Bean bags - have you made one?

[Tom Hardwick]

I had a good bean bag but must've left it at the church when the exodus to the reception started. I went back to the church yard late that night and searched in vain. It must've looked a strange sight for the locals - a slowly moving shadowy figure moving in and around the gravestones, waving a movie light around..

But I digress. I want to make one this time and wondered what's best for the innards. Coffee beans, polystrene beads, glass balls, what?

tom.

[Bill Mecca]

Haven't done it but would consider a bag of blackeyed peas or similar.

[Wade Hanchey]

What's the beanbag for? I'm assuming to sit the camera onto something and hold it in a fixed position?

[Bob Grant]

Never used or owned one but I'm told the Cinesaddle is way more than just a bean bag. Not exactly cheap but I'm also told they spent a lot of time getting it just right.

[Bill Busby]

Believe it or not, I've used mouse & keyboard wrist cushions from www.imakproducts.com from their ergobeads line. I've used the keyboard wrist cusion, in a circular shape for larger 3 chip cameras & the smaller mouse/wrist cushion for smaller hdv cams. It's also used to cradle the lens underneath when in it's bag. Good stuff! :)

Bill

[Meryem Ersoz]

i use a buckwheat hull pillow. the cinesaddle looks nice, but the price is outrageous.

[Walter J Walsh]

We used a couple of 5 pound bag of rice.

[Bill Mecca]

and if you happen to get hungry.....LOL

[Tom Hardwick]

Some good ideas here guys, and thanks for your input. I've finally decided on one of those 'neck support pillows' that I found in a shop. It's filled with some lightweight crunchy beads and I plan to sew some velcro along the two inner surfaces of the 'U', then I can close the arms together and the groove will nicely locate the Z1.

tom.

[Robin Davies-Rollinson]

Tom, I use a tubular-shaped neck pillow from IKEA for the Z1 - it's been great: resting on car window frames, knees, the ground - anywhere! I wouldn't go on a shoot without it.
I guess I could even get a good night's sleep with it as well!

Robin

[Matt Jeppsen]

Originally Posted by Bob Grant

Never used or owned one but I'm told the Cinesaddle is way more than just a bean bag. Not exactly cheap but I'm also told they spent a lot of time getting it just right.

The Steadybag from Visual Departures is a nice affordable alternative to the Cinesaddle. They offer a variety of sizes, the 3lb version is only $42 @ B&H.

We'll be posting a review of the 3lb and 7lb versions at FresHDV soon. FWIW, I was impressed enough with the product while reviewing it to personally purchase the 7lb version afterwards.

[Mike Quinones]

Hey guys;
I just bought this bag at Calumet photo last week. I try it at home and I like it. Here is a link from another company but this is the bag.
http://thepod.ca/content/packaging/yellow_front.html
I just wish that it could be atach to the camera shoe rather than scew on to the bottom of the camera.

[Tom Hardwick]

Hi Robin - I went to have a look around my local Ikea, but all their hundreds of cushions were filled with foam of some sort. Very good for a night's sleep, but I need some crunchy nut in there so that my camera can nestle down into it and be held rock steady. I don't want it bouncing about.

Did you find an Ikea neck pillow with beads inside? Do you have a name for it? (Erika, Leifan?).

tom.

[Tom Hardwick]

Mike - I had a look at the cylidrical screw-in bag you bought, but even the biggest one I didn't think would be big enough for a fully loaded Z1. It was pretty heavy, too, so have they put small stones in there?

You could convert it to a 'quick shoe' if you could buy your tripod manufacturer's tripod plate seperately. Some sell these.

tom.

[Robin Davies-Rollinson]

Hi Tom,
The name on the Ikea label is KLIPPAN, and it is filled with some sort of small bean - it's certainly not foam.
It's about 14 inches long and about 6 inches diameter.

Regards,

Robin