ok, lame question...

[FP]

I have a Canon 7D and am confused by such a simple concept... how to set my camera down.

I have the battery grip on it which makes it really difficult to set on a table. I can't set it down on the base because the lens is too heavy.

I have been setting it on its back (on the LCD) but don't want to scratch the LCD.

So folks... How do you set down your larger cameras?

 

[PurdueRy]

I have a Canon 7D and am confused by such a simple concept... how to set my camera down.

I have the battery grip on it which makes it really difficult to set on a table. I can't set it down on the base because the lens is too heavy.

I have been setting it on its back (on the LCD) but don't want to scratch the LCD.

So folks... How do you set down your larger cameras?

I always set it on its base...the lens acts like a tripod.

Why can you set it this way?

 

[angry hampster]

If you set it down on the back then you scratch the eye cup, the thumbwheel, and the buttons as well. Just set it down normally and use the hood on the lens as a brace to prop it up. Lens hoods are made to take a beating.

 

[corkyg]

I always set my 5D down in the case I carry it in. Otherwise, it hangs on my neck. But, I don't like the add-on battery grip - just more bulk to carry around. W/O the grip, it is good for over 200 shots, and a spare charged battery is always in the case ready to go, but I have never had to use it.

Agree with the hamster except for the eyecup part. That is protected by soft rubber.

 

[Maximus96]

with my 7D/grip/heavy lens like the 85L, i find it lays better on the left side, and doesn't cause unnecessary street to the hood as compared to laying it on the bottom and propping up the heavy lens with the hood.

 

[FP]

Setting the camera on its base and leaning it on the lens tip seems to put stress on the junction point between the camera body and camera lens.

I guess I will stick with storing my camera in the camera bag whenever it isn't used.

 

[randomlinh]

what lens do you have?

 

[FP]

what lens do you have?

A few but even my 17-55mm EF-S lens seems to weigh the whole thing down pretty significantly.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

I wouldn't worry about putting stress on the lens/camera joint. It's pretty hardy and setting it in such a way will not harm it.

 

[slashbinslashbash]

One reason why I don't like grips. My un-gripped 5D and 20D can sit on their bottoms just fine with any lens I own. With a larger lens, the lens hood also touches the ground. With a smaller/lighter lens (such as the 50/1.4 or 85/1.8) the lens is cantilevered out and doesn't touch the ground.

In your case, I wouldn't worry about any stresses on the lens/body connection. It is designed to have a big heavy lens hanging cantilevered off of it during normal use. And the guys with big iron (300/2.8, etc.) carry their setups by the lens (or the monopod mounted on the lens) and let the body just hang off of it. Tilting the whole thing over (so the base of the grip is on the ground, along with the front of the lens hood) you've got most of the weight down low: the two batteries in the grip, and the bulk of the glass at the front of the lens.

 

[alkemyst]

One of the big reasons I think many would be better suited with smaller/cheaper cameras is too many are afraid to use them like they were intended. It's rare to see a pro (unless they are uber wealthy and replace gear or do their own touch up work) with a pristine body and 'everyday' lens.

There is a big reason to always have filter on a lens because of bumps in the night.

 

[soydios]

I usually put my D90 with battery grip and big lens down on its left side. That way the right grip and bottom grips for my hand are both accessible to pick it up from.