Wife Steph took this shot...considering her illness, thought she did rather well!...well, she did use my 1D mk ii with my 70-200 2.8 IS USM...didnt know until I loaded the card onto pc tonight...but, after looking at this shot, thought I would mention how I hold the 500mm unaided...as you can see, it has a large tripod collar attached, so, hold that in the palm of my hand...not that heavy, get used to it, but certainly hand holdable (spesh with the image stabiliser). ps...the grey hairs is stress throughout the yrs but, gotta grow old gracefully :)...and happy my face isnt view :)

Oh wow, it's great to see you here, shot in a moment you did not notice! Love to see the epxert at work, adding the instruction how to hold the huge lens! It's an excellent capture and I'm glad you posted it, JimbO! :)

But...how do you position your feet to keep center of gravity? Seriously though, that is quite a huge baby youve got there. I would tip over i think. Kinda weird having the wife photographing the mistress, lol.

hahah Andreas...well remembered...:)..actually, the 500 is twice as long as in image BUT, it does have a 9 inch lens hood attached!...chose the 500 over the 600mm due to weight and lenght! (both are f4)...I guess two important rules, firm stance and keep elbows tucked in for steadiness!...or find a suitable fence post, etc...all my shots are shot like this!...at the moment, 500mm glued to the 5D (remember, full frame sensor!)...the 70-200 2.8 is glued to the Mk ii!..and NO, will not part with either setup...lol :) tip: 20D Andreas :)

Oh...youre talking about a lens? I thought that was a thermos stuck on your face! LOL! Kidding!!! Thanks for the tip. I truly value your opinion when it comes to cameras. #:o)

lets say, its hot!!!!!;)

I don't mean to be facecious but I see that the 500mm weighs just under 4kg so holding it shouldn't be too difficult as long as you don't try for too long and relax regularly. The techniques of holding a camera are essentially the same as holding a rifle, if you did milirary service, Andreas, you should remember how...

Yeah...sigh...how can i ever forget my military service. #:o( Is there anything worse than going cross country skiing with an AK47 on your back that keeps swinging to the front hitting you on the jaw and the nuts...sigh.

I did mine with an M14, came out for the USA before the newer, smaller caliber rifles. Hold is very similar. I did shoot off-hand competition for a while and much to the same hold and breathing should apply for the heavy cam..I simply am not nearly as steady now as back, back, back then. Great shot....thank her for it from us.

LOL it does look like a thermos! :^)

LOL!!!!! a thermos :) LOL @ andreas :) A man can have wifes and concubines and so can women ;) LOL!!!!! Ak4 & M14,,,well, when I was a young lass I wanted to be a pilot..I was the first girl in Sweden doing my PRAO = (trainee 4 "15ththeens") in the airforce..It was a misstake acctually..my nickname is Jackie...they thougt I was a boy... well, BIG PROBLEMS... when they realized..me girl :) But I insisted..and they had to accept :) But I didnt became a pilot in the airforce 'cause I refused to do the weapon military shit :) BTW Jim U look gorgeous...your wife captured the lion in U ;) xoxoxo

Bloody expensive thermos flask!!!:)...at 4,500Uk pounds!!!! joking aside, many thanks...today, my wife had a bad day due to her illness, so please appreciatte Mental Illness and dealing, living and coping with it!...pleeeeze! Thanks catz!

I know.......I have one dear friend suffer from manodepression...hes low on mediction..and when hes not taking it hes manic criminal :) a smile on me face..'cause afterwards it becomes like absurd "funny stories" & a nother one who is paranoid psycotic..when she stop taking her medicin..thats not funny at all.... really "scary" acctually...'cause she loooos contact totaly... she allways returns to us when she "loose her feet to the ground"..... had probs explaining it for my kidds... don't think they really understand.. but perhaps kidds are more "on the flow" They arnt scared...which I'm gratful 4. We are a lot of "differentminded" peoples here on earth.... Well.....it become...bla bla bla... I admire U :) & I know..... BIG MEGA PUSS & KRAM bundeled with a BIG portion of streingth ;)

I'd only drink MaCallan whisky from a thermos that expensive! ;^]

Nah.Grey Goose for me... ;^)

What is with you people??? Why on earth are you talking about MaCallan whisky and Grey Goose for???? O_o 10 year old Laphroaig is the way to go when youre handling a thermos like that one, LOL. #:oP

Can I change my answer ...?

Is that some special kind of whiskey you would hold on to,Andreas???????????????????? ;^P