Shooting with two bodies

treeman

treeman

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Ok so I've taken an interest in sports togging particularly Polo. To get the best out of the game it seems, to me anyway, you need two bodies one with a long lens (300mm +) for most of the time, and one with a shorter lens for when they're on top of you (70-200mm).

Just interested to know how you folk manage to change from one camera to the other, so quickly, without throttling yourselves?

By the time I've put the longs lens set up back on my shoulder and got the other set up from my other shoulder the shot has long gone :shrug:

Bearing in mind I'm generally standing and have no where to hand to put one body down while I shoot with the other.

Sorry if this doesn't make sense, I've had quite a lot of beer! :wave:
 
Have a look at something like the BlackRapid holster system.

You can have two cameras by your side at all times either of which you can swing up and shoot with at any time.

Enjoy the beer, made perfect sense to me! Hic! :)
 
Redmonkee posted a thread about this last week, it should be on page 2 or 3 in this forum bit...
 
AliB said:
Have a look at something like the BlackRapid holster system.

You can have two cameras by your side at all times either of which you can swing up and shoot with at any time.

Enjoy the beer, made perfect sense to me! Hic! :)
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Cheers Ali. I think that may work if I hang the smaller set up on the holster and have the bigger one around my neck. I don't fancy clipping a D3s with 300mm 2.8 on that holster!

jamesb84 said:
Redmonkee posted a thread about this last week, it should be on page 2 or 3 in this forum bit...
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Cheers for that, just found it. Unfortunately most of those guys seem to use a Monopod, which I can't get on with. I've only used it twice, first time nearly knocked my self out when crouching down and forgetting it was on there, and then second time I hit the goal umpire with the other end of it in an out of control moment :bonk:
 
treeman said:
Cheers for that, just found it. Unfortunately most of those guys seem to use a Monopod, which I can't get on with. I've only used it twice, first time nearly knocked my self out when crouching down and forgetting it was on there, and then second time I hit the goal umpire with the other end of it in an out of control moment :bonk:
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That's OK, they're there to be hit. :D
 
If I'm using 2 cameras, I tend to have a tripod set up next to me so I can quickly swap one rig for another using the QR system. Not yet knocked the tripod over while swinging round...
 
treeman said:
Cheers for that, just found it. Unfortunately most of those guys seem to use a Monopod, which I can't get on with. I've only used it twice, first time nearly knocked my self out when crouching down and forgetting it was on there, and then second time I hit the goal umpire with the other end of it in an out of control moment :bonk:
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Hmmm, it's horses for courses I guess, but with anything bigger than a 70-200 it's definitely required in my opinion. You'll never handhold anything bigger for extended periods of time.
 
neil_g said:
i handhold a 120-300 all day..

do i win a prize? :D
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120-300 - 2600g
300L - 2700g
400L - 5370g

Not quite the same IMO, certainly not the 400L. The 300L and 400L a lot bulkier than the Sigma too. I'd encourage the OP to get to grips with a monopod and practice with using one, rather than trying to handhold.
 
Whilst I can handhold my camera all day, I've noticed that spine transplants aren't available on the NHS yet, and as I've got to live with my back for the next 50 years, I'm happy to use a monopod for a lot of what I do.

No point being macho now and regretting it in later life.
 
jamesb84 said:
Hmmm, it's horses for courses I guess, but with anything bigger than a 70-200 it's definitely required in my opinion. You'll never handhold anything bigger for extended periods of time.
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I'm only shooting Polo and so never have to hold the lens to my eye for very long. I've been working like that for three or four hours at a time and I don't find the weight an issue.

I'm a man you know :naughty:
 
jamesb84 said:
120-300 - 2600g
300L - 2700g
400L - 5370g

Not quite the same IMO, certainly not the 400L. The 300L and 400L a lot bulkier than the Sigma too. I'd encourage the OP to get to grips with a monopod and practice with using one, rather than trying to handhold.
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yeah okay certainly not the 400L, but 100g up to the 300L isnt a huge deal.

not being matcho at all personally i find a monopod restricting and prefer hand holding as i get a higher keeper rate.. but thats just me.
 
neil_g said:
yeah okay certainly not the 400L, but 100g up to the 300L isnt a huge deal.

not being matcho at all personally i find a monopod restricting and prefer hand holding as i get a higher keeper rate.. but thats just me.
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Fair one...but I'm happier using the monopod. Horses for courses as I said earlier.
 
neil_g said:
im sure my opinion will change if i ever get a 400 or larger lol :)
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guaranteed...I used to handhold the Sigma 100-300 f/4 but my mind changed when I got the 300 and couldn't be arsed...then definitely changed with the 400!
 
Yup Monopod is essential (IMHO) for shooting sports, you can handhold the 300 f/2.8 for short periods but you'll struggle for a full 90 minutes................
 
Rovers_Andy said:
Yup Monopod is essential (IMHO) for shooting sports, you can handhold the 300 f/2.8 for short periods but you'll struggle for a full 90 minutes................
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not wanting to sound like im trolling, but just to clarify my previous comment. i handhold the 120-300 at equestrian events. example sunday from 9am-6pm. and im still standing :D
 
neil_g said:
not wanting to sound like im trolling, but just to clarify my previous comment. i handhold the 120-300 at equestrian events. example sunday from 9am-6pm. and im still standing :D
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needs must

if you could easily do the same job but with a monopod you would probably use that :) but at some events its not possible I guess :)
 
but do you hold it for 20-30 minutes at a time putting it down, swapping bodies, picking it back up etc etc, much easier to let the monopod do the work. Equestrian work might be different in what it demands from Football/Rugby etc but i can't say ive ever seen anyone handhold more than a 70-200. In fact i've seen people at some games using a 55-200 on a tripod :suspect:

I know your not trolling Neil, we have enough of those on TP already as we have seen this afternoon :lol:
 
Rovers_Andy said:
but do you hold it for 20-30 minutes at a time putting it down, swapping bodies, picking it back up etc etc, much easier to let the monopod do the work. Equestrian work might be different in what it demands from Football/Rugby etc but i can't say ive ever seen anyone handhold more than a 70-200. In fact i've seen people at some games using a 55-200 on a tripod :suspect:

I know your not trolling Neil, we have enough of those on TP already as we have seen this afternoon :lol:
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generally (it does vary) a class will be 2-3 hours with maybe a max of a minute between each competitior? if its a very quick turn around then the camera weight gets taken down through my arm and my elbow tucked into my hip if that makes sense? if its a longer period of "rest" (sometimes there are 15 mins break if its a long class) then i'll sling the camera into a hold like youd cradle a baby and have a sit down.
 
Bearing in mind I'm not keen on the monopod, and I've no issues with holding the 300mm 2.8 for the duration of a game, is anyone actually using the Black Rapid harness thingy, as that sounds most suited to my needs?
 
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