Canon 500 F4

Timc

Timc

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Hi All,
contemplating or is that dreaming?! of getting a Canon 500 F4 prime to take photos at airshows. Question is because I think my arms will drop off after 10 mins handholding this beast I'm thinking of mounting it on my Manfrotto 682 monopod, so therefore I would need a suitable pan/tilt or trigger grip head....so any ideas as to what I should choose, bearing in mind the fast moving subject matter and the weight of the lens?

Regards
Tim
 
No suggestions on heads but you will attract more attention from those with big toys if you change the thread title to include '500mm f4' :)

(edit the first post then 'go advanced' to change the title)
 
First of all I have never shot airshows, but I have shot jets in the mid Wales low fly zones (The Mach Loop).
I wouldn't have thought that using a monopod to track fast moving jets is very practical.
There are some experienced jet photographers here."Gord" for instance. One of them will probably have some advice to offer. You will need a head capable of supporting the large weight of a 500 / f4.
I use a "Velbon QHD-71Q Ball and Socket Head with Quick Release" on a monopod for photographing Super Bikes. If you decide that a monopod is the way to go bear in mind the weight factor.
For some action shots I prefer to use a tripod with a video head to support a heavy lens.
 
Hi Gareth,
thanks for the reply, yes I can understand in the "loop" it is not very practical but also depending on the traffic going through your maybe only handholding a minute at a time, I'm more interested to see what others do at airshows where photographing is pretty constant throughout the duration of the display, somehow I don't think there's an obvious solution!

Regards
Tim
 
I've used mine at airshows, tripod mounted with a Wimberley Sidekick and Kirk ballhead. It's an expensive solution but you can balance the lens perfectly so that it feels weightless. Other option is a Manfrotto 393 which is heavier, a bit less smooth but a lot cheaper. Both could be mounted on monopods.
 
I have the Manfrotto 393 head which was recommended to me by others on here;) and I use it with a 500mm F4 on either a monopod or tripod, all I can say is, it's easily worth the £100 and I would really find it difficult to justify £500 on a wimberley, I have a friend who has the latter and I'm sorry it's not for me.

Just out of interest for those that use the 393 head the adjusters on the side are the same as those used in model car differentials should you need spares:shrug: I read about the lack of adjustability on the 393, but mines perfect:thumbs:
 
I have the 500 f4L and I promise you you wouldn't hand hold it for 10 minutes! I'd say 30 or 40 secs - tops and any sharp shots would be pure luck. ;)

Get the 393. I have one and I'm using it more and more just for the 500mm. It comes with a lens plate and it's a bargain. The only downside of the 393 is it uses Manfrotto's own peculiar plate size so it's hopeless for swapping from lens to lens. It does though, have a pretty cool built in safety device to stop the lens sliding out of the mount... which would be an expensive mishap!

I also have the Dietmar Nill gimbal head which is superbly engineered , very light and adaptable, and cost an arm and a leg.
 
Thanks again some very interesting responses. I've had a quick look at some reviews of the 393 and it looks from a stability point of view just as good as the Wimberley, maybe not engineered to the same standards but at a 5th of the price it would seem you can't go wrong. Once again thanks for everyones input.

Regards
Tim
 
If your mounting it to a monopod as in your first post, I wouldnt even use a head, mount it direct to the monopod, if you put a gimbal head on a monopod, you will be in all sorts fun.

If youre up my way your welcome to try my monopod and gimbal head out ad see for yur self
 
CT said:
I have the 500 f4L and I promise you you wouldn't hand hold it for 10 minutes! I'd say 30 or 40 secs - tops and any sharp shots would be pure luck. ;)
Click to expand...
You must have stronger arms than me, then. I don't think I'd want to try hand-holding the 500 under any circumstances!
 
I use my 500/4 IS with a 1D2N body at airshows. I tried shooting with my Wimberley head on a tripod, wasn't too impressed, tried a monopod with and without a head but didn't like it either. I use this lens for the high altitude stuff and often am shooting almost vertically, a pod won't allow you to do that unless you lift if off the ground, in which case the whole rig is heavier and even less movable.

Believe it or not handholding this lens is more about technique than outright strength. At Fairford last year I was shooting handheld 30 mins on, 30 mins off, no problem at all. And no, I don't have arm muscles like Mr Universe! :lol:

Just my 2p worth. :thumbs:
 
StewartR said:
You must have stronger arms than me, then. I don't think I'd want to try hand-holding the 500 under any circumstances!
Click to expand...

Well I don't consider the 500 hand holdable for what I do. The chances of keeping that AF spot on a small bird are remote. and any sharp shots would be pure luck.

Having said that, I can see it usable in short bursts for larger targets where keeping AF on the subject isn't such a problem, but for me it's purely a tripod lens - occasionally a monopod.
 
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