New Product Introduction Today From Swarovski ? (2 Viewers)

[John A Roberts]

Some versions of A) ii):

- Swarovski’s FRP; minimal size but model specific, proprietary and expensive; unlike other choices it does not take significant weight off the arms

- a hand-held mini-bipod; FieldOptics Steady Sticks: https://www.amazon.sg/Field-Optics-Research-Steady-Sticks/dp/B00S1CCQZ6

- a mini-tripod; the 4 oz Ultra-Pod II; see: https://www.shutterbug.com/content/6-more-reasons-use-tripod-and-six-reasons-not-page-2

- a mini-monpod supported by a neck harness; unknown source

- a mini-bipod supported by a pack harness; FieldOptics Binopod Harness: http://www.fieldopticsresearch.com/...inoPOD-Harness-Pack-System-Black-sku-H002.htm

 

[John A Roberts]

And some more images of the real deal:

- a home-made Finnstick; firstly unattached; then in use - note the admiration of the female bystander!; from: http://hulluparoni.blogspot.com/2012/04/ahvenanmaan-linturalli-2012.html

- a Finnstick attached to a binocular, from: http://birdingpooleharbourandbeyond.blogspot.com/2014/12/4-nov-14-christmas-comes-in-early.html

 

[Mark9473]

Here's a guy that has taken it another step: https://www.instructables.com/id/Handsfree-Bird-Watching/

 

[Gray C]

Found this if it's any help


http://getteron.com/produkt/kohla-fixfocus-kikarstod/

 

[eitanaltman]

Gosh, looking at those stylish setups that don’t look absurdly weird at all to other humans, I too am surprised by the lack of widespread use

 

[Steve C]

Regarding John's post 955 above, I learned the hold showed in the old Bushnell photos many years ago while a student in Ornithology class. I have only rarely seen it since then and I have posted about it here a couple of times. I almost never see it being used. While the photo shows a different index finger placement for glasses use vs non glasses use, I use the one illustrated for eye glass use even without glasses, which I do not have to use with binoculars. It is a strikingly efficient means of steadying the view.

The rest if the photos following that are very informative as well, Thanks John :t:

 

[Alexis Powell]

Kimmo,

One could wonder why to use a finnstick with a Canon IS

Jan

Arms held low is less fatiguing and arms get better blood flow for staying warm

--AP

 

[RobMorane]

Found this if it's any help


http://getteron.com/produkt/kohla-fixfocus-kikarstod/

I started to use that one recently.
The ball under the Binos, depending where you place it under, allows up and down movement.
The length of the stick is adjustable, a really great tool.

 

[kabsetz]

I was goig to reply to Jan, but Alexis basically did it for me. With any binocular, having your arms holding a finnstick at waist level is tons easier and less tiring than holding your hands up at face level. So especially for scanning the sky for flying raptors or seabird-watching, it brings a whole new level of comfort.

With the Canon and IS, the finnstick does not improve steadiness. The image is just as solid hand-held with stabilization on as it is on the stick or a monopod with stabilization on.

I'd like to thank John for posting that extensive collection of photos of different support solutions. It gives a lot of ideas for those willing to experiment. It is certainly worth the effort to find a supported hold that works for you.

Kimmo

 

[Gray C]

I started to use that one recently.
The ball under the Binos, depending where you place it under, allows up and down movement.
The length of the stick is adjustable, a really great tool.

Do you mind me asking, where did you get it from?

 

[jan van daalen]

I was goig to reply to Jan, but Alexis basically did it for me. With any binocular, having your arms holding a finnstick at waist level is tons easier and less tiring than holding your hands up at face level. So especially for scanning the sky for flying raptors or seabird-watching, it brings a whole new level of comfort.

With the Canon and IS, the finnstick does not improve steadiness. The image is just as solid hand-held with stabilization on as it is on the stick or a monopod with stabilization on.

I'd like to thank John for posting that extensive collection of photos of different support solutions. It gives a lot of ideas for those willing to experiment. It is certainly worth the effort to find a supported hold that works for you.
Kimmo

Hi Kimmo,

Where are the days the Vikings were made of steel, their vessels of wood and, only dressed in Polarbear skin, wining for cold arms was something for.........birders.

OK, that last part never occurred to me. Thx:t:

Jan

 

[RobMorane]

Do you mind me asking, where did you get it from?

No pb (if it's allowed).
I ordered it through the Orniwelt website:
https://orniwelt.de/ausruestung/stative/adapter-fuer-fernglaeser/824/kamera/fernglasstativ-fix-focus?number=08170-00

 

[Gray C]

Thanks. I was intending to order through Orniwelt

 

[Rotherbirder]

Thanks. I was intending to order through Orniwelt

I thought about it but, at north of £50 including shipping to UK, I'm not so sure. You could get a decent, more versatile monopod for that price.

RB

 

[John A Roberts]

Considering the design and price, it should be easy enough for many to make a siimplified 'pseudo-Kohla', at least to see if it's a good choice for them

A combination of:
- something suitable for a light neck strap (perhaps an unused lightweight camera or bino strap?)
- a length of aluminium tubing
- 2 wooden balls (parts from a toy for young children?)


Alternatively, just to see how the support will work, 2 wooden cylinders with a longer and narrower one to support the binocular could be used
e.g. similar to the image of an improvised Finnstick (it's from the same source as the first link in post #962)

However, the advantage of the top ball is that it allows the binocular to freely pivot for adjustment, not only about it's long axis but also side to side and up and down
So an alternative would be to cap the aluminium support tube with something like a small rubber stopper, or a plain domed cap for a curtain rod
- like the large ball of the Kohla, the much smaller and mainly rounded end on the squeegee that I use (as seen in post #960), also allows the same range of adjustment


John

 

[Patudo]

What I find curious though is that only a very few people outside Finland seem to use Finnsticks. The most useful way to support binoculars when you're scanning an area.

Hermann

Hi, ... appreciate this is thread drift on a considerable scale, but although I agree a finnstick would work very well for looking in front of you, I can't help but think that with one attached securely to your binocular as it needs to be, you lose the advantage of agility and pointability. Let's say you are scanning around and find, say, a hobby over some marshland. For about five minutes it stays quite low catching the occasional insect; then suddenly it starts ringing high up into the sky and in just over one minute, is more than 800 feet in the air. It circles around, getting even higher, coming closer so you have to point your binoculars nearly vertically up, then it's off, clearly having seen a target, going right over you, and beginning a stoop that in seconds takes it down to ground level. In that situation I would feel more secure with my hands gripping the binocular itself than holding on to a finnstick (I'd be willing to give it a try, but not with my own binoculars). I'd rather hand-hold and brace my elbows on something.

Having said that, if you guys do regularly follow fast-flying agile birds with finnstick-mounted binoculars, I'd love to hear your thoughts/opinions.

 

[SeldomPerched]

Some versions of A) ii):

- Swarovski’s FRP; minimal size but model specific, proprietary and expensive; unlike other choices it does not take significant weight off the arms

- a hand-held mini-bipod; FieldOptics Steady Sticks: https://www.amazon.sg/Field-Optics-Research-Steady-Sticks/dp/B00S1CCQZ6

- a mini-tripod; the 4 oz Ultra-Pod II; see: https://www.shutterbug.com/content/6-more-reasons-use-tripod-and-six-reasons-not-page-2

- a mini-monpod supported by a neck harness; unknown source

- a mini-bipod supported by a pack harness; FieldOptics Binopod Harness: http://www.fieldopticsresearch.com/...inoPOD-Harness-Pack-System-Black-sku-H002.htm

Would picture 3 by any chance be of the late Roger W Hicks together with his Leica M and favourite ubiquitous Summilux 35mm f/1.4?

 

[John A Roberts]

Hi Tom,

The photo is from an article by Roger, so 'Roger that!'


John

 

[Ries]

Hi, ... appreciate this is thread drift on a considerable scale, but although I agree a finnstick would work very well for looking in front of you, I can't help but think that with one attached securely to your binocular as it needs to be, you lose the advantage of agility and pointability. Let's say you are scanning around and find, say, a hobby over some marshland. For about five minutes it stays quite low catching the occasional insect; then suddenly it starts ringing high up into the sky and in just over one minute, is more than 800 feet in the air. It circles around, getting even higher, coming closer so you have to point your binoculars nearly vertically up, then it's off, clearly having seen a target, going right over you, and beginning a stoop that in seconds takes it down to ground level. In that situation I would feel more secure with my hands gripping the binocular itself than holding on to a finnstick (I'd be willing to give it a try, but not with my own binoculars). I'd rather hand-hold and brace my elbows on something.

Having said that, if you guys do regularly follow fast-flying agile birds with finnstick-mounted binoculars, I'd love to hear your thoughts/opinions.

I was thinking the same. Seems finnsticks are most usable on estuary viewing or raptors on long distance. But who am I, never used it, might be wrong B

 

[Hermann]

... but although I agree a finnstick would work very well for looking in front of you, I can't help but think that with one attached securely to your binocular as it needs to be, you lose the advantage of agility and pointability.

Absolutely right. I don't attach my binoculars to the Finnstick in any way, I put them on a suitable plate where they lie securely, like this one: https://www.berlebach.de/de/?bereich=details&id=70

Please note I don't use the strap to secure the binoculars to the plate. Obviously I also have the binocular strap around my neck to avoid any mishaps ...

Hermann