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In case you are planning a safari, the probabilities are good that you’re occupied with taking a bigger digital camera and lens with you. These can produce great wildlife photographs, however additionally they include a draw back, which is that they are often heavy and arduous to carry for extended intervals of time.
Usually the answer to a heavy lens and digital camera is a tripod or monopod. Nonetheless, most safaris have you ever observing wildlife from inside a car, the place it’s usually not doable to simply arrange and use both a tripod or monopod. That is particularly the case when there are just a few individuals within the car vying for viewing area!
Nonetheless, you don’t need to miss a terrific shot of a lion or an elephant as a result of your arms are drained from holding your gear up. As an alternative, it is best to contemplate investing in a pictures bean bag.
On this article, I’ll inform you how they work, why you may want one, necessary options to search for in a pictures bean bag, and provides some suggestions on a number of the finest pictures bean luggage for safari.
I like to recommend studying this publish together with my information to getting nice photographs on safari, in addition to my information to the most effective safari digital camera and lenses, so that you’re totally ready to your journey.
Causes to Use a Images Bean Bag
A pictures bean bag, because the title suggests, is a bag full of beans (or related materials) which is used to assist a digital camera when taking photos.
These could be positioned both over a window body or on the highest of the car in case you are standing up and looking of a pop-up prime, and can will let you hold your digital camera pointing in the precise route with out tiring your arms out.
It should additionally will let you use slower shutter speeds if required, relying on the out there gentle and the way a lot your topic is shifting.
Primarily a pictures bean bag affords related advantages to a tripod or monopod, however in a smaller and extra versatile package deal. Some key advantages of a pictures bean bag embody:
- You don’t have to carry up your lens and digital camera
- It offers a spot to relaxation and regular longer lenses or recognizing scope
- They defend your gear from having to relaxation on the usually soiled and uneven surfaces of the edges of the car
- It could actually additionally defend your gear and provides stabilization if capturing from the bottom
- It’s extra versatile to be used in lots of conditions in comparison with a tripod or monopod
In fact, these pictures bean luggage should not simply helpful for safari however for all kinds of nature and out of doors associated pictures eventualities. So it’s nice if you will get a bag that additionally, you will have the ability to use elsewhere.
Listed here are a few photographs of me on safari with and with no bean bag to present you an thought of the distinction. I’ve used plenty of these bean luggage on varied safaris throughout plenty of African international locations.
What to Search for in a Images Bean Bag for Safari
Earlier than offering some urged bean luggage, I needed to share my ideas for what to search for in a bean bag for safari pictures. This may show you how to to resolve which bean bag goes to be finest for you.
Form
The very first thing it would be best to take into consideration is the form of the bean bag. Images bean luggage are usually not simply shapeless spherical blobs, they have a tendency to have a selected type which permits them to work extra successfully.
There are three primary shapes of pictures bean luggage. First, there’s a cushion-like flatter form which is the only possibility. Then, there’s the double cushion, which is successfully two cushions sewn collectively.
Lastly, there’s a model which seems to be a bit like a decrease case “n” (or an inverted “u”). This form has two “legs” with a cushion half on the prime. It’s successfully a saddlebag form, and is the most well-liked possibility.
Under are some pictures exhibiting a few of these completely different designs.
Which form will give you the results you want will rely a bit on the place you might be more likely to be capturing. I discover the saddlebag model affords a very good little bit of versatility as it may be tailored to suit quite a lot of places, from capturing over a window body to balancing on the sting of a car roof when capturing by means of a pop-up prime.
It additionally has the benefit which you can invert it when capturing on a flatter floor to supply a form of cradle to your digital camera.
The easy flatter cushion-like form can show to be fairly versatile, particularly when capturing on the roof of a car or from the ground. Personally I discover it a bit much less sensible for safari use because it doesn’t mildew to a car window or door space in addition to the opposite choices.
Measurement
Images bean luggage are available in quite a lot of sizes. The primary factor is to make sure that the bean bag you select is giant sufficient so your digital camera and lens will comfortably match on it, while not being so massive that it’s impractical to make use of and carry.
Filler Kind
Many bean luggage include the choice to buy them with a filling or with out. We usually discover it’s simpler to journey with an empty bean bag after which fill it with an applicable filling at your vacation spot, equivalent to buckwheat (hulls), chook seed, or dried beans. This reduces the journey weight and bulk of the bean bag.
Nonetheless, you too can decide to buy a bean bag with a filling, which is usually one thing like polystyrene balls to maintain transport weight down. This could undoubtedly work and gives you a light-weight possibility, though it gained’t be as steady as a heavier possibility.
Be aware that many kinds of uncooked and dried beans could be toxic to wildlife so if you happen to use them to fill your bag you’ll need to take additional care to maintain your bag away from animals and hold them secured contained in the car whenever you go away it.
We’ve got had monkeys, significantly baboons, attempt to snatch the luggage from the autos, as they’ve learnt that the fillings typically include tasty treats!
Weight
While the fabric the pictures bean bag is manufactured from can have some influence on its weight, the primary factor that impacts its weight is what it’s full of.
If it’s full of a lightweight materials like polystyrene balls for instance, then will probably be very gentle. If it’s full of dried beans or seeds, then it is going to naturally be heavier. The bigger the bean bag, the heavier will probably be.
We’d usually suggest utilizing a heavier filling like beans or seeds because the bag will hold its form higher when arrange and supply a extra steady base. Nonetheless, now we have additionally used a pictures bean bag full of polystyrene balls with good outcomes.
On our final journey, we crammed our bag with a mixture of dried beans and a few pillow stuffing which was a very good combine .
Sturdiness
A safari could be fairly a difficult setting, with plenty of bumpy roads in addition to autos containing arduous edges.
It’s necessary that you just use a pictures bean bag which goes to face up to the rigours of this setting. You undoubtedly don’t need to be in a scenario the place the bean bag develops a gap and bursts open half manner by means of your journey!
A well-made bean bag that has good stitching and which is constructed from a sturdy materials equivalent to canvas or one other thick hard-wearing materials can be finest. Evaluating the 2 pictures beneath, the bean bag on the precise is made out of a more durable canvas like materials which can seemingly last more.
Shade
On safari you usually need pretty impartial colours that don’t stand out. You additionally need to keep away from blues and blacks which might entice tsetse flies.
Most pictures bean luggage we’re conscious of are available in shades of inexperienced or beige, or are in a form of camouflage sample of greens and beige colours, which works nicely.
Refillable?
One of many extra necessary options of a pictures bean bag is whether or not or not it may be refilled. I might argue that having the ability to empty and fill your bean bag is absolutely necessary.
That is so you may change the contents to fit your wants. For instance, in case you are travelling gentle or need to cut back bulk, you would possibly need to empty out your bean bag and fold it up. Then, whenever you arrive in your vacation spot you may pop to a market and purchase some dried beans, rice, or buckwheat to fill it with.
Most pictures bean luggage are refillable. Some open with a zipper while others open with velcro. I might personally suggest a system that closes with a zipper as it’s far safer and there may be much less danger of it coming open by mistake.
Value
You’ll in fact need to take into consideration worth when buying a pictures bean bag. The excellent news is that the majority bean luggage are nicely priced, usually coming in at round $25 – $85 USD.
In fact, you may pay extra (and fewer!), however in comparison with the worth of many pictures equipment available on the market right now we predict that is undoubtedly one of many extra inexpensive choices you should buy to enhance your photographs and make your pictures expertise simpler whereas on safari.
Different Options
In addition to the above options, some pictures bean luggage produce other options you would possibly discover helpful. These embody straps or pockets, or issues like being water-resistant.
A strap or twine can undoubtedly be useful as you should use it to safe the bean bag when in use. Water proofing can be useful if you happen to suppose you’ll be capturing in moist environments.
Some have shoulder straps to make them simpler to hold if capturing on foot – these straps can be used to safe to the automotive. As well as, a number of the flat luggage can be used as ballasts to your tripod.
Talking of tripods, some pictures bean luggage even have the choice to connect a ball or pan head to the bean bag, providing you with a better of each worlds possibility.
The Greatest Images Bean Baggage for Safari
I’m now going to undergo what I feel are a number of the finest choices for pictures bean luggage for safari. These are ordered by worth, though pricing can fluctuate so do verify.
You’ll discover this isn’t an enormous listing. That’s as a result of there are just a few manufacturers who concentrate on this form of product. Nonetheless, these manufacturers do know what they’re doing and the result’s a stable product.
Moreover, with Kinesis and LensCoat, they provide a variety of choices at completely different sizes and worth factors to swimsuit most digital camera setups.
Personally, from the listing beneath I might suggest both the Kinesis SafariSack 4.2 or the LensCoat LensSack Professional Jr as my favorite choices to be used on safari.
Kinesis SafariSack 1.4
Kinesis have been making pictures bean luggage for safari for a few years, designing their bean bag merchandise particularly for photographers heading on safari in Africa. What we like about them is that clearly Kinesis have put some thought into what’s necessary for this form of product.
They’ve a variety of safari bean luggage, however we propose testing the SafariSack 1.4 as a very good possibility if you happen to would like a flatter bean bag possibility.
This bag is made out of rip-stop 400-dernier nylon. It has a zippered compartment so you may simply fill and empty it. It has D-rings on the ends so you may match a strap, and there’s additionally a small sewn-in strap which can be utilized to safe it to a car.
This may work for smaller and bigger cameras alike. If in case you have a smaller setup particularly then this generally is a nice possibility.
Examine worth on Amazon right here and on B&H Photograph right here.
Kinesis SafariSack 4.2
My favorite possibility from Kinesis is the SafariSack 4.2, which is designed for these of you with bigger lenses and cameras.
The SafariSack 4.2 is double-stitched for sturdiness and constructed from robust rip-stop Nylon. You get a rubberized backside to forestall it from slipping, and there’s an non-obligatory shoulder strap in addition to a hand strap.
Maybe the most effective function although is the 2 built-in quick-release straps. These permit the SafariSack for use in two primary modes when on safari. With the straps undone, you should use it as a flat sack, which is extra suited to use when capturing on the highest of a car or different flatter floor.
You may alternatively join the straps to create the traditional saddlebag form, permitting it for use over a window. Primarily you get the most effective of each worlds, making this a contender for the most effective pictures bean bag available on the market.
The bag is on the market with or with no fill, and there’s even a alternative of filler materials.
Examine worth on Amazon right here and on B&H Photograph right here.
NatureScapes SkimmerSack II Mini Beanbag
The NatureScapes SkimmerSack II beanbag was developed by a full-time nature photographer who needed a bean bag that may meet his wants. The excellent news is that this has resulted in an exquisite product that’s preferrred for safari pictures.
The SkimmerSack II is made out of robust 500 dernier nylon cordura, with a non-slip rubbererized coating beneath to assist forestall it from shifting round when in place.
The inside is constructed from a rubber-like materials, giving it some water-resistance. It’s double-stitched for power and has a zipper opening for including your personal fill. There’s additionally a hand-grab loop strap on every finish of the bag, and there are a pair of straps on the base to will let you safe it to a door deal with or roof rack for security.
Examine worth on Amazon right here and on B&H Photograph right here.
LensCoat LensSack Professional Jr
One other well-known model within the pictures bean bag world is LensCoat, who make a variety of bean luggage that may accommodate a variety of lenses. They’re additionally out there in a number of colours.
We’d suggest having a look on the LensCoat LensSack Professional Jr. This saddlebag formed bag can deal with lenses as much as 500mm in size (variations are additionally out there with assist as much as 800mm).
There’s a non-slip coating and it’s made out of sturdy waterproof Cordura with strengthened seams. It additionally has two storage pockets, MOLLE webbing straps, and two locking YKK zips that make it straightforward to fill and empty.
Maybe essentially the most fascinating function of this bean bag although is the truth that it comes with a detachable mounting plate with a 3/8″-16 thread. This can be utilized to connect a gimbal or ball head, which means you may seemingly use it together with your present tripod head. This offers you the most effective of each worlds – the compact and moveable advantages of a bean bag, with the pliability of a head, making it simpler to trace shifting topics with out having to regulate the bean bag.
Examine worth on Amazon right here and on B&H Photograph right here.
Make Your Personal Images Bean Bag
Resulting from a last-minute baggage mix-up previous to a latest African safari, I used to be left with out my pictures bean bag simply earlier than the journey began. Fortunately, my mum is an professional with a stitching machine, and occurred to have some good high quality thick linen materials handy.
Between us we got here up with a design for a u-shaped bean bag with a zipper. My mum made it with a heavy calico material and a zipper. We then dyed it inexperienced. As soon as in Uganda, we crammed it with dried beans and a few pillow stuffing.
It labored nice, and goes to point out that in case you are a bit artistic, you may undoubtedly make your personal bean bag resolution. Nonetheless, this feature might be finest for these with a stitching machine and a few primary stitching abilities!
Ideas for Utilizing a Images Bean Bag
Now that you’ve chosen your pictures bean bag, I needed to share just a few tricks to get essentially the most out of it, based mostly on my experiences.
- Invert your tripod collar. If in case you have a digital camera with a tripod collar, rotate this so it’s on the prime of the digital camera moderately than the underside, as in any other case it’s going to get in the best way of the digital camera resting totally on the bean bag
- Fill it in vacation spot. In case you are touring, as you seemingly will likely be for safari, it can save you your baggage area by filling the bag in vacation spot moderately than travelling with an already full bag
- Select your filling correctly. There are a number of choices for a filling. I discover buckwheat, sunflower seeds, or bigger dried beans works nicely. The form of rice means that’s can compact a bit an excessive amount of and means you may lose a number of the versatile form advantages of a bean bag. Polystyrene balls can work however I discover them to be a bit too gentle and noisy, to not point out environmentally unfriendly.
- In case you are utilizing an natural product to fill your bean bag it would be best to take care that it doesn’t get moist, and bear in mind that it would have to be changed every so often.
Additional Studying
That’s it for my information to the most effective bean bag for safari pictures. In the event you discovered this convenient, you would possibly get pleasure from a few of my different pictures content material. Listed here are some articles to get you began.
- I’ve an in depth information filled with safari pictures ideas that can assist you get nice photographs no matter your digital camera is
- A even have a information to the most effective cameras and lenses for safari, that can assist you resolve what to take in your journey of a lifetime
- I’ve a information to my favorite photograph enhancing purposes, in addition to the most effective options to Lightroom
- When you’ve taken all of your photographs you don’t need to lose them! Learn our information to backing up your photographs for an thought of hold all of them secure.
- Wildlife pictures can usually end in noisy pictures. See my information to the finest noise discount software program for some concepts on get the most effective out of your photographs even after they is perhaps a bit noisy
- We’ve got a information to use a compact digital camera, use a DSLR digital camera, and use a mirrorless digital camera. We even have a information to how a DSLR works
- Figuring out compose a terrific photograph is a key pictures talent. See our information to composition in pictures for many recommendations on this topic
- We’ve got a information to what depth of discipline is and whenever you would need to use it.
- We’re massive followers of getting essentially the most out of your digital photograph information, and do to that you’ll want to shoot in RAW. See our information to RAW in pictures to know what RAW is, and why it is best to change to RAW as quickly as you may in case your digital camera helps it.
- You’re going to wish one thing to run your photograph enhancing software program on. See our information to the most effective laptops for photograph enhancing for some recommendations on what to search for.
- In the event you’re in search of extra recommendation on particular ideas for various eventualities, we additionally have you ever lined. See our information to Northern Lights pictures, lengthy publicity pictures, fireworks pictures, ideas for taking photographs of stars, and chilly climate pictures.
- Shade accuracy is necessary for pictures – see our information to monitor calibration to make sure your display is about up accurately.
- In the event you’re in search of a terrific present for a pictures loving buddy or member of the family (or your self!), check out our pictures present information,
- In the event you’re out there for a brand new digital camera, now we have an in depth information to the finest journey cameras, in addition to particular guides for the finest cameras for mountaineering and backpacking, the finest compact digital camera, finest bridge digital camera, finest mirrorless digital camera and finest DSLR digital camera. We even have a information to the finest digital camera lenses.
- In order for you a digital camera or lens, however the costs are a bit excessive, see our information to the place to purchase used cameras and digital camera gear for some price range financial savings choices.
- We’ve got a information to why you want a tripod, a information to selecting a journey tripod, and a round-up of our favorite journey tripods
Seeking to Enhance Your Images?
In the event you discovered this publish useful, and also you need to enhance your pictures general, you would possibly need to take a look at my on-line journey pictures course.
Since launching the course in 2016, I’ve already helped over 2,000 college students learn to take higher photographs. The course covers just about every part you might want to know, from the fundamentals of how a digital camera works, by means of to composition, gentle, and photograph enhancing.
It additionally covers extra superior matters, together with astrophotography, lengthy publicity pictures, flash pictures, and HDR pictures.
You get suggestions from me as you progress, entry to webinars, interviews and movies, in addition to unique membership of a Fb group the place you will get suggestions in your work and participate in common challenges.
It’s out there for a tremendous one-off worth for lifetime entry, and I feel it is best to test it out. Which you are able to do by clicking right here.
And that’s it! I’d love to listen to about your ideas on wildlife pictures on safari, and am comfortable to reply any questions you might have. Simply pop them within the feedback beneath and I’ll get again to you as quickly as I can.
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