Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/02/21

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Leica lenses & Group Professionals Responsibility?
From: "Robert G. Stevens" <robsteve@istar.ca>
Date: Sun, 21 Feb 1999 17:15:08 -0400

Harrison:

I feel your pain.  I came to the conclusion when shooting football games
that all I needed was the 400 2.8, monopod, body with drive, Lowe Pro Orion
half moon shaped waise pack, Metz flash, and a 35mm Summicron.  I found
anything more was too heavy and too much to carry.  The football games I
shoot are University games and I and the other photographers follow the
action up and down the field.  I do lots of walking by the end of the day
and any more gear just makes my bad back worse.  I carry the Summicron and
flash for any after game pictures.  I was caught in the dark without my
flash, after the Atlantic Bowl in the fall and my pictures of the team
celebrating were pitiful.  Since then I pack a flash.


Regards,

Robert

At 12:22 PM 2/21/99 -0600, you wrote:
>Sunday, February 21, 1999, Rbedw51767 wrote:
>> would you please answer a few stupid questions for me?  How do you
>> guys carry those heavy lenses?  Do you use tripods or monopods?  Do you
hire
>> someone to carry the equipment for you?   Do you use a special strap?
My back
>> and neck hurt at the thought of it
>
>Bob,
>
>Usually when using my 400 2.8 I use a mono pod...unlike Ted's son I am
>not  man  enough to shoot that monster hand held. I mount the mono-pod
>into  the  lens  and put the mono-pod over my shoulder to carry it. It
>helps  to  get  a mono-pod shoulder cushion, or put foam rubber at the
>top  of the mono-pod. Even with this my shoulder usually ends up black
>and blue from slinging that much weight on and off my shoulder after a
>day of heavy shooting.
>
>I usually  only  use that long of a lens for sports...football, NASCAR,
>Golf where the day is long with a lot of running around.
>
>Special Straps...If using a lens like a 300 2.8 or up you really ought
>to  get  a  strap  on  the  lens and carry the camera/lens by the lens
>strap.  Just think about a lens that big being supported by only those
>tiny screws that hold your mount onto your camera body.....
>
>And  Yes I hire someone to carry my crap IF I can get my client to pay
>for  them.  Otherwise  (most  of  the  time)  I haul it around myself.
>Example:  when  I  was  covering  The  Masters  golf  tournament I was
>carrying  3  bodies(Nikon  F3/80-200  2.8,  Nikon F2AS/24mm, and Canon
>F1n/4002.8  first  2 days & Nikon N90/400 3.5 last 2 days...my 400 got
>water  logged  on  Friday  and  I  had to use an NPS loaner on Sat and
>Sunday;  Canon  was officially kicked out of the Masters several years
>ago  and can't get back in.) I had to carry all of this junk plus lots
>of  film,  envelopes  &  a 2 way radio to keep in contact with my film
>runner, other photogs, and photo editor.
>
>Keeping  warm on  a  cold day with a long lens is almost impossible for
>me.  I  never learned to shoot with gloves.  The mono-pod is aluminum,
>camera  metal...all  very  cold. My hands  get  very cold.
>
>
>Best regards,
> Harrison                          mailto:mcclary@iname.com
>http://people.delphi.com/hmphoto
>preview my book: http://www.volmania.com
>
>
>
>
>
>