Canon 500mm IS lens and tripod use?

[dave_gurtcheff1]

The good news is I just received the lens, and want to pursue more

bird photography. The bad news is that the instruction book says to

turn IS to "off" when using a tripod. This is s big dissapointment,

as hand holding this lens is problematical at best. Any

comments/advice?

Thanks in advance.

Dave G.

[mark_chappell]

The instruction manual for the 500 IS is NOT correct. It dates from an earlier version of IS

which didn't function well on a tripod. With the 500 IS and all its contemporaries (300/

2.8 IS, 400/2.8 IS, 600/4 IS), or newer IS

lenses, <B>leave IS ON</b> when using a tripod, beanbag, or hand-holding. It works

MUCH better that way.<P>

 

To convince yourself of this, just mount the lens on a tripod look through the viewfinder,

and activate IS. You'll see the image steady down right away.<P>

 

Incidentally, at reasonably high shutter speeds it's not hard to hand-hold the 500 IS, even

with teleconverters, in terms of image steadyness (most of the flying birds on <A

HREF="http://biology.ucr.edu/personal/MACphotos/flyingindex.html">this page</a>

were done with a hand-held 500 + 1.4X. It does weigh a lot, however.

[jemini_joseph]

Dave, I'm a Nikon user and have no VR or IS lens. But I always wanted to buy the 500/4 IS lens, but cannot afford it. So staying with Nikon and Sigma 500mm lens. I was looking around to find out how much difference IS will make on a 500mm lens and put this thread a while back. Lots of Canonians responded <br>

<a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=009TC5" target="w-2"> http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=009TC5</a><br>

 

I had a feeling that all new IS lenses has a tripod mode on it. Even if it's not there new lenses will work on tripod. Not sure if this lens has two different versions. If there's only one version I'm sure it will work on the tripod too. If it has two version and you bought a used old lens, then it may not. I'll watch for your findings...

[dave_gurtcheff1]

Mark:

Thanks so much, it made my day! I went to your site, by the way. Awsome birds in flight!!! My forte has been seascapes, but I am bitten with the bird thing.

Dave

www.modernpictorials.com

[mark_chappell]

Dave: thanks for the kind words, and good luck with the birds! Another thing about

hand-holding for flight shots: it's about the only way to get images of objects directly

overhead -- I don't know of tripods that work well with a big lens pointed more or less

straight up.

 

You're probably aware that you will definitely want a gimbal head for this sucker (for all

those non-flight shots). There are a lot of threads on that topic. My recommendation: if

you never want to use the head for anything but the 500, get the 'full' Wimberley head. If

you do want to use the head for shorter lenses as well, get a GOOD ball head plus the

Wimberley sidekick (that's what I use). And the appropriate lens plates as well... have you

noticed that this little hobby isn't inexpensive???

[beauh44]

Hi Dave, Thassa great lens, no? Anyhoo, it's true the manual that ships with it is dated and you can leave IS on all the time - I do. Mark's right about the gimbal head too. I putzed around with my old head for a while and finally bought a Black Widow by Jobu-Design. http://www.jobu-design.com The product and the company are great. If you don't mind the side-mount, it's less expensive than any of the competitors too. Good luck!<div></div>

[beauh44]

PS - You don't *have* to get the side-mount; it's just less expensive. I thought it'd be a bitch to hoist up but it's not. It works great and is easy to "hunker down".

[vandit]

Beau, I too have a 500/4 IS on order from B&H, and am now pondering on my tripod head choices (the tripod itself is going to be a Gitzo 1325).

 

How secure is the side-mounting on the Jobu ballhead - and have you perchance compared it to the Wimberleys? Generally speaking, I'd prefer the flexibility of a good ballhead + the Sidewinder, but I've heard enough stories about improper mounting leading to crashed 500/4s to make me nervous (I am not the most fastidious and process oriented person myself, and tend to forget little things).

 

The Jobu sounds interesting, as does the lower price tag -- but only if the side-mounting does *not* cause problems... especially when carrying the tripod+lens on the shoulder.

 

Would appreciate your thoughts on this.

 

Cheers,

Vandit

[mark_chappell]

<I>stories about improper mounting leading to crashed 500/4s to make me nervous (I am

not the most fastidious and process oriented person myself, and tend to forget little

things).</I><P>

 

Vandit, I think these are mainly (probably not entirely) urban legends. I've used a Sidekick

for several years with no problems. You DO have to make sure the lens is properly

mounted -- the same as with a 'regular' Wimberley head or anything else. Once it's

secured in the clamp, it's not hard to adjust balance. Despite scare stories to the contrary,

it is NOT likely to fall out of the clamp during balancing. If you were stupid enough to

open the clamp wide during the balancing operation, then maybe -- but that's not

necessary. Just loosen it a little, shove the lens with your thumb, and retighten.

Wimberley plates have a couple of 'safety screws" that keep the rig from sliding out to the

front or rear (if you're dumb enough to try to balance the lens with it pointing sharply up

or down). I have a trick where I wrap the lens shoulder strap around the tripod foot, with

enough slack to fit neatly over the Sidekick knobs for added 'drop' protection.<P>

 

All that said, if you only wanted to use the tripod+head for the 500, get the regular

Wimberley (roughly the same price and weight as a ballhead + Sidekick). It's simpler and

possibly a bit

easier to mount and balance the lens (I haven't tried it). The Jobu or Kirk King Cobra are

also options (I've

heard rumors -- unsubstantiated AFIK -- that the bearings on the Kirk aren't so good).

Note that if you want to use the tripod+head for other lenses, you <B>cannot</B> use

the Jobu or the Kirk -- they are obligate side-mounts only. The ballhead+Sidekick is your

only option here.<P>

 

One other accessory I like very much: the Gitzo leveling head. It adds about an inch and a

pound, but it's extremely handy for smooth panning and it has a perfectly located handle

that's much easier to use when carrying the rig over a shoulder. The 1325 is a very good

choice. In cold weather, make sure you clamp the leg locks tightly (they seem more prone

to slipping when cold).

[mark_chappell]

One other benefit of the Gitzo leveling head: If you travel you'll likely want to remove the

head from the tripod. The leveling head has a lever-clamp mechanism that's very secure

but makes it A LOT easier to mount and unmount the head.

 

And, before I forget, the Wimberley folks are extremely nice and helpful, and will let you

try their products for a month without obligation (or at least they used to and I assume

still do). They make some good flash brackets also.

[beauh44]

Hi Vandit, Sorry I haven't checked in here in a few days. Anyhoo . . .<P>

 

<I>How secure is the side-mounting on the Jobu ballhead - and have you perchance compared it to the Wimberleys? </i><P>

 

I have not compared it to the Wimberly but mine is solid as a rock. Of course, much will depend on the tripod you use; I suspect if you're using a lightweight carbon-fiber job it might not be quite as stable as something more beefy. But there's nothing loose or shabby about it - it's well-made, the service from the company was great and I'm quite satisfied. BTW if you have any questions, you'll likely speak to the owner, Ian Gvozdek, who's a super-nice guy. It's a small, family-run business based in Canada.<P>

 

<I>Generally speaking, I'd prefer the flexibility of a good ballhead + the Sidewinder, but I've heard enough stories about improper mounting leading to crashed 500/4s to make me nervous (I am not the most fastidious and process oriented person myself, and tend to forget little things). </i><P>

 

I've never felt that the mount was the least bit unsteady. And I know what you mean about not being the most fastidious, etc. - I'm the same way - but all you do is slide the tripod collar in the sleave and tighten 1 nut to hold it - that's it. So it's not like you'll forget to do something and suddenly hear the sound of broken glass! :) <P>

 

<I>The Jobu sounds interesting, as does the lower price tag -- but only if the side-mounting does *not* cause problems... especially when carrying the tripod+lens on the shoulder.</i><P>

 

If you'll be carrying it on your shoulder then there are two nuts you'll have to hunker down - the second one locks the up-down swing ability in place. I too was concerned about the side-mount thing, but I found out I was needlessly concerned. But even if you are worried about this Jobu sells an adapter that lets you mount your lens upright. The cool thing is you don't need this adapter, so you could try out the side-mount and if you find it awkward (I didn't) you could then buy the adapter so your lens is then mounted upright. You can purchase this initially of course - this is called the "Top Mount" BWG.<P>

 

If you do find that the side mount is satisfactory, it'll save you weight - the side mount weighs only 2.7 lbs, btw. The thing is made of aircraft aluminum (very tough) and stainless steel. I'm no welder (Ian's father does much of that) but the welds look really good.<P>

 

You can also add an RSS "L" bracket to the BWG so it can easily be used for non-"bazooka" lenses - like a wide-angle lens.<P>

 

The exchange rate between Canadian and US currency is very good right now so it'll be difficult to find a better solution for the money I suspect. That's good news after spending 5 grand on that lens! If I needed another one, I'd buy another one from them in a heartbeat. It's quite nice! Good luck!

[dave_gurtcheff1]

Thanks again for all the tips. I just got a Kirk ball head (the BH-3, hope its not too light for the 400), and also ordered a Sidekick from Wimberly. The Sidekick is out of stock and expected to ship April 1). I also just got a Gitzo 1227 which is rather light weight. I'll try it with the 500, but may have to eventually get a heavier Gitzo.

Dave

[mark_chappell]

<I> I just got a Kirk ball head (the BH-3, hope its not too light for the 400), and also

ordered a Sidekick from Wimberly. The Sidekick is out of stock and expected to ship April

1). I also just got a Gitzo 1227 which is rather light weight. I'll try it with the 500, but may

have to eventually get a heavier Gitzo.</i><P>

 

Umm... I'd be very uncomfortable with a BH-3 and the 500 IS (if that's what you meant). I

use the BH-1, which is fine, but the BH-3 looks a tad small. Not sure you're going to be

able to tighten the ball clamp enough to prevent the leverage of the Sidekick from twisting

the ball -- you'll find out. Also, the 1227 IS probably

too small. THe 1325 seems to be the best compromise between mass and stability. Try

the 1227 + BH-3 and see -- but be careful the thing doesn't tip over.

[dave_gurtcheff1]

Thanks Mark: I set up my 1227 and BH3 and it seems steady, with the camera set to around 1/500 sec. As an aside:

I purchased a Wimberly plate for the 500mm and the lens no longer fits in the Canon case. I had to remove the plate before storing the lens. QUESTION: does anyone actually use the wild looking "lens cover and case?" I'm contemplating using these if I have to travel, and check the lens as checked luggage; but for working in the field, I think I need another solution.

Thanks again

Dave

[ShunCheung]

It is not a good idea to put a 500mm/f4 lens on a Gitzo 1227 and BH-3 ballhead. The lens is too heavy for that set up, and it only needs to topple once to cause a lot of damage. At a minimum, I would say Gitzo 1325 or 1348 (i.e. a 300/1300 series tripod) and a BH1 or Arca Swiss B1 ballhead.

 

I have the Nikon 500mm/f4 AF-S and Gitzo 1227 (two of them), 1228, and 1325 tripods. Therefore, I am quite familiar with those set ups.

[mark_chappell]

<I>does anyone actually use the wild looking "lens cover and case?"</i><P>

 

I sure as hell don't, since it screams <B><I>Expensive Lens Here. Please Mug My Owner

and Steal Me</I></b>. It gathers dust in my closet. I transport the lens around in a

much more discrete Lowepro backpack.<P>

 

And I think you should <B><I>very carefully</I></b> consider what Shun and I

suggested to

you about tripods and heads.

[mark_chappell]

I forgot to add that you would be nuts (in my humble opinion) to put this lens in checked

baggage. Not unless it was very well insured against theft or damage, anyway. My

Lowepro photo backpack of moderate size holds the 500 IS with a mounted camera and a

spare body, a couple of smaller lenses, flash, extension tubes, and extenders. I travel

with this as carry-on luggage and haven't had problems (it's been inspected a few times

after going through the X-ray, but no issues with size -- at least on US carriers).

[dave_gurtcheff1]

Thanks again guys. As soon as I sell a few more prints, will consider a more sturdy tripod and ball head.

Regards

Dave

[ShunCheung]

Dave, if I were you, I would buy a sturder tripod ASAP. Take your setup outside, especially under windy conditions and you will immediately understand what the problem is. If you must use the 500mm/f4 on the 1227, I would stay next to it at all times.

 

Once I was at the Zion National Park in Utah. I had the Gitzo 1228 fully extended with the A/S B1 on. Fortunately, I had no camera or lens on the set up. Suddenly a strong gust of wind blew the whole thing over. Today, there is still a scratch mark on my B1.

[dave_gurtcheff1]

Is anyone using some sort of soft padded bag to transport the 500 into the field? What are you using? Any alternate "lens caps"?

Thanks again

Dave

[walang_pangalan]

<i>Is anyone using some sort of soft padded bag to transport the 500 into the field?</i>

 

<p>I use a Kinesis L511 large lens case, with shoulder straps and their B107 belt -- basically, it's a backpack. The 500/4 with lens hood in the "shooting position" is a smidge tight in this case -- it pokes up about an inch -- but you can zip it all shut. I have hooked a few of their smaller lens cases and a body pouch to the L511 and belt and into them goes the camera body and other "stuff". Kinesis gear rocks; it's mega-modular and highly recommended.

 

<p>Like the other fellows are suggesting, you really need a more substantial mount. Bite that bullet as soon as you can.

[heatherforcier]

I have used the 500 f4 IS for two years and don't think I have ever turned IS off. I use it on my Gitzo 1348 but also have a Gitzo 1325 which I am using more now. It's longer when fully collapsed, making travel by air a bit more challenging, but then the three-section G1325 is way faster to set up than the four-section G1348. Note that the prices on Gitzo tripods went up to dealers as of March 1 and this should be pushed through to consumers as they run out of their less expensive stock or by June 1, whichever comes first. Getting one soon could save you about $23 USD on MAP, if you can catch any dealers who still have one in stock for $506.95.

 

I purchased the G1321 leveling base a year ago and am disappointed I didn't get one sooner. Now I always level out my support with the base and my camera/lens with a bubble level in the hotshoe. Horizons and reflections are usually right on, requiring no angle adjustments in post. Being level is also critical for multi-exposure panos where you plan to stitch together the images in Photoshop / other editor. Another cool feature on the G1321 base: a quick release lever for the tripod head! When switching to a ground plate for ground-level photography I used to struggle trying to take the ballhead off the tripod from the grit it always seemed to get in between. Now it's just a simple flip of the lever and taking the ballhead off - very convenient!

 

Regarding the head, I have used the Wimberley Sidekick for as long as I've had the 500. I have set-up down to a science and am very comfortable with it. There has been some debate about side-mounting a lens as heavy as this, and perhaps some of my photos aren't as sharp as they could be because of it. But I like having the ballhead right there for landscapes instead of having to take a full Wimberley Head and a ballhead separately. I don't personally think I have compromised too many photos by having the Sidekick, and I do like it. The Sidekick flash bracket setup mounts to the lens plate directly, meaning if I take the lens out of the Sidekick my flash brackets are still attached. I can easily move from beanbag in a car to a tripod and vice versa without having to fuss with the flash brackets.

 

Hope this helps!

[heatherforcier]

Also, there is a plastic Corningware cover you can use on the 500 f4 IS, I think one for the extended hood and another one for the front element. I am unsure of the part numbers but I found out about it through www.shootthelight.com - you could probably contact them if interested. Although I have the one for the end of the hood, I usually don't use it - I use the soft black cover when the lens is in my Lowepro Phototreker and usually nothing when I'm carrying it over my shoulder in the field.

[dave_gurtcheff1]

Thanks Walang and Heather. I will be adding a heavier tripod and ball head. I also found on the Tenba site a soft lens case "LL400". Its dimensions will accomadate the 500. My wife gave me a plastic cover with elastic around th perimiter. Its used to cover bowls of left over food. Works well as a lens cover.

Dave

[jemini_joseph]

I use LL400 for last couple of years. It's very strong and safe for camera+lens. I can fit 500/4.5 HSM + F5 in it with the hood. But Sigma's hood is very small. I guess this is the cheapest option.