£1 bean-bag

A quick one for the broke and/or tight photographers on here: having been on a very restrictive budget until very recently, I wanted a bean-bag but did not want to spend much. I bought a square pencil case from the local co-op for a quid, made from some plasticised but soft tartan fabric, filled it with a mix of bulgar wheat and rice from the kitchen cabinet, and super-glued the zip closed. It works very well, and is a permanent addition to my camera bag.

That's a really bright idea

I think I'll have a go at that

Actually, my wife has just reminded me it was her idea...I am the one who always wants to buy things and she is the more practical one!

hehehehehe - that was you told wasn't it

Great idea and tip, thanks.

As long as the outside material waterproof/water resistant, you don't want to the contents to get wet!

good tip...
comes up every now and again...
link
especially useful for hikers, never know if in an emergency you'll need to eat your beanbag, for survival!

Another tip - in a pinch some of your young child's stuffed toys are also full of bean-like material

You give your children toys? mmmmmm, interesting.....now I know why mine are all maladjusted and want me in a home!

What I did use once , and it's still in my bag , was a nice thick facecloth . I knew I would be putting my K-x on a wall whilst I took a shot - and it was a very rough stone one so hit on the idea of a piece of good towelling or similar for protection.

It worked, and it's still in my bag and can be used to dry the K-x off quickly should rain descend on us .

Still to get on and make a wee bean bag

That's a good idea too.
I think I am going to have to rethink how I read your name. Not as techno idiot, but as tech, no idiot .

hehe - well that wee solution was before the days of the tripod . The wall I knew was just the height I wanted - but the surface left much to be desired

I'd had a few lectures on stuff to keep permanently in my bag , which included plastic bags for rain protection and the idea of a small towel for removing the odd rain drops was also mentioned - so now have 2 largish placcy bags and said facecloth which is in a truly horrid shade of salmon pink

Idiot still applies though - had a problem after last week's manual shooting - my Shutter speed insisted on being very very s-l-o-o-w and I couldn't get it to change [ other than shoot Auto again , which I did not want to ] so was persuaded by 2 folk to bite the bullet and take my batteries out overnight and then see what happened. I was really scared at the thought of setting everything up again - but shoved the batteries in - and all was well again