Are large tripods even necessary anymore?
- Thread starter sh1209
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EricKlees
Well-known member
I agree that i rarely see anyone shooting wildlife using a tripod anymore. The only time is at Conowingo Dam where the set up in the fence line and wait for action to happen or if people are waiting for short eared owls to come out at their hunting grounds/fields.
Just about anywhere else I may go that i run into other wildlife photographers, they are all shoulder strapped and hand holding.
Trying to track birds in flight is much more difficult with a tripod compared to hand holding. Doubly so for fast action like Terns, Swallows, Kingfishers and diving Osprey.
Just about anywhere else I may go that i run into other wildlife photographers, they are all shoulder strapped and hand holding.
Trying to track birds in flight is much more difficult with a tripod compared to hand holding. Doubly so for fast action like Terns, Swallows, Kingfishers and diving Osprey.
MikeJ
Well-known member
Or this one, that's a svelte 34.6# compared to yours, Doug.
I would buy one if they made it for Sony.
MikeJ
Well-known member
If I recall correctly, I think retail was ~$25k? Would be interesting to see how it would work with Nikon Z and an FTZ.
TurtleCat
Well-known member
I’ve done a lot of handholding telephotos over the years. That convinced me to use a gimbal. It gets tiring holding all the stuff all the time. Even with holders and straps its weight drags. I’ll still handhold some as the situation requires it, though. In my upcoming trip to Yellowstone I’ll handhold my 100-400. But I’m bringing my tripod and heavy ball head for landscape and low light opportunities.
EricKlees
Well-known member
When I went to Yellowstone in Dec 2021, I took my D500 and D850 with my 200-500, 500PF and my Tamron 24-70 f2.8 G2. I took my Tripod with me and never once used it hand holding the 24-70 and the 200-500 the entire time. Being in the middle of a herd of 40+ Big Horn sheep and 200mm was to long at times being just 15 feet from some of them (they moved close to me). A Tripod just wasn't an option. Bison and Moose got very close as well. The 500PF was not used till our trip back and stopping in Minnesota for Great Grey Owls. The tripod was never used once, even for the landscape shots with the Moose with the 24-70 in a driving snow at day break