Secret to a steady hold. (1 Viewer)

bluespiderweb said:

I've also been holding my bins a little differently lately, and I don't know why, it just seemed natural. I grip the bin with my right hand, and the left I just use the fingertips to hold it steady. Don't know why it seems to work either, but for me it does. Yes, sure, I guess I move too, but I don't notice it as much!

See, that's what I mean, we'd miss your comments about those 52 Elk on the hillside if you saw in your BIG binos!

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Stephen Mark said:

Optics 4 Birding has or had a spot on the website about how Steve hols his bins which works quite well but I can't remember enough to quote accurately. Also a harness which keeps just a bit of tension on the bins helps quite a lot.
Steve

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KEEPING THE OPTICS STEADY

Here are three techniques to help steady binoculars in the field. [...].

The FACE BRACE TECHNIQUE involves moving your hands back to your face to achieve stability:

1. Hold the binocular normally.

2. Slide your hands toward your face on the binocular barrels, until only the pinky and ring fingers (third and fourth) are curled around the back end of the binocular body. The binocular will feel a little nose-heavy, because it’s being supported behind its center of gravity.

3. Curl each thumb up as though making a fist, and flex your hands so that the second bone in from the tip of the thumb is pressed against your cheekbone.

4. Finally, curl the first and middle fingers of each hand around the corresponding binocular eyepiece. You will have your hands as though you are peering into a bright window at night.

In this position, the hands will make a solid structural connection between the body of the binocular, through your hands and thumbs, to your face, and should improve how steadily you can hold the instrument.

The SLING TECHNIQUE involves using a strap for stability. It is taught by the professional photographers who teach Nikon Photography School, enables people to hold their binoculars (and cameras) more steadily than with other methods.

1. Attach a long, wide strap to the binoculars. Neoprene is okay but materials that don't stretch are better. Adjust the strap so that it is as long as possible.
2. Hold the binoculars so they are horizontal and the strap hangs down.
3. Insert your hands through the strap loop one at a time, grasping the binoculars normally.
4. Let the strap drape so that your elbows extend through the loop and the strap hits your triceps.
5. Spread the elbows toward your sides, tightening the strap across your chest.
6. To hold for lengthy periods, bring your thumbs and wrists closer together on the binoculars and focus from the underside of the binoculars using your thumbs. Alternatively, you could incorporate the baseball cap technique below.

7. If the strap is not tight enough, readjust to fit.

The benefits of the sling technique are that the arms are tight against the sides of the chest making a stable and restful platform. The strap helps keep the arms from sliding outward. The theory is the same as using a rifle sling: to create a static platform using constrained equal and opposite forces.

The BASEBALL CAP TECHNIQUE can be used with either of the prior ones, and involves wearing a baseball-type cap with a stiff brim.

1. Hold the binoculars normally, or as in one of the techniques above.
2. With your middle fingers, reach up and grab the brim of the cap.

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Kevin Conville said:

Try a thumbs up grip. It helps with ALL binoculars

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Stephen Prower said:

Kevin

Black crow has already thanked you. Let me also thank you from the point of view of a porro (as well as reverse porro and sometimes roof) user. I have started experimentally trying the thumbs up grip with a 31oz (879gm) Soviet 12x40 porro. My first observation is that, compared with the 'normal' grip, the elbows no longer stick out at 45 degrees. Instead the arms drop down some 80 degrees and rest almost vertically against the sides of the chest. Some posters say that they prefer the 45 degree posture of porros to the drop down posture that is already associated with the normal grip for roofs. So I don't invite controversy by calling the observation promising, but simply describe it as a different result ergonomically, and one that fully justifies continuing the trial.


Stephen

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Stephen Prower said:

Black crow

I wouldn't call assymetric handholds the 'Secret to a steady hold' of a binocular, but according to the design of your binocular, an assymetric handhold might be a method of holding a 10x binocular that personally you find steadying.

Here's Bill Cook's twopennyworth (Post #52) from a thread entitled '8x vs 10x'!:

Quote:
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=319277&page=3

'Here’s one for those using the larger raptor-in-the-crags binos. When I introduced this at a Celestron convention, you would have thought I invented optical glass:

Using BOTH hands, hold ONLY ONE telescope as far out as possible on the objective bell. Pretend it’s the only one you have; I put it in front of my dominant (left) eye and let the other bell/barrel/telescope rest upon the back of my other (right) wrist. Slight pressure will hold the telescope into your eye socket; remember the other telescope does not exist.

Many observers find this more comfortable, providing better balance, and being considerably more stable.'


I have adopted the essential principles of the method to evolve a suitable handhold for a more modest 10x42 porro as opposed to the large binoculars that Bill Cook was referring to:
* Hold and direct the binocular by the end of the barrel of the dominant eye (right in my case)
* Additionally support and focus the binocular by the other barrel.

But I also when scanning or observing sometimes seek greater steadiness by using Bill Cook's handhold too.

I attach photos of the two handholds, Bill Cook's first, mine second.


Stephen

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