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Outdoor Photo
The ultimate vehicle support system

Text and Images by Eric J. Landsberg

Fortunately African wildlife sanctuaries teem with some of the most dangerous animals on the planet, and for this reason it is better to photograph these magnificent animals from the safety of a vehicle or hide. Camera movement is probably the greatest cause of unsharp and blurred images, this can easily be eradicated by using a well designed support system. Another simple rule that will eradicate unsharp and blurred images: When you are creating those outstanding images switch the vehicle off.

Personal experience taught me that shooting from a vehicle pose its own challenges: supporting your equipment in the confined space can be a daunting task. Believe me I have explored various avenues to solve this problem.

For years I have been searching for the ideal platform to use as camera support inside the vehicle. Tripods inside are cumbersome, and in most cases only solve half the problem. Window and door mounts are also available, but window mounts are not suitable for heavy equipment and therefore not the ideal platform. Door mounts (commercially available and self made) on the other hand can be quite useful but could also be restrictive. Door mounts are made of metal and one of the big disadvantages of door mounts is that they can scratch the vehicle.

Outdoor Photo
The ultimate vehicle support system

Then there is also the trusty old bean bag (below), although the normal bean bag provides a solid base the problem arises when the bean bag is placed over the vehicles door. Driving with the bean bag over the door on gravel roads provides you with unplanned stop opportunities, braving African wildlife in order to retrieve it.

None of the above methods provided the ideal solution.

 

My trusty old bean bags

But then Hedrus form Outdoor Photo introduced me to his newly designed vehicle support system. The support system provided by Outdoor Photo features a uniquely designed bean bag that snugly fits any vehicle door, and an Arca-swiss style mount and panning base.

The Outdoor Photo system consists of 3 units:

Bean bag
Panning plate
Arca-swiss style lens plate

Bean bag

The bean bag is supplied empty, but filling the bag is quite easy. The zipper on the side of the bag provides easy access in order to allow you to fill the bag with your preferred filling. This is a real handy feature for transportation, especially flying destinations. The bag can be easily transported and filled at your destination. The bag is also supplied with a shoulder carry strap, which is very useful if you have to carry that expensive camera equipment and the bean bag to a hide.

When filled, the Outdoor Photo bag and two legs creates an extremely stable platform. I filled the empty bean bag with plastic beads (But remember – be responsible – Only you tracks should be left behind, and not the beads) Photographic equipment is extremely expensive and dust is detrimental to their sensitive parts. Filling the bag with sand, rice or beans increases the chances of getting the equipment in direct contact with dust. (Remember be responsible)

 

The filled legs securely anchor the bag over the vehicle door. On my test trial trip to the Lionspruit Nature Reserve near the Kruger National Park the bag stayed in place on every game drive, never bouncing off like my trusty old bean bags were prone to.

Outdoor Photo Beanbag

The new Camera support system from Outdoor Photo provides one of the best vehicle support systems I have seen. Its unique shape snugly wraps around the vehicle door, bars on a game viewing vehicle and many other places to provide you with a very solid platform for heavy photographic equipment. The platform that forms once the bag is placed over the car door provides the perfect support for the planning plate that forms part of the Outdoor Photo support system.

The system works well with any combination of photographic equipment. Not only does the bean bag provide the ideal vehicle support, but could also be used in hides and on other surfaces to provide the required support. Now that you have this new bean bag dont get rid of the trusty old bean bags you already have. If more height is required just add the old bean bag on top of the table that forms once the Outdoor Photo bean bag is placed over the door.

Outdoor Photo Beanbag with trusty old bean bag.

But bean bags have their own disadvantages. If you place the lens on the bean bag and move the lens, the possibility exists that you would have moved the focusing ring just as you are about to press the shutter release and the resulting image will be out of focus. Another disadvantage is when you are using manual focus or zoom, it is difficult to turn the focusing ring if the lens is lying on the bean bag, the bag restricts ring movement. But the biggest disadvantage posed by bean bags, and potentially detrimental to the lens and you pocket, when turned you might accidentally press the lens release button especially if the lens is connected to a teleconverter. The lens might then separate from the rest of your equipment and get damaged if dropped.

Panning Plate

The last few sentences might have change your opinion altogether on bean bags, but remember the bean bag is the least expensive but most important support accessory Wildlife photographers own. This is where the panning plate with Arca-swiss style quick-release clamp from the Outdoor Photo support system plays a vital role. Not only to provide you with a solid footprint but also eliminates the disadvantages bean bags pose, and provides the freedom of movement required in Wildlife photography. The panning plate consists of the base plate with a swivel attached. On top of the swivel is the quick-release clamp, designed to accommodate the Arca-swiss style lens plate. The panning plate connected to the lens will provide a solid base for your equipment to be used on any surface. The quick-release clamp are equipped with two shallow recesses extending form the side of the quick-release clamp to just after the mounting screws. These recesses allow for extended fore-aft adjustment when using the safty stops on the Arca-swiss style lens plate. The panning plate and Arca-swiss style -release clamp are precisely machined with a beautiful black finish.

Arca-swiss style lens plate

The third component of the Outdoor Photo system is the Arca-swiss style lens plate and is available for different lenses. I am pleased with this idea, because you can now standardise your support equipment, with so many top class support systems utilizing the Arca-swiss style plates. The bottom of the lens plate is equipped with tapped holes for safety stop screws at both ends of the plate, although only one safety stop screw is supplied with the plate. These stop screws do limit the amount of forward or backward adjustment available, but this is a small price to pay. This will prevent the lens from accidentally slipping out of a slightly loose quick release clamp. The lens plate is also provided with four anti-twist screws on top to prevent the lens from twisting if it is mounted with only one fastener.

Outdoor Photo Camera support system.

By using the full support system provided by Outdoor Photo you will be able the make optimal use of the manual focusing and zooming capabilities provided by your lens. In my opinion this system provides African wildlife photographers with freedom, but also with the solid support required. Remember: fortunately African wildlife sanctuaries teem with dangerous animals and for this reason a well designed vehicle support system is essential. In other parts of the world photographer might be able to leave the safety of their vehicles and setup tripod systems to provide the necessary support.

White Rhinoceros

(Ceratotherium simum)

Lionspruit Nature Reserve