shouting “Look Ma, no hands.” I can’t imagine not using a tripod. I
need all the stability I can get. In the studio I use a really heavy
Gitzo tripod, one I would never carry in the field. It is solid.
For outdoor use I have a carbon-fiber Gitzo tripod (GT2531) that I
like a lot. I prefer the three-sectioned tripod to those who have four
sections because they are stronger and more stable. I do close-up
and macro work, not in high winds, and not in unstable conditions,
so my GT2531 is plenty stable. And I wait after “Mirror up” for any
vibration to die away. I also have another carbon-fiber for wet work,
like wading in the spring ponds taking photos of the tiny chorus
frogs.
Ball Heads
I don’t like (or use) big and heavy ball heads, no matter how fine
they are. I personally want everything as lightweight as possible
and most ball heads are too heavy. I find that the Markins Q3 ball
head (with twist knob) handles smaller cameras (Nikon D200,
D300, etc.) and lenses just fine and at 10 oz. weights less than any
of the more popular models. I have several
them and like them a lot. You will need a good ball head with (in my
opinion) a twist knob. For larger cameras or panoramic heads I use
the Really Right Stuff BH-40 with a twist knob.
L-Bracket.....................................................................................
L-Brackets allow the camera to be rotated 90-degrees from vertical
to horizontal position and back in a few seconds. I consider these
are essential for macro work because switching back and forth
between vertical and horizontal view happens all the time and
putting screwing and unscrewing the camera to the tripod runs the
risk of stripping the screw or receptacle, which would be costly to
fix. An L-Bracket is an important accessory.
Gotcha!
My days of tracking, stalking, hunting anything, critter or rock, are
over and it is not because I am getting older. I no longer have an
interest in pursuing anything. This is more-or-less also true for
making elaborate trips to Yellowstone or even the nearby bird
sanctuary. I have been there, done that, and the whole idea of
expectation and looking for something falls flat for me.