Canon 400mm f2.8 L IS tripod head advice

[Julie Brown]

I am going to rent a Canon 400mm f2.8 L IS lens to use with a 1.4X or 2X TC to shoot birds. What is the best/safest way to support this lens on a tripod? I have a pan/tilt head but have not yet purchased a gimbal head. Can this lens also be used on a monopod, or is it too heavy?

Thanks for any advice or suggestions!:)

[Chris Brennan]

Julie -

I'm going to guess and say that with camera body, you're looking at around a 16 lbs package! Although many sports shooters use it on a monopod albeit a heavy-duty one, most of the time they are shooting on a single even horizontal level. Since you're shooting birds, and likely to be shooting at a variety of angles and positions, I'd recommend renting a Wimberley Gimbal head and heavy duty Gitzo at the same time...
Have fun!

[Julie Brown]

Thanks Chris!

[David Stephens]

I am going to rent a Canon 400mm f2.8 L IS lens to use with a 1.4X or 2X TC to shoot birds. What is the best/safest way to support this lens on a tripod? I have a pan/tilt head but have not yet purchased a gimbal head. Can this lens also be used on a monopod, or is it too heavy?

Thanks for any advice or suggestions!:)

Hi Julie,

If used on a crop-sensor camera, then you're talking about equivalent to 1,000mm of focal length (35mm-equivalent) and you're talking about a relatively heavy lens at 11+ lbs. That rig demands a heavy tripod and either a full gimbal, like the Wimberley II or a sturdy ballhead plus a half-gimbal, like the Sidekick, or several others that are available. Since that lens has IS, a monopod is a possibility, but you'll get a superior result with a tripod, much of the time, IME. (If you can successfully hand hold it occasionally, then a monopod might really work for you, but many women -- and men -- will find it very difficult).

The argument for a full gimbal, like the Wimberley II, is that it's the steadiest and sturdiest and smoothest solution possible. The con is that it screws onto your tripod and if you want to switch to another body with a wide angle lens, then you need to unscrew the Wimberley and then screw on a ballhead. Side-mount half-gimbals, like the Wimberley Sidekick are used in conjunction with a sturdy ballhead, so that you can slip the Sidekick out of the ballhead, put your full frame camera on the ballhead and shoot a scenic wide-angle shot in less than a minute after your last super-tele shot.

I selected the ballhead/Sidekick solution because I ofter switch between wide-angle and super-tele while in the field. I'm using the Induro C414 8-ply carbon fiber tripod (just replaced by the essentially the same, but for trim CT414), an Arca-Swiss Z1 ballhead and the Wimberley Sidekick. My largest lens is the EF 500 f/4L IS, which is actually a good bit lighter than your 400mm 2.8. When I've handled the 600mm f/4, which is about the same weight as the 400mm 2.8, but a good bit longer, I thought to myself that it would be the limit for a side-mount rig, even the Wimberley. However, Wimberley says that the Sidekick will handle the 400 2.8 if mated with the right ballhead (the Z1 will handle over 100-lbs of side load).

I'm VERY pleased with my Arca-Swiss Z1/Sidekick setup, but my lens is 3-lbs lighter than the 400mm 2.8. Maybe someone with direct experience with that combo can comment. There's no doubt that the full Wimberley II will easily handle the 400 2.8, but then you have to either avoid or deal with changing from super-tele to wide-angle. (I used to use a Manfrotto gimbal that screwed on and then hand hold my wide angle shots. Unfortunately, many are at sunrise and sunset and I prefer using lower ISO and shutter speed that the tripod/ballhead allows).

The gimbal and/or ballhead are very important in this class of lens, but the tripod choice is equally important, so this investment will be $600 to $1000. If you've already got a very sturdy ballhead in your bag, then the Sidekick looks like an incredible bargain, but if you need to by a top of the line ballhead, then the Wimberley II and the Sidekick plus ballhead are roughly the same in price.

If the 400mm f/2.8 isn't already in your bag, you might think of going a little lighter with the 500mm f/4L IS instead. f4 is fast enough to use with 1.4TC and still AF. You pay heavy price, in dollars and pounds, to gain that last bit of speed that the 400 2.8 gives.

[Julie Brown]

David, thanks so much for giving me me all of this information. It will be a good resource for future purchases.

In this case, I am renting the 400 to take it up to Magee Marsh on Lake Erie. I just put in another rental request with the camera store this afternoon for a sturdy tripod and a gimbal head. When I am ready to buy a big lens (not now), I will probably go with the 500mm f4L IS.

My thinking for choosing the 400 f2.8 to rent now is to be able to use my 2X TC with AF, and to get 800mm focal length. I plan on using my 40D with it to get more reach in good light, and my 5D MK II when the light is low. I will see how this set up works at the end of the month!

As for the Sidekick, I would like to have this for birding, but it will not work with my Bogen ballhead. I will have to think about this some more. It will require the purchase of an Arca-Swiss type head as well. :eek:

When I come to Colorado on July 3, I will have my 300mm f4L IS and 1.4X, which I usually handhold.

[David Stephens]

David, thanks so much for giving me me all of this information. It will be a good resource for future purchases.

In this case, I am renting the 400 to take it up to Magee Marsh on Lake Erie. I just put in another rental request with the camera store this afternoon for a sturdy tripod and a gimbal head. When I am ready to buy a big lens (not now), I will probably go with the 500mm f4L IS.

My thinking for choosing the 400 f2.8 to rent now is to be able to use my 2X TC with AF, and to get 800mm focal length. I plan on using my 40D with it to get more reach in good light, and my 5D MK II when the light is low. I will see how this set up works at the end of the month!

As for the Sidekick, I would like to have this for birding, but it will not work with my Bogen ballhead. I will have to think about this some more. It will require the purchase of an Arca-Swiss type head as well. :eek:

When I come to Colorado on July 3, I will have my 300mm f4L IS and 1.4X, which I usually handhold.

Well then, you can try my 7D/500 f/4 rig when you come. Keep that extra 3-lbs in mind as you try the f/4 2.8. It's a wonderful lens, but you "pay" for it in more ways than dollars.

The Sidekick plus Arca-Swiss is in the same price ballpark as the Wimberley II by itself. If you could get anything decent selling your Bogen you'd be ahead.

I also carry the 5D MkII, but mainly for scenics. The 7D is actually very good at high ISOs. The 5D MkII beats it, until you start cropping and then the differences get really slight. It's my goto camera for travel, people, scenics and the 7D is my bird and wildlife image maker. The 50D isn't real far behind the 7D and I'd probably have a 50D if I'd bought my crop-sensor camera a few months sooner.

Try to get some practice in before you get to Magee, if at all possible. You'll get better with the rig with practice and it'll show in your images.

Dave

[Julie Brown]

Thanks Dave. I will let you know how it works out.:)