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Post by squeamishossifrage on Jan 1, 2023 14:37:27 GMT
Ex APers may remember the saga of my wanting to buy an eBike on a budget of €2.5k, but became disillusioned at the price/value ratio for a simple specification that would have cost me at least a grand more - so I bought a motor scooter for my original budget. The car still comes out for photo trips, mainly because of the carrying capacity, but I enjoy using the scooter more than the car, so decided to address the problem. Behold the awesomeness of the photo-scoot!   Trek-pole/monopod clipped to the left:  Tripod strapped to the right:  The foresight saga: Get a cheap hand-luggage case with handle and wheels (you might have to walk to get the shot):  Reinforce the base with a metal plate and mount clips to match the luggage rack:  Install some rubber stops to damp any vibrations:  Construct a reinforcing cage inside:  Drop the fully loaded Lowepro Slingshot into the handbag - er - sorry - hand luggage bag!  I bought the scooter to be a little bit greener. Most of my trips are just to the local shops or into Larnaca, and firing up a gas-guzzling 4x4 for that is not good for the planet and climate change - and anyway, the scooter is far more fun! Ps. I bought the scooter in August, and it must be helping with this global warming thing, because just five months later it's much, much cooler!  |
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Post by nickr on Jan 1, 2023 14:46:24 GMT
Looks very practical - do you have an alternative bag/case for the rack when just shopping? Or just not take the LowePro?
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Post by squeamishossifrage on Jan 1, 2023 15:25:24 GMT
Looks very practical - do you have an alternative bag/case for the rack when just shopping? Or just not take the LowePro? I have an HP wheelie 'laptop plus personal stuff' carry-on case that is my usual shopping bag. Its good for shopping, but has too many of the wrong type of compartments for photo kit. I also have a simple large crate for anything bulky like a sack of charcoal. The front rack is ideal for a case of beer! The scooter footwell also has a laptop case sort of built in - it clips to a mounting frame just behind the front panel, but at the moment I have a set of waterproofs in there! |
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Post by squeamishossifrage on Jan 1, 2023 17:08:06 GMT
I had previously used the scooter for photo trips, but only with a small holster bag for the camera with a 28-75mm f:2.8 fitted, and a 75-300mm f:4.5-5.6 in a side pocket. It would just fit under the saddle, but that meant I had to take out all the useful stuff I keep in there - spare gloves and glasses, hat, tools, locks etc.
The new arrangement allows me to carry a body plus grip and 24:70 f:2.8 fitted, 15-30mm f:3.5-4.5, the same 75-300mm, 50mm f:1.4, spot meter, 1.4x and 1.7x wobblers, a set of close-up filters, 8" tablet with USB card reader and a cleaning kit. I can also carry the head for the trek pole and centre column/head for the tripod, which would make these items too long if fitted in situ - no point in carrying them without the heads!
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Post by squeamishossifrage on Jan 11, 2023 16:19:51 GMT
Just bestowed some TLC on the photo-scoot! Added a windscreen, which was a bit of a challenge as despite the shop assuring me the fittings were the right ones for this scooter, they clearly were not, and wouldn't line up with the upper mounting holes correctly. However, after some elegant domestic engineering, aka 'bodging', the required rigidity was achieved. I have also added a strong waterproof box to the front rack, which has been pretty unused to date, so I can now carry a packed lunch and a couple of cans of coke, together with another camera bag. I fancy being able to carry my T/S lens, one of my macro lenses (70mm or 105mm) and a 500mm catadioptric job. Trouble is - I just don't have the right size bag for the lenses that will also let me fit my small cold-bag in the box as well. I'll just have to ask Mr. Amazon what he has got - oh, woe is me, woe is me! |
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Post by andy on Jan 11, 2023 17:36:24 GMT
How about some pannier bags?
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Post by squeamishossifrage on Jan 12, 2023 6:37:05 GMT
How about some pannier bags? Not really enough space. With the exhaust system on the right and the drive-train bulge on the left, there's only just over a foot of available space. I find the space better suited to stow tripod and trek-pole/monopod. |
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Post by andy on Jan 12, 2023 7:41:29 GMT
How about some pannier bags? Not really enough space. With the exhaust system on the right and the drive-train bulge on the left, there's only just over a foot of available space. I find the space better suited to stow tripod and trek-pole/monopod. Was thinking the hanging bag scooter type rather than full size ones... amzn.eu/d/aeguYaHHopefully the straps would go under the rear rack and the bags not hang down far enough to interfere with the transmission or exhaust. |
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Post by squeamishossifrage on Jan 12, 2023 8:09:37 GMT
Thanks for that! It looks pretty interesting, and it should fit without getting perilously close to the exhaust - which does have a protector plate on it anyway. It's the same length as the top bag with the photo gear in, so no problem there. The extra storage space means I could actually use it for weekends away - clean socks and knickers and so on! The 4x4 is looking more and more redundant - not today, though, as it peeing with rain and blowing a hooley, and I'm not that doughty. What a wimp! OK - off down the the bike with a steel tape to do some careful measuring - when the rain stops... |
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