Heavy Lens support..

[Crypto]

Is there something made that helps support a heavy lens? I'm looking for something over the shoulder that atleast takes some of the weight off of your neck while you hike or walk.
any thoughts or ideas?

[vcutag]

Is there something made that helps support a heavy lens? I'm looking for something over the shoulder that atleast takes some of the weight off of your neck while you hike or walk.
any thoughts or ideas?

Given that my camera bag weighs somewhere around 30 lbs. I've found that slinging the camera over my shoulder instead of around my neck makes the camera+lens combination seem light as a feather. :)

[Ronald S. Jr.]

We talking bigma heavy, or 500L IS heavy? If we're talking one of the big white boys, any lens strap should be long enough to put over your shoulder (like a sling) instead of around your neck while walking.

[Crypto]

Given that my camera bag weighs somewhere around 30 lbs. I've found that slinging the camera over my shoulder instead of around my neck makes the camera+lens combination seem light as a feather. :)

thanks. Don't really care for my camera on my shoulder. I always seem to have problems getting the camera up fast enough for a shot.

[Crypto]

We talking bigma heavy, or 500L IS heavy? If we're talking one of the big white boys, any lens strap should be long enough to put over your shoulder (like a sling) instead of around your neck while walking.

100-400 heavy. Do you mean keep the lens off the camera?

[Ronald S. Jr.]

No no...the super telephotos come with a lens strap that connects right to the lens. See...you can't hold one of those up by the camera...it'd bust off. Get a longer neck strap and just loosen it up and sling it over your shoulder. Maybe get a Slingshot. Very quick access.

[TammieO]

I have hiked with my 100-400 on a 1DmKII. I attach the neck strap to the D rings on the backpack's shoulder straps so the weight of the camera and lens is on my shoulders. It's convinient because the camera is out and I just have to lift it to my eye.

[Crypto]

I have hiked with my 100-400 on a 1DmKII. I attach the neck strap to the D rings on the backpack's shoulder straps so the weight of the camera and lens is on my shoulders. It's convinient because the camera is out and I just have to lift it to my eye.

I think that will work. Does the tripod ring foot bother your chest or stomach?

[Crypto]

No no...the super telephotos come with a lens strap that connects right to the lens. See...you can't hold one of those up by the camera...it'd bust off. Get a longer neck strap and just loosen it up and sling it over your shoulder. Maybe get a Slingshot. Very quick access.

I got a strap with mine, but thought it was for the case? Where do you attached it to the lens?

[Scottes]

If the tripod foot is in the wrong place then just loosen it and turn it 90 degrees.

If I know that I'm going hand-held I'll just take the foot off. It saves several ounces, too, and gets it the heck out of the way.

[Crypto]

If the tripod foot is in the wrong place then just loosen it and turn it 90 degrees.

If I know that I'm going hand-held I'll just take the foot off. It saves several ounces, too, and gets it the heck out of the way.

Well, I guess I want the best of both worlds. I actually use the foot on my monopod, but I could turn it out of the way.

[Scottes]

Same here. I have a quick-release system on my monood for this very reason. When walking in brush or brightness I can attach the `pod to a carabiner on my bag, turn the lens foot 90 degrees, and I'm all set for hand-held. But in 20 or 30 seconds I can have the lens attached to the monopod.

Alas, I wish the tripod ring on the 100-400 were like the one on the 400L. The 400L's ring unhinges and lets you remove the lens leaving the ring attached to the monopod/tripod. Sweet!

[Crypto]

Same here. I have a quick-release system on my monood for this very reason. When walking in brush or brightness I can attach the `pod to a carabiner on my bag, turn the lens foot 90 degrees, and I'm all set for hand-held. But in 20 or 30 seconds I can have the lens attached to the monopod.

Alas, I wish the tripod ring on the 100-400 were like the one on the 400L. The 400L's ring unhinges and lets you remove the lens leaving the ring attached to the monopod/tripod. Sweet!

so what do you use to help support the weight of the lens?

[Crypto]

This is what I have come up with:
I will use my binocular harness attached to my lens foot.
I am using an elastic band to attach the foot to the harness

[Crypto]

I will need to figure out how I can keep the foot from banging against me. I can try turning the ring, but then I need a different place to connect the harness. Maybe I can turn the ring, and put the band around the lens.

close up of the foot:

[Scottes]

so what do you use to help support the weight of the lens?
I've honestly never really minded the weight of the 100-400, even on an 8-hour day shooting 700+ shots. So I don't really use anything.

But I guess that all depends. When I thing about it now I realize that I hold it many different ways. Sometimes like a rifle when it's mounted on a pod. Sometimes I just hold it in one hand and let it hang by my side. Sometimes when standing around I'll kind cross my arms and cradle it. Sometimes I just let it hang by the strap around my neck, but not for long and rarely when I'm walking. Switching it around makes to many positions eases the idea of it's weight.

I do remember the first day that I let it hang by the strap all day.... I didn't do that again. :-)

[Ronald S. Jr.]

I got a strap with mine, but thought it was for the case? Where do you attached it to the lens?

No no, you're not getting what I'm saying. The BIG white lenses (300 2.8L IS, 400 2.8L IS, 500 f/4L IS, etc.) come with a lens strap, because those lenses have metal things part way down the barrel of the lens to attach a strap to, because like I said, you can't hold those lenses (which weigh an average of 10-12 lbs. by themselves) up by the camera body.

The strap you got is just for the case.