Every nature photographer who owns a super-telelens will experience the same issue: will I use a swinghead or a beanbag? Both options have certainly advantages and disadvantages. One of the main advantages of a beanbag is the weight (when it is empty). This is important when you travel with airplanes.
When you want to buy a beanbag, you can choose between normal flat beanbags and the special saddle-beanbags. Those saddle-beanbags, as the name indicates already, look like a saddle. Many producers have flat- and saddle-beanbags in their gamma. Sadly, I do think they are too small for the lens, which I am useing, namely a Nikon AF-S VR 600mm F/4.
The team of “BIRDS AS ART” must have experienced the same problems and they created a “Big Lens Ultimate Bean Bag” or BLUBB. In other words, a huge saddle-beanbag for huge telelenses!
© BIRDS AS ART
Unboxing:
When you receive the beanbag, you’ll notice right away that good things don’t have to be complicated at all! The BLUBB is shipped from USA in a small, bubbled envelope. In my case, no extra charges at the local customs. Then it’s really simple : you put the beanbag at its side, you open the high quality YKK zipper and you start filling it.
Size and weight:
Empty, the BLUBB weighs about 200 grams. Because the beanbag will be transported empty, it is still compact as you compare it with the size of the lenses made for this beanbag. The sizes are 30cm x 28cm x 3cm. Size and weight are very important when you need to take an airplane these days. When you arrive at the country of destination, you can buy the filling (rice, beans or macaroni). Birdsart advises to fill it with 7kg of Pinto Beans, but I prefer to fill it a little bit less. As you would expect, the beanbag becomes much thicker when filled: 30cm x 28cm x 16cm.
Heavy work:
Every beanbag is made to support a small dslr & small lens up to the professional dslr with heavy super-telelenses. It is of course a bit strange to buy (and fill) a beanbag as the BLUBB for just a small dslr with compact lens. This product is made to support the heaviest lenses on earth, like a 300mm F/2,8 up to 600mm F/4 or even heavier lenses.
In the field:
To fill the BLUBB, you simply open the zipper at the side, but please note that it will take some skills to fill without spilling on the ground! It might have been a better idea to place the zipper at the end of one of both legs, but probably the pressure on the zipper would become to big. When the beanbag is filled, close the zipper and push de locker from the zipper under the tissue.
© BIRDS AS ART
The beanbag can be used on a flat surface by flipping the beanbag upside down (like you carry the beanbag) with both legs at the top. You place the lens between both legs. You can also use the beanbag over the open window of a car. Both ways do work nice, but needs to be practiced a couple of times. Between both legs, they use a thick tissue with non-skid. This way, your lens stays nicely in place, but when you move with the lens, you’ll lose focus. Change your camera to “continue focus” and this “problem” is solved. If you use the beanbag over the open window of a car, you’ll see that they used some thick tissue at the top, but without non-skid finishing touch. Just put the lens on top and move it a bit so it stays smoothly.
© BIRDS AS ART
Personally, I don’t like to use a beanbag when there is a flat surface available. In those cases I prefer to use a swinghead (eventually in combination with a Skorpion pod). But when you shoot from inside a vehicle, the beanbag is a great solution! Everything lays stable and it works really well.
© BIRDS AS ART
Conclusion:
If you own a super-telelens and you are looking for a large, decent big beanbag, buy the BLUBB! Sadly, it will cost you 110 $ (Shipping included). Personally, I do think it is a high price, but you’ll receive a decent product.
More info: HERE
Best regards,
Sven Michiels
