Bushhawk anybody?

Nikolai

I keep seeing the ads for the bushhawk device in the photo magazine ads.
I'm curious if anybody here had a first-hand experience?
The price is a bit steep, but it could be a great alternative to a monopod for a "spatial" action (like a football) shooting...
TIA!

photodoug

remember the old wooden gunstock models? Methinks it'd be hard explain, or dangerous to use, in certain situations. At least this model looks as if it's much more customizable.

Nikolai

Yeah...

photodoug wrote:

remember the old wooden gunstock models? Methinks it'd be hard explain, or dangerous to use, in certain situations. At least this model looks as if it's much more customizable.

It was called "photo-gun" and "photo-hunt" when I was a kid..

I was hoping this new model is somewhat advanced compared to that "gunstock of yore" :-)

pathfinder

Nik,

I posted a thread about that website last year some time. It certainly looks like a useful device for smaller 400 - 500mm lenses. I do not think it will work well with a 500 F4 IS L or 600 F4 IS L or a 400 f2.8 IS L - They are just too long and too heavy for anything less than a tripod.

But for a 400 f5.6 or a Bigma, or a Tammy SP200-500 I think it might be real handy. They have remote releases available for Cannon and Nikon that fit the gunstock as well.

I came close to ordering one and then drifted on to other things. Glad to see it brought up again.

Nikolai

Thanks, Jim!

pathfinder wrote:

Nik,

I posted a thread about that website last year some time. It certainly looks like a useful device for smaller 400 - 500mm lenses. I do not think it will work well with a 500 F4 IS L or 600 F4 IS L or a 400 f2.8 IS L - They are just too long and too heavy for anything less than a tripod.

But for a 400 f5.6 or a Bigma, or a Tammy SP200-500 I think it might be real handy. They have remote releases available for Cannon and Nikon that fit the gunstock as well.

I came close to ordering one and then drifted on to other things. Glad to see it brought up again.

Appreciate the feedback!

gtc

looks like
the old novoflex follow focus stock mount-would be good for fast panning eg running wildlife,auto racing etc.agree 400mm would be about as long and heavy as you would want to go

BigAl

pathfinder wrote:

IIt certainly looks like a useful device for smaller 400 - 500mm lenses. I do not think it will work well with a 500 F4 IS L or 600 F4 IS L or a 400 f2.8 IS L - They are just too long and too heavy for anything less than a tripod.

You can get away using a monopod with the big boys. I've shown this gadget before, a monpod pouch or bucket which fits on to your belt. Here it is being used with a 500mm F4 IS. Great for panning. I use it with my Bigma most of the time.

pathfinder

There's a gadget that hooks over both shoulders to a waist level support for long teles also, I forget the name of the device thogh.

gus

Use a BushHawk here & you will get a great shot of a .40 exiting a coppers Glock if you happen to look his way.

gtc

how well balanced?
That looks affective.

How well balanced are you like that?

I would be likely fall over onto something nasty!

BigAl

gtc wrote:

That looks affective.

How well balanced are you like that?

I would be likely fall over onto something nasty!

Hey Greg, I assume your question is on my pic . The easiest way to balance yourself is to assume a marksman's stance, much like the guy in my pic. What helps quite a bit is if you can find something solid to lean against - you then have stability on par with a tripod. The guy shown pulls the lens/camera into his face for stability, I pull down on the tripod mount.

Just as a point of interest, the 500 shown in the pic also has a Sigma 1.4 TC on it (700mm total). Here's a pic I took with that lens combo on my 350d, using a monopod and monopod pouch.


A crop of the same pic.

claudermilk

BigAl wrote:

You can get away using a monopod with the big boys. I've shown this gadget before, a monpod pouch or bucket which fits on to your belt. Here it is being used with a 500mm F4 IS. Great for panning. I use it with my Bigma most of the time.

Cool! You can get that shot while pantsing yourself at the same time!