Carrying the Monster

This past Summer, I bought a new lens for wildlife photography. I immediately faced the problem of how to carry it around. I'm used to walking around with my 300mm lens, which is much smaller and lighter. I use a BlackRapid strap for that lens, and I've been pleased with that arrangement.

So after I got the new bulky, heavy lens, I started by holding the tripod foot as I walked around. That quickly gets old because of the weight; I had to frequently switch it from one hand to the other. And the stock foot that came with the lens is a bit short so there is less metal to grip than I would like. Then I tried using my BlackRapid strap, attached to the lens foot. That works OK, but I worry that the attachment point will break while supporting the weight. So I went back to just carrying the lens and attached camera by the foot.

I got a new tripod and gimbal head, so that created a need for an Arca-Swiss mounting bracket. The bracket screws into the foot, and it's not a quick job to install/remove the bracket. And it's not comfortable to carry the lens around with the bracket installed. So that led to the hunt for a replacement foot. I settled on a Jobu foot, which has the advantage of being longer (more to grip while walking), but the disadvantage of being a bit more square (less comfortable in my hand). OK, I can't win. But the new foot works great on the tripod head, so I'm sticking with it.

But what to do for a really long walk? And what if the terrain is uneven? I don't look forward to scrambling over rocks with my camera in my hands. I really don't look forward to scrambling with the camera and a tripod.

I think I have the answer. My son rows, and his team had a race this past weekend. I looked at the course map and decided that the best place to photograph the action was on the shore of a park along the river, and this park is a forest with unimproved paths. The nearest parking lot is 2 miles away from the spot I selected. Let me introduce my newest camera accessory.

Osprey Stratos 26

I got this backpack for hiking. My son and I hiked through the Haleakala caldera earlier this year and we each needed to pack our own water and snacks. I didn't want to make him use an old school book knapsack and sour him on hiking, so I spent the money on a good pack, complete with a rigid frame and a mesh screen that keeps the pack from resting against the wearer's back. This means the sweat can evaporate instead of being trapped in the shirt between the body and the pack. It separates the main compartment from the body, leaving an air gap.

My camera and lens fit perfectly in this backpack. The frame and screen keep the bulky uncomfortable edges from digging in to my back. And there are loops made for attaching hiking poles, which worked beautifully for my monopod. I hiked 2 miles in, photographed my son, and hiked 2 miles out, up and down steep hills.

Bottom line: this worked great, although I still need to figure out how to lug my tripod. I'll probably just carry that in my hands or over my shoulder, which is still not ideal, but at least the expensive camera and lens are well-protected and secure in the pack. I don't think I can attach the tripod to the pack; it's too big and heavy.