Pocket beanbag!

My wife and I were just cleaning out our closets and I was trying to

think ways to reuse some of the stuff we were probably going to throw

away.

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Looking at a couple old socks made me wonder what they would be like

filled with beans. Turned out they make excellent beanbags! Made two

SLR sized, and two little pocket size ones that I can always bring

with me if I think I might do some night photography. Below is the

small one next to the M6 (two handfuls of dry chickpeas), the

positively tiny one is underneath it (one handful of dry chickpeas).

It's actually an excellent support, stable and very solid. In the

process I found that socks with no stretch left are the best. Don't

fill it too tight, but not too loose either. Tie off the end tight

and cut off any excess material. I used chickpeas, but kidney beans,

dried peas, or just about anything similar should work too.

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I just had to share something so eminently useful! :)

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src="http://www.rockgarden.net/download/VI0W5805-700.jpg"></center><p>

Very good, Jan! I'm going to try making one myself this weekend.

Careful JAN......... Your M6 might suffer from Athelete's Foot (Tinea Pe'dis, a chronic superficial fungal infection of the skin of the foot, especially of that between the toes and on the sole, caused by species of Trichophyton or by Epidermophyton floccosum; of different types and degrees of severity, it may be marked by maceration, cracking and scaling of the skin, and by intense itching). So beware !!!!

I thought only cameras that did a lot of Sports Photography were prone to that?

Aqua-colored socks? : ' )

Fashion and function -- No doubt this product will be critical to Leica's bailout. But Jan, I'm just not sure how these particular socks will go over at Hermes.

Beanbags are a good tripod substitute, especially when traveling. You can find a material on-

site to fill the bag, at a local market, instead of packing it. I suggest trying smaller seeds or

grains

like linseed. The bag holds a form and dampens vibration better with smaller particles inside.

Larger

beans tend to flow around more and don't hold a form

<i>Aqua-colored socks? :')</i><p>

Oh yeah, we're fashion conscious folk here!

Great idea! I made my own beanbag a while back by using a zippered neoprene sunglasses case that I purchased for $1 at my local Dollar Tree store. I filled the case with plastic resin pellets (I work for a plastics recycler) and it works well. As a bonus, the case has a clip for attaching to belt loops,etc., when not in use.

Is that a beanbag in your pocket?

"Looking at a couple old socks made me wonder what they would be like filled with beans."

<P>This is probably the funniest sentence I think I have read on Leica forum! Do you always

look at objects and think of what they wold be like filled with beans? Or is it just socks? In

any case, good idea. I also like your strap...mine's very similar. It's one of Luigi's, no?

It's indeed a Luigi Deluxe... but the brown color is now going to clash with the aquamarine bean sacks. I thought I was clever saving money, but now I'm going to get a blue strap and half case from Luigi to stay color coordinated! What's a poor photographer to do?!