An Obscure Question

[Andy K]

I have a Gorillapod Zoom. Probably one of the handiest devices I've ever used! I have just ordered the latest incarnation, the Gorillapod Focus, which can take up to 5kg, which is more than enough to keep my Bronica steady!

 

[Strokebloke]

The one thing that comes to mind is the Gorillapod, which can either be used freestanding or can be wrapped around anything handy like a tree or a fence, plus they seem to be quite compact for carrying.QUOTE]

Hi Peter. You make me feel quite at home
My problem is that I'm unstable when I'm totally isolated from anything practical upon which to rest or wrap myself around. Unfortunately, the same is true for the Gorillapod. If I had something I could attach it to, I could attach myself to it instead and save the cost of the Gorillapod.
I have a tripod, a monopod & a table tripod, which each get used a lot. It's when I'm in an open space where standing, kneeling or sitting unsupported in any manner, is necessary to compose the shot. To compliment all of the valued advice I've received I think I also need to consider how I compose the shots. Maybe if I 'thought-out-of-the-box' I would always be able to find the means to gain stability, which means that I'd be able to benefit from the purchase of a Gorillapod. A bit of lateral thinking required I suspect.

Many thanks to each & all.
Your participation and advice is greatly valued.
Regards,
Jack

 

[Strokebloke]

Well, I've done my lateral thinking. Or at least as much as I'm prepared to do. I've been to my local photographic [enthusiasts] shop & looked at a YashicaMat they have for sale for £59. Having handled it and focussed on various items around the shop with it, I can easily understand why TheFlyingCamera & Andy suggested something like this. However, I don't really want to get into another format of camera & film, so I'm going to give that one a miss. What I am inclined towards at the moment is to use my two 35mm film cameras either at home in a studio type set-up, or, where I have the time to set up, prior to taking any shots. For any other circumstances - i.e. "quick get the camera & get a shot of that/this/him/her", or situations where I know that I'm going to be faced with at least some occasions of 'free-standing' shooting, I'll use the Sony a200 D-SLR. I suspect it probably goes against the ethics of this forum to consider using digital; but I own one, & it's a good camera with good lenses & I'm not inclined to let it rot on the shelf for the sake of ethics. Sorry if that offends: I'm merely being practical. The positive side is that I can learn, using Cheryl's breathing-control for instance, to compose shots without shaking like a leaf. Then I'll be able to use film anywhere, in any situation, as well. I do hope that you'll forgive my apparent treachery, but personally I'm much more interested in learning photography than immersing myself if ethical issues. I'm too old for that and anyway, life for me at least, may be much, much too short

Thank you all for your help, advice & patience.
As far as I'm concerned, I'm still very much 'with you' and I would like to think that this decision will not result in being ostracized in any manner.

Kind Regards,
Jack

 

[JBrunner]

All of the suggestions are good, but one has been over looked! It is extremely expensive, very cumbersome, and very high tech .

Tie a cord to the bottom of the camera (you can use a long screw in the tripod mount hole, being careful not to turn it in so far as to damage the camera, most these days have a "bottom" though) and then step on the cord in the appropriate place and pull it tight. Fast, easy, cheap, so worth a shot. Might make just the difference you are after.

 

[bob100684]

I'm goping to have to look into this VR lens issue
But first of all I need to be sure that I understand what VR is. I assume it is some sort of IS system, but in the lens rather than in the camera body [as is the Sony IS system] The problem is that I have a whole bagful of Nikon Nikkor lenses & a Tokina and Tamron and Vivitar.
If The VR system is indisputably the only sure way to solve the problem I'll set aside my present lenses & buy new ones. I must admit that my preconditioned response to the problem, until I raised it here, was to use the lenses I'd got - but be selective about the discipline areas within photography that I engage in. i.e. Portrait-Landscape-Studio. The sort of things that don't require quick and rock-steady reflexes. And in which I can reasonably be expected to use a tripod, with isolated shutter-release.
Are VR lenses particularly expensive? And are they easily available through normal photographic retail outlets?
Can I buy good quality second-hand components on eBay?

J

I have found Canon's IS lenses(their name for vibration reduction) to be helpful, though far from necessary. I prefer a tripod.

 

[Strokebloke]

All of the suggestions are good, but one has been over looked! It is extremely expensive, very cumbersome, and very high tech .

Tie a cord to the bottom of the camera (you can use a long screw in the tripod mount hole, being careful not to turn it in so far as to damage the camera, most these days have a "bottom" though) and then step on the cord in the appropriate place and pull it tight. Fast, easy, cheap, so worth a shot. Might make just the difference you are after.

I have GOT to give that a try; even if it's just for the novelty value.
At the moment I have no idea what you're suggesting it might achieve, but it's obviously something that has worked for you at some point; so it's got to be worth a try. Thank you for the thought.

I'll come back to you when I've figured out what the cord is supposed to do; & let you know whether it works for me.

Regards,
Jack

 

[JBrunner]

The tension on the cord steadies the camera. While the camera can "float" back and forth, shakes are dramatically dampened. Don't pull so tight that the camera will go flying if the cord slips from your foot or the camera, a moderate tension is enough. Think of it sort of like a monopod in reverse.

 

[Andy K]

Here's a variation on that:

 

[Strokebloke]

The tension on the cord steadies the camera. While the camera can "float" back and forth, shakes are dramatically dampened. Don't pull so tight that the camera will go flying if the cord slips from your foot or the camera, a moderate tension is enough. Think of it sort of like a monopod in reverse.

Yes. I've tried it. It had got to be something like that. It does work; at least to some extent. My arm is heavy. approx 22lb (a stone & a half or 10kg) [everyone's arm is heavy-but because muscle, sinew & tendon all collaborate to support a healthy arm, no-one notices how heavy their arm is (my leg is twice that weight ]
Holding it up, in the camera composition position, is what makes it shake. [stress in shoulder muscles which are no longer designed to lift & support]
However, placing the stressed muscle into a strained situation [lifting against the tension in the cord] does alleviate a proportion of the stress. Hence less shake.
But it's very tiring.
Nevertheless it is something else to work at & I'm grateful to you for it. Thank you.
I must admit I would probably not have thought of it myself.

Regards,
Jack

 

[Sirius Glass]

Sony took over Minolta, so you can use the Sony lenses with older Minolta models. I hope that helps.

Steve

 

[Strokebloke]

Sony took over Minolta, so you can use the Sony lenses with older Minolta models. I hope that helps.

The Sony IS system is contained within the body Steve, not the lens. So putting a modern Sony lens onto a 35mm Minolta body wouldn't achieve anything I'm afraid. I presume that what what you were suggesting.

On a more promising note however I have worked a lot and practiced many of your suggestions over the last couple of weeks. Particularly the breathing control: which alone has certainly not provided the whole answer, but has contributed signnificantly. One thing I have learned is to slow down & relax. I realised that in my inexperienced enthusiasm to get a shot, I was rushing [almost in case the shot got away; which was balmy because most of the shots were landscapes: they're still the same today as they were a fortnight ago :rolleyes:] It suddenly dawned on me that I've never behaved in that manner when I'm setting up a site level or a theodolite. I've always taken my time and got it right.
So I've slowed down a lot. The consequence is that my confidence has increased because I'm no longer stressed that I'm going to miss the shot. [yes, the landscape one, that's still there now] Because my confidence has increased and I've slowed down, I'm taking better shots, compositionally and in terms of shot-taking technique. Consequently because I'm now a lot less conscious of shaking and a lot less concerned about it, I shake less
It seems stupidly simple: but it's actually working.
I still take the monopod out with me: and I use it when necessary or prudent.
But I don't now feel obliged to use it, or fear that if I have no means of support I will not be able to take a decent photo.
None of my work is going to win any awards. But I probably still won't be winning awards in twenty years time :rolleyes: so that's no problem. What's great is that I'm enjoying going out with the camera again, instead of almost dreading it; as was the case before.

Sorry this has been so long-winded, but I appreciate the encouragement and support you each provided when I originally asked for help; so it seems reasonable to appraise you of some of the outcomes, even if they are not yet complete and there is still considerable room for much more progress.
I guess what I'm saying is: a big thank you, to you all.

 

[Cheryl Jacobs]

Congratulations! I've always found APUG to be an incredibly friendly and helpful place -- I'm glad you've experienced the same.

- CJ