Yesterday I found out that these are thing that exists:
After getting past the coolness factor there are actually few pretty good and functional reasons for this. The biggest being that this is a really stable way to hold a camera with such a huge objective.
The biggest downside of course is that if you aim that at a politician you are likely to cause a panic and be arrested. Depending on your location and skin colour you may also be likely to get shot...
Still, THE TRIGGER IS ACTUALLY WHAT TRIGGERS THE CAMERA! How awesome is that?!
AND... if you want to take a portrait you hold it gangsta style!
(These are a soviet design, which is why they have the word "snaiper" on them. Apparently they were made for combat camera crews originally. Here is an article on them:
http://cameras.alfredklomp.com/fs12/ )
Other thing worth mentioning that immediately after getting that thing into my hands I realised that I was holding the butt against my shoulder with the objective pointing to the floor ...Just like holding a gun. (It really felt comfortable and functional.)
A friend of mine laughed and pointed out that everyone of us holding it had also been keeping their finger off the trigger just by reflex...
