Carry camera on tripod. Do you dare?

I haven't found threads on this. When walking a short strip to another spot, do you carry your camera on your tripod?

I use a 468RC2 ProBall and am afraid that the QR will fail. However, to disengage the camera, sling it on my neck to walk those few hundred yards makes me wonder if I should just try it. Do you?

Thanks,

Julio

I carry the camera + 300mm lens on a tripod over my shoulder. No problem. Extend the tripod lens as necessary to balance the camera over the shoulder. Also, I always wrap the shoulder strap around the tripod as a safety measure in case the QR does open.

I have no qualms about carrying my 1DMKII with 300 f/2.8 on it attatched to my tripod (Gitzo 1345 modified) . Before every outing I check the tightnes of the lens plate on the lens, check the tightness of the ballhead to tripod mount. (Kirk BH-1)
Before even thinking about lifting the rig on my shoulder, I check to make sure that all knobs are fully tightened. I have also used a spot of LocTite (red) on the QR head attatchment threads. It will be royal PITA to get the head off of the ball but I know it will not accidently come loose. The Kirk uses the Arca Swiss type of QR and there is no way it will come loose if properly tightned. As wilflee mentioned, having the camera strap around the arm that is draped over the tripod legs will prevent the camera from hitting the ground if indeed a clamp or plate should fail.

Thanks wilflee and IanD for your comments.

IanD: I'll look for the red LocTite. May I ask what is so special about it?

i always wrap the hand strap around the tripod when i move it

I usually don't bother taking the camera off the tripod for short walks. I just have the neck strap around my neck (I don't have any super telephotos that will break my neck should the ballhead fail).

red is threadlock - designed to hold stuff secure
blue is studlock - designed to hold stuff forever

It depends very much on the QR design...older Manfrotto heads had a QR that could easily have the release lever bumped slightly, allowing the jaw to open just enough to let the camera fall out. I know from experience that this happens, as it was only the strap wrapped around my hand that kept $2500 of stuff from hitting the ground! Newer designed seems to have the QR safety lock in addtion, to keep the release lever tight until you deliberately release it.

Well, the other day I was among lots are large rocks in a stream. I was moving from place to place with my camera on my tripod. I slipped and hit my camera against a rock. Fortunately, all I got was a few scufs on the side of the camera. In that situation, I think any way I was holding the camera would have hurt it.

Stefan

I might carry it straight up, but I wouldn't want to carry it in such a way that the only way for it to go would be down. Maybe if the camera strap was over my neck to catch it if it did fall. Not that I don't trust my tripod (Optex T465) or it's mounting mechanism, but that is a hell of a lot of money hanging in mid air.

I have the same physcial setup as Ian and carry my 1DMKII with any of my lenses up to the 600 f/4 with it still seated on the tripod. I have Optech (POTN) straps on the camera and the lenses so I make sure that I also have myself attached to one or both of them. You need to have some confidence in your gear and as Mr. Elk Lover noted that if you tighten the setup that we have there is no way they are going to come loose.

I leave my camera on the pod, but hang onto the strap or hook the strap to the pod. If I am going any distance or over any rough steps or ground then I remove the camera...

I could comment on the usage of the blue LocTite but then the wife would know I'm lying.
Threaded parts treated with Red LocTite are a bear to seperate but it can be done by applying a little heat to the bonded area. Juat make sure that you will not mind a "burnt look" on your gear.

I often carry my camera and lens mounted on the tripod when doing wildlife and nature photography. There are several things I do to reduce risk.

I use an Acratech clamp on my ball head that has a spring loaded detent that prevents the mounting plate from sliding out if the clamp comes partly loose. You have to unscrew the mounting clamp all the way befor you can remove the plate. On one occasion I felt the lens sliding because the clamp had somehow gotten lose while I was repositioning to photograph a moving elk fight in wooded terrain. The detent kept the lens and camera from hitting the ground.

I wrap the neck strap of the camera around the top of the tripod in a manner that will keep the camera from falling to the ground if it should come loose. This can be important if the mounting plate comes loose from the lens/camera or the ball head/centre post should come off the tripod.

If I am moving through woods or areas where the camera might hit something if it is hung out back on the tripod over my shoulder I carry it either camera forward over my shoulder or cradled in the crook of my arm so I have better control over what contacts the camera.

I do it all the time. If the tripod is a quality make, I think you should be safe.