Does anyone use a camera bean bag?

[ethan_stone]

<p>I have always been a very basic photographer. I own two camera bodies, several lenses, a flash, a few filters and a tripod. I dislike photographic gadgets. They just add more weight and more things to worry about. But recently, I broke down and purchased a camera bean bag. I picked mine up from The Wild Grizzly, (search grizzly camera bean bag at Amazon, they have two sizes). The bean bag has really come in handy and holds my camera secure with any lens. It’s really light; strap it to my camera bag with a bungee cord. Does anyone else own one? I travel a lot and the clunky tripod can now remain at home. I guess I am not too old to learn. </p>

[bobatkins]

<p>I have one. It's fine if you have something at the right height to put it on, but it in no way replaces a tripod.</p>

<p>Unless I was shooting with a long telephoto (400/500/600mm), I'd take a lightweight tripod over a beanbag for general use. With a long lens, a beanbag on the roof of the car works well.</p>

[ethan_stone]

<p>I agree, I love my tripod but when I am out all day, the bean bag is just a lot easier to carry. I've used it on tree limbs, rocks, even on a boat. I guess I am getting older and hate the weight, not to mention the heavy lenses.</p>

[norfolk_nsfw_maybee]

<p>When you get to be my age, you find the monopod is not just for photography! LOL<br>

I use a beanbag for the unmentionable (here) sport with excellent results.</p>

<p>Compared to a tripod, especially a light weight tripod, I find a bean bag to be even more stable.<br>

A lightweight tripod can allow movement, the beanbag will tie your camera into the mass of what it is sitting on and really stabilize the camera.<br>

WOOT! my car is a 3000 pound tripod, that is stable.</p>

[c_watson1]

<p>Use one occasionally but get way more good from the teensy Manfrotto tabletop tripod and ballhead.</p>

[bobatkins]

<p>The trouble with a bean bag is that if you're on a beach or out in a field somewhere, unless you want the camera at ground level you're probably out of luck. Even if you do find a support post/rock, it's probably not going to be exactly where you want it. A bean bag can be VERY stable on a good support. I've used mine on the roof of my car with my 500mm lens for nature work when driving through wildlife refuges.</p>

[ethan_stone]

<p>C Watson, Does the small Manfrotto really remain stable?</p>

[ljwest]

<p>I use one on the window sill of my car. It raises the lens enough, and is steady for the times I need to use Live View to focus. I've used it on the roof of the car, too. A very handy thing to have.</p>

[ethan_stone]

<p>Bob, I know your right but last fall my son and I did some hiking and photography around Jackson Hole, Wy. At the end of the day I exhaused from carrying the damn tripod. Wish I had a bean bag then. The other issue, I have found that on even light windy days I cannot walk away from the tripod of a second or over it goes.</p>

[ethan_stone]

<p>Larry, Iam with you, where has it been all my life. I really love the thing. Other photographer I met, have to come over for a look. They want to push on it to see how it works.</p>

[mark_pierlot]

<p>Ethan, I notice that the Wild Grizzly comes in two sizes. Which do you have? I'd be using it with lenses up to 300mm f/4, so I'm wondering whether the smaller one would be sufficient.</p>

[norfolk_nsfw_maybee]

<p>When a tripod is too much (I hate them outside of the house)<br>

and <br>

a beanbag is not enough,<br>

I use this (a lot!)<br>

<img src="http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h332/sweetmk22/Photography/tripod3_zps1a45de35.jpg" alt="" width="647" height="960" /><br>

It is not a carry around, but, incredible for landscape near the car, or other smooth surface.<br>

I bought it on a fluke to make "moving car video", but, haven't used it for that.<br>

It is kind of specialty, but, if you do that specialty, it gets lots of use.</p>

[ethan_stone]

<p>Mark, I use the large one. It holds my long lens really well, no shaking even in the wind. I don't know about the small one. I used beans not poly beads to fill it, the long lens just settles in.</p>

[norfolk_nsfw_maybee]

<p>I never thought of using shipping peanuts, that would make a bag weigh almost 0.0 pounds.<br>

I still have a box from Crutchfields that has 2 cubic feet of that stuff in the box, they sent a camera bag in the box, I guess they were worried about shipping damage!! LOL<br>

Time to start finding fabric for a new one, any recommended dimensions? SEW!, SEW!</p>

[ethan_stone]

<p>John,<br>

Shipping peanuts work great, just hard to get in the bag. Beans pour in, peanuts must be stuffed</p>

[norfolk_nsfw_maybee]

<p>I have found the bean bag that is right for me!<br>

http://www.lighting-academy.com/index.php?id=805&L=1<br>

This is the way to go to try out the concept!</p>