Doug Herr
Well-known member
Olympus made a half-frame film camera system (Olympus Pen) before the full-frame OM film camera system.
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Aging and limitations in photo outfits
- Thread starter rjselders
- Start date
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I'm 63, with rheumatoid arthritis, degenerative disks, and heart failure. I've shot Nikon Z7 with 500PF for several years now, and it is fairly lightweight, but last year I sold my old D850 and bought an OM-1 and 100-400mm and love the lighter weight. I still use my Z7/500PF when I go to special places like Yellowstone, but generally use the OM-1 for other travel and daily use. I just got back from a long weekend on the Big Island (I live on Oahu, so a short trip) and took the OM-1. I've posted a couple of pics on the Wildlife Presentation forum from it. Other than that I just have to be more picky about how rough the trails are, and how far I go than I use to be. I have some physical issues now, and today I'm sore as heck. There's a lot of steep hills on the Big Island.
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Antonia
New member
I wear a harness and slide the camera on my chest in front of me. Ideal. Slide it out, shoot, and hang it back.
mapleleaf56
Member
I actually do the same .. and it works really well but after a short while my back is in agony due to arthritis in my lower spine..
Welcome to BCG!
This is just another saga of The Old Man and The Sea. I am talking about the Hemingway novel.
I have convinced myself that I am immortal (or was it immoral) so I push on with dual Z9's and heavy lenses on straps.
to me it is a matter of work hardening. If something hurts work out, take PT and strengthen the muscles.
It helps that I have been athletic all of my adult life. I also hang with hard core cyclists and some of them are doing 150 miles and 10,000 ft of climbing in one day at the age of 85.
Just keep pushing and making it happen.
My doctor tells me we are all headed for the trash heap, as far as I know no one has gotten out alive. Just keep pushing and making it happen.
I have convinced myself that I am immortal (or was it immoral) so I push on with dual Z9's and heavy lenses on straps.
to me it is a matter of work hardening. If something hurts work out, take PT and strengthen the muscles.
It helps that I have been athletic all of my adult life. I also hang with hard core cyclists and some of them are doing 150 miles and 10,000 ft of climbing in one day at the age of 85.
Just keep pushing and making it happen.
My doctor tells me we are all headed for the trash heap, as far as I know no one has gotten out alive. Just keep pushing and making it happen.
mapleleaf56
Member
I hear what you’re saying but life is never that simple. I’ve worked hard all my life , I worked as a coal miner 3000-4000ft underground a lot of the time in tunnels that where so low I was on my hands and knees. Fast forward to now and the price of coal is taking its toll on my body. Yes I’ve worked out and taken PT but ultimately some things just cannot be fixed and different options need to be taken, hence my interest in this thread and I’m now considering my alternatives.
Calson
Well-known member
My revelation came with using the Z9 and the 800mm PF where the eye-detection was so fast and so accurate that I could use the 800mm PF hand held to follow woodpeckers in the trees. Lighter lens and no tripod made a considerable difference. I am also a fan of the Kirk Photo Security Strap that clamps on to foot of the lens and allows me to keep it at my waist and ready for use.
I know my limitations and hire someone to carry the heavy loads on projects and save my body from more injury. What I can do and what I should do are very different with an older body. My main backpack would weigh 37 lbs but I realized that it was a foolish approach and now I use a 18L backpack and put heavy items in it which takes 15+ lbs out of the big 32L backpack. That approach and the use of a folding cart greatly reduce the stress on my body.
Instead of the ideal lens I now think in terms of the optimum lens to minimize stress on my body. That means a 800mm PF instead of the 600mm f/4 TC lens and the addition of the 600mm PF lens. I need to be more careful with backgrounds for subjects but it is also much easier to do this when not tied to a tripod.
I know my limitations and hire someone to carry the heavy loads on projects and save my body from more injury. What I can do and what I should do are very different with an older body. My main backpack would weigh 37 lbs but I realized that it was a foolish approach and now I use a 18L backpack and put heavy items in it which takes 15+ lbs out of the big 32L backpack. That approach and the use of a folding cart greatly reduce the stress on my body.
Instead of the ideal lens I now think in terms of the optimum lens to minimize stress on my body. That means a 800mm PF instead of the 600mm f/4 TC lens and the addition of the 600mm PF lens. I need to be more careful with backgrounds for subjects but it is also much easier to do this when not tied to a tripod.
Looking back I haven't had to "downsize" with age. Although it did happen just with the available equipment. I use to have a 600mm f4 (@11.2#"s), and a 400 f2.8 (@10.2#"s) these required a Tripod. (Gitzo 5530 @ 6+ #'s), and Gimbal head ( @ 3+ #'s). Then there was the TE's and the struggle to take them on, and off in the field. Lest we forget the obligatory second camera body, and shorter lens for when the dancing bear would jump out. All this generally would cause me to stay within a mile of the vehicle usually closer. Fast forward to today. I will be 80 this summer, and not nearly as in good a shape as 20 years, or even 10 ears ago. Yet I routinely hike with large lens several miles a day more than I did in my younger days. I'm able to do that since my Z 600 f4 is 7.2#'s/TE, Z 400 f2.8 is 6.2#'s/TE. No need to struggle adding and removing the TE's. With the higher usable ISO, and no mechanical shutter I can use a Gizo 4542 monopod @1.5#'s, RRS MH-01 head < 1#. Now that after 60 years I have decided the dancing bear is never going to show up so I don't need to carry a second body, and lens. I just take one camera body, one lens, and one extra battery with me. I use a Magpul camera strap with a QD connector fastened to the camera foot removing it and mounting the lens on the monopod when I come across some subjects. When its time to move on I reconnect the strap and walk to my next destination. I still have, and use my tripods when shooting from a fixed position usually waiting and watching for some action.
Flyboy
Active member
I find myself limiting my burden to 2 lenses...a wide angle-normal zoom, and my 70-300, and a bottle of water, which I can fit in my photo vest with a pair of memory cards, spare batteries, and a painkiller of choice. I think it was Edward Weston who said "Nothing more than 300 yards from the car is interesting!" Of course, he was carrying a View Camera and tripod.
At 85, I tend to agree...more like 100 yards at a time! I am thinking about the purchase of A Rolator or similar, which will haul my equipment, provide comfortable seating and increase my range of opportunity.
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In my start up years in photography and trying a bunch of photography types and gear I took a fine arts class. I ended up backpacking a large format 4x5 film (view) camera and tripod along glacial moraines and mountain trails in Alaska. I got some great images. I also no longer own that camera. I did not like the dark room, it was not the best tool as I got into birding and I started agreeing with Weston when it came to that set upI find myself limiting my burden to 2 lenses...a wide angle-normal zoom, and my 70-300, and a bottle of water, which I can fit in my photo vest with a pair of memory cards, spare batteries, and a painkiller of choice. I think it was Edward Weston who said "Nothing more than 300 yards from the car is interesting!" Of course, he was carrying a View Camera and tripod.