So I decided to take my mobile camera platform out for a test run.



I went to one of the local Golf courses that I have played that has a ton of wildlife. I rented a Golf cart for $15, and drove along taking pictures and trying out different combinations of cameras and lenses. Since I play Golf, I know how to move around a course without bothering the Golfers, so unless you play too, I don't think I would recommend doing this as it can be pretty dangerous out there!

Here is the platform clamped into the Golf cart. It was pretty stable, but I did NOT leave the camera out as I drove along. That would have been too much shock. I kept the camera on my lap as I drove along.



I was disappointed with the Q, but the K-01 with the Red-Dot sight is AMAZING!!! Pentax should have included a Red-Dot scope with every K-01 they sold!

A Sandhill Crane?



An unhappy Sandhill Crane! He/she started to ruffle their feathers and scream as they walked closer to me!



This is a K-01 shot with the Red-Dot scope! It's the DA*200mm F/2.8, and the image is cropped significantly. The Red-Dot scope ROCKS on the K-01!!!!



A Falcon/Hawk. I don't know the difference.



Another of the Falcon/Hawk



In flight



A Vulture/Buzzard coming in for a landing. I think they are the same thing!



Landing



It was great fun to be out there using a Golf Cart to go places with all my gear! If you can get the opportunity and have experience on a Golf Course, and there are wild things out there, I highly recommend it!

Thanks for looking!

[fotogaffer]

What an interesting idea and quite a rig! You got some great shots though. I especially liked the first Sandhill Crane. You better patent it before the major network media are after it for their golf coverage!

[LaurenOE]

What an interesting idea and quite a rig! You got some great shots though. I especially liked the first Sandhill Crane. You better patent it before the major network media are after it for their golf coverage!

Thanks! Aside from some custom machined bits here and there, and the custom slider and the ProMediaGear gimbal - everything is off-the-shelf Manfrotto.

Folks love to talk about lightweight tripods, but this is why I stick with the older aluminum ones. You can do stuff like this without worrying about carbon fiber cracking as you clamp it in.

[daacon]

Cool set up I like it !

[slowpez]

That first sandhill crane rocks. There you were on the golf course and you shot 8 birdies. Even Tiger Woods would be happy.

[LaurenOE]

That first sandhill crane rocks. There you were on the golf course and you shot 8 birdies. Even Tiger Woods would be happy.

LOL! Perfect!

[littledrawe]

A Falcon/Hawk. I don't know the difference.

Post these in the 300mm+ club so we can argue about what the species is!! Who cares what lens it was taken with. I'm gonna say immature Coopers Hawk just to get it started

So I decided to take my mobile camera platform out for a test run.

I've been thinking about something similar for the passenger seat of my truck, albeit not this advanced, but the principal would be the same.

[Kerrowdown]

included a Red-Dot scope

Tell us all more about this bit of kit, please.

[LaurenOE]

Tell us all more about this bit of kit, please.

The K-01 doesn't have a viewfinder, and in bright sun it's terrible. However, the image quality of the K-01 is pretty good, as it's the same sensor found in the K30.

The minute I put the Red-Dot scope on the K-01 and zero'd in the red-dot, I was able to use the K-01 as a magnificent camera out in the "wild". The Faclon/Hawk that was leaving the tree, was shot with the below configuration.



Using a Red-Dot scope on the K-01 takes it to another level!
Now, the K-01 stays in my kit as does the Red-Dot scope!!!!

[crewl1]

Wow Lauren that is an awesome kit you have assembled. The combo of the Red Dot on the K-01 is a great idea for day time shooting, good work.
Love the shots of all the wildlife.
Did you get any questions about the rig from the golfers?

[crewl1]

Tell us all more about this bit of kit, please.

I wrote a primer on the Red Dot for the Q but it applies for the K-01 as well.
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-q/212245-how-set-up-pentax-red-dot-sight-q.html

[Kerrowdown]

The K-01 doesn't have a viewfinder

Ok right, now I'm beginning to understand your problem.

I wrote a primer on the Red Dot

Thanks for that, I'm really up to full speed now, I thought this was some form of range finding kit, hence my interest.

Rather than an aid to work out what your actually looking at.

[LaurenOE]

Wow Lauren that is an awesome kit you have assembled. The combo of the Red Dot on the K-01 is a great idea for day time shooting, good work.
Love the shots of all the wildlife.
Did you get any questions about the rig from the golfers?

Oh yeah...folks thought I was shooting "pro" and a few asked if I had release forms!
When I told them I was shooting the wildlife, they were disappointed!

As for the K-01, it's an AMAZING camera when used with the Red Dot scope.
It really surprised me.

To be honest, the Red Dot Scope has become part of my everyday kit as it works on all of my cameras! Tracking objects has never been easier with it.

[Sailor]

Wow - looks like a cyborg - but you can't argue with the results - outstanding.

Jer