I'm almost 82 years old and don't have the upper body strength of my youth. Shooting with my 500 mm f/4.0 is uncomfortable for more than a few shots so I normally use a tripod. Camera/lens improvements in ISO noise performance and stabilization has reduced the need for super-fast and heavy lenses like we needed 20 years ago. (But, I'd never give up my Canon 500 mm because of its awesome performance). Each shooting situation (and shooter's desire) is different so use what you need to get your images. I have a medium weight Gitzo I use for most shooting but use my big, Really Right Stuff tripod for the big glass. It's light, rigid and tall. Works for me!
I am 75 and I agree with your sentiments. I have a Nikon D610 with various lenses, all nikon glass. I cant afford the latest gear, having invested a few thousand pounds in my kit over the years. I use tripods or monopods when never i can. I cant hold my camera as still as i used to. So its horses for courses. I also still have my D80, which i do use when i need a lighter kit and no tripod. I am in a walking group. We walk a couple of times a week through the English countryside. As we walk about 5-6 miles a D610 plus tripod is really not a good idea. So if i do decide to take my camera. its the D80 and the excellent, but very light 18-55 kit lens. It an excellent combination. Just thought I would let you know you are not alone.
Don’t worry about the equipment. Your best photographic gear is between your ears and in your heart. Most photographers (me included) discover this after spending lots of money on expensive gear without significant, artistic improvement. Shoot what you are passionate about.
In 2003 I trekked up the Gandaki valley in Nepal to Mustang. I had a Canon DSLR and stock lens with no image stabilisation. When I got to Mustang we rested for a day and I reviewed my pics only to be disappointed at how fuzzy they were. On the way back I developed a technique of wrapping the straps of my walking sticks together to quickly create a bipod with cradle and by comparison the pictures were fantastic. Since then I have been on the lookout for walking sticks which could be quickly converted into a bipod as I don't want to carry a dedicated mono/bi/tripod when hill walking.
Hi, Duade! I really recommend the peak design slide strap. Its ancor on one side and on the base of the camera, so when you have a long lens, like the 100-500mm it points down and you can walk comfortably. Also, it has a clip that makes adjust the size of the strap easy. If you want to put it on a tripod, it has a quick release system with some anchors. You can leave the anchors in different cameras and use the same strap. The slide is a little expensive, but comes with a life warranty. I just love it to use with my R6 and the 100-500mm. Really recommend
This is the same setup I use with an R7 and 100-500. The Peak Design Slide Strap has a slippery side which makes it easy to slide the camera up to your eye, even when I'm wearing a harness strap for my binoculars. This is the best strap on the market.
Don't waste your money if you live in the south, the slip-resistentance coating on the straps melts and makes a nasty mess on your clothing or anything they touch. The company never responded to my multiple emails. Love their design but will never buy from them due to lack of customer support.
@larrydees I live in the Pantanal. The dry season is really hot and dry, and the wet season is really humid. I'm using the strap for more than a year, and it's perfect so far. They delivered the strap here in Brazi, and they always answered my e-mails. Still recommend the product
Thanks! I have a Peak Design strap and when I have a lens with a foot (70-200 or my 200-500 lens) I simply rest the foot in my belt and walkabout. No worries about it falling and I haven’t noticed any waist or back discomfort. Strap is insurance.
I use a monopod with a camera strap around the neck for BIF. You can let go of the camera and let it hang on the strap to rest or get something out of your bag without placing the camera on the ground.
Peak Design strap is unbeatable,I use mine with d500&150/600 for handheld,Alot of people dont realise that these straps have 2 sides to them,1 side is for a smooth action for strap to slide on your clothing whilst photographing,and the oposite side has (what feels like a sticky surface) for when walking with camera to stop it sliding from side to side,Great work as always Duade and many Thanks Dale from UK
Re the Wimberley MonoGimbal, just be aware that Wimberley says "Your Monopod should be rated for 3 times the weight of your setup." I expect that's to cope with dynamic load or with the way the rig levers the monopod when it's slung over your back.
Another great video! I am strictly a handholder. Back in the early 2000s I was a wedding videographer. I used relatively large and heavy Canon video cameras which I hand held the majority of the time. The longest wedding ceremony that I ever did ended up being my last. It was a Greek Orthodox service that lasted 2 and a half hours. I was just recovering from back surgery and by the end of the service I was done. I primarily started that business because of the cool gear I got to buy. I did it for a couple of years as a side gig and then sold everything to a friend who had just graduated film school and wanted to make movies. As a result of that I have very steady hands. These cameras and lenses had no IS at all so I absolutely had to be steady. That has carried over into my wildlife photography. As I have gotten older and developed a few more aches and pains I have been downsizing my gear. I am all in on Olympus right now. I just traded all of my Canon gear for Olympus lenses. For me, right now, it was the right decision. I was very sad to sell my RF 100-500. Hopefully I will someday be able to acquire the Olympus 150-400 but if that doesn’t happen I will be fine with what I’ve already got. This is my hobby so I don’t ever want it to feel like work just to carry my gear around. I use OP/TECH straps. I primarily use a wrist strap. If my shoulder is bothering me or I know I will be out all day I use their sliding sling strap which holds most of the weight while I am walking. OP/TECH straps are cheap and reliable. They aren’t as pretty as some other brands but they don’t fail.
Thanks Rod, sounds like your wedding background certainly helps. Not a job I could have done. I have back issues so I have to be careful with the heavy weight also. I can see why people are going to Olympus with their light kits and wonderful IS etc. I hope to try Olympus this year at some point. Cheers, Duade
I used to carry a tripod and monopod (it was both things at once) around with my old equipment. But the new camera and lenses (specifically I went from a 80D + Canon 400mm F5.6 to an R7 + RF 100-500mm) have changed that. IS works so good that I can now just hand hold the vast majority of the time… at 800mm, due to the 1.6x cropping factor of the R7. Which was unthinkable just a few years ago and allows me to be far away enough to not scare many bird species I couldn’t photograph before. Plus I can see the subject clearly through the viewfinder and smoothly follow it. Thanks to the eye tracking system composing the image is way easier, and the fast 15/30 FPS has skyrocketed the number of keepers. The experience of photographing wildlife now feels kinda “easy”. And much more enjoyable.
I use a monopod + Wimberley MH100 as well and it's amazing! I've taken it on hikes with 2,000ft vertical and it slings nicely over the shoulder and then you have a nice rest when the eagles are flying right over head!!
You remain one-of-the-best, or the BEST wildlife photographer that has a RUclips Channel. Your videos are well arranged. Your advice on "how-to" regarding picture-taking is spot-on. We hope some day to return to Oz. I spent 2 years at a joint USAF and Australia satellite station in Woomera. (Way before your time!) I learned about Vegemite, and chased several big-reds thru the doing after having a bit too much plonk. I'm much more settled now in California. But, if we're ever in Victoria, we would very much like to have a barbie with you and your family! Roger Bossart
I'm glad you mentioned a tripod is a must-have when filming video, especially when using a bigger, heavier telephoto lens. If you try filming wildlife without one for long periods of time, your footage will turn out shaky, wobbly and blurry more often than not. I've been mostly filming since the late 1980s, and tripods for video make a huge difference when trying to achieve sharpness with little shake and wobble. The only time filming handheld is acceptable, is for filming moving action shots that require an experienced athlete/filmer to be moving as well on a skateboard or rollerblades. I have done plenty of filming on a skateboard using a much smaller action camera with image stabilization.
Duade, a great summary of the various options. Obviously, hand holding gives the greatest flexibility, however as age creeps up on me, hand holding is becoming less and less an option, particularly with high resolution cameras. I am using a tripod much more often and regularly use a monopod of which I have two (Manfrotto MPMXPROA3 & iFootage Cobra 2) to give me relatively easy maneuverability and stability for sharp shots. Flimsy monopods like flimsy tripods are a waste of time and money. I highly recommend the Peak Design system for straps, as most of the time I don't use a strap, so it's easily removed.
I do a lot of sports photography with a Canon 1d and a Canon 300mm f2.8 with a 1.4X extender. I occasionally see another pro using that kind of set up hand held. I think two things: 1) He's strong as an ox, and 2) He's damn near as smart. I use a monopod with that set up and I let the "stick" literally do all the hard lifting. Ask yourself how long you are going to be able to keep the camera pointed at the subject without having to take a rest. I don't care how light things are getting it's still too heavy to hold for more than a relatively few seconds. Remember there are no prizes for hand holding a camera for extended periods of time, only for good pictures. With the monopod I can hold the subject until they actually do something, as there's no fatigue, and I think I can move around fairly easily. The only things that a monopod doesn't work well for is when the subject is significantly above your head (and I'd try a gimbal on a monopod before hand holding), or if the platform your shooting from is unstable like a boat or a helicopter.
Black-browed Albatross with the casual wing dip at 2:56 is one of my favorites photos of yours. Just stunning. I'm a fan of tripods for slow-movers like ducks, owls and hawks in trees, etc. And, of course, there a must-have when you're mixing in some video clips with your pics. Love the channel. Cheers from NY.
Hello Duade. I really appreciate your videos. You are someone making a living with your photos, but you take the time to make videos to help others. That tells me you're actually a good person. They def help others, and I hope you continue to tutor people! Your photos are an inspiration to others who are trying to take great bird photos! Thanks for your videos!!!
I have the Wimberley monopod head as well and shout out to Dan for those awesome strap and ground level tips.. I had never once thought to use it like that while on the ground and it works really really well! Thank you for the awesome tips!
Great to hear from you Nick, love the channel, I have to say some of those birds flying above the water in your coast shots are a dream of mine. Just awesome. Yes, we are lucky to have such a great community that share their ideas and tips etc. Cheers, Duade
@@NickPage My pleasure mate, glad to hear you have found the channel useful, wildlife photography is a great addition to landscapes as you can continue shooting once you have nailed your landscape shoot. The R5 & RF100-500 is a fantastic combo for wildlife and I am sure you will just kill the habitat style shots which are by far the hardest but most impactful wildlife shots out there. Any questions feel free to hit me up on facebook or email at duade.paton@gmail.com Cheers, Duade
@@Duade I agree the 100-500 is a beautiful zoom. One of the first things I did in my switch back to Canon was pick up an old version 1 of the 500 f4 IS and a teleconverter. Its crazy how much new life the new Mirrorless AF systems can breath into a 23 year old lens!
@@NickPage Yeah, it sure is, the R5 has been one of the biggest jumps I have experienced. The 700 5.6 is a really sweet focal length combined with the MP. Perfect for ducks and waterfowl etc. The weight being the only downside to the big lenses. It sounds like you might have got the bug bad which is great to hear, I often think I may need to try another style as I am sure it helps you think and look at compositions differently etc. My wife is always telling me to take landscapes of these beautiful places but when the light is good, I struggle to focus on anything but the wildlife. Cheers, Duade
Hi Duade. I hand-hold 80% of the time, then I use a Black Rapid shoulder dual strap as this allows me to carry two bodies; one fitted with a telephoto lens, and sometimes I will also bring a body fitted with a general-purpose lens for landscape. For longer sessions e.g. in hides or stationary or when shooting video I use a Manfrotto 055 carbon fiber tripod. For heavier lenses, I use a Lensmaster RH2 gimbal. When shooting videos I have recently started using a Manfrotto fluid head. Then I also use a frying pan pod when I want low level perspective.
I use the Cotton carrier CCS G3. It’s very comfortable and keeps my camera at the ready. I use it with either a Canon 5d Mk IV with 70-200mm lens or 7d with 100-500mm lens.
Fantastic video as usual! For me it depends on what I’m photographing, because I capture a lot of different things. I use a tripod when I’m ship spotting and a monopod when I’m doing wildlife and handheld when truck spotting or sports. 😊
Duade, you may recall we discussed Grebes a while back. I was surprised by your comment that they are curious and will approach. I hadn't experienced that back then. For the last few seasons, a pair has nested on my boy's dam and they are shy and go to the other side of the dam when I'm there. But on the neighbor's dam, the pair that nests there always come to me. I had a great time there yesterday as one of the adults brought all 4 youngsters over to me for some great shots at about 10m. When alone, one of that pair has come as close as 5m. How cool is that. So I get that it is a personality thing in individuals.
Thanks Rob, yes it is curious isn't it, I was out yesterday and had a family literally come over and just camp out not far from me. They all took there turn staring at me watching me stare at them lol. Glad to hear you got some lovely shots and enjoyed the experience. Cheers, Duade
Thanks for the rundown on this important topic, Duade. I noticed recently that I am not using a tripod much anymore, though I bring it along almost always.
Thanks Jim, I have to admit since getting the RF100-500 and 200-600 I am enjoying the freedom of handholding but if I am waiting then I need a tripod. Cheers, Duade
Excellent video again Duade, thanks for sharing my image. I have the Neewer gimbal and totally agree with your comments. Shame as its a decent product for the money, although I’m not comfortable taking it apart to re grease, I have seen RUclips videos on that process. It does improve in the summer when the grease gets warmer. For me the flexibility of hand holding using a decent shoulder strap out ways the tripod option, unless I’m setting up a perch or pool in the garden.
Point of interest. One of the "cheap" tripods that you liked, you said it was stiff. I would buy that over some of the other tripods for video. It's best to have a fluid head for video. Granted, it isn't, but it's trying. I have a tripod with the post. It's light and with a hand on the post, is fine. Of course, I'm not using the Hubble telescope for a lens. That would change what can be done. My big tripod is a fluid head and is for a commercial shoulder mount video camera. If need be with a fluid head you can remove the drag, iit can be as fast as your expensive tripods. It's a heavy tripod, but that means vibration won't come through the legs. Good video.
"Working height" needed also depends on how high off the ground your subjects happen to be. With birds and mammals and reptiles up in trees a taller trip is needed. Best is the Feisol tripod and the Feisol CT-3472 and the Feisol center column kit that provide 7-10 inches more height above the ground and is able to support a 15 lb lens and camera load with no shake. The Feisol center column is double the diameter of the intergrated center column tripods and as there is no gearing it is far more rigid. Important to realize that a tripod and head are a long term investment. One can upgrade lenses and cameras and continue to use the tripod and heads for decades.
Thank you. I use several tripods of different size from a Gitzo GT3841XLS. To a RRS TVC-33, and just added a lighter LeoFoto LS-284CEX. The big two have RRS leveling head and clamp to make it easy to clamp on and off different ball heads, gimbals, pan & tilt, and fluid heads. For gimbals I use a Wimberley WH-200 and a RRS PG-02. For fluid a Manfroto MVH500AH with Kirk Arca-Swiss Adapter. Ball heads com either RRS BH-50 or Markins Q10 & Q20. For pan & tilt a LeoFoto VH-30. And then hav two monopods, one from iFootage with Komodo fluid head and a LeoFoto with the Wimberley MH-100. So obviously a fan. Take care.
Great Video! I used a Siri for the past couple of years and have had problems with leg stops and legs sticking. I got turned off going through tripods and finally broke down and got a Gitzo. I'm in my 50's and feel confident this will be my last tripod purchase. The price was a stinger but I feel it will payoff in the long run. Thanks for sharing great info.
Excellent video Duade. Regarding protecting your camera if you have to lay it down when using a monopod. I bought some waterproof rucksack liners for use with mine. They are cheap, light and have a drawstring. Easy to carry in the pocket and could be used with tripods too in case of showers.
Another great effort with plenty of good info - thanks for that, Duade! I hand hold with a quick adjust strap 85+% of the time for the flexibility and nature of the environment where I normally shoot. If I'm practicing a little sit & wait strategy or a set-up, then the tripod & gimbal are often the way to go. My kit is usually around 2.6 kgs, but if it was much more, I'm sure I'd rework my methods some. I have never tried a monopod due to the seemingly limited situations they appear to be designed for, but can see where they would potentially be the best choice at times. Thanks again for further enlightening us on what's out there & what the many options can offer. Have a good one & may your future sessions be rewarding ones ~ Chris
Thanks Chris, I am very similar and largely depends on the style of shooting and the kit I am using. Monopods are probably the least used for me just because of how difficult it is to film yourself with it. Cheers, Duade
I understand, Duade. I never film myself & so never consider that aspect, but makes complete sense for your needs. I've been using a solid Innorel carbon tripod & upgraded version of that Neewer gimbal you had in video & both work quite well for my uses. The gimbal is a little sluggish below -10 C, but not enough to be problematic. Have a good one ~ Chris
Hi Duade - sorry I didn't post a photo of my setup, kind of forgot about it. I'm using: Canon R3 Canon 7D II Canon 60D Canon 300mm f4 IS L Canon 500mm f4 IS L (mark 1) Canon 1.4x TC mark 1 Canon 1.4x TC mark 3 (currently testing it, not happy with it and will probably return it for a full refund) I do have a Benro Mach3 TMA38CL tripod (haven't used it for birding photography yet, but have used it for landscape photography - very sturdy, very similar to the Sirui tripod in your video). I also have a Benro GH5C gimbal, which I haven't used at all yet. I mostly handhold, even with the big 500mm, but like you said, you do get fatigued. I have good days and bad days. I was doing some testing a few days ago and I couldn't pick the 500mm up for more than a second. That's my own personal health though, a healthy person would almost certainly manage better.
@@Duade lower back problems here too - osteoarthritis from L5 down with nerve impingement. On strong pain painkillers for said nerve pain. It doesn’t make life easy does it?
I used to shoot off a tripod exclusively with my Nikon equipment, D4s with a 600mm G lens. There was no choice to use it handheld because of the weight. But when I added the Sony A7RIV with a 200-600,, lens to my kit, it was a game changer! Now I can nail birds in flight that I would never even get into the viewfinder with my older gear. I have so many more keepers than ever before.
Hi, Duade! Great video. Sirui's tripods are made to point the legs down when setting up! When you untwist all twist locks with a single hand movement, the leg segments gets in place by gravity. Then you can easily twist them in place and do the next leg. Point the legs up when you are breaking camp for the same reason. You will save more than half the time. I also have a (Manfrotto) tripod with buckle locks for comparison: I have to unlock 3x, pull 2x and lock 3x per leg. Its only advantage is you can see that they are really locked.
I have a Surui carbon fiber tripod with a Acratech lever release ball head and a K&F Concepts BA225 carbon fiber tripod for my landscape setup that I use on long hikes. I have a Black Rapid strap for my Z6ll and 200-500mm that I added an extra clip to so that it is connected to the tripod collar and the camera, I don't trust those clips so I added another one just in case. Great video!
TC7 owner here, I love mine but my only complaint is the spike to rubber feet because unless you're super careful it's easy to get sand that grits up the internal threads. After repeated use one of my buckles would no longer fully lock a leg down but that was 100% resolved by using a simple hex key tool to tighten down one of the screws. In fact you can easily over-tighten the buckles so that it can be a struggle to fully lock. The fast bowl design is so much easier to make micro-adjustments to your ball/gimbal head leveling than trying to adjust legs.
Great video! Although, I think absolute number of monopod or tripod shooters didn’t go down, but in a year you’ve become more popular and have moved from hobbyist subscribers to getting way more casual shooters as subscribers, who just don’t have the gear yet, thus lowering the percentages.
Thanks Tuomo, good observation and yes the poll is as accurate as predicting the weather. Hopefully the casual shooters will find the video helpful for when they transition to heavier gear. Cheers, Duade
I bought sirui w2204. I'm 5'11" and it's comfortable. It's waterproof legs and convertible to monopod makes it 2 in 1. I love it so far. I got it in a deal. Duade, you should check that out to recommend viewers.
Great video. Experience has proven pretty much every point you have made to be true. I’ve only been shooting seriously for a little over 4 years, but I do shoot a fair bit; well over 150k images at this point. I’m over 6ft tall and pretty stout. My Sigma 150-600 is by far my best wildlife lens, but she is a heavy girl. I can pretty easily hand hold it for birding, but trying to stay locked in for time definitely puts a lot of strain on my shoulders. Your little tip about the leveling head made me laugh out loud. I bought a pretty nice video tripod a few years back (Cayer H4; not intended for heavy lenses) and I was getting frustrated trying to level the video head for panning only to discover almost by accident that it had a leveling head on it. I felt pretty silly for getting so frustrated and it totally changed my experience. I also wanted to say thank you for the gimbal reviews. I’ve been looking at them for a bit for birds in flight and ground shooting, but mostly only aware of the Whimberly stuff from other professionals. I appreciate the callout to Siriu and Newer, as I hadn’t considered either and I liked your point about size and cost.
Great video. Talking about ways to carry gear around,coming up with a system for one or two cameras, I’ve found the Cotton Carrier harness to be really good Duade. It allows me to have my RF800mm F11 secured on my chest in front of me, while having the second body with the 100-500mm attached at the side. I like this system because it gives me hands free secured equipment for traipsing through the bush yet a quick way to grab the lens and camera for the shot when needed.
Another helpful video - thanks Duade. As a birder who takes photos I need to stop my binoculars banging into the camera. I use a Black Rapid strap from which I can hang my camera diagonally across my body so it rests on my hip. This system works really well as I can quickly switch from bins to camera and back again.
Because of research and your demonstration, I purchased the Ifootage TC7 Tripod. I can no longer carry my Manfrotto or Gitzo Tripods. I am also purchasing some Ifootages accessories to make my equipment a little easier to manage. Thank You.
G'Day Duade, I'm unemployed but I previously saved up for a Gitzo 5543LS, and to sit on top of that I bought a GKJr. Katana Pro Gimbal Head from PromediaGear. I cried over my Visa card for about 1hr. BUT I will never have to buy another tripod or head ever again. My old man used to say "Buy once, cry once". Loved your video, great research and advice, thanks.
Duade, After watching this video I used your Promo code and purchased the C180 monopod and the wimberly head. I just recieved both and totally love this combo. Thank you for your video demonstration and promo code.
Hi Duade. Well yet another great video with so much helpful information - and it's great to include info about equipment at the value end of the market, not just the really expensive stuff. I don't think the Sirui AR2024 was available when I bought my Sirui N2204SK (which is a very similar tripod) so I ended up buying a separate leveling base to get the same effect but not quite as elegantly as the AR2024. Glad you like the Wimberley MH100 and monopod combo, it's really great isn't it and pleased to see so many of your members think the same. I'll be really interested as and when you get around to a review of different strap systems - Peak Design, Black Rapid etc etc. When you do try a bean bag, I think the most basic type - literally a bag full of beans (well OK, maybe a camoflage material bag!) is really the most useful and flexible, just need to decide the size that works best for you. Thanks again and best wishes. John
Thanks for the feedback John, I really appreciate it, yes I do need to try these different straps out. Yep, the Wimberley whilst expensive is a great piece of kit. Cheers, Duade
You're an exquisite photographer, sir! As for the subject matter. I dont use any kind of stabiliser, tripod or monopod. As for a strap, I made my own with paracord, an O ring and a camera mount.
You seem to be getting on well with the Sony! I use Benbo style tripods, as a pro motorsport photographer I might be balancing on a muddy bank, as all the legs move independently I can have one pointing up if needed. Incidentally, while working I was attacked by a motorcycle and side car, my smaller Benbo now has a prosthetic leg, white. [32mm plastic pipe] I use a monopod to lug around my Canon 400mm f2.8 as it is so heavy. I also have something that almost resembles a tripod, hooks over the car window, if I am using the car as a hide it takes the weight from my arms, though a beanbag works in an emergency. I use a heavy duty ball head on my monopod. I have made a ground skimmer, I just haven't used it yet. Keep up the good work!
Strap - gotta love the peak design. tripod - I use QZSD tripod, cheap, but sturdy. head - fluid video head is better than ball-head. Stable and provide adequate range of motion.
Hi Duade, great video. I've made a sled from an old beach chair and attached a gimbal, it looks a bit like a set of helicopter skids under my camera It Works a treat
I use both the iFootage TC7 tripod and the C150 monopod 🙂 For hand-holding I have a Black Rapid QD (quick detach) strap made for a rifle paired with a QD compatible tripod foot. This strap is honestly my favourite bit of kit and has allowed me to walk upto 10km with my 3kg camera. Not only does it make it more comfortable to carry but also keeps my camera secure from drops and allows me to disconnect with the press of a button to quickly crouch or lay down. I wouldn't recommend it but I trust the attachment that much sometimes I let go of the camera altogether while walking, the camera starts to swing so it's always worthwhile to keep your hand on to tripod foot.
Thanks for this detailed walk-through. Additional factors that can become important when purchasing a tripod are the warranty and customer service. The small parts for the leg locking mechanism can easily get damaged with dust, sand, and salt water - or broken when disassembling for cleaning. In many cases, that's the end of the tripod because manufacturers can't be bothered with the management of small parts. Sirui does offer a 6 years warranty and does send replacement parts for free under warranty (requires proof of purchase and pictures of damaged parts). They also sell spare parts but it quickly becomes more expensive than the actual tripod. The twist vs clamp is also a fascinating debate. Some manufacturers are plain evil and design clamps that will pinch your skin when you open them (I have clamps on my Sirui tripod and whoever designed those deserve to get infested by the fleas of a thousand Afghan camels and grow arms too short to scratch their scrotum). Some manufacturers are incompetent and make twist locks that don't lock when wet.
speaking of budget, I use a K&F Concept Aluminium tripod. Got it from China for USD 38.2 😅 but it was listed on Amazon for about $100. Spent about $20 for shipment to Kenya. The tripod is sturdy but I own very light weight gears so I've not pushed it to its limit. The max payload is 10kg/22lb, max height is 72.8" and has flip locks. One leg can also be detached and used as a monopod. Basically I don't regret that purchase
Best line in the video- "almost like a dance move..." Had to stop and laugh for a moment. It reminded all of us how much you thoroughly enjoy your craft. As for the product, I do not have the iFootage monopod but I did acquire the three legged base last summer. It is a real back and neck saver for me when shooting prone since I can set the camera in place then give my old and scrawny neck a break. I have also used it out in wilderness areas perched atop a rock or large fallen timber. With it's small size, it is the only 'tripod' I keep in my backpack while on a hike. For more challenging terrain and longer distances, I usually employ my Cotton Carrier CCS G3 Cammo Harness. The hands-free design allows me to traverse steep slopes, cross water barriers, and plow through dense vegetation without having to worry about the camera. While it can be used attached to foot and plate, I do not care for how close it is to my face nor how far it sticks out from my torso in this manner. Also, it may not be all that suitable for some of the larger lenses- My Canon RF 100-500 is about the limit, at least for someone my size.
Trust me I am not dancer lol, thanks for the feedback and great to hear you are enjoying the mini tripod, it is a wonderful piece of kit. Thanks for the tip re the harness. Cheers, Duade
I bought the lightest 1" ball mount, great quality, fixed it to the lightest cf mono pod, and let my RF 100-500 flop down to one side in the ball mount slot. Works like a gimble, but, super lightweight, cheap and strong. I always have the camera strap round my neck, just in case. Ball mount flopped over on their side, work great as a gimble.
A9 & 200-600 currently. Although I have a 3 legged thing tripod and Kenro gimbal head, and a 3 legged hing monopod. I am much more frequently using my peak design slide strap, and hand held.
I use the Blackrapid RS-4. It's a simple cross-body strap with a small pocket on the padded shoulder area that you can put an extra memory card and another battery. It keeps the camera at your waist and always ready to swing up and take a shot.
I use a Smallrig tripod, without center column and I'm very happy. It's light and very sturdy, even with my Nikon 200-500 and it is only about 170eur with ballhead included. The only downside is its height of 133cm, but it doesn't bother me to much.
Hi Dude, Regarding camera shoulder straps, I use Optech kit, strap is nylon webbing with snaplock connectors and the shoulder part is a shaped neoprene. The strap can be rigged for right or left handed use and I have found it very comfortable. I now have an RP and an R7 with Optech shoulder straps fitted to both cameras.
Really helpful video. Handheld for me most of the time but my tripod sits at the door for the aurora season when I'm very lucky to get pictures from my driveway. It's essential then.
I have started using a monopod more often. With an older camera without IBS it helps me lower my SS while maintaining lower ISO. I just put a small ball head on top of the monopod and it works fine for me.
Agree new tech allows more freedom, but I never leave home without the mini Oben CTT-1000 Carbon Fiber Tabletop. Slow shutter is a magical world that everyone should explore to the fullest. And shooting landscapes ground level will improve your keepers 75%
After years of suffering from shoulder pain from carrying my camera around on a strap, I finally dispensed with straps altogether. Instead I now carry my camera around with a Spider Holster, which puts the weight of the camera on my hip, making my shoulders much happier. It's an ingenious design that leaves the camera quickly accessible while leaving my arms free. It also allows me to wear my binoculars without interference from a camera strap. And I NEVER go out without binoculars as well as my camera. 🙂
Thanks for sharing David, glad to hear the spider holster is working out well for you. I didnt use straps because they often got in the way also and just preferred not using them. I will try some of these better options though I think. Cheers, Duade
Hi Duade I usually use a Benro Tripod and Gimbal for birding. But most of my wildlife photography is Tigers, in India or big cats in Africa. For that, I use a bean bag. Full of polyurethane balls. They are super light (400 grams for the full bean bag with pellets). Really enjoy your videos.
The past few weeks I have been looking into tripods and gimbals for my R7 and Rf 800 Lens. I mainly hand held for photos, but do have moments where I am waiting for the bird and pointing up for a while my arms get fatigued. Also, have started shooting a little video footage and can see a little bit of shake. Unfortunately the set ups are so expensive. Will have to wait, but appreciate the reviews and thoughts on some other options. Current using Peak Design slide strap, the wider version. It has been great and very comfortable to use. No issues. Thanks again for another great video! Your content really helps me as a photographer and is very enjoyable to watch.
Great video and discussion! I handhold when using my EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6. However, my EF 500mm f/4 weighs 8.5 lbs (3.87 kg) and too heavy for me to handhold. I use the iFootage aluminum monopod with Wimberley monopod gimbal 99% of the time (with the EF 500mm) and a Manfrotto 055 aluminum tripod with Wimberley WH-200 gimbal on occasion. Someday I'll buy the RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 and maybe then I can retire the monopod and tripod. Until then, 100% happy with my setup!
I use a tripod that has a leg that screws off and attaches to the center post to make monopod which works but is a bit of a faff about so what I do I have it set as a tripod with the legs extended but together and if I need to take a shot quickly just use it as a monopod and then if I am going to be in one place and want to use the tripod all i have to do is spread the legs and we are in action , I need to use them as I suffer from camera shake being all old and falling to bits, things don't work as they did when you get to 76 , love the channel by the way 👍
Great video Duade. Just to reinforce your comment about the Neweer gimbal. I shoot a ton and 90% of it is off two of those gimbals. Like others, I immediately removed the lubricant and replaced it with a high quality lithium lubricant and they work fantastic at a fraction of the cost. There are great instructions on RUclips that cover the process. There is absolutely nothing wrong with them otherwise.
Personally, I bring a tripod with my gear every shoot. Whether I use it or not... That usually depends on my shutter speed. If I need long shutter speeds, say, greater than 1/60, I will almost always resort to a tripod. I do use a strap, but it is one quite similar to PeakDesign's wrist strap. I've hiked with it all over the US, and much rather have my camera in the palm of my hands, rather than hanging from my neck. Sometimes take a little finagling when I need both hands, but for the most part, the wrist strap is how I carry my camera around. (I need a new tripod. Really like that iFootage you're using.)
You asked about strap use Duade. Many folk use a sling. I found as an active 'tog that I had to use one hand to steady the rig when it was hanging off a sling. Eg when skiing with a rig or clambering around a rolling boat on a pelagic cruise I need both hands free. So I use a Cotton Carrier Skout for the lighter rig and a CC Harness for the 4.5kg rig. These hold the rig on your chest. The Skout v1 could be offset to the side of your chest so you could more readily see your feet when moving. CC calls these slings but that's a mistake. Better to call them holsters.
Duade I've just stared this video and already it has helped me make a decision :) been going back and forth about having a big prime... always assumed that would mean a tripod and that just made it seem less flexible. the idea of handheld, being able to move around easily... yes! and a little further in you start looking at why you would want one... for patience and macro yes! helpful God bless you :)
Duane, very nice, complete video. I am wondering about the demographics of the 82% of the photographers who only shoot hand held? At 71 years and back injuries, etc, I have found that hand holding produces less keepers overall than my tripod setup. I actually have done some studies shooting vehicle traffic with a tripod set up and hand holding at shutter speeds of 1/4000 sec. For me, many more keepers with the support of a tripod. I use an older Gitzo, 2 leg section, no center column, carbon fiber tripod which is very stable. Not too heavy either. After upgrading my kit to an R7 and RF 100-500mm lens, I was doing better with hand holding BUT have gone back to the tripod for more tack sharp results. I don’t live in an area where I walk thru dense bush, so the tripod usually doesn’t get in the way. Most of my shots are of raptors who love to test my patients by sitting on a perch for what seems like an eternity, if I had to hand hold for 30-45 minutes waiting for a fly away……. Well , I think the bird would win the patients game and I would be back in my car. I also have a Manfroto CF monopod . All of my heads are Wimberly, side kick, monopod MH-100 and recently an old WH-100 gimbal. In my experience, if you can buy good used equipment from a reputable manufacturer you are miles ahead of the equipment game. Of course if you can buy new, then……. Happy shooting and GOOD LIGHT to all.
I own a Blackrapid Hybrid Dual Camera Slingstrap which is really good. It allows you to carry two cameras, one on each side of your body, and any time you want, you can just grab either camera, swing it up to your eye and take pictures. I have several tripods. My oldest one is a Hama Profil 74, and it served me well until I got a Tamron 200-400 F5.6. I tried it on a windy day, and it was just wobbling all over the place. So a cheap tripod (I think it was about $80) can be okay, but definitely not for a long lens if there's any wind. So I wanted to make sure I got a stable tripod, and I ordered a Manfrotto #161mk2B with a #229 Super Pro 3-way head. I got a shock when it arrived, 'cause I'd had no idea how enormous it is. Head included it weighs 9.5 kg (21 pounds), and it can bring the viewfinder all the way to 3 metres (10 feet). But it is rock solid! It also has these "retractable spikes" that you showed, and I really love that tripod! Whenever I don't plan to do any walking, I still often favour it over my other tripods. But at some point I felt I needed something in between, so I bought a Manfrotto #055pro3. I chose the aluminium version. When you include the weight of the head, the carbon version is maybe 20% lighter, but it costs twice as much. It came in a kit with a MHXPro-BHQ2 magnesium ball head, and I added an extra RC-128 fluid video head. And when I bought my Sigma 150-600 C, I also bought the Manfrotto #393 gimbal head. It's not one of your "one-armed thief" type gimbals (stealing your money); it's two-armed, so it can be less sturdy and less expensive without losing any stability. They promote it as a monopod head now. They didn't when I bought it, and it works fine for me. For stability nothing beats my 3-way head, though. I've also bought a couple of travel tripods: A Manfrotto Befree (again aluminium) and a K&F Concept KF-TC 2534 (because I wanted to try carbon and twist locks). But although they're both a little better than my old Hama, I'm not impressed with their stability.
I use the BlackRapid Sport Breathe strap and I absolutely love it! I have been able to do long hikes with it holding my Canon 100-400mm lens attached to my 5D Mark IV. Aside from a little stabilization with my hand to keep it from bouncing around too much, it is extremely comfortable. And I always have my camera at the ready should I stumble onto a bird or if one happens to fly past. Highly recommend!
Great video Duade. I seldom use a tripod (and hence I'm not that skilled with it :). I tend to use one for macro, landscape, grand child, and birding on shorelines and when I am staked out. I use a Robus RC-5558-3 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod (with only 3 leg sections which is faster and more stable than the 4 section version IMO) w/Wimberley Gimbal and a Benro MSD46C SupaDupa Carbon Fiber Monopod and Wimberley. Try the PEAK DESIGN shoulder strap. I tried one last year and now own 2 of them. I find that they are simple, easy to attach and detach, comfortable and quick and smooth from side to eyeball. :)
Well, I'm one of those guys in the 11%. The only time I don't use a tripod, is when shooting from my car, where I use the window frame for support. And its NOT that I'm using such heavy gear. On the contrary, my long lens is very light, but its slow. It's my RF 800 F11. Love it so much, I plan to get the 600 F11 soon. my only faster birding lens is my ancient 400 5.6, but of course, it has no built in IS, so again, still best with a tripod. BTW, my tripod is probably heavier duty than I really needed, but I guess being "too stable" is never a problem, right ? It is the Artcise CS80C, and it was only $179.00 US $ Fantastic value for what it is. BTW, I just noticed that your using the Flexshooter head. Those look super intriguing. I can see one of those burning a hole in my wallet soon :)
Another cracking video. I rarely use either a tripod or a monopod but finding that with injuries, surgeries and older age that I have to reconsider each trip and the tools that I'll take and potentially use to have an enjoyable day of shooting. I do own these tools/items but the location, environment and my capacity to hold it all make more decisions about its use. Along my photographic journey I've also made some items to save a few dollars. Really enjoying your video's and the content.
Great information as always Duade! Gimbels are great but not for video in my opinion. I need the ability to adjust friction for smoother panning. The Flexshooter seems like a good compromise between size and adjustability.
Definitely recommend the Peak design strap, wide comfortable and easy to use. My camera lens combo is about 2.5kg, I don't have any problems carrying it on long trips
I have the same experience with my gimbal head. The grease thickened over time, and at the end it got more or less stuck. I ended up demantle it, clean out all the grease, degrease it with better grease, and now it works perfectly.
Loved this video, very informative. I have been using the Canon RF400 f2.8 with 1.4TC and R5 for the last six months traveling thru ten countries in Africa and a few islands in the mediterranean. I usually loop the Peak Design strap thru the tripod collar of the lens and sling the camera with the lens on my back like a quiver with the lens pointing down. Nothing rubbing against my back and the load distribution is good for the back of a 60 year old. However, this solution is not good when I have to wait or if there is a strong breeze while shooting. So, I am planning to buy the PD carbon fiber tripod as it will fit inside the Thinktank Glass Limo backpack during travel and into my Matador hiking backpack for rain protection when needed. I have also ordered the Fotopro E-6H gimbal head which is easy to pack and it can double up as a video head as well (based on the reviews, not received it as yet). In my retirement, I have been traveling for months at a time and so optimization of the gear and its weight/size is high priority for me. Will be traveling with a the new tripod+gimbal in a month from now thru South America. I am a complete amateur at this.
Hey Duade, great video again. Primarily handheld, Canon R6 and 100-500 (or 150-600). But sometimes using my BENRO TMA38CL MACH3 and NEEWER GM-QS Metal Gimbal Tripod Head.
I have the flex shooter pro with the clamp and I really enjoy using it. It's my vehicle set up and I have a larger heavier tripod and gimbal that I keep it home. The only negative of the flex shooter is that that one knob controls locking off vertical and panning so you can't just lock off one or the other. Aside from that it's lightweight and very enjoyable to use.
One of my favorite things about a tripod and gimbal is being able to stand beside it waiting for some action to happen and sipping my coffee. If you have a monopod you still have to balance and hold it all of the time and if you let it go for an instant it's going to fall to the ground. To me that doesn't give you the best benefit of the tripod which is being able to stand nearby and not have to hold the camera at every moment. I've added a remote shutter and gone inside the house and grabbed action looking out the window while the tripod and Camera are aimed at a perch.
Yep, tripod still useful at night with a low ISO and when waiting for the right moment to click. Funnily enough I have a Neewer N55C too, and it's perfectly fine for my relatively light gear
I'm almost 82 years old and don't have the upper body strength of my youth. Shooting with my 500 mm f/4.0 is uncomfortable for more than a few shots so I normally use a tripod. Camera/lens improvements in ISO noise performance and stabilization has reduced the need for super-fast and heavy lenses like we needed 20 years ago. (But, I'd never give up my Canon 500 mm because of its awesome performance). Each shooting situation (and shooter's desire) is different so use what you need to get your images. I have a medium weight Gitzo I use for most shooting but use my big, Really Right Stuff tripod for the big glass. It's light, rigid and tall. Works for me!
I am 75 and I agree with your sentiments. I have a Nikon D610 with various lenses, all nikon glass. I cant afford the latest gear, having invested a few thousand pounds in my kit over the years. I use tripods or monopods when never i can. I cant hold my camera as still as i used to. So its horses for courses.
I also still have my D80, which i do use when i need a lighter kit and no tripod. I am in a walking group. We walk a couple of times a week through the English countryside. As we walk about 5-6 miles a D610 plus tripod is really not a good idea. So if i do decide to take my camera. its the D80 and the excellent, but very light 18-55 kit lens. It an excellent combination.
Just thought I would let you know you are not alone.
Do you use 500 mm f4 is usm lens version 1
@ yes
On my income and working full time I cant afford these nice new mirrorless cameras, Im use a Canon T8i with sigma 150-600 its very heavy.
Don’t worry about the equipment. Your best photographic gear is between your ears and in your heart. Most photographers (me included) discover this after spending lots of money on expensive gear without significant, artistic improvement. Shoot what you are passionate about.
In 2003 I trekked up the Gandaki valley in Nepal to Mustang. I had a Canon DSLR and stock lens with no image stabilisation. When I got to Mustang we rested for a day and I reviewed my pics only to be disappointed at how fuzzy they were. On the way back I developed a technique of wrapping the straps of my walking sticks together to quickly create a bipod with cradle and by comparison the pictures were fantastic. Since then I have been on the lookout for walking sticks which could be quickly converted into a bipod as I don't want to carry a dedicated mono/bi/tripod when hill walking.
Like you cannot have dedicated monopod and using it as a walking stick....
Hi, Duade! I really recommend the peak design slide strap. Its ancor on one side and on the base of the camera, so when you have a long lens, like the 100-500mm it points down and you can walk comfortably. Also, it has a clip that makes adjust the size of the strap easy. If you want to put it on a tripod, it has a quick release system with some anchors. You can leave the anchors in different cameras and use the same strap. The slide is a little expensive, but comes with a life warranty. I just love it to use with my R6 and the 100-500mm. Really recommend
This is the same setup I use with an R7 and 100-500. The Peak Design Slide Strap has a slippery side which makes it easy to slide the camera up to your eye, even when I'm wearing a harness strap for my binoculars. This is the best strap on the market.
Don't waste your money if you live in the south, the slip-resistentance coating on the straps melts and makes a nasty mess on your clothing or anything they touch. The company never responded to my multiple emails. Love their design but will never buy from them due to lack of customer support.
@larrydees I live in the Pantanal. The dry season is really hot and dry, and the wet season is really humid. I'm using the strap for more than a year, and it's perfect so far. They delivered the strap here in Brazi, and they always answered my e-mails. Still recommend the product
@@hubbs478 totally agree
I also love the peak design! That is what I use
Thanks! I have a Peak Design strap and when I have a lens with a foot (70-200 or my 200-500 lens) I simply rest the foot in my belt and walkabout. No worries about it falling and I haven’t noticed any waist or back discomfort. Strap is insurance.
I use a monopod with a camera strap around the neck for BIF. You can let go of the camera and let it hang on the strap to rest or get something out of your bag without placing the camera on the ground.
Peak Design strap is unbeatable,I use mine with d500&150/600 for handheld,Alot of people dont realise that these straps have 2 sides to them,1 side is for a smooth action for strap to slide on your clothing whilst photographing,and the oposite side has (what feels like a sticky surface) for when walking with camera to stop it sliding from side to side,Great work as always Duade and many Thanks Dale from UK
Re the Wimberley MonoGimbal, just be aware that Wimberley says "Your Monopod should be rated for 3 times the weight of your setup."
I expect that's to cope with dynamic load or with the way the rig levers the monopod when it's slung over your back.
Another great video! I am strictly a handholder. Back in the early 2000s I was a wedding videographer. I used relatively large and heavy Canon video cameras which I hand held the majority of the time. The longest wedding ceremony that I ever did ended up being my last. It was a Greek Orthodox service that lasted 2 and a half hours. I was just recovering from back surgery and by the end of the service I was done. I primarily started that business because of the cool gear I got to buy. I did it for a couple of years as a side gig and then sold everything to a friend who had just graduated film school and wanted to make movies. As a result of that I have very steady hands. These cameras and lenses had no IS at all so I absolutely had to be steady. That has carried over into my wildlife photography.
As I have gotten older and developed a few more aches and pains I have been downsizing my gear. I am all in on Olympus right now. I just traded all of my Canon gear for Olympus lenses. For me, right now, it was the right decision. I was very sad to sell my RF 100-500. Hopefully I will someday be able to acquire the Olympus 150-400 but if that doesn’t happen I will be fine with what I’ve already got. This is my hobby so I don’t ever want it to feel like work just to carry my gear around.
I use OP/TECH straps. I primarily use a wrist strap. If my shoulder is bothering me or I know I will be out all day I use their sliding sling strap which holds most of the weight while I am walking. OP/TECH straps are cheap and reliable. They aren’t as pretty as some other brands but they don’t fail.
Thanks Rod, sounds like your wedding background certainly helps. Not a job I could have done. I have back issues so I have to be careful with the heavy weight also. I can see why people are going to Olympus with their light kits and wonderful IS etc. I hope to try Olympus this year at some point. Cheers, Duade
I used to carry a tripod and monopod (it was both things at once) around with my old equipment. But the new camera and lenses (specifically I went from a 80D + Canon 400mm F5.6 to an R7 + RF 100-500mm) have changed that.
IS works so good that I can now just hand hold the vast majority of the time… at 800mm, due to the 1.6x cropping factor of the R7. Which was unthinkable just a few years ago and allows me to be far away enough to not scare many bird species I couldn’t photograph before.
Plus I can see the subject clearly through the viewfinder and smoothly follow it. Thanks to the eye tracking system composing the image is way easier, and the fast 15/30 FPS has skyrocketed the number of keepers.
The experience of photographing wildlife now feels kinda “easy”. And much more enjoyable.
I use a monopod + Wimberley MH100 as well and it's amazing! I've taken it on hikes with 2,000ft vertical and it slings nicely over the shoulder and then you have a nice rest when the eagles are flying right over head!!
You remain one-of-the-best, or the BEST wildlife photographer that has a RUclips Channel. Your videos are well arranged. Your advice on "how-to" regarding picture-taking is spot-on. We hope some day to return to Oz. I spent 2 years at a joint USAF and Australia satellite station in Woomera. (Way before your time!) I learned about Vegemite, and chased several big-reds thru the doing after having a bit too much plonk. I'm much more settled now in California. But, if we're ever in Victoria, we would very much like to have a barbie with you and your family! Roger Bossart
I'm glad you mentioned a tripod is a must-have when filming video, especially when using a bigger, heavier telephoto lens. If you try filming wildlife without one for long periods of time, your footage will turn out shaky, wobbly and blurry more often than not.
I've been mostly filming since the late 1980s, and tripods for video make a huge difference when trying to achieve sharpness with little shake and wobble.
The only time filming handheld is acceptable, is for filming moving action shots that require an experienced athlete/filmer to be moving as well on a skateboard or rollerblades. I have done plenty of filming on a skateboard using a much smaller action camera with image stabilization.
Duade, a great summary of the various options. Obviously, hand holding gives the greatest flexibility, however as age creeps up on me, hand holding is becoming less and less an option, particularly with high resolution cameras. I am using a tripod much more often and regularly use a monopod of which I have two (Manfrotto MPMXPROA3 & iFootage Cobra 2) to give me relatively easy maneuverability and stability for sharp shots. Flimsy monopods like flimsy tripods are a waste of time and money. I highly recommend the Peak Design system for straps, as most of the time I don't use a strap, so it's easily removed.
I do a lot of sports photography with a Canon 1d and a Canon 300mm f2.8 with a 1.4X extender. I occasionally see another pro using that kind of set up hand held. I think two things: 1) He's strong as an ox, and 2) He's damn near as smart. I use a monopod with that set up and I let the "stick" literally do all the hard lifting. Ask yourself how long you are going to be able to keep the camera pointed at the subject without having to take a rest. I don't care how light things are getting it's still too heavy to hold for more than a relatively few seconds. Remember there are no prizes for hand holding a camera for extended periods of time, only for good pictures. With the monopod I can hold the subject until they actually do something, as there's no fatigue, and I think I can move around fairly easily. The only things that a monopod doesn't work well for is when the subject is significantly above your head (and I'd try a gimbal on a monopod before hand holding), or if the platform your shooting from is unstable like a boat or a helicopter.
Thanks!
Thanks Jeffrey, you are too kind, I really appreciate it, Cheers, Duade
Black-browed Albatross with the casual wing dip at 2:56 is one of my favorites photos of yours. Just stunning. I'm a fan of tripods for slow-movers like ducks, owls and hawks in trees, etc. And, of course, there a must-have when you're mixing in some video clips with your pics. Love the channel. Cheers from NY.
Thanks Sam, yes I agree. That Albatross shot is one of my favs also. Cheers, Duade 👍
Hello Duade. I really appreciate your videos. You are someone making a living with your photos, but you take the time to make videos to help others. That tells me you're actually a good person. They def help others, and I hope you continue to tutor people! Your photos are an inspiration to others who are trying to take great bird photos! Thanks for your videos!!!
I have the Wimberley monopod head as well and shout out to Dan for those awesome strap and ground level tips.. I had never once thought to use it like that while on the ground and it works really really well! Thank you for the awesome tips!
Great to hear from you Nick, love the channel, I have to say some of those birds flying above the water in your coast shots are a dream of mine. Just awesome. Yes, we are lucky to have such a great community that share their ideas and tips etc. Cheers, Duade
@@Duade I appreciate that Duade! I have been binge watching your videos for the past couple months as I have gotten more into Wildlife photography.
@@NickPage My pleasure mate, glad to hear you have found the channel useful, wildlife photography is a great addition to landscapes as you can continue shooting once you have nailed your landscape shoot. The R5 & RF100-500 is a fantastic combo for wildlife and I am sure you will just kill the habitat style shots which are by far the hardest but most impactful wildlife shots out there. Any questions feel free to hit me up on facebook or email at duade.paton@gmail.com Cheers, Duade
@@Duade I agree the 100-500 is a beautiful zoom. One of the first things I did in my switch back to Canon was pick up an old version 1 of the 500 f4 IS and a teleconverter. Its crazy how much new life the new Mirrorless AF systems can breath into a 23 year old lens!
@@NickPage Yeah, it sure is, the R5 has been one of the biggest jumps I have experienced. The 700 5.6 is a really sweet focal length combined with the MP. Perfect for ducks and waterfowl etc. The weight being the only downside to the big lenses. It sounds like you might have got the bug bad which is great to hear, I often think I may need to try another style as I am sure it helps you think and look at compositions differently etc. My wife is always telling me to take landscapes of these beautiful places but when the light is good, I struggle to focus on anything but the wildlife. Cheers, Duade
Hi Duade. I hand-hold 80% of the time, then I use a Black Rapid shoulder dual strap as this allows me to carry two bodies; one fitted with a telephoto lens, and sometimes I will also bring a body fitted with a general-purpose lens for landscape. For longer sessions e.g. in hides or stationary or when shooting video I use a Manfrotto 055 carbon fiber tripod. For heavier lenses, I use a Lensmaster RH2 gimbal. When shooting videos I have recently started using a Manfrotto fluid head. Then I also use a frying pan pod when I want low level perspective.
I use the Cotton carrier CCS G3. It’s very comfortable and keeps my camera at the ready. I use it with either a Canon 5d Mk IV with 70-200mm lens or 7d with 100-500mm lens.
Fantastic video as usual! For me it depends on what I’m photographing, because I capture a lot of different things. I use a tripod when I’m ship spotting and a monopod when I’m doing wildlife and handheld when truck spotting or sports. 😊
Duade, you may recall we discussed Grebes a while back. I was surprised by your comment that they are curious and will approach. I hadn't experienced that back then. For the last few seasons, a pair has nested on my boy's dam and they are shy and go to the other side of the dam when I'm there. But on the neighbor's dam, the pair that nests there always come to me. I had a great time there yesterday as one of the adults brought all 4 youngsters over to me for some great shots at about 10m. When alone, one of that pair has come as close as 5m. How cool is that. So I get that it is a personality thing in individuals.
Thanks Rob, yes it is curious isn't it, I was out yesterday and had a family literally come over and just camp out not far from me. They all took there turn staring at me watching me stare at them lol. Glad to hear you got some lovely shots and enjoyed the experience. Cheers, Duade
@@Duade Did you talk to them like I do? LOL.
@@robguyatt9602 Yes, I do. 😀
I have to use my tripod for taking pictures because both of my hands are weak. I do what ever I need to do to make it work for me. Great videos.❤❤❤
Thanks for the rundown on this important topic, Duade. I noticed recently that I am not using a tripod much anymore, though I bring it along almost always.
Thanks Jim, I have to admit since getting the RF100-500 and 200-600 I am enjoying the freedom of handholding but if I am waiting then I need a tripod. Cheers, Duade
Excellent video again Duade, thanks for sharing my image. I have the Neewer gimbal and totally agree with your comments. Shame as its a decent product for the money, although I’m not comfortable taking it apart to re grease, I have seen RUclips videos on that process. It does improve in the summer when the grease gets warmer. For me the flexibility of hand holding using a decent shoulder strap out ways the tripod option, unless I’m setting up a perch or pool in the garden.
Thanks Gary, yes, it is stiff compared to the Sirui but hopefully a regrease will do the trick. Cheers, Duade
Point of interest. One of the "cheap" tripods that you liked, you said it was stiff. I would buy that over some of the other tripods for video. It's best to have a fluid head for video. Granted, it isn't, but it's trying. I have a tripod with the post. It's light and with a hand on the post, is fine. Of course, I'm not using the Hubble telescope for a lens. That would change what can be done. My big tripod is a fluid head and is for a commercial shoulder mount video camera. If need be with a fluid head you can remove the drag, iit can be as fast as your expensive tripods. It's a heavy tripod, but that means vibration won't come through the legs. Good video.
"Working height" needed also depends on how high off the ground your subjects happen to be. With birds and mammals and reptiles up in trees a taller trip is needed. Best is the Feisol tripod and the Feisol CT-3472 and the Feisol center column kit that provide 7-10 inches more height above the ground and is able to support a 15 lb lens and camera load with no shake. The Feisol center column is double the diameter of the intergrated center column tripods and as there is no gearing it is far more rigid.
Important to realize that a tripod and head are a long term investment. One can upgrade lenses and cameras and continue to use the tripod and heads for decades.
Thank you. I use several tripods of different size from a Gitzo GT3841XLS. To a RRS TVC-33, and just added a lighter LeoFoto LS-284CEX. The big two have RRS leveling head and clamp to make it easy to clamp on and off different ball heads, gimbals, pan & tilt, and fluid heads.
For gimbals I use a Wimberley WH-200 and a RRS PG-02. For fluid a Manfroto MVH500AH with Kirk Arca-Swiss Adapter. Ball heads com either RRS BH-50 or Markins Q10 & Q20. For pan & tilt a LeoFoto VH-30. And then hav two monopods, one from iFootage with Komodo fluid head and a LeoFoto with the Wimberley MH-100. So obviously a fan. Take care.
Super informative videos, thanks Duade!
Thank you for the support, Cheers, DUade
Great Video! I used a Siri for the past couple of years and have had problems with leg stops and legs sticking. I got turned off going through tripods and finally broke down and got a Gitzo. I'm in my 50's and feel confident this will be my last tripod purchase. The price was a stinger but I feel it will payoff in the long run. Thanks for sharing great info.
Excellent video Duade. Regarding protecting your camera if you have to lay it down when using a monopod. I bought some waterproof rucksack liners for use with mine. They are cheap, light and have a drawstring. Easy to carry in the pocket and could be used with tripods too in case of showers.
Another great effort with plenty of good info - thanks for that, Duade! I hand hold with a quick adjust strap 85+% of the time for the flexibility and nature of the environment where I normally shoot. If I'm practicing a little sit & wait strategy or a set-up, then the tripod & gimbal are often the way to go. My kit is usually around 2.6 kgs, but if it was much more, I'm sure I'd rework my methods some.
I have never tried a monopod due to the seemingly limited situations they appear to be designed for, but can see where they would potentially be the best choice at times.
Thanks again for further enlightening us on what's out there & what the many options can offer. Have a good one & may your future sessions be rewarding ones ~ Chris
Thanks Chris, I am very similar and largely depends on the style of shooting and the kit I am using. Monopods are probably the least used for me just because of how difficult it is to film yourself with it. Cheers, Duade
I understand, Duade. I never film myself & so never consider that aspect, but makes complete sense for your needs.
I've been using a solid Innorel carbon tripod & upgraded version of that Neewer gimbal you had in video & both work quite well for my uses. The gimbal is a little sluggish below -10 C, but not enough to be problematic. Have a good one ~ Chris
Great video as always. I'm looking forward to an update on the Sony gear. Thanks for all you do.
Thanks, I have a few videos lined up for Sony, Cheers, Duade
Hi Duade - sorry I didn't post a photo of my setup, kind of forgot about it. I'm using:
Canon R3
Canon 7D II
Canon 60D
Canon 300mm f4 IS L
Canon 500mm f4 IS L (mark 1)
Canon 1.4x TC mark 1
Canon 1.4x TC mark 3 (currently testing it, not happy with it and will probably return it for a full refund)
I do have a Benro Mach3 TMA38CL tripod (haven't used it for birding photography yet, but have used it for landscape photography - very sturdy, very similar to the Sirui tripod in your video). I also have a Benro GH5C gimbal, which I haven't used at all yet.
I mostly handhold, even with the big 500mm, but like you said, you do get fatigued. I have good days and bad days. I was doing some testing a few days ago and I couldn't pick the 500mm up for more than a second. That's my own personal health though, a healthy person would almost certainly manage better.
Thanks mate, my back plays up on me so I need to be careful handholding heavy gear, a tripod is often just easier. Cheers, Duade
@@Duade lower back problems here too - osteoarthritis from L5 down with nerve impingement. On strong pain painkillers for said nerve pain. It doesn’t make life easy does it?
Duade, great video. Lots of really good tips. Thanks.
My pleasure Cesar, Cheers, Duade
I used to shoot off a tripod exclusively with my Nikon equipment, D4s with a 600mm G lens. There was no choice to use it handheld because of the weight. But when I added the Sony A7RIV with a 200-600,, lens to my kit, it was a game changer! Now I can nail birds in flight that I would never even get into the viewfinder with my older gear. I have so many more keepers than ever before.
Thanks Daniel, and that is a big advantage of modern lighter gear. Cheers, Duade
Hi, Duade! Great video. Sirui's tripods are made to point the legs down when setting up! When you untwist all twist locks with a single hand movement, the leg segments gets in place by gravity. Then you can easily twist them in place and do the next leg. Point the legs up when you are breaking camp for the same reason. You will save more than half the time.
I also have a (Manfrotto) tripod with buckle locks for comparison: I have to unlock 3x, pull 2x and lock 3x per leg. Its only advantage is you can see that they are really locked.
I have a Surui carbon fiber tripod with a Acratech lever release ball head and a K&F Concepts BA225 carbon fiber tripod for my landscape setup that I use on long hikes. I have a Black Rapid strap for my Z6ll and 200-500mm that I added an extra clip to so that it is connected to the tripod collar and the camera, I don't trust those clips so I added another one just in case. Great video!
Thanks for sharing Dennis, sounds like a great setup. Cheers, Duade
TC7 owner here, I love mine but my only complaint is the spike to rubber feet because unless you're super careful it's easy to get sand that grits up the internal threads. After repeated use one of my buckles would no longer fully lock a leg down but that was 100% resolved by using a simple hex key tool to tighten down one of the screws. In fact you can easily over-tighten the buckles so that it can be a struggle to fully lock. The fast bowl design is so much easier to make micro-adjustments to your ball/gimbal head leveling than trying to adjust legs.
Great video! Although, I think absolute number of monopod or tripod shooters didn’t go down, but in a year you’ve become more popular and have moved from hobbyist subscribers to getting way more casual shooters as subscribers, who just don’t have the gear yet, thus lowering the percentages.
Thanks Tuomo, good observation and yes the poll is as accurate as predicting the weather. Hopefully the casual shooters will find the video helpful for when they transition to heavier gear. Cheers, Duade
I bought sirui w2204. I'm 5'11" and it's comfortable. It's waterproof legs and convertible to monopod makes it 2 in 1. I love it so far. I got it in a deal. Duade, you should check that out to recommend viewers.
Great video.
Experience has proven pretty much every point you have made to be true. I’ve only been shooting seriously for a little over 4 years, but I do shoot a fair bit; well over 150k images at this point.
I’m over 6ft tall and pretty stout.
My Sigma 150-600 is by far my best wildlife lens, but she is a heavy girl. I can pretty easily hand hold it for birding, but trying to stay locked in for time definitely puts a lot of strain on my shoulders.
Your little tip about the leveling head made me laugh out loud. I bought a pretty nice video tripod a few years back (Cayer H4; not intended for heavy lenses) and I was getting frustrated trying to level the video head for panning only to discover almost by accident that it had a leveling head on it. I felt pretty silly for getting so frustrated and it totally changed my experience.
I also wanted to say thank you for the gimbal reviews. I’ve been looking at them for a bit for birds in flight and ground shooting, but mostly only aware of the Whimberly stuff from other professionals. I appreciate the callout to Siriu and Newer, as I hadn’t considered either and I liked your point about size and cost.
Great video. Talking about ways to carry gear around,coming up with a system for one or two cameras, I’ve found the Cotton Carrier harness to be really good Duade. It allows me to have my RF800mm F11 secured on my chest in front of me, while having the second body with the 100-500mm attached at the side. I like this system because it gives me hands free secured equipment for traipsing through the bush yet a quick way to grab the lens and camera for the shot when needed.
Another helpful video - thanks Duade. As a birder who takes photos I need to stop my binoculars banging into the camera. I use a Black Rapid strap from which I can hang my camera diagonally across my body so it rests on my hip. This system works really well as I can quickly switch from bins to camera and back again.
Thanks for sharing, sounds like a great solution. Happy birding out there. Cheers, Duade
Because of research and your demonstration, I purchased the Ifootage TC7 Tripod. I can no longer carry my Manfrotto or Gitzo Tripods. I am also purchasing some Ifootages accessories to make my equipment a little easier to manage. Thank You.
Glad it was helpful!
This is an excellent video and review of topics. Including member pics also adds great value.
G'Day Duade, I'm unemployed but I previously saved up for a Gitzo 5543LS, and to sit on top of that I bought a GKJr. Katana Pro Gimbal Head from PromediaGear. I cried over my Visa card for about 1hr. BUT I will never have to buy another tripod or head ever again. My old man used to say "Buy once, cry once". Loved your video, great research and advice, thanks.
I have the same tripod. It's smooth to operate and stable to use.
Thanks Duade, i find flexibility the key, however, for those low low shots, gimbal on mud dish appears the proper solution
Duade,
After watching this video I used your Promo code and purchased the C180 monopod and the wimberly head. I just recieved both and totally love this combo. Thank you for your video demonstration and promo code.
Fantastic!
Hi Duade. Well yet another great video with so much helpful information - and it's great to include info about equipment at the value end of the market, not just the really expensive stuff. I don't think the Sirui AR2024 was available when I bought my Sirui N2204SK (which is a very similar tripod) so I ended up buying a separate leveling base to get the same effect but not quite as elegantly as the AR2024. Glad you like the Wimberley MH100 and monopod combo, it's really great isn't it and pleased to see so many of your members think the same. I'll be really interested as and when you get around to a review of different strap systems - Peak Design, Black Rapid etc etc. When you do try a bean bag, I think the most basic type - literally a bag full of beans (well OK, maybe a camoflage material bag!) is really the most useful and flexible, just need to decide the size that works best for you. Thanks again and best wishes. John
Thanks for the feedback John, I really appreciate it, yes I do need to try these different straps out. Yep, the Wimberley whilst expensive is a great piece of kit. Cheers, Duade
You're an exquisite photographer, sir! As for the subject matter. I dont use any kind of stabiliser, tripod or monopod. As for a strap, I made my own with paracord, an O ring and a camera mount.
You seem to be getting on well with the Sony! I use Benbo style tripods, as a pro motorsport photographer I might be balancing on a muddy bank, as all the legs move independently I can have one pointing up if needed. Incidentally, while working I was attacked by a motorcycle and side car, my smaller Benbo now has a prosthetic leg, white. [32mm plastic pipe] I use a monopod to lug around my Canon 400mm f2.8 as it is so heavy. I also have something that almost resembles a tripod, hooks over the car window, if I am using the car as a hide it takes the weight from my arms, though a beanbag works in an emergency. I use a heavy duty ball head on my monopod. I have made a ground skimmer, I just haven't used it yet. Keep up the good work!
Strap - gotta love the peak design.
tripod - I use QZSD tripod, cheap, but sturdy.
head - fluid video head is better than ball-head. Stable and provide adequate range of motion.
Hi Duade, great video. I've made a sled from an old beach chair and attached a gimbal, it looks a bit like a set of helicopter skids under my camera It Works a treat
I use both the iFootage TC7 tripod and the C150 monopod 🙂 For hand-holding I have a Black Rapid QD (quick detach) strap made for a rifle paired with a QD compatible tripod foot. This strap is honestly my favourite bit of kit and has allowed me to walk upto 10km with my 3kg camera.
Not only does it make it more comfortable to carry but also keeps my camera secure from drops and allows me to disconnect with the press of a button to quickly crouch or lay down. I wouldn't recommend it but I trust the attachment that much sometimes I let go of the camera altogether while walking, the camera starts to swing so it's always worthwhile to keep your hand on to tripod foot.
just realized you are about to hit 60k duade! I remember when you had like 20k not long ago it feels like. Good job.
Thanks, I appreciate it, I remember when I hit 1000 and was stoked :-) Cheers, Duade
Thanks for this detailed walk-through. Additional factors that can become important when purchasing a tripod are the warranty and customer service. The small parts for the leg locking mechanism can easily get damaged with dust, sand, and salt water - or broken when disassembling for cleaning. In many cases, that's the end of the tripod because manufacturers can't be bothered with the management of small parts. Sirui does offer a 6 years warranty and does send replacement parts for free under warranty (requires proof of purchase and pictures of damaged parts). They also sell spare parts but it quickly becomes more expensive than the actual tripod.
The twist vs clamp is also a fascinating debate. Some manufacturers are plain evil and design clamps that will pinch your skin when you open them (I have clamps on my Sirui tripod and whoever designed those deserve to get infested by the fleas of a thousand Afghan camels and grow arms too short to scratch their scrotum). Some manufacturers are incompetent and make twist locks that don't lock when wet.
speaking of budget, I use a K&F Concept Aluminium tripod. Got it from China for USD 38.2 😅 but it was listed on Amazon for about $100. Spent about $20 for shipment to Kenya. The tripod is sturdy but I own very light weight gears so I've not pushed it to its limit. The max payload is 10kg/22lb, max height is 72.8" and has flip locks. One leg can also be detached and used as a monopod. Basically I don't regret that purchase
Hi Duade I use all three, Mono pod for Sport, Hand Old & tripod for wildlife, big 500mm getting to heavy for my slight frame. great video.
Thanks mate, had fun yesterday, take care, Cheers, Duade
Best line in the video- "almost like a dance move..." Had to stop and laugh for a moment. It reminded all of us how much you thoroughly enjoy your craft.
As for the product, I do not have the iFootage monopod but I did acquire the three legged base last summer. It is a real back and neck saver for me when shooting prone since I can set the camera in place then give my old and scrawny neck a break. I have also used it out in wilderness areas perched atop a rock or large fallen timber. With it's small size, it is the only 'tripod' I keep in my backpack while on a hike.
For more challenging terrain and longer distances, I usually employ my Cotton Carrier CCS G3 Cammo Harness. The hands-free design allows me to traverse steep slopes, cross water barriers, and plow through dense vegetation without having to worry about the camera. While it can be used attached to foot and plate, I do not care for how close it is to my face nor how far it sticks out from my torso in this manner. Also, it may not be all that suitable for some of the larger lenses- My Canon RF 100-500 is about the limit, at least for someone my size.
Trust me I am not dancer lol, thanks for the feedback and great to hear you are enjoying the mini tripod, it is a wonderful piece of kit. Thanks for the tip re the harness. Cheers, Duade
I bought the lightest 1" ball mount, great quality, fixed it to the lightest cf mono pod, and let my RF 100-500 flop down to one side in the ball mount slot. Works like a gimble, but, super lightweight, cheap and strong. I always have the camera strap round my neck, just in case.
Ball mount flopped over on their side, work great as a gimble.
Thanks, Duade!
Very useful information, as I'm preparing for Patagônia - a bus trip.
Cheers from South Brazil!
A9 & 200-600 currently. Although I have a 3 legged thing tripod and Kenro gimbal head, and a 3 legged hing monopod. I am much more frequently using my peak design slide strap, and hand held.
I use the Blackrapid RS-4. It's a simple cross-body strap with a small pocket on the padded shoulder area that you can put an extra memory card and another battery. It keeps the camera at your waist and always ready to swing up and take a shot.
Thanks for sharing, good to hear the strap is working well for you. Cheers, Duade
Your last video I saw was on iso shutter speed and apiture setting for sharp bird shots explained in such a simple way and so helpful thanks
I use a Smallrig tripod, without center column and I'm very happy. It's light and very sturdy, even with my Nikon 200-500 and it is only about 170eur with ballhead included. The only downside is its height of 133cm, but it doesn't bother me to much.
Thanks, great to hear, I might have to try that one out. Cheers, Duade
Hi Dude, Regarding camera shoulder straps, I use Optech kit, strap is nylon webbing with snaplock connectors and the shoulder part is a shaped neoprene. The strap can be rigged for right or left handed use and I have found it very comfortable. I now have an RP and an R7 with Optech shoulder straps fitted to both cameras.
My apologies for the autocorrect spelling, Dude should have read Duade. Cheers and thanks for the great info about tripods etc.
Really helpful video. Handheld for me most of the time but my tripod sits at the door for the aurora season when I'm very lucky to get pictures from my driveway. It's essential then.
I have started using a monopod more often. With an older camera without IBS it helps me lower my SS while maintaining lower ISO. I just put a small ball head on top of the monopod and it works fine for me.
Great to hear and thanks for sharing, Cheers, Duade
Outstanding video - I've been hand holding more and more due to the number of people on trails and parks in my area - too many feet around the tripod!
Agree new tech allows more freedom, but I never leave home without the mini Oben CTT-1000 Carbon Fiber Tabletop. Slow shutter is a magical world that everyone should explore to the fullest. And shooting landscapes ground level will improve your keepers 75%
After years of suffering from shoulder pain from carrying my camera around on a strap, I finally dispensed with straps altogether. Instead I now carry my camera around with a Spider Holster, which puts the weight of the camera on my hip, making my shoulders much happier. It's an ingenious design that leaves the camera quickly accessible while leaving my arms free. It also allows me to wear my binoculars without interference from a camera strap. And I NEVER go out without binoculars as well as my camera. 🙂
Thanks for sharing David, glad to hear the spider holster is working out well for you. I didnt use straps because they often got in the way also and just preferred not using them. I will try some of these better options though I think. Cheers, Duade
Hi Duade
I usually use a Benro Tripod and Gimbal for birding. But most of my wildlife photography is Tigers, in India or big cats in Africa. For that, I use a bean bag. Full of polyurethane balls. They are super light (400 grams for the full bean bag with pellets).
Really enjoy your videos.
The past few weeks I have been looking into tripods and gimbals for my R7 and Rf 800 Lens. I mainly hand held for photos, but do have moments where I am waiting for the bird and pointing up for a while my arms get fatigued. Also, have started shooting a little video footage and can see a little bit of shake. Unfortunately the set ups are so expensive. Will have to wait, but appreciate the reviews and thoughts on some other options. Current using Peak Design slide strap, the wider version. It has been great and very comfortable to use. No issues. Thanks again for another great video! Your content really helps me as a photographer and is very enjoyable to watch.
Great video and discussion! I handhold when using my EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6. However, my EF 500mm f/4 weighs 8.5 lbs (3.87 kg) and too heavy for me to handhold. I use the iFootage aluminum monopod with Wimberley monopod gimbal 99% of the time (with the EF 500mm) and a Manfrotto 055 aluminum tripod with Wimberley WH-200 gimbal on occasion. Someday I'll buy the RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 and maybe then I can retire the monopod and tripod. Until then, 100% happy with my setup!
I use a tripod that has a leg that screws off and attaches to the center post to make monopod which works but is a bit of a faff about so what I do I have it set as a tripod with the legs extended but together and if I need to take a shot quickly just use it as a monopod and then if I am going to be in one place and want to use the tripod all i have to do is spread the legs and we are in action , I need to use them as I suffer from camera shake being all old and falling to bits, things don't work as they did when you get to 76 , love the channel by the way 👍
Great video Duade. Just to reinforce your comment about the Neweer gimbal. I shoot a ton and 90% of it is off two of those gimbals. Like others, I immediately removed the lubricant and replaced it with a high quality lithium lubricant and they work fantastic at a fraction of the cost. There are great instructions on RUclips that cover the process. There is absolutely nothing wrong with them otherwise.
Very good video…Thanks Duade. 👍
Greetings from Chile 🇨🇱
Personally, I bring a tripod with my gear every shoot. Whether I use it or not... That usually depends on my shutter speed. If I need long shutter speeds, say, greater than 1/60, I will almost always resort to a tripod. I do use a strap, but it is one quite similar to PeakDesign's wrist strap. I've hiked with it all over the US, and much rather have my camera in the palm of my hands, rather than hanging from my neck. Sometimes take a little finagling when I need both hands, but for the most part, the wrist strap is how I carry my camera around.
(I need a new tripod. Really like that iFootage you're using.)
Thanks Karl, a few people have mentioned the wrist strap, I might have to check it out. Cheers, Duade
Great video with some superb ideas which I will be using !
Thanks mate, Cheers, Duade
You asked about strap use Duade.
Many folk use a sling. I found as an active 'tog that I had to use one hand to steady the rig when it was hanging off a sling. Eg when skiing with a rig or clambering around a rolling boat on a pelagic cruise I need both hands free. So I use a Cotton Carrier Skout for the lighter rig and a CC Harness for the 4.5kg rig. These hold the rig on your chest. The Skout v1 could be offset to the side of your chest so you could more readily see your feet when moving.
CC calls these slings but that's a mistake. Better to call them holsters.
Duade I've just stared this video and already it has helped me make a decision :) been going back and forth about having a big prime... always assumed that would mean a tripod and that just made it seem less flexible. the idea of handheld, being able to move around easily... yes! and a little further in you start looking at why you would want one... for patience and macro yes! helpful God bless you :)
Duane, very nice, complete video. I am wondering about the demographics of the 82% of the photographers who only shoot hand held? At 71 years and back injuries, etc, I have found that hand holding produces less keepers overall than my tripod setup. I actually have done some studies shooting vehicle traffic with a tripod set up and hand holding at shutter speeds of 1/4000 sec. For me, many more keepers with the support of a tripod. I use an older Gitzo, 2 leg section, no center column, carbon fiber tripod which is very stable. Not too heavy either. After upgrading my kit to an R7 and RF 100-500mm lens, I was doing better with hand holding BUT have gone back to the tripod for more tack sharp results. I don’t live in an area where I walk thru dense bush, so the tripod usually doesn’t get in the way. Most of my shots are of raptors who love to test my patients by sitting on a perch for what seems like an eternity, if I had to hand hold for 30-45 minutes waiting for a fly away……. Well , I think the bird would win the patients game and I would be back in my car. I also have a Manfroto CF monopod . All of my heads are Wimberly, side kick, monopod MH-100 and recently an old WH-100 gimbal. In my experience, if you can buy good used equipment from a reputable manufacturer you are miles ahead of the equipment game. Of course if you can buy new, then…….
Happy shooting and GOOD LIGHT to all.
Sorry about the typo, DUADE
Great video Duane, after watching this decided to buy the iFootage and saved myself $35 US with your discount code. Thanks mate
Hope you enjoy it!
I own a Blackrapid Hybrid Dual Camera Slingstrap which is really good. It allows you to carry two cameras, one on each side of your body, and any time you want, you can just grab either camera, swing it up to your eye and take pictures.
I have several tripods. My oldest one is a Hama Profil 74, and it served me well until I got a Tamron 200-400 F5.6. I tried it on a windy day, and it was just wobbling all over the place. So a cheap tripod (I think it was about $80) can be okay, but definitely not for a long lens if there's any wind.
So I wanted to make sure I got a stable tripod, and I ordered a Manfrotto #161mk2B with a #229 Super Pro 3-way head. I got a shock when it arrived, 'cause I'd had no idea how enormous it is. Head included it weighs 9.5 kg (21 pounds), and it can bring the viewfinder all the way to 3 metres (10 feet). But it is rock solid! It also has these "retractable spikes" that you showed, and I really love that tripod! Whenever I don't plan to do any walking, I still often favour it over my other tripods.
But at some point I felt I needed something in between, so I bought a Manfrotto #055pro3. I chose the aluminium version. When you include the weight of the head, the carbon version is maybe 20% lighter, but it costs twice as much. It came in a kit with a MHXPro-BHQ2 magnesium ball head, and I added an extra RC-128 fluid video head. And when I bought my Sigma 150-600 C, I also bought the Manfrotto #393 gimbal head. It's not one of your "one-armed thief" type gimbals (stealing your money); it's two-armed, so it can be less sturdy and less expensive without losing any stability. They promote it as a monopod head now. They didn't when I bought it, and it works fine for me. For stability nothing beats my 3-way head, though.
I've also bought a couple of travel tripods: A Manfrotto Befree (again aluminium) and a K&F Concept KF-TC 2534 (because I wanted to try carbon and twist locks). But although they're both a little better than my old Hama, I'm not impressed with their stability.
I use the BlackRapid Sport Breathe strap and I absolutely love it! I have been able to do long hikes with it holding my Canon 100-400mm lens attached to my 5D Mark IV. Aside from a little stabilization with my hand to keep it from bouncing around too much, it is extremely comfortable. And I always have my camera at the ready should I stumble onto a bird or if one happens to fly past. Highly recommend!
Great video Duade. I seldom use a tripod (and hence I'm not that skilled with it :). I tend to use one for macro, landscape, grand child, and birding on shorelines and when I am staked out. I use a Robus RC-5558-3 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod (with only 3 leg sections which is faster and more stable than the 4 section version IMO) w/Wimberley Gimbal and a Benro MSD46C SupaDupa Carbon Fiber Monopod and Wimberley. Try the PEAK DESIGN shoulder strap. I tried one last year and now own 2 of them. I find that they are simple, easy to attach and detach, comfortable and quick and smooth from side to eyeball. :)
Duade, brillaine review, very well explained for all available options. Just wish I had your sunlight here in the UK 😁
Well, I'm one of those guys in the 11%. The only time I don't use a tripod, is when shooting from my car, where I use the window frame for support. And its NOT that I'm using such heavy gear. On the contrary, my long lens is very light, but its slow. It's my RF 800 F11. Love it so much, I plan to get the 600 F11 soon. my only faster birding lens is my ancient 400 5.6, but of course, it has no built in IS, so again, still best with a tripod. BTW, my tripod is probably heavier duty than I really needed, but I guess being "too stable" is never a problem, right ? It is the Artcise CS80C, and it was only $179.00 US $ Fantastic value for what it is. BTW, I just noticed that your using the Flexshooter head. Those look super intriguing. I can see one of those burning a hole in my wallet soon :)
Another cracking video.
I rarely use either a tripod or a monopod but finding that with injuries, surgeries and older age that I have to reconsider each trip and the tools that I'll take and potentially use to have an enjoyable day of shooting. I do own these tools/items but the location, environment and my capacity to hold it all make more decisions about its use.
Along my photographic journey I've also made some items to save a few dollars.
Really enjoying your video's and the content.
Great information as always Duade! Gimbels are great but not for video in my opinion. I need the ability to adjust friction for smoother panning. The Flexshooter seems like a good compromise between size and adjustability.
Thanks Zachary, I agree, I really need to try a fluid head at some stage. Cheers, Duade
Definitely recommend the Peak design strap, wide comfortable and easy to use. My camera lens combo is about 2.5kg, I don't have any problems carrying it on long trips
Hey, i just got to say i really like your videos mate!
Thanks, I appreciate it, Cheers, Duade
I have the same experience with my gimbal head. The grease thickened over time, and at the end it got more or less stuck. I ended up demantle it, clean out all the grease, degrease it with better grease, and now it works perfectly.
Loved this video, very informative. I have been using the Canon RF400 f2.8 with 1.4TC and R5 for the last six months traveling thru ten countries in Africa and a few islands in the mediterranean. I usually loop the Peak Design strap thru the tripod collar of the lens and sling the camera with the lens on my back like a quiver with the lens pointing down. Nothing rubbing against my back and the load distribution is good for the back of a 60 year old. However, this solution is not good when I have to wait or if there is a strong breeze while shooting. So, I am planning to buy the PD carbon fiber tripod as it will fit inside the Thinktank Glass Limo backpack during travel and into my Matador hiking backpack for rain protection when needed. I have also ordered the Fotopro E-6H gimbal head which is easy to pack and it can double up as a video head as well (based on the reviews, not received it as yet). In my retirement, I have been traveling for months at a time and so optimization of the gear and its weight/size is high priority for me. Will be traveling with a the new tripod+gimbal in a month from now thru South America. I am a complete amateur at this.
Hey Duade, great video again. Primarily handheld, Canon R6 and 100-500 (or 150-600). But sometimes using my BENRO TMA38CL MACH3 and NEEWER GM-QS Metal Gimbal Tripod Head.
I have the flex shooter pro with the clamp and I really enjoy using it. It's my vehicle set up and I have a larger heavier tripod and gimbal that I keep it home. The only negative of the flex shooter is that that one knob controls locking off vertical and panning so you can't just lock off one or the other. Aside from that it's lightweight and very enjoyable to use.
A nice video, I need to use a monopod due to work related shoulder problems, holding for a period of time will cause discomfort.
One of my favorite things about a tripod and gimbal is being able to stand beside it waiting for some action to happen and sipping my coffee. If you have a monopod you still have to balance and hold it all of the time and if you let it go for an instant it's going to fall to the ground. To me that doesn't give you the best benefit of the tripod which is being able to stand nearby and not have to hold the camera at every moment. I've added a remote shutter and gone inside the house and grabbed action looking out the window while the tripod and Camera are aimed at a perch.
Yep, tripod still useful at night with a low ISO and when waiting for the right moment to click. Funnily enough I have a Neewer N55C too, and it's perfectly fine for my relatively light gear