Hi All
I was doing our usual weekly midnight shopping trip at a local Kmart when I happened to notice they had DIY Bean Bag Chair Kits. You buy the chair of your choice, and a bag of fill. The bag of fill was 12 bucks, and is composed of little 1/2 inch styrofoam beads. (you dont have to buy the chair) The bag of fill is HUGE, probably enough fill to make up 4 or 5 camera shot bags.
I found a flat bottomed nylon duffle bag at my local Thrift store for a dollar. Measures about 20 inches X 12 x 12. It had a removable cardboard bottom which I took out. I filled it with the styrofoam beads and presto, quick shot bag complete with straps and pockets!! I can easily set my HVX with Rails, Letus, Mattebox and rail Handles in it no problem. Car shots are acceptable, but due to the styrofoam beads, it is a little bouncy-er than the manufactured bags. I only filled the bag to 90 percent and did not "Stuff" the beads in. Compressing them and over-filling will make for a much bouncier bag.
I would not go as far as to say it works as well as some of the commercially purchased bags, but for 13 bucks, it looks good and works just fine for me.
Some shot-bag DIY experiences shared:
Before this bag, I experimented with many shapes and sizes of bags. (and years ago, different fills like dried corn or plastic resin beads) The fill is extremely important, however, The shape really is everything. The classic 4 sided "pyramid" that many of the manufactured bags use, I have found, is a big part of your key to success. Generally, having a wider base than the top of the bag, (where the camera sits) stabilizes it naturally, and does it much better than a pillow or square bag. Shapeless pillows do not provide much of a good surface beyond serving as just a simple leveling tool when out in the field. Also, the bag should be considerably larger than the camera and for non shoulder mounted cameras, it should be at least as tall as the camera, if not 1.5 times as tall.
For sub-shoulder mount/sized cameras, my experience has been that, you should avoid super stiff materials like heavy canvas or leather. Cameras like my HVX are too light and the stiff material will effect performance of the bag greatly. Bigger Cameras like my old 20lb Sony DXC D30, would benefit greatly from a stiffer material.
Also, avoid materials that stretch. Pliable yes, but nothing that will stretch or give. You bag will lose shape, camera will sink and will not stay level/stable, and your efforts are wasted.
If you really want better performance, try composite fills, (varieties of fill in one bag) and even some webbing, stitched within the bag from one side to the other, to keep the fill materials from shifting around too much.
Hope this helps someone.
I was doing our usual weekly midnight shopping trip at a local Kmart when I happened to notice they had DIY Bean Bag Chair Kits. You buy the chair of your choice, and a bag of fill. The bag of fill was 12 bucks, and is composed of little 1/2 inch styrofoam beads. (you dont have to buy the chair) The bag of fill is HUGE, probably enough fill to make up 4 or 5 camera shot bags.
I found a flat bottomed nylon duffle bag at my local Thrift store for a dollar. Measures about 20 inches X 12 x 12. It had a removable cardboard bottom which I took out. I filled it with the styrofoam beads and presto, quick shot bag complete with straps and pockets!! I can easily set my HVX with Rails, Letus, Mattebox and rail Handles in it no problem. Car shots are acceptable, but due to the styrofoam beads, it is a little bouncy-er than the manufactured bags. I only filled the bag to 90 percent and did not "Stuff" the beads in. Compressing them and over-filling will make for a much bouncier bag.
I would not go as far as to say it works as well as some of the commercially purchased bags, but for 13 bucks, it looks good and works just fine for me.
Some shot-bag DIY experiences shared:
Before this bag, I experimented with many shapes and sizes of bags. (and years ago, different fills like dried corn or plastic resin beads) The fill is extremely important, however, The shape really is everything. The classic 4 sided "pyramid" that many of the manufactured bags use, I have found, is a big part of your key to success. Generally, having a wider base than the top of the bag, (where the camera sits) stabilizes it naturally, and does it much better than a pillow or square bag. Shapeless pillows do not provide much of a good surface beyond serving as just a simple leveling tool when out in the field. Also, the bag should be considerably larger than the camera and for non shoulder mounted cameras, it should be at least as tall as the camera, if not 1.5 times as tall.
For sub-shoulder mount/sized cameras, my experience has been that, you should avoid super stiff materials like heavy canvas or leather. Cameras like my HVX are too light and the stiff material will effect performance of the bag greatly. Bigger Cameras like my old 20lb Sony DXC D30, would benefit greatly from a stiffer material.
Also, avoid materials that stretch. Pliable yes, but nothing that will stretch or give. You bag will lose shape, camera will sink and will not stay level/stable, and your efforts are wasted.
If you really want better performance, try composite fills, (varieties of fill in one bag) and even some webbing, stitched within the bag from one side to the other, to keep the fill materials from shifting around too much.
Hope this helps someone.