Bean Bag in Lieu of Tripod for LF

[Eric Woodbury]

I'm considering a bean bag in lieu of a tripod (monopod, bipod, etc.) for use in those area where tripods are forbidden. Sometimes a tripod wouldn't matter much. I could use an overly wide-angle lens and pre-focus the camera. Then I could quickly set the camera on the bag, grab my shot, and be done before the tripod-Nazis show up. Anybody tried this? Details are appreciated. Thanks.

--ew--

[stawastawa]

like a bean bag chair? or like a footbag? or like a meditation cushion?

the last might work well, the first might help give you decent hight. I'm curious to see how it works out, and hopefully someone with a cell phone can snap some action shots!

[LabRat]

Using a good table top tripod (like a Leitz) with a press camera works well, but better to use a camera with a external VF, and having a third hand to load holders while both hands are holding the camera helps a lot... ;-)

Steve K

[cowanw]

I put a arca swiss type quick release clamp on a bean bag Pod.
https://www.thepod.ca/red%20pod%20page.html
And it works well in churches for example

[Eric Woodbury]

Here's a listing of one type.

http://www.thewildgrizzly.com/bean-bags/

[Jim Noel]

Eric-
Several years ago my wife made me a beanbag about 8x10 inches in area and about 2" thick. It worked well with my 4x5 Toko, and probably would have worked well with the 5x7 Deardorff but I never tried it.
Jim

[Drew Wiley]

Well at least you can eat beans if you start to starve in a stake-out or wildlife blind. I've used things like this for MF SLR long telephoto shots, but never for a view
camera. View camera have much gentler shutters, but would seem to be a headache to adjust unless you ignore all the movements except focus. A large format technical camera with a coupled rangefinder would be easier. My brother used to shoot a 4x5 Technika handheld with a gyro where a tripod was unrealistic. That
worked superbly, but the gear itself was quite expensive.

[jp]

If you can eyeball the composition it could work. You're apt to move the camera loading a film holder if you expect to use the groundglass to compose. Check shooting sports type places too as such bags are often used for target shooting.