Tip of the Month
Gitzo Monopod
December 2011
We just reurned from our trip to Antarctica, the Falklands, and South Georgia. The trip is one of the most physical for us for a variety of reasons. Clothing alone weighed 16 pounds for me, and 12 for Mary, about 10% of our body weight, and with our camera packs and tripods we were probably hauling 25% of our body weight every time we were on land. We fell into our bunks each night tired. We're always looking for new and better ways to shed some of the weight we're carrying, and I believe we just found a great one!
One of the participants on our trip was carrying, and enthusiastically endorsing, the Gitzo Monopod he was using in lieu of a tripod. I used it once to see how it 'felt' and worked and I loved it. I was carrying a very light weight monopod that I was using for wide-angle close-ups (see the images above) but the rig I was carrying wasn't sturdy enough for a bigger lens. The Manfrotto distributed Gitzo Monopod (Model GM5561T) certainly was big enough and sturdy enough to manage any lens I'd mount upon the rig. This Monopod is available directly from the Manfrotto web site and all the reviews were 5 stars! My favorite dealer, Allen's Camera, has this model in stock, as does my other favorite, Hunt's Photo, so it is available despite my Manfrotto search!
Although I'll probably, and I'll emphasize 'probably,' take our Gitzo carbon-fiber tripods on our next trip to this region, I know we'll be packing our new Monopods as well. I know I'll be taking the Monopod along on our upcoming trip to India for Tigers, and although I have always used a tripod when photographing Mountain Gorillas, I'll probably try the Monopod there as well. For gorillas, a good monopod could be really useful, making moving through the bamboo and brush so much easier.
There are several reasons why I think that using a Monopod may have real advantages over a tripod for wildlife shooting. One, the relatively light weight makes carrying the gear a joy. Two, shooting 'on the fly' where mobility and ease of picking up a subject that may not stay very long will certainly be enhanced, as we won't be dealing with three legs. Further, a really big lens truly is not needed for this trip as distances are close. Mary and I both carried our 500mm f4 lenses, and used them on many shore excursions, but when any serious walking was involved we opted for the very light weight, and extremely sharp, 400mm f5.6 telephotos. This was the lens we often used for flight shots of petrels and albatrosses flying past the boat -- when we weren't using 70-200mm lenses. Often the birds were too close for a larger telephoto, but when they were distant it was much easier to hand-hold a 400 rather than the much heavier 500mm lens. With a Monopod, supporting the 400mm would have made our shooting that much easier as, truly, one does get tired holding up any telephoto in a semi-shooting stance waiting for a fly-by.
With only one leg to deal with, using a Monopod allows for fast perspective changes from high to low. The stability a tripod traditionally offers is not as great a consideration with digital as it was with film, when a 'high' ISO would be 400 (and rarely used) while today, in digital ISO 400 is often the default, and much higher ISOs can be used with little reduction in quality. Thus, a higher ISO (even just 400 in most situations) coupled with a VR or IS lens makes camera stability less critical.
In truth, most wildlife photographers really use a tripod as a support rather than as a rock-steady base, since the Wimberley Gimbal Head or Really Right Stuff or AcraTech heads are usually kept lose to allow panning or shifting to follow a subject. For some work, for example a duck roosting upon a rock in a fast moving stream where a slow shutter might convey the motion of the water and create a dreamy appearance, then a truly motionless camera, mounted on a tripod, would be needed. You can't realistically hold a monopod rock-steady at 1/4th of a second! However, for most work the tripod head is set loosely and the entire rig -- tripod head and tripod -- acts simply as a support, holding the camera at the right height. For that work a Monopod would do just fine.
A monopod also has another advantage that a tripod does not, and that is functioning as a camera 'boom' or extension. That's why I brought along the cheap, light weight monopod, as I envisioned extending the camera forward along the ground to shoot wide-angle close-ups of wildlife without disturbing them or encroaching upon their space by physically moving in closer. With the monopod I could extend my rig along the ground, sliding it forward across the sand or stones, while I manipulated the rig several feet further away. That's how I got the shots above, although I was helped because in both cased the curious subjects actually walked or shuffled in closer once I had my camera in position. Of course, if you try this type of shot you'll need some type of remote camera tripper, either a long cable release or, better yet, a wireless trigger like the inexpensive RPS Studio Wireless Remote Shutter, otherwise you'll have the camera out there and not be able to fire it!
You'll also need a ballhead of some type to mount upon the Monopod for maximum flexibility. A short lens, lacking a tripod collar, can only be squared up via a ballhead. A longer zoom or telephoto, equipped with a tripod collar, can be squared by simply rotating the lens on its axis inside the collar, but it still will be quicker and easier to make the leveling adjustment by having the ballhead loose enough to accomplish this.
For our next Antarctica trip, scheduled tentatively for March of 2013 with Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris, where we'll once again be one of the leaders, we know that the Monopods will be a vital part of our gear. We'll be saving weight and our bodies, and enjoying a stability on the boat and flexibility on land that we haven't had before!
Previous Tips, July 2009 onward
Easy Macro with Extension Tubes and Zoom Lenses
FotoSharp Camou Rain Covers
Canon 17mm T/S Lens
Locking Button for the Canon 7D
NIK HDR Program
Silver Efex Pro for Black and White Images
Beware the DELL Software Solution Rip Off
How and What We Pack for Trips
Canon Digital Learning Center
The Movie Mode with the Canon Mark IV
Batch Renaming in Bridge and CS5
Alternate Uses of some Bogen Products
Hoodman Products
Using High ISO and Live View for Focusing in Dim Light
Art Print Scams for Hungry Photographers
Hungry Vultures ruin vehicles in the Everglades
Use a Short Lens for Depth of Field
Get Professional Help!
Mini-Molar Bag
Access America Trip Insurance
Bogen Base for Macro Work
Archived Tips of the Month
prior to July 2009
Most of my original Tips of the Month for the last several
years are available through this link. The 'look' is from my
original web site, although if I ever have enough time I might redo these pages to match the new web site But that's not a high priority.
Check out our latest website,
mcdonaldwildlifephotos.com
where we'll be adding portfolios and eventually building up
a searchable data base for photo buyers. We've just started,
and the selection is limited, but it is still worth a visit!
Office Phone: (717) 543-6423
Or FAX us at: (717) 543-5342
Previous Tips, July 2009 onward
Extension Tubes and Zoom Lenses for easy Macro
FotoSharp Camou Rain Covers
Canon 17mm T/S Lens
Locking Button for the Canon 7D
NIK HDR Program
Silver Efex Pro for Black and White Images
Beware the DELL Software Solution Rip Off
How and What We Pack for Trips
Canon Digital Learning Center
The Movie Mode with the Canon Mark IV
Batch Renaming in Bridge and CS5
Alternate Uses of some Bogen Products
Hoodman Products
Using High ISO and Live View for Focusing in Dim Light
Art Print Scams for Hungry Photographers
Hungry Vultures ruin vehicles in the Everglades
Use a Short Lens for Depth of Field
Get Professional Help!
Mini-Molar Bag
Access America Trip Insurance
Bogen Base for Macro Work
Archived Tips of the Month
prior to July 2009
Most of my original Tips of the Month for the last several
years are available through this link. The 'look' is from my
original web site, although if I ever have enough time I might redo these pages to match the new web site But that's not a high priority.
Tip of the Month
Gitzo Monopod
December 2011
We just reurned from our trip to Antarctica, the Falklands, and South Georgia. The trip is one of the most physical for us for a variety of reasons. Clothing alone weighed 16 pounds for me, and 12 for Mary, about 10% of our body weight, and with our camera packs and tripods we were probably hauling 25% of our body weight every time we were on land. We fell into our bunks each night tired. We're always looking for new and better ways to shed some of the weight we're carrying, and I believe we just found a great one!
One of the participants on our trip was carrying, and enthusiastically endorsing, the Gitzo Monopod he was using in lieu of a tripod. I used it once to see how it 'felt' and worked and I loved it. I was carrying a very light weight monopod that I was using for wide-angle close-ups (see the images above) but the rig I was carrying wasn't sturdy enough for a bigger lens. The Manfrotto distributed Gitzo Monopod (Model GM5561T) certainly was big enough and sturdy enough to manage any lens I'd mount upon the rig. This Monopod is available directly from the Manfrotto web site and all the reviews were 5 stars! My favorite dealer, Allen's Camera, has this model in stock, as does my other favorite, Hunt's Photo, so it is available despite my Manfrotto search!
Although I'll probably, and I'll emphasize 'probably,' take our Gitzo carbon-fiber tripods on our next trip to this region, I know we'll be packing our new Monopods as well. I know I'll be taking the Monopod along on our upcoming trip to India for Tigers, and although I have always used a tripod when photographing Mountain Gorillas, I'll probably try the Monopod there as well. For gorillas, a good monopod could be really useful, making moving through the bamboo and brush so much easier.
There are several reasons why I think that using a Monopod may have real advantages over a tripod for wildlife shooting. One, the relatively light weight makes carrying the gear a joy. Two, shooting 'on the fly' where mobility and ease of picking up a subject that may not stay very long will certainly be enhanced, as we won't be dealing with three legs. Further, a really big lens truly is not needed for this trip as distances are close. Mary and I both carried our 500mm f4 lenses, and used them on many shore excursions, but when any serious walking was involved we opted for the very light weight, and extremely sharp, 400mm f5.6 telephotos. This was the lens we often used for flight shots of petrels and albatrosses flying past the boat -- when we weren't using 70-200mm lenses. Often the birds were too close for a larger telephoto, but when they were distant it was much easier to hand-hold a 400 rather than the much heavier 500mm lens. With a Monopod, supporting the 400mm would have made our shooting that much easier as, truly, one does get tired holding up any telephoto in a semi-shooting stance waiting for a fly-by.
With only one leg to deal with, using a Monopod allows for fast perspective changes from high to low. The stability a tripod traditionally offers is not as great a consideration with digital as it was with film, when a 'high' ISO would be 400 (and rarely used) while today, in digital ISO 400 is often the default, and much higher ISOs can be used with little reduction in quality. Thus, a higher ISO (even just 400 in most situations) coupled with a VR or IS lens makes camera stability less critical.
In truth, most wildlife photographers really use a tripod as a support rather than as a rock-steady base, since the Wimberley Gimbal Head or Really Right Stuff or AcraTech heads are usually kept lose to allow panning or shifting to follow a subject. For some work, for example a duck roosting upon a rock in a fast moving stream where a slow shutter might convey the motion of the water and create a dreamy appearance, then a truly motionless camera, mounted on a tripod, would be needed. You can't realistically hold a monopod rock-steady at 1/4th of a second! However, for most work the tripod head is set loosely and the entire rig -- tripod head and tripod -- acts simply as a support, holding the camera at the right height. For that work a Monopod would do just fine.
A monopod also has another advantage that a tripod does not, and that is functioning as a camera 'boom' or extension. That's why I brought along the cheap, light weight monopod, as I envisioned extending the camera forward along the ground to shoot wide-angle close-ups of wildlife without disturbing them or encroaching upon their space by physically moving in closer. With the monopod I could extend my rig along the ground, sliding it forward across the sand or stones, while I manipulated the rig several feet further away. That's how I got the shots above, although I was helped because in both cased the curious subjects actually walked or shuffled in closer once I had my camera in position. Of course, if you try this type of shot you'll need some type of remote camera tripper, either a long cable release or, better yet, a wireless trigger like the inexpensive RPS Studio Wireless Remote Shutter, otherwise you'll have the camera out there and not be able to fire it!
You'll also need a ballhead of some type to mount upon the Monopod for maximum flexibility. A short lens, lacking a tripod collar, can only be squared up via a ballhead. A longer zoom or telephoto, equipped with a tripod collar, can be squared by simply rotating the lens on its axis inside the collar, but it still will be quicker and easier to make the leveling adjustment by having the ballhead loose enough to accomplish this.
For our next Antarctica trip, scheduled tentatively for March of 2013 with Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris, where we'll once again be one of the leaders, we know that the Monopods will be a vital part of our gear. We'll be saving weight and our bodies, and enjoying a stability on the boat and flexibility on land that we haven't had before!
Previous Tips, July 2009 onward
Easy Macro with Extension Tubes and Zoom Lenses
FotoSharp Camou Rain Covers
Canon 17mm T/S Lens
Locking Button for the Canon 7D
NIK HDR Program
Silver Efex Pro for Black and White Images
Beware the DELL Software Solution Rip Off
How and What We Pack for Trips
Canon Digital Learning Center
The Movie Mode with the Canon Mark IV
Batch Renaming in Bridge and CS5
Alternate Uses of some Bogen Products
Hoodman Products
Using High ISO and Live View for Focusing in Dim Light
Art Print Scams for Hungry Photographers
Hungry Vultures ruin vehicles in the Everglades
Use a Short Lens for Depth of Field
Get Professional Help!
Mini-Molar Bag
Access America Trip Insurance
Bogen Base for Macro Work
Archived Tips of the Month
prior to July 2009
Most of my original Tips of the Month for the last several
years are available through this link. The 'look' is from my
original web site, although if I ever have enough time I might redo these pages to match the new web site But that's not a high priority.
Check out our latest website,
mcdonaldwildlifephotos.com
where we'll be adding portfolios and eventually building up
a searchable data base for photo buyers. We've just started,
and the selection is limited, but it is still worth a visit!
Office Phone: (717) 543-6423
Or FAX us at: (717) 543-5342
Previous Tips, July 2009 onward
Extension Tubes and Zoom Lenses for easy Macro
FotoSharp Camou Rain Covers
Canon 17mm T/S Lens
Locking Button for the Canon 7D
NIK HDR Program
Silver Efex Pro for Black and White Images
Beware the DELL Software Solution Rip Off
How and What We Pack for Trips
Canon Digital Learning Center
The Movie Mode with the Canon Mark IV
Batch Renaming in Bridge and CS5
Alternate Uses of some Bogen Products
Hoodman Products
Using High ISO and Live View for Focusing in Dim Light
Art Print Scams for Hungry Photographers
Hungry Vultures ruin vehicles in the Everglades
Use a Short Lens for Depth of Field
Get Professional Help!
Mini-Molar Bag
Access America Trip Insurance
Bogen Base for Macro Work
Archived Tips of the Month
prior to July 2009
Most of my original Tips of the Month for the last several
years are available through this link. The 'look' is from my
original web site, although if I ever have enough time I might redo these pages to match the new web site But that's not a high priority.
Tip of the Month
Gitzo Monopod
December 2011
We just reurned from our trip to Antarctica, the Falklands, and South Georgia. The trip is one of the most physical for us for a variety of reasons. Clothing alone weighed 16 pounds for me, and 12 for Mary, about 10% of our body weight, and with our camera packs and tripods we were probably hauling 25% of our body weight every time we were on land. We fell into our bunks each night tired. We're always looking for new and better ways to shed some of the weight we're carrying, and I believe we just found a great one!
One of the participants on our trip was carrying, and enthusiastically endorsing, the Gitzo Monopod he was using in lieu of a tripod. I used it once to see how it 'felt' and worked and I loved it. I was carrying a very light weight monopod that I was using for wide-angle close-ups (see the images above) but the rig I was carrying wasn't sturdy enough for a bigger lens. The Manfrotto distributed Gitzo Monopod (Model GM5561T) certainly was big enough and sturdy enough to manage any lens I'd mount upon the rig. This Monopod is available directly from the Manfrotto web site and all the reviews were 5 stars! My favorite dealer, Allen's Camera, has this model in stock, as does my other favorite, Hunt's Photo, so it is available despite my Manfrotto search!
Although I'll probably, and I'll emphasize 'probably,' take our Gitzo carbon-fiber tripods on our next trip to this region, I know we'll be packing our new Monopods as well. I know I'll be taking the Monopod along on our upcoming trip to India for Tigers, and although I have always used a tripod when photographing Mountain Gorillas, I'll probably try the Monopod there as well. For gorillas, a good monopod could be really useful, making moving through the bamboo and brush so much easier.
There are several reasons why I think that using a Monopod may have real advantages over a tripod for wildlife shooting. One, the relatively light weight makes carrying the gear a joy. Two, shooting 'on the fly' where mobility and ease of picking up a subject that may not stay very long will certainly be enhanced, as we won't be dealing with three legs. Further, a really big lens truly is not needed for this trip as distances are close. Mary and I both carried our 500mm f4 lenses, and used them on many shore excursions, but when any serious walking was involved we opted for the very light weight, and extremely sharp, 400mm f5.6 telephotos. This was the lens we often used for flight shots of petrels and albatrosses flying past the boat -- when we weren't using 70-200mm lenses. Often the birds were too close for a larger telephoto, but when they were distant it was much easier to hand-hold a 400 rather than the much heavier 500mm lens. With a Monopod, supporting the 400mm would have made our shooting that much easier as, truly, one does get tired holding up any telephoto in a semi-shooting stance waiting for a fly-by.
With only one leg to deal with, using a Monopod allows for fast perspective changes from high to low. The stability a tripod traditionally offers is not as great a consideration with digital as it was with film, when a 'high' ISO would be 400 (and rarely used) while today, in digital ISO 400 is often the default, and much higher ISOs can be used with little reduction in quality. Thus, a higher ISO (even just 400 in most situations) coupled with a VR or IS lens makes camera stability less critical.
In truth, most wildlife photographers really use a tripod as a support rather than as a rock-steady base, since the Wimberley Gimbal Head or Really Right Stuff or AcraTech heads are usually kept lose to allow panning or shifting to follow a subject. For some work, for example a duck roosting upon a rock in a fast moving stream where a slow shutter might convey the motion of the water and create a dreamy appearance, then a truly motionless camera, mounted on a tripod, would be needed. You can't realistically hold a monopod rock-steady at 1/4th of a second! However, for most work the tripod head is set loosely and the entire rig -- tripod head and tripod -- acts simply as a support, holding the camera at the right height. For that work a Monopod would do just fine.
A monopod also has another advantage that a tripod does not, and that is functioning as a camera 'boom' or extension. That's why I brought along the cheap, light weight monopod, as I envisioned extending the camera forward along the ground to shoot wide-angle close-ups of wildlife without disturbing them or encroaching upon their space by physically moving in closer. With the monopod I could extend my rig along the ground, sliding it forward across the sand or stones, while I manipulated the rig several feet further away. That's how I got the shots above, although I was helped because in both cased the curious subjects actually walked or shuffled in closer once I had my camera in position. Of course, if you try this type of shot you'll need some type of remote camera tripper, either a long cable release or, better yet, a wireless trigger like the inexpensive RPS Studio Wireless Remote Shutter, otherwise you'll have the camera out there and not be able to fire it!
You'll also need a ballhead of some type to mount upon the Monopod for maximum flexibility. A short lens, lacking a tripod collar, can only be squared up via a ballhead. A longer zoom or telephoto, equipped with a tripod collar, can be squared by simply rotating the lens on its axis inside the collar, but it still will be quicker and easier to make the leveling adjustment by having the ballhead loose enough to accomplish this.
For our next Antarctica trip, scheduled tentatively for March of 2013 with Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris, where we'll once again be one of the leaders, we know that the Monopods will be a vital part of our gear. We'll be saving weight and our bodies, and enjoying a stability on the boat and flexibility on land that we haven't had before!
Previous Tips, July 2009 onward
Easy Macro with Extension Tubes and Zoom Lenses
FotoSharp Camou Rain Covers
Canon 17mm T/S Lens
Locking Button for the Canon 7D
NIK HDR Program
Silver Efex Pro for Black and White Images
Beware the DELL Software Solution Rip Off
How and What We Pack for Trips
Canon Digital Learning Center
The Movie Mode with the Canon Mark IV
Batch Renaming in Bridge and CS5
Alternate Uses of some Bogen Products
Hoodman Products
Using High ISO and Live View for Focusing in Dim Light
Art Print Scams for Hungry Photographers
Hungry Vultures ruin vehicles in the Everglades
Use a Short Lens for Depth of Field
Get Professional Help!
Mini-Molar Bag
Access America Trip Insurance
Bogen Base for Macro Work
Archived Tips of the Month
prior to July 2009
Most of my original Tips of the Month for the last several
years are available through this link. The 'look' is from my
original web site, although if I ever have enough time I might redo these pages to match the new web site But that's not a high priority.
Check out our latest website,
mcdonaldwildlifephotos.com
where we'll be adding portfolios and eventually building up
a searchable data base for photo buyers. We've just started,
and the selection is limited, but it is still worth a visit!
Office Phone: (717) 543-6423
Or FAX us at: (717) 543-5342
Previous Tips, July 2009 onward
Extension Tubes and Zoom Lenses for easy Macro
FotoSharp Camou Rain Covers
Canon 17mm T/S Lens
Locking Button for the Canon 7D
NIK HDR Program
Silver Efex Pro for Black and White Images
Beware the DELL Software Solution Rip Off
How and What We Pack for Trips
Canon Digital Learning Center
The Movie Mode with the Canon Mark IV
Batch Renaming in Bridge and CS5
Alternate Uses of some Bogen Products
Hoodman Products
Using High ISO and Live View for Focusing in Dim Light
Art Print Scams for Hungry Photographers
Hungry Vultures ruin vehicles in the Everglades
Use a Short Lens for Depth of Field
Get Professional Help!
Mini-Molar Bag
Access America Trip Insurance
Bogen Base for Macro Work
Archived Tips of the Month
prior to July 2009
Most of my original Tips of the Month for the last several
years are available through this link. The 'look' is from my
original web site, although if I ever have enough time I might redo these pages to match the new web site But that's not a high priority.
Tip of the Month
Gitzo Monopod
December 2011
We just reurned from our trip to Antarctica, the Falklands, and South Georgia. The trip is one of the most physical for us for a variety of reasons. Clothing alone weighed 16 pounds for me, and 12 for Mary, about 10% of our body weight, and with our camera packs and tripods we were probably hauling 25% of our body weight every time we were on land. We fell into our bunks each night tired. We're always looking for new and better ways to shed some of the weight we're carrying, and I believe we just found a great one!
One of the participants on our trip was carrying, and enthusiastically endorsing, the Gitzo Monopod he was using in lieu of a tripod. I used it once to see how it 'felt' and worked and I loved it. I was carrying a very light weight monopod that I was using for wide-angle close-ups (see the images above) but the rig I was carrying wasn't sturdy enough for a bigger lens. The Manfrotto distributed Gitzo Monopod (Model GM5561T) certainly was big enough and sturdy enough to manage any lens I'd mount upon the rig. This Monopod is available directly from the Manfrotto web site and all the reviews were 5 stars! My favorite dealer, Allen's Camera, has this model in stock, as does my other favorite, Hunt's Photo, so it is available despite my Manfrotto search!
Although I'll probably, and I'll emphasize 'probably,' take our Gitzo carbon-fiber tripods on our next trip to this region, I know we'll be packing our new Monopods as well. I know I'll be taking the Monopod along on our upcoming trip to India for Tigers, and although I have always used a tripod when photographing Mountain Gorillas, I'll probably try the Monopod there as well. For gorillas, a good monopod could be really useful, making moving through the bamboo and brush so much easier.
There are several reasons why I think that using a Monopod may have real advantages over a tripod for wildlife shooting. One, the relatively light weight makes carrying the gear a joy. Two, shooting 'on the fly' where mobility and ease of picking up a subject that may not stay very long will certainly be enhanced, as we won't be dealing with three legs. Further, a really big lens truly is not needed for this trip as distances are close. Mary and I both carried our 500mm f4 lenses, and used them on many shore excursions, but when any serious walking was involved we opted for the very light weight, and extremely sharp, 400mm f5.6 telephotos. This was the lens we often used for flight shots of petrels and albatrosses flying past the boat -- when we weren't using 70-200mm lenses. Often the birds were too close for a larger telephoto, but when they were distant it was much easier to hand-hold a 400 rather than the much heavier 500mm lens. With a Monopod, supporting the 400mm would have made our shooting that much easier as, truly, one does get tired holding up any telephoto in a semi-shooting stance waiting for a fly-by.
With only one leg to deal with, using a Monopod allows for fast perspective changes from high to low. The stability a tripod traditionally offers is not as great a consideration with digital as it was with film, when a 'high' ISO would be 400 (and rarely used) while today, in digital ISO 400 is often the default, and much higher ISOs can be used with little reduction in quality. Thus, a higher ISO (even just 400 in most situations) coupled with a VR or IS lens makes camera stability less critical.
In truth, most wildlife photographers really use a tripod as a support rather than as a rock-steady base, since the Wimberley Gimbal Head or Really Right Stuff or AcraTech heads are usually kept lose to allow panning or shifting to follow a subject. For some work, for example a duck roosting upon a rock in a fast moving stream where a slow shutter might convey the motion of the water and create a dreamy appearance, then a truly motionless camera, mounted on a tripod, would be needed. You can't realistically hold a monopod rock-steady at 1/4th of a second! However, for most work the tripod head is set loosely and the entire rig -- tripod head and tripod -- acts simply as a support, holding the camera at the right height. For that work a Monopod would do just fine.
A monopod also has another advantage that a tripod does not, and that is functioning as a camera 'boom' or extension. That's why I brought along the cheap, light weight monopod, as I envisioned extending the camera forward along the ground to shoot wide-angle close-ups of wildlife without disturbing them or encroaching upon their space by physically moving in closer. With the monopod I could extend my rig along the ground, sliding it forward across the sand or stones, while I manipulated the rig several feet further away. That's how I got the shots above, although I was helped because in both cased the curious subjects actually walked or shuffled in closer once I had my camera in position. Of course, if you try this type of shot you'll need some type of remote camera tripper, either a long cable release or, better yet, a wireless trigger like the inexpensive RPS Studio Wireless Remote Shutter, otherwise you'll have the camera out there and not be able to fire it!
You'll also need a ballhead of some type to mount upon the Monopod for maximum flexibility. A short lens, lacking a tripod collar, can only be squared up via a ballhead. A longer zoom or telephoto, equipped with a tripod collar, can be squared by simply rotating the lens on its axis inside the collar, but it still will be quicker and easier to make the leveling adjustment by having the ballhead loose enough to accomplish this.
For our next Antarctica trip, scheduled tentatively for March of 2013 with Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris, where we'll once again be one of the leaders, we know that the Monopods will be a vital part of our gear. We'll be saving weight and our bodies, and enjoying a stability on the boat and flexibility on land that we haven't had before!
Previous Tips, July 2009 onward
Easy Macro with Extension Tubes and Zoom Lenses
FotoSharp Camou Rain Covers
Canon 17mm T/S Lens
Locking Button for the Canon 7D
NIK HDR Program
Silver Efex Pro for Black and White Images
Beware the DELL Software Solution Rip Off
How and What We Pack for Trips
Canon Digital Learning Center
The Movie Mode with the Canon Mark IV
Batch Renaming in Bridge and CS5
Alternate Uses of some Bogen Products
Hoodman Products
Using High ISO and Live View for Focusing in Dim Light
Art Print Scams for Hungry Photographers
Hungry Vultures ruin vehicles in the Everglades
Use a Short Lens for Depth of Field
Get Professional Help!
Mini-Molar Bag
Access America Trip Insurance
Bogen Base for Macro Work
Archived Tips of the Month
prior to July 2009
Most of my original Tips of the Month for the last several
years are available through this link. The 'look' is from my
original web site, although if I ever have enough time I might redo these pages to match the new web site But that's not a high priority.
Check out our latest website,
mcdonaldwildlifephotos.com
where we'll be adding portfolios and eventually building up
a searchable data base for photo buyers. We've just started,
and the selection is limited, but it is still worth a visit!
Office Phone: (717) 543-6423
Or FAX us at: (717) 543-5342
Previous Tips, July 2009 onward
Extension Tubes and Zoom Lenses for easy Macro
FotoSharp Camou Rain Covers
Canon 17mm T/S Lens
Locking Button for the Canon 7D
NIK HDR Program
Silver Efex Pro for Black and White Images
Beware the DELL Software Solution Rip Off
How and What We Pack for Trips
Canon Digital Learning Center
The Movie Mode with the Canon Mark IV
Batch Renaming in Bridge and CS5
Alternate Uses of some Bogen Products
Hoodman Products
Using High ISO and Live View for Focusing in Dim Light
Art Print Scams for Hungry Photographers
Hungry Vultures ruin vehicles in the Everglades
Use a Short Lens for Depth of Field
Get Professional Help!
Mini-Molar Bag
Access America Trip Insurance
Bogen Base for Macro Work
Archived Tips of the Month
prior to July 2009
Most of my original Tips of the Month for the last several
years are available through this link. The 'look' is from my
original web site, although if I ever have enough time I might redo these pages to match the new web site But that's not a high priority.
Tip of the Month
Gitzo Monopod
December 2011
We just reurned from our trip to Antarctica, the Falklands, and South Georgia. The trip is one of the most physical for us for a variety of reasons. Clothing alone weighed 16 pounds for me, and 12 for Mary, about 10% of our body weight, and with our camera packs and tripods we were probably hauling 25% of our body weight every time we were on land. We fell into our bunks each night tired. We're always looking for new and better ways to shed some of the weight we're carrying, and I believe we just found a great one!
One of the participants on our trip was carrying, and enthusiastically endorsing, the Gitzo Monopod he was using in lieu of a tripod. I used it once to see how it 'felt' and worked and I loved it. I was carrying a very light weight monopod that I was using for wide-angle close-ups (see the images above) but the rig I was carrying wasn't sturdy enough for a bigger lens. The Manfrotto distributed Gitzo Monopod (Model GM5561T) certainly was big enough and sturdy enough to manage any lens I'd mount upon the rig. This Monopod is available directly from the Manfrotto web site and all the reviews were 5 stars! My favorite dealer, Allen's Camera, has this model in stock, as does my other favorite, Hunt's Photo, so it is available despite my Manfrotto search!
Although I'll probably, and I'll emphasize 'probably,' take our Gitzo carbon-fiber tripods on our next trip to this region, I know we'll be packing our new Monopods as well. I know I'll be taking the Monopod along on our upcoming trip to India for Tigers, and although I have always used a tripod when photographing Mountain Gorillas, I'll probably try the Monopod there as well. For gorillas, a good monopod could be really useful, making moving through the bamboo and brush so much easier.
There are several reasons why I think that using a Monopod may have real advantages over a tripod for wildlife shooting. One, the relatively light weight makes carrying the gear a joy. Two, shooting 'on the fly' where mobility and ease of picking up a subject that may not stay very long will certainly be enhanced, as we won't be dealing with three legs. Further, a really big lens truly is not needed for this trip as distances are close. Mary and I both carried our 500mm f4 lenses, and used them on many shore excursions, but when any serious walking was involved we opted for the very light weight, and extremely sharp, 400mm f5.6 telephotos. This was the lens we often used for flight shots of petrels and albatrosses flying past the boat -- when we weren't using 70-200mm lenses. Often the birds were too close for a larger telephoto, but when they were distant it was much easier to hand-hold a 400 rather than the much heavier 500mm lens. With a Monopod, supporting the 400mm would have made our shooting that much easier as, truly, one does get tired holding up any telephoto in a semi-shooting stance waiting for a fly-by.
With only one leg to deal with, using a Monopod allows for fast perspective changes from high to low. The stability a tripod traditionally offers is not as great a consideration with digital as it was with film, when a 'high' ISO would be 400 (and rarely used) while today, in digital ISO 400 is often the default, and much higher ISOs can be used with little reduction in quality. Thus, a higher ISO (even just 400 in most situations) coupled with a VR or IS lens makes camera stability less critical.
In truth, most wildlife photographers really use a tripod as a support rather than as a rock-steady base, since the Wimberley Gimbal Head or Really Right Stuff or AcraTech heads are usually kept lose to allow panning or shifting to follow a subject. For some work, for example a duck roosting upon a rock in a fast moving stream where a slow shutter might convey the motion of the water and create a dreamy appearance, then a truly motionless camera, mounted on a tripod, would be needed. You can't realistically hold a monopod rock-steady at 1/4th of a second! However, for most work the tripod head is set loosely and the entire rig -- tripod head and tripod -- acts simply as a support, holding the camera at the right height. For that work a Monopod would do just fine.
A monopod also has another advantage that a tripod does not, and that is functioning as a camera 'boom' or extension. That's why I brought along the cheap, light weight monopod, as I envisioned extending the camera forward along the ground to shoot wide-angle close-ups of wildlife without disturbing them or encroaching upon their space by physically moving in closer. With the monopod I could extend my rig along the ground, sliding it forward across the sand or stones, while I manipulated the rig several feet further away. That's how I got the shots above, although I was helped because in both cased the curious subjects actually walked or shuffled in closer once I had my camera in position. Of course, if you try this type of shot you'll need some type of remote camera tripper, either a long cable release or, better yet, a wireless trigger like the inexpensive RPS Studio Wireless Remote Shutter, otherwise you'll have the camera out there and not be able to fire it!
You'll also need a ballhead of some type to mount upon the Monopod for maximum flexibility. A short lens, lacking a tripod collar, can only be squared up via a ballhead. A longer zoom or telephoto, equipped with a tripod collar, can be squared by simply rotating the lens on its axis inside the collar, but it still will be quicker and easier to make the leveling adjustment by having the ballhead loose enough to accomplish this.
For our next Antarctica trip, scheduled tentatively for March of 2013 with Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris, where we'll once again be one of the leaders, we know that the Monopods will be a vital part of our gear. We'll be saving weight and our bodies, and enjoying a stability on the boat and flexibility on land that we haven't had before!
Previous Tips, July 2009 onward
Easy Macro with Extension Tubes and Zoom Lenses
FotoSharp Camou Rain Covers
Canon 17mm T/S Lens
Locking Button for the Canon 7D
NIK HDR Program
Silver Efex Pro for Black and White Images
Beware the DELL Software Solution Rip Off
How and What We Pack for Trips
Canon Digital Learning Center
The Movie Mode with the Canon Mark IV
Batch Renaming in Bridge and CS5
Alternate Uses of some Bogen Products
Hoodman Products
Using High ISO and Live View for Focusing in Dim Light
Art Print Scams for Hungry Photographers
Hungry Vultures ruin vehicles in the Everglades
Use a Short Lens for Depth of Field
Get Professional Help!
Mini-Molar Bag
Access America Trip Insurance
Bogen Base for Macro Work
Archived Tips of the Month
prior to July 2009
Most of my original Tips of the Month for the last several
years are available through this link. The 'look' is from my
original web site, although if I ever have enough time I might redo these pages to match the new web site But that's not a high priority.
Check out our latest website,
mcdonaldwildlifephotos.com
where we'll be adding portfolios and eventually building up
a searchable data base for photo buyers. We've just started,
and the selection is limited, but it is still worth a visit!
Office Phone: (717) 543-6423
Or FAX us at: (717) 543-5342
Previous Tips, July 2009 onward
Extension Tubes and Zoom Lenses for easy Macro
FotoSharp Camou Rain Covers
Canon 17mm T/S Lens
Locking Button for the Canon 7D
NIK HDR Program
Silver Efex Pro for Black and White Images
Beware the DELL Software Solution Rip Off
How and What We Pack for Trips
Canon Digital Learning Center
The Movie Mode with the Canon Mark IV
Batch Renaming in Bridge and CS5
Alternate Uses of some Bogen Products
Hoodman Products
Using High ISO and Live View for Focusing in Dim Light
Art Print Scams for Hungry Photographers
Hungry Vultures ruin vehicles in the Everglades
Use a Short Lens for Depth of Field
Get Professional Help!
Mini-Molar Bag
Access America Trip Insurance
Bogen Base for Macro Work
Archived Tips of the Month
prior to July 2009
Most of my original Tips of the Month for the last several
years are available through this link. The 'look' is from my
original web site, although if I ever have enough time I might redo these pages to match the new web site But that's not a high priority.
Tip of the Month
Gitzo Monopod
December 2011
We just reurned from our trip to Antarctica, the Falklands, and South Georgia. The trip is one of the most physical for us for a variety of reasons. Clothing alone weighed 16 pounds for me, and 12 for Mary, about 10% of our body weight, and with our camera packs and tripods we were probably hauling 25% of our body weight every time we were on land. We fell into our bunks each night tired. We're always looking for new and better ways to shed some of the weight we're carrying, and I believe we just found a great one!
One of the participants on our trip was carrying, and enthusiastically endorsing, the Gitzo Monopod he was using in lieu of a tripod. I used it once to see how it 'felt' and worked and I loved it. I was carrying a very light weight monopod that I was using for wide-angle close-ups (see the images above) but the rig I was carrying wasn't sturdy enough for a bigger lens. The Manfrotto distributed Gitzo Monopod (Model GM5561T) certainly was big enough and sturdy enough to manage any lens I'd mount upon the rig. This Monopod is available directly from the Manfrotto web site and all the reviews were 5 stars! My favorite dealer, Allen's Camera, has this model in stock, as does my other favorite, Hunt's Photo, so it is available despite my Manfrotto search!
Although I'll probably, and I'll emphasize 'probably,' take our Gitzo carbon-fiber tripods on our next trip to this region, I know we'll be packing our new Monopods as well. I know I'll be taking the Monopod along on our upcoming trip to India for Tigers, and although I have always used a tripod when photographing Mountain Gorillas, I'll probably try the Monopod there as well. For gorillas, a good monopod could be really useful, making moving through the bamboo and brush so much easier.
There are several reasons why I think that using a Monopod may have real advantages over a tripod for wildlife shooting. One, the relatively light weight makes carrying the gear a joy. Two, shooting 'on the fly' where mobility and ease of picking up a subject that may not stay very long will certainly be enhanced, as we won't be dealing with three legs. Further, a really big lens truly is not needed for this trip as distances are close. Mary and I both carried our 500mm f4 lenses, and used them on many shore excursions, but when any serious walking was involved we opted for the very light weight, and extremely sharp, 400mm f5.6 telephotos. This was the lens we often used for flight shots of petrels and albatrosses flying past the boat -- when we weren't using 70-200mm lenses. Often the birds were too close for a larger telephoto, but when they were distant it was much easier to hand-hold a 400 rather than the much heavier 500mm lens. With a Monopod, supporting the 400mm would have made our shooting that much easier as, truly, one does get tired holding up any telephoto in a semi-shooting stance waiting for a fly-by.
With only one leg to deal with, using a Monopod allows for fast perspective changes from high to low. The stability a tripod traditionally offers is not as great a consideration with digital as it was with film, when a 'high' ISO would be 400 (and rarely used) while today, in digital ISO 400 is often the default, and much higher ISOs can be used with little reduction in quality. Thus, a higher ISO (even just 400 in most situations) coupled with a VR or IS lens makes camera stability less critical.
In truth, most wildlife photographers really use a tripod as a support rather than as a rock-steady base, since the Wimberley Gimbal Head or Really Right Stuff or AcraTech heads are usually kept lose to allow panning or shifting to follow a subject. For some work, for example a duck roosting upon a rock in a fast moving stream where a slow shutter might convey the motion of the water and create a dreamy appearance, then a truly motionless camera, mounted on a tripod, would be needed. You can't realistically hold a monopod rock-steady at 1/4th of a second! However, for most work the tripod head is set loosely and the entire rig -- tripod head and tripod -- acts simply as a support, holding the camera at the right height. For that work a Monopod would do just fine.
A monopod also has another advantage that a tripod does not, and that is functioning as a camera 'boom' or extension. That's why I brought along the cheap, light weight monopod, as I envisioned extending the camera forward along the ground to shoot wide-angle close-ups of wildlife without disturbing them or encroaching upon their space by physically moving in closer. With the monopod I could extend my rig along the ground, sliding it forward across the sand or stones, while I manipulated the rig several feet further away. That's how I got the shots above, although I was helped because in both cased the curious subjects actually walked or shuffled in closer once I had my camera in position. Of course, if you try this type of shot you'll need some type of remote camera tripper, either a long cable release or, better yet, a wireless trigger like the inexpensive RPS Studio Wireless Remote Shutter, otherwise you'll have the camera out there and not be able to fire it!
You'll also need a ballhead of some type to mount upon the Monopod for maximum flexibility. A short lens, lacking a tripod collar, can only be squared up via a ballhead. A longer zoom or telephoto, equipped with a tripod collar, can be squared by simply rotating the lens on its axis inside the collar, but it still will be quicker and easier to make the leveling adjustment by having the ballhead loose enough to accomplish this.
For our next Antarctica trip, scheduled tentatively for March of 2013 with Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris, where we'll once again be one of the leaders, we know that the Monopods will be a vital part of our gear. We'll be saving weight and our bodies, and enjoying a stability on the boat and flexibility on land that we haven't had before!
Tip of the Month
Gitzo Monopod
December 2011
We just reurned from our trip to Antarctica, the Falklands, and South Georgia. The trip is one of the most physical for us for a variety of reasons. Clothing alone weighed 16 pounds for me, and 12 for Mary, about 10% of our body weight, and with our camera packs and tripods we were probably hauling 25% of our body weight every time we were on land. We fell into our bunks each night tired. We're always looking for new and better ways to shed some of the weight we're carrying, and I believe we just found a great one!
One of the participants on our trip was carrying, and enthusiastically endorsing, the Gitzo Monopod he was using in lieu of a tripod. I used it once to see how it 'felt' and worked and I loved it. I was carrying a very light weight monopod that I was using for wide-angle close-ups (see the images above) but the rig I was carrying wasn't sturdy enough for a bigger lens. The Manfrotto distributed Gitzo Monopod (Model GM5561T) certainly was big enough and sturdy enough to manage any lens I'd mount upon the rig. This Monopod is available directly from the Manfrotto web site and all the reviews were 5 stars! My favorite dealer, Allen's Camera, has this model in stock, as does my other favorite, Hunt's Photo, so it is available despite my Manfrotto search!
Although I'll probably, and I'll emphasize 'probably,' take our Gitzo carbon-fiber tripods on our next trip to this region, I know we'll be packing our new Monopods as well. I know I'll be taking the Monopod along on our upcoming trip to India for Tigers, and although I have always used a tripod when photographing Mountain Gorillas, I'll probably try the Monopod there as well. For gorillas, a good monopod could be really useful, making moving through the bamboo and brush so much easier.
There are several reasons why I think that using a Monopod may have real advantages over a tripod for wildlife shooting. One, the relatively light weight makes carrying the gear a joy. Two, shooting 'on the fly' where mobility and ease of picking up a subject that may not stay very long will certainly be enhanced, as we won't be dealing with three legs. Further, a really big lens truly is not needed for this trip as distances are close. Mary and I both carried our 500mm f4 lenses, and used them on many shore excursions, but when any serious walking was involved we opted for the very light weight, and extremely sharp, 400mm f5.6 telephotos. This was the lens we often used for flight shots of petrels and albatrosses flying past the boat -- when we weren't using 70-200mm lenses. Often the birds were too close for a larger telephoto, but when they were distant it was much easier to hand-hold a 400 rather than the much heavier 500mm lens. With a Monopod, supporting the 400mm would have made our shooting that much easier as, truly, one does get tired holding up any telephoto in a semi-shooting stance waiting for a fly-by.
With only one leg to deal with, using a Monopod allows for fast perspective changes from high to low. The stability a tripod traditionally offers is not as great a consideration with digital as it was with film, when a 'high' ISO would be 400 (and rarely used) while today, in digital ISO 400 is often the default, and much higher ISOs can be used with little reduction in quality. Thus, a higher ISO (even just 400 in most situations) coupled with a VR or IS lens makes camera stability less critical.
In truth, most wildlife photographers really use a tripod as a support rather than as a rock-steady base, since the Wimberley Gimbal Head or Really Right Stuff or AcraTech heads are usually kept lose to allow panning or shifting to follow a subject. For some work, for example a duck roosting upon a rock in a fast moving stream where a slow shutter might convey the motion of the water and create a dreamy appearance, then a truly motionless camera, mounted on a tripod, would be needed. You can't realistically hold a monopod rock-steady at 1/4th of a second! However, for most work the tripod head is set loosely and the entire rig -- tripod head and tripod -- acts simply as a support, holding the camera at the right height. For that work a Monopod would do just fine.
A monopod also has another advantage that a tripod does not, and that is functioning as a camera 'boom' or extension. That's why I brought along the cheap, light weight monopod, as I envisioned extending the camera forward along the ground to shoot wide-angle close-ups of wildlife without disturbing them or encroaching upon their space by physically moving in closer. With the monopod I could extend my rig along the ground, sliding it forward across the sand or stones, while I manipulated the rig several feet further away. That's how I got the shots above, although I was helped because in both cased the curious subjects actually walked or shuffled in closer once I had my camera in position. Of course, if you try this type of shot you'll need some type of remote camera tripper, either a long cable release or, better yet, a wireless trigger like the inexpensive RPS Studio Wireless Remote Shutter, otherwise you'll have the camera out there and not be able to fire it!
You'll also need a ballhead of some type to mount upon the Monopod for maximum flexibility. A short lens, lacking a tripod collar, can only be squared up via a ballhead. A longer zoom or telephoto, equipped with a tripod collar, can be squared by simply rotating the lens on its axis inside the collar, but it still will be quicker and easier to make the leveling adjustment by having the ballhead loose enough to accomplish this.
For our next Antarctica trip, scheduled tentatively for March of 2013 with Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris, where we'll once again be one of the leaders, we know that the Monopods will be a vital part of our gear. We'll be saving weight and our bodies, and enjoying a stability on the boat and flexibility on land that we haven't had before!
Previous Tips, July 2009 onward
Easy Macro with Extension Tubes and Zoom Lenses
FotoSharp Camou Rain Covers
Canon 17mm T/S Lens
Locking Button for the Canon 7D
NIK HDR Program
Silver Efex Pro for Black and White Images
Beware the DELL Software Solution Rip Off
How and What We Pack for Trips
Canon Digital Learning Center
The Movie Mode with the Canon Mark IV
Batch Renaming in Bridge and CS5
Alternate Uses of some Bogen Products
Hoodman Products
Using High ISO and Live View for Focusing in Dim Light
Art Print Scams for Hungry Photographers
Hungry Vultures ruin vehicles in the Everglades
Use a Short Lens for Depth of Field
Get Professional Help!
Mini-Molar Bag
Access America Trip Insurance
Bogen Base for Macro Work
Archived Tips of the Month
prior to July 2009
Most of my original Tips of the Month for the last several
years are available through this link. The 'look' is from my
original web site, although if I ever have enough time I might redo these pages to match the new web site But that's not a high priority.
Check out our latest website,
mcdonaldwildlifephotos.com
where we'll be adding portfolios and eventually building up
a searchable data base for photo buyers. We've just started,
and the selection is limited, but it is still worth a visit!
Office Phone: (717) 543-6423
Or FAX us at: (717) 543-5342
Previous Tips, July 2009 onward
Extension Tubes and Zoom Lenses for easy Macro
FotoSharp Camou Rain Covers
Canon 17mm T/S Lens
Locking Button for the Canon 7D
NIK HDR Program
Silver Efex Pro for Black and White Images
Beware the DELL Software Solution Rip Off
How and What We Pack for Trips
Canon Digital Learning Center
The Movie Mode with the Canon Mark IV
Batch Renaming in Bridge and CS5
Alternate Uses of some Bogen Products
Hoodman Products
Using High ISO and Live View for Focusing in Dim Light
Art Print Scams for Hungry Photographers
Hungry Vultures ruin vehicles in the Everglades
Use a Short Lens for Depth of Field
Get Professional Help!
Mini-Molar Bag
Access America Trip Insurance
Bogen Base for Macro Work
Archived Tips of the Month
prior to July 2009
Most of my original Tips of the Month for the last several
years are available through this link. The 'look' is from my
original web site, although if I ever have enough time I might redo these pages to match the new web site But that's not a high priority.
