Wildlife Imaging Bean Bag or Molar Bean Bag

[kevin_railsback2]

Looking for a bean bag support to shoot HD video on. I've come across the Wildlife Imaging Bean Bag as well as the Molar Bean Bag.

 

I'm looking to use it on Safari in South Africa shooting out of a vehicle door.

I need something that I can rest the camera on with no movement for steady video.

Any suggestions on these two or some other support?

[JDMvW]

I would never buy this item. It's like buying a stone for stone soup. Get a nice bag of reasonably heavy cloth

with a zipper at one end, or have one sewn up in the size you want. Then when you get to Africa either buy some

actual dry beans (I've found canned pork and beans to be a little messy) and fill the bag (or dry rice or lentils

or whatever). If you can find some dry, <i><b>not</i></b> dusty gravel that will also do fine. Especially for a

larger bag, this will be a much easier thing to get there with and return with than an already filled bean bag in

terms of weight and space.

<p>

In my experience in East Africa, a bean bag is far more useful than a tripod or monopod, since you are usually,

if you have your wits about you, filming from a vehicle with a hole in the top.

[sergey_oboguev]

I am not familar with HD equipment and lenses you are going to use.

 

I had both of the bean bags you mentioned and also Arthur Morris's BLUBB.

 

I used 600/4 and 100-400 setups out of car window.

 

BLUBB is the best of three, call A.M. (birdsasart.com) and check if he still has it for sale. BLUBB is

more expensive than Molar or WI bag, but after using it you are not going to feel sorry you paid extra for

it.

 

Molar bag is the same size as the BLUBB, but it does not have anti-slip pads that BLUBB got. You

may stitch them on yourself on to Molar though -- if you are up to crafts. Molar is also made of a

different kind of nylon that makes rustling sound; BLUBB does not.

 

Wildlife imaging bag is a good bag, but it is smaller than BLUBB or Molar.

 

Lastly, "bag of reasonably heavy cloth" is not a match for stability to a saddle-shaped bag with friction

pads.

[kevin_railsback2]

I'll be going to South Africa where according to the guide I've been talking to you can't shoot up thru the roof anymore

and just out the side windows.

 

I currently use this: http://www.fullcompass.com/product/352166.html but the problem is that I have to balance it on the

window sill which results in moving.

 

The thing about just sewing something together is that I want something that will cradle the camera so I can shoot

without having to hold the camera to keep it from falling out the window.

 

I'll check out the BLUBB and see if it's still available.

 

Other opinions welcome too.

[alex_lofquist]

I would never rest my camera on a beanbag without holding it somehow. Tethering it around you neck would give some safety, but is still fraught with danger. Usually the drivers shut off the motor, but passengers may unexpectedly move about and could dump your expensive equipment, or cause it to be banged about. I never used a beanbag in East Africa but just used my rolled up Safari Jacket for support for my long lenses. When shooting in the US I keep a bag with dried pinto beans in it, labelled (no kidding) Fartless Beans that I found at a closeout store in Indianapolis some years ago. It works just fine for window shooting in places like Bosque del Apache.

[gerhard_hofmann1]

Kevin, <br>

I only can talk about the Molar bean bag, and I can highly recommend it. I usually work with a 500mm lens often mated to a 1.4 or 2.0 converter and the Molar bag is a very stable platform for this setup. I usually attach two Wimberley quick release arms to the lens plate (pointing in opposite directions). The whole setup rests perfectly on the flat platform the Molar bag provides.<br>

 

The only small disadvantage of the Molar bag - it eats a lot of beans or bird seeds. But there is always a tradeoff.<br>

 

<a href="http://www.hofmann-photography.de/html/favorites_34.html"> done from the car with Molar bag</a> <br>

 

Gerhard

[kevin_railsback2]

I ordered the Molar. The price was good enough that if I find something else it's not a huge outlay of money.

 

I'll let you know how it works out with shooting video.

[marc_felber1]

<p>I found the same one that Art Morris sells, but for $65. 00. Is too made of cloth, This guy is not as well known as Art Morris, but has good stuff. Can can find him here: http://www.wildlifeimaging.com/tour-home.htm</p>

[prince_eleazer]

<p>I also struggled this summer to find the right one for a safari I was taking. Previously, I had used the "Pod", which is great for smaller lens, but didn't seem right for 100-400 or bigger. I am attaching a link to <a href="http://www.chobesafari.com/photography-tips/finding-the-perfect-photo-bean-bag-for-safari.html">my search results and review here</a> . I hope this helps.</p>