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Archive 2013 · Shooting from pontoon boat?

  
 
Chris B.
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Shooting from pontoon boat?


Over the course of the next few months, I expect to be shooting from a pontoon boat at bird nests. In some cases, it will be possible to turn off the motor, and thus eliminating vibrations, but other times, I'll need to shoot while the motor is running. I anticipate using my 400 DO and perhaps my 500. Hand-holding the 400 is no problem... that's the main reason I bought it. But hand-holding the 500 is a different story, and I'm wondering if people have suggestions for support to minimize the effects of vibrations... I can use either a tripod or monopod, but frankly, if I have to, I'll just put a 1.4x on the 400...

Suggestions appreciated!

Chris



Jun 12, 2013 at 09:26 AM
jcolwell
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Shooting from pontoon boat?


You could make an isolation platform for a monopod using a piece of 3/4" plywood, say 12" x 12", on top of sheet neoprene. You should be able to find a "shop mat" that's about 1-1/2" to 2" thick, and that would probably be a good start.


Jun 12, 2013 at 09:43 AM
kbarrera
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Shooting from pontoon boat?


Hey Chris I've been out shooting with you. Hope it's a BIGGGGG pontoon boat!!

Al



Jun 12, 2013 at 04:24 PM
Rodney O
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Shooting from pontoon boat?


Ah, well maybe a substantial pontoon boat but not all that large.

Extending the plywood and foam suggestion from "jcolwell"
The idea of a vibration dampening pad is a good one. How well it works will depend on the specific frequencies involved & their specific intensities, plus the sporing constant of the foam and how much the foam is compressed by the monopod-camera-lens load.

Foam rubber that is somewhat easy to compress can isolate the monopod, camera & lens by making them an "infinite mass" relative to the spring constant of the foam. But the foam must not get compressed significantly (i.e. no more than 60 to 70% of its no-load thickness is a good ball park). There has to be enough easy travel left in foam to allow of the vibration dampening.

I also agree with neoprene on top of the plywood as an anti-skid factor for keeping the monopod in place.

hth



Jun 12, 2013 at 07:15 PM
Chris B.
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Shooting from pontoon boat?


kbarrera wrote:
Hey Chris I've been out shooting with you. Hope it's a BIGGGGG pontoon boat!!

Al


Thanks, Al.... I got 2 words for you and they're not "Happy Birthday!"


Actually the boat is a lot like this one:








Jun 12, 2013 at 08:29 PM
Chris B.
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Shooting from pontoon boat?


jcolwell wrote:
You could make an isolation platform for a monopod using a piece of 3/4" plywood, say 12" x 12", on top of sheet neoprene. You should be able to find a "shop mat" that's about 1-1/2" to 2" thick, and that would probably be a good start.


Sounds like a great idea... Thanks!

Chris



Jun 12, 2013 at 08:30 PM





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