Keeping dry and sitting comfortably?

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dancook

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Dan
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I'm using a pair of Sony A1 with 70-200 and 400mm - plus I'll probably have another camera handy for a few wide shots.

I'd been using a 100-400mm before now and I'm not wholly physically comfortable just yet with the new setup and I'm trying to figure out what's best before I spend any money.

Shooting in heavy rain + wind - I have been thinking the think tank hydrophobia x 2 (70-200 + 300-600) with Sony A1 eye pieces and the small emergency rain cover for my other camera?

Now I've been wondering do I need a monopod for the 400mm, it can get heavy after a while and I need to shake my wrist - I've just read someone uses a fold out chair and prefers to use the arm rests, there's also a variety of other stools available, or maybe a blanket or possibly some knee protectors.

I'm currently leaning towards knee protectors + monopod, but still working out how best to switch quickly between cameras.

I shoot a range of high school sport including (sometimes multiple sports and multiple games in the same day)
Football, rugby, hockey, lacrosse, tennis, cricket, athletics - but also indoors netball, basketball, badminton, swimming.
 
Awfers said:
Sounds to me like you are leaning towards a monopod with an ArcaSwiss head and couple of L brackets..... ? There do exist some tripods that convert into monopods.
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How do the L brackets help? never used them before.

For portrait you can rotate the tripod collar, and would I bother to use the 70-200 on a tripod?
 
If you want to work dual cameras, then you need a monopod. Apart from horse racing, I've never seen anyone not use one.

As for L brackets and arca things - forget them. Just attach the lens foot to the monopod.
 
The way to switch between the 400/monopod and another camera is to lay it on the ground. Knee protectors are a +/- kind of thing... I use them but I don't really like them; and I usually lose at least one annually.

Hate raincovers... so I generally use sealed bodies and lenses that don't spin the rings or extend/collapse when focusing/zooming. They won't tolerate really serious exposure to water (e.g. dunking in the river), but I haven't lost one yet due to rain. I did have a Sigma lens get moisture inside after a long day in heavy rain, but it dried out eventually w/o harm.
I do have Think Tank and Aqua Tech covers, but I almost never use them. And I always get moisture inside them when I do use them... I guess it's a lot like sweating inside a rain suit. Sometimes I use a chamois over the lens/camera to absorb/wipe off water... just wring it out when it gets too wet.
 
sk66 said:
The way to switch between the 400/monopod and another camera is to lay it on the ground.
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No, it's not. Especially where UK sport is concerned at the use of stools is normal, if not required.
 
Thanks
sk66 said:
Hate raincovers... so I generally use sealed bodies and lenses that don't spin the rings or extend/collapse when focusing/zooming. They won't tolerate really serious exposure to water (e.g. dunking in the river), but I haven't lost one yet due to rain. I did have a Sigma lens get moisture inside after a long day in heavy rain, but it dried out eventually w/o harm.
I do have Think Tank and Aqua Tech covers, but I almost never use them. And I always get moisture inside them when I do use them... I guess it's a lot like sweating inside a rain suit. Sometimes I use a chamois over the lens/camera to absorb/wipe off water... just wring it out when it gets too wet.
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It was stormy weather, my umbrella broke before I got to the pitch and one of my batteries in my pocket must have shorted and died.. I use a plastic carrier bag from the car to the protect just one camera with 70-200 and left the other in the car - it was pretty miserable - I'm not sure I really want to test out the weather sealing of the A1 and lenses.

Maybe it'd be ok..... maybe :D

CH-HouseFootballTournament(rainy)-069of070-A1100341-ARW_DxO_DeepPRIME.jpg
 
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The weather was awful Saturday and I used a homemade rain cover only because Canon don't currently make one to fit my R3 (which clips onto the eye piece) an I'm not prepared to risk it. I recently bought a cheap pair of waterproof leggings and they held up very well which I didn't expect.
 
1dmouse said:
The weather was awful Saturday and I used a homemade rain cover only because Canon don't currently make one to fit my R3 (which clips onto the eye piece) an I'm not prepared to risk it. I recently bought a cheap pair of waterproof leggings and they held up very well which I didn't expect.
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I have some waterproof trousers from when i was cycle commuting, so i'm going to more prepared for myself at least next time!
 
I use the ThinkTank 300-600, but never the eye piece. For the second/third body I have always used a chamois/microfibre towel.

Am yet to lose a camera or lens to rain.

And use a monopod for the 400/larger. I tend to let the monopod and lens fall back onto my shoulder and grab the second body as it's around my neck.
 
If you go for a monopod make sure it's short enough if your kneeling or sitting on the floor. Rookie mistake buy a huge thing, sit on stool and find camera a foot above your head... :oops: :$
 
swanseamale47 said:
If you go for a monopod make sure it's short enough if your kneeling or sitting on the floor. Rookie mistake buy a huge thing, sit on stool and find camera a foot above your head... :oops: :$
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I found out my old manfrotto monopod, has some quick grip extension with a head that rocks back and forth.

If I’m half kneeling/crouched I’m lacking balance to put the lens over my shoulder and swing out the 70-200 quickly.

But I was covering two lacrosse games at once so got close ups on one and wider shots on the other.
 
I use the 400GM on a monopod with a Wimberley WH-200 gimbal head. I like that the gimbal holds position when my hands are off the camera, and that there is never any fatigue to keep the camera pointed in any one direction for extended periods of time. The monopod makes it easy to adjust height for sitting / standing etc.

In terms of fatigue, last year I broke 8 ribs down my left side. I couldn't hold much weight during recovery but managed to get out with the 400GM on the gimbal head and make a shot which won me an award only a couple of weeks out of hospital. There is no way I would have been able to manage without the gimbal, it allowed me to operate the camera + lens one handed with virtually zero fatigue - I don't know about you but I can't concentrate on being creative if my mind is thinking about how tired my arms are. I can't recommend the gimbal highly enough.

For the rain I use a Think Tank Hydrophobia and their eyepiece for the A1, it works pretty well. I also use a smaller think tank cover on my A1 with the 24-105. I've been out in some heavy storms (sideways rain) and the camera stays well protected. I also use it at the beach on windy days to protect against salt spray getting on the camera/lens.
 
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I went ahead and bought the Hydrophobia for both the 400mm and 70-200 found a uk retailer finally stocking some Sony A1 eyepieces!

will take a look at the gimbal as it sounds interesting but probably not money i need to spend.
 
DemiLion said:
Utterly pointless for field sport. (apart from cricket on a tripod).
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Why would the gimbal be pointless for field sport, especially when the aim is to reduce fatigue with the large primes?
I can't work with a tripod at all, way too restrictive in term of movement and fast adjustments... But a gimbal on a monopod gives complete freedom of movement in all directions and allows easy one-handed operation with long lenses.
 
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stevejack said:
Why would the gimbal be pointless for field sport, especially when the aim is to reduce fatigue with the large primes?
I can't work with a tripod at all, way too restrictive in term of movement and fast adjustments... But a gimbal on a monopod gives complete freedom of movement in all directions and allows easy one-handed operation with long lenses.
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I sort of make my living sitting at the side of sports pitches.

I'd only ever use a tripod for cricket when in a fixed position - try looking at the boundary during an international match.

As for a gimbal, it's only real benefit is for horizontal movement, which you get very little of in field sport. Unless it is at close range and then you are on your short lens.
Attaching the lens directly to the monopod, without a head, gives you a far more stable base. Especially when you have to rapidly swing it over your shoulder to switch to a short lens.

There is a reason that you see virtually all sports photographers with their lenses directly attached. It's tried, tested and proved. TIme after time.
 
DemiLion said:
I sort of make my living sitting at the side of sports pitches.

I'd only ever use a tripod for cricket when in a fixed position - try looking at the boundary during an international match.

As for a gimbal, it's only real benefit is for horizontal movement, which you get very little of in field sport. Unless it is at close range and then you are on your short lens.
Attaching the lens directly to the monopod, without a head, gives you a far more stable base. Especially when you have to rapidly swing it over your shoulder to switch to a short lens.

There is a reason that you see virtually all sports photographers with their lenses directly attached. It's tried, tested and proved. TIme after time.
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Ah ok makes sense, thanks for the insight.
 
I shoot mass participation athletic events and occassionally other sports including schools rugby tournaments. For the athletics, I'm normally sitting down on a small three-legged stool as that is cheap, light and compact. I got mine from Halfords for £ 10. There are fancier versions out there which I may treat myself to one day.

Rugby - I'm constantly moving following the ball. One camera over shoulder. One camera on monopod. Sit down on stool between games and half time. I do tend to use a Monopod with a simple quick release plate.
 
andrewc said:
I shoot mass participation athletic events and occassionally other sports including schools rugby tournaments. For the athletics, I'm normally sitting down on a small three-legged stool as that is cheap, light and compact. I got mine from Halfords for £ 10. There are fancier versions out there which I may treat myself to one day.

Rugby - I'm constantly moving following the ball. One camera over shoulder. One camera on monopod. Sit down on stool between games and half time. I do tend to use a Monopod with a simple quick release plate.
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Chase the ball, don't chase the ball.. I suppose in Rugby they can spend a lot of time around a certain part of the pitch, whereas football it's up and down frequently.

For me "Athletics" is the biggest run around I have, random simultaneous sports starting at different times (having no timings of my own) all over the the place, but that's schools!
 
The school rubgy tournament I usually cover has two pitches, so one photog per pitch, and I've found that following the ball is the best result. Otherwise the play is always in the furthest corner from where you are. The matches are short - 10 -15 minutes per half.
 
andrewc said:
The school rubgy tournament I usually cover has two pitches, so one photog per pitch, and I've found that following the ball is the best result. Otherwise the play is always in the furthest corner from where you are. The matches are short - 10 -15 minutes per half.
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Newtons third law of sports photography.
The goal/score will always be the other end of the pitch.
The flood lighting will always be worse where the action is.
The racing car crash will always happen just out of sight.
The memory card will run out just as it gets interesting.
;) Anybody seen my coat?
 
I use pretty much the same kit. I have the hydrophobia for the 70-200 and it is great for keeping it dry but hopeless when you need to switch from the 400 down to a shorter lens. I've used a clear plastic bag more often and just bought a chamois which I will try next. If it was conditions like your image I may use the Hydrophobia when I felt the conditions could cause harm to the kit or when I was only using teh shorter lens like at a volume event. I have a Lenscoat for the 400mm and that gives good protection and is easy to use. I got a fold up chair from Aldi a year or two back and it is still working well. Canvas type seat so much more comfortable for a big chap like me that the small stools many use.
 
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