''. ''Good'' ''balance'' ''will'' ''really'' ''help''. ''A'' ''lower'' ''COG'' ''is'' ''always'' ''more'' ''stable''. ''And'' ''not'' ''just'' ''for'' ''the'' ''big'' ''lenses'' ''too''. ''Try'' ''it'' ''with'' ''a'' ''50mm'' ''low'' ''light'' ''you'' ''should'' ''see'' ''a'' ''difference''!
''Keeping'' ''your'' ''arm'' ''muscles'' ''relaxed'' ''will'' ''help'' ''reduce'' ''shake'' ''and'' ''your'' ''arms'' ''won'''''t'' ''get'' ''as'' ''tired'' ''so'' ''fast''. ''Breathing'' ''techniques'' ''for'' ''rifle'' ''shooting'' ''also'' ''help''.
''Also'' ''try'' ''using'' ''the'' '''monopod''' ''while'' ''on'' ''one''/''both'' ''knee''(''s''). ''Adds'' ''a'' ''different'' ''perspective'' ''and'' ''even'' ''more'' ''stability''.
 07/26/2008 02:39:03 PM · #12
''Originally'' ''posted'' ''by'' ''Mick'':
''Originally'' ''posted'' ''by'' ''dwterry'':
''Would'' ''love'' ''even'' ''more'' ''to'' ''have'' ''the'' ''400mm'' ''2''.''8L ''instead''! :-)

''You'' ''and'' ''me'' ''both''! ''It'''''s'' ''the'' ''ultimate'' ''lens'' ''for'' ''shooting'' ''many'' ''sports''.
...

''I'''''ll'' ''buy'' ''one'' ''of'' ''these'' ''as'' ''soon'' ''as'' ''I'' ''can'' ''talk'' ''my'' ''wife'' ''into'' ''it''. :)


''You'' ''know'', ''the'' ''list'' ''price'' ''is'' $''11'',''000'' ''and'' ''Amazon'' ''is'' ''selling'' ''it'' ''for'' ''ONLY'' $''6'',''500'' ... ''you'' ''SAVE'' ''a'' ''whopping'' $''4'',''500''. ''Just'' ''wait'' ''until'' ''I'' ''tell'' ''my'' ''wife'' ''how'' ''I'' ''saved'' $''4'',''500'' ''today''. ''She'''''ll'' ''be'' *''so''* ''impressed''!!! ''How'' ''could'' ''she'' ''NOT'' ''love'' ''me'' ''for'' ''that''?!?

07/26/2008 02:41:32 PM · #13
''brace'' ''yourself'' ''any'' ''way'' ''you'' ''can''!! ''use'' ''mode'' ''2'' ''on'' ''is'' ''if'' ''it'' ''has'' ''it''- ''if'' ''you'' ''have'' ''ever'' ''shot'' ''a'' ''rifle'' ''think'' ''of'' ''your'' ''shot'' ''like'' ''that'' ''use'' ''your'' ''center'' ''focus'' ''point'' ''and'' ''try'' ''to'' ''keep'' ''it'' ''perfect'' ''on'' ''your'' ''target''!! ''oh'' ''and'' ''have'' ''fun''!!!
 07/26/2008 02:50:52 PM · #14
''Originally'' ''posted'' ''by'' ''dwterry'':
''Originally'' ''posted'' ''by'' ''Mick'':
''Originally'' ''posted'' ''by'' ''dwterry'':
''Would'' ''love'' ''even'' ''more'' ''to'' ''have'' ''the'' ''400mm'' ''2''.''8L ''instead''! :-)

''You'' ''and'' ''me'' ''both''! ''It'''''s'' ''the'' ''ultimate'' ''lens'' ''for'' ''shooting'' ''many'' ''sports''.
...

''I'''''ll'' ''buy'' ''one'' ''of'' ''these'' ''as'' ''soon'' ''as'' ''I'' ''can'' ''talk'' ''my'' ''wife'' ''into'' ''it''. :)


''You'' ''know'', ''the'' ''list'' ''price'' ''is'' $''11'',''000'' ''and'' ''Amazon'' ''is'' ''selling'' ''it'' ''for'' ''ONLY'' $''6'',''500'' ... ''you'' ''SAVE'' ''a'' ''whopping'' $''4'',''500''. ''Just'' ''wait'' ''until'' ''I'' ''tell'' ''my'' ''wife'' ''how'' ''I'' ''saved'' $''4'',''500'' ''today''. ''She'''''ll'' ''be'' *''so''* ''impressed''!!! ''How'' ''could'' ''she'' ''NOT'' ''love'' ''me'' ''for'' ''that''?!?

''What'' ''a'' ''great'' ''idea''! ''I'''''m'' ''sure'' ''she'' ''will'' ''be'' ''ecstatic'' ''that'' ''you'' ''saved'' ''so'' ''much''. :''D''

''Too'' ''bad'' ''I'' ''can'''''t'' ''use'' ''that'' ''with'' ''the'' ''800mm'' ''lens''. ''It'''''s'' ''like'' $''12'',''000'' ''everywhere'' ''that'' ''I'''''ve'' ''looked''. :(

07/26/2008 02:53:25 PM · #15
''Originally'' ''posted'' ''by'' ''rider'':
''brace'' ''yourself'' ''any'' ''way'' ''you'' ''can''!! ''use'' ''mode'' ''2'' ''on'' ''is'' ''if'' ''it'' ''has'' ''it''- ''if'' ''you'' ''have'' ''ever'' ''shot'' ''a'' ''rifle'' ''think'' ''of'' ''your'' ''shot'' ''like'' ''that'' ''use'' ''your'' ''center'' ''focus'' ''point'' ''and'' ''try'' ''to'' ''keep'' ''it'' ''perfect'' ''on'' ''your'' ''target''!! ''oh'' ''and'' ''have'' ''fun''!!!


''Lets'' ''you'' ''get'' ''that'' ''KILLer ''shot''!
 07/26/2008 03:02:59 PM · #16
''Originally'' ''posted'' ''by'' ''DarkRider'':
''Originally'' ''posted'' ''by'' ''rider'':
''brace'' ''yourself'' ''any'' ''way'' ''you'' ''can''!! ''use'' ''mode'' ''2'' ''on'' ''is'' ''if'' ''it'' ''has'' ''it''- ''if'' ''you'' ''have'' ''ever'' ''shot'' ''a'' ''rifle'' ''think'' ''of'' ''your'' ''shot'' ''like'' ''that'' ''use'' ''your'' ''center'' ''focus'' ''point'' ''and'' ''try'' ''to'' ''keep'' ''it'' ''perfect'' ''on'' ''your'' ''target''!! ''oh'' ''and'' ''have'' ''fun''!!!


''Lets'' ''you'' ''get'' ''that'' ''KILLer ''shot''!


''Funny'', ''I'' ''was'' ''thinking'' ''about'' ''my'' ''breathing'' ''technique'' ''for'' ''shooting'' ''guns'' ''when'' ''I'' ''was'' ''out'' ''with'' ''my'' ''camera'' ''yesterday''.

''BTW'', ''I'' ''was'' ''so'' ''busy'' ''looking'' ''up'' ''in'' ''the'' ''trees'' ''and'' ''the'' ''sky'' ''that'' ''I'' ''nearly'' ''stepped'' ''on'' ''a'' ''6ft'' ''RATTLESNAKE'' ''crossing'' ''the'' ''trail''! ''I'' ''yelled'' $''h''!''t'' ''when'' ''the'' ''snake'' ''and'' ''I'' ''met'' ''each'' ''other'''''s'' ''eyes'' ''and'' ''he'' ''slithered'' ''very'' ''quickly'' ''in'' ''the'' ''brush''. ''I'' ''was'' ''too'' ''startled'' ''to'' ''use'' ''my'' ''camera'' ''and'' ''with'' ''the'' ''11ft'' ''minimum'' ''focusing'' ''distance'' ''on'' ''the'' ''400mm'' ''I'' ''couldn'''''t'' ''have'' ''gotten'' ''a'' ''shot'' ''of'' ''him'' ''anyway''. ''I'' ''was'' ''damn'' ''near'' ''on'' ''top'' ''of'' ''him''.
 07/26/2008 03:13:59 PM · #17
''I'' ''got'' ''lucky'', ''I'' ''have'' ''a'' ''German'' ''made'' ''collapsable'' ''tripod'' ''that'' ''is'' ''light'' ''weight'', ''and'' ''I'' ''can'' ''manage'' ''to'' ''stuff'' ''it'' ''in'' ''my'' ''back'' ''pocket'' ''for'' ''transport''. (''You'' ''wouldn'''''t'' ''want'' ''to'' ''sit'' ''with'' ''it'' ''though''.) ''Brand'' ''name'' ''is'' ''Ising''. ''Collapsed'' ''down'' ''it'' ''is'' ''less'' ''than'' ''11''" ''tall''. ''Extended'' ''it'' ''is'' ''about'' ''4'''.

''It'' ''was'' ''a'' ''gift'' ''from'' ''my'' ''uncle'' ''to'' ''my'' ''parents'' ''over'' ''50'' ''years'' ''ago''. ''Still'' ''in'' ''very'' ''nice'' ''shape''. ''It'' ''is'' ''not'' ''as'' ''stable'' ''as'' ''the'' ''modern'' ''big'' ''tripods'' ''with'' ''all'' ''their'' ''bracing''. ''It'' ''is'' ''a'' ''tripod'' ''and'' ''not'' ''much'' ''more''. ''But'' ''for'' ''times'' ''when'' ''I'' ''am'' ''moving'' ''from'' ''spot'' ''to'' ''spot'', ''it'' ''is'' ''just'' ''the'' ''ticket''.

''There'' ''are'' ''a'' ''couple'' ''floating'' ''around'' ''on'' ''the'' ''internet''.

''One'' ''on'' ''eBay''... //''tinyurl''.''com''/''5znzmk

''One'' ''from'' ''a'' ''dealer''... //''tinyurl''.''com''/''6mvmwp

''Not'' ''affiliated'' ''with'' ''either''. ''Mine'' ''has'' ''aluminum'' ''legs'' ''with'' ''stainless'' ''ends''.
07/26/2008 03:23:19 PM · #18
''How'' ''to'' ''use'' ''a'' '''monopod'

''Search'' ''our'' ''forums'' ''too'', ''lots'' ''of'' '''monopod''' ''threads'' ''to'' ''choose'' ''from''.

''Message'' ''edited'' ''by'' ''author'' ''2008''-''07''-''26'' ''15'':''24'':''35''.
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