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Leg warmers

tripod leg-warmer

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22 replies to this topic

#1
Merco_61

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It is here again in the northern hemisphere! I mean winter, of course. The season when you swear at the Gitzo leg warmers that start slipping around below -25°C or the Op-tech ones that build up the diameter of the legs too much. There is a nice solution, though. Your friendly bike shop has handlebar tape that works well to insulate your hands from the cold metal of the tripod. I only wrap two legs as that is what I need. I start with one turn 8 mm above the locking collar just to get a secure start on the wrap, from there I overlap half the width and finish off with a tapered end at the top and some 3M vinyl tape. I tape the bottom as well, just to be sure that it won't unravel.

 

gallery_1251_602_14242.jpg

 

The white patches are self-adhesive velcro for hanging the remote release.


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#2
Nikonite

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As they say, "Mother is the necessity of invention." Nice solution!


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#3
etphoto

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Hmmm, makes sense and a pretty darn good idea. I started thinking though, can't remember the last time I used a tripod in frigid weather though. lol
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#4
deano

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Good idea Peter.



#5
Merco_61

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When it gets really cold, I usually use my Sachtler ENG2 tripod that can be used with thinsulate gloves inside woolen mittens inside Craft or Helly-Hansen fleecelined Cordura mittens. This wrapped Gitzo is to have something a bit more portable that still works without me freezing with only the gloves. I still use the full mittens during transport between locations.


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#6
Ron

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Very nice idea, Peter.

 

I always love looking at the gear other photographers use. Photographers are nothing if not the original mothers of invention. I guess that's why camera stores are filled with all kinds of little fiddly bits. Reminds me too.... I need to get an L bracket for my D610. Kirk want's a fortune for theirs but the discounted one I have on my D7000 is fantastic. Solid as a rock. However, yours looks a bit more portable.

 

--Ron


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#7
Merco_61

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The Novoflex QPL-VERTIKAL is solid as a rock, but there are disadvantages in using a universal L-plate as you can't tether as the port is blocked and on the D300 I can't change the battery without removing the plate. It is about $30 more expensive than a Kirk is for body-only, about the same price as a Kirk for vertical grip or a RRS for body-only. Sunwayfoto make a copy of the RRS for the D600, B&H sell them for $75.


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#8
Ron

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Well, my Kirk (vertical grip version) does allow me to change batteries in the grip without removing it. However, getting to the IO ports is still tricky and if you use those ports a lot you need to invest in their spacer block ($60US) which I haven't done so far. I've been using my IR remote release instead.

 

I've heard (tho not verified) that the RSS L bracket only works properly with an RSS QR plate. Something about the dovetail not being machined to exactly match the Arca standard. I've had no such problems with the any of my Kirk stuff though.

 

--Ron



#9
Merco_61

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If you use a lever quick release, you should stick to accessories from one maker as they all have slightly different tolerances. With a knob release like I have on my RRS heads, this doesn't matter. I use Kirk, RRS, Novoflex, Sirui and Arca dovetails with the same head.


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#10
Ron

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If you use a lever quick release, you should stick to accessories from one maker as they all have slightly different tolerances. With a knob release like I have on my RRS heads, this doesn't matter. I use Kirk, RRS, Novoflex, Sirui and Arca dovetails with the same head.

 

Ah, OK... that clears that up. Thanks. All my Arca stuff is knob release.

 

--Ron



#11
dcbear78

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I had no idea what this was all about or even there was such a need.



#12
Jerry_

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I had no idea what this was all about or even there was such a need.


Indeed, likely that in Australia you hardly get to such (low) temperatures :)

#13
Tony

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As they say, "Mother is the necessity of invention." Nice solution!

I believe the correct version is;  Necessity is the mother of invention.

 

tony



#14
dcbear78

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Indeed, likely that in Australia you hardly get to such (low) temperatures :)

 

It gets cold here. A couple times last year, before the sun came up we even saw single figures (in celsius).  :D

 

OK so it doesn't get cold where I am (directly under the Tropic of Capricorn). But some parts of Australia do, but not really that cold. I've never seen anything like this mentioned in Australian forums or groups.


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#15
Merco_61

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Today we have a nice, mild morning. Only -12 degrees Celsius. Last week the temperature never rose above -18, even mid-day.



#16
Jerry_

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Over the past days we had finally the winter (i.e. cold) starting, with temperatures close to -10 Celsius (-5 C this morning when I left home).

Overall the winter had been to warm so far (with temperatures between +10 and +20C) and some vegetation had started to grow, but is frozen now.

Also some snow has fallen, so probably my capture in the weekly challenge will be some winter landscape.
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#17
deano

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Poor little ole me, I have been whining about the low temps in Southern Arizona.  Why it even got down to 32f, 0c a very few times this winter.  I will refrain from complaining about the cold hence forth.


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#18
TBonz

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When it gets really cold, I usually use my Sachtler ENG2 tripod that can be used with thinsulate gloves inside woolen mittens inside Craft or Helly-Hansen fleecelined Cordura mittens. This wrapped Gitzo is to have something a bit more portable that still works without me freezing with only the gloves. I still use the full mittens during transport between locations.

 

Peter, I would suggest that -25C as stated in your first message IS really cold!  I am not suggesting that it doesn't get colder there and I am sure it is a matter of perspective, but...

 

Personally I consider any temp (C or F) that is a negative number, cold!  I would much prefer being out in 35+C than 0C.  If I have to have more than one layer on my hands (except maybe if I was skiing) then I doubt I'll be out taking photos!  Granted if someone was paying me to shoot in those temps, I'd be there, but I wouldn't be any longer than necessary.  I think the coldest game I've had to shoot was still above -10C!

 

That said, I do like the idea - even without the temperature being that cold, it would still give a better grip on the legs for carrying, etc. 



#19
Merco_61

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If I didn't shoot in the cold, I would have to shoot only studio work for about 4 months each year... The coldest I have been out in for non-paid photography was -34 at night. http://petersundsted...10/large-1.html and http://petersundsted...10/large-2.html are from that night. The following bridge photos if you click forward were shot two days later in a milder -25°C. 


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#20
TBonz

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I get cold looking at those images!  And, I know that you don't have much choice if you want to shoot outside.  And, I expect you are quite a bit more used to those temperatures than I am...still that is WAY too cold but I'd probably be doing the same thing if I lived there.  Although there were other reasons involved as well as part of his decision, I always joke with a friend of mine from Norway as to why he chose to relocate to Florida from Norway...

 

We finally got winter too with high temps today around 0C but highs will be back up to 7C in a couple of days...Looks like the Northern Virginia area is going to get hit with a big storm this weekend too...last I saw they were calling for at least a foot of snow and possibly 2+ feet...that doesn't happen in that area very often and I lived there my entire life before moving here about a year ago...Off the top of my head I'd guess that storms of 2 feet or more come through there about once a decade or so...


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