Using a tripod for wildlife photography.

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squizza

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Okay guys, some advice needed!

I have a manfrotto tripod which, when my 50D and 300mm+1.4x are resting on it, it creeps. How many of you use a tripod for wildlife photography. I've found I've used my tripod less than a dozen times, its just a nice looking object leaning against my wall. I'm looking to get a 500mm or 600mm in the next couple of yrs, and that attatched to a 1D mk III will just not hold on that tripod :lol:

So how many of you wildlife togs use a tripod?

Ta in advance

Sarah
 
Which Manfrotto tripod and which head? Both are rated for weight limits so you might be exceeding them with your current setup.
 
I am not sure which tripod you have Sarah, but for wild life and especially if your looking towards a 500 or 600 in the future, I would seriously consider a gimbal type head.

I use a Manfrotto 393 on an 055CXPRO3 with 100-400mm and a 500mm. It makes the whole set up stable but light to swing around to follow birds in flight or whatever your doing.

The 393 comes in around £120.00 new but look for offers, I have seen them cheaper in the for sale forum here. You can pay many times more for other makes but I find it hard to justify the extra cost when the Manfrotto does everything thats needed.

If you want a picture of the set up, let me know.

Hope this helps.
 
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I reckon I use a tripod for about 80% of my wildlife shots - pretty much everything except birds in flight. With my 500, its almost essential. I use a Gitzo tripod and either a Wimberley gimbal or Acratech long lens head depending on circumstances.
 
Yep, tripod is essential if you start getting in to heavy telephotos. A gimbal is a must for these types of lens as well IMO. I always use support for my 600, be it a tripod or a beanbag. 200-400 I can get away with handheld sometimes but even that would get a monopod at least put on it to make it easier to manage over long periods of time.
 
If the lens is properly balanced on the tripod collar (do you use an adjustable long lens plate?) there shouldn't be any creep as such, even if it's a bit wobbly :thinking:

However, that aside if you're getting into big lenses you need to cost in some serious tripod and support costs, eg decent carbon tripod and a gimbal - £500-£1000. Trying to do it for less/without will leave you cursing and almost certainly with sub-standard results.
 
HoppyUK said:
If the lens is properly balanced on the tripod collar (do you use an adjustable long lens plate?) there shouldn't be any creep as such, even if it's a bit wobbly :thinking:

However, that aside if you're getting into big lenses you need to cost in some serious tripod and support costs, eg decent carbon tripod and a gimbal - £500-£1000. Trying to do it for less/without will leave you cursing and almost certainly with sub-standard results.
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I agree Richard, pointless skimping initially as you will end up paying in the long run.

Sarah I use a tripod for all my wildlife stuff, even when I am using the 300mm lens, with a 500mm it is a must.

Gitzo 3531 and Jobu Blackwidow gimbal head.
 
I use a Manfrotto monopod, it's much easier to use and offers sufficient support for my set up. Also doubles up as a mean weapon in the face of chavvy enemies.

Does the 300mm you have use a tripod collar?
 
HoppyUK said:
If the lens is properly balanced on the tripod collar (do you use an adjustable long lens plate?) there shouldn't be any creep as such, even if it's a bit wobbly :thinking:
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Depends on the weight the setup is designed to hold. If the lens and camera weigh too much it could creep a little unless the lens is close to or almost perfectly level.
 
Gitzo 3*** (cannot find No.) plus Wimberley gimbal. Used with 300mm,
500mm or 600mm. As has been mentioned you will curse if you don't.
C
 
A tripod is a tremendous help. Not only does it save your arms, and keep the camera stable, but it also allows you to shoot at lower ISOs, for superior IQ without the risk of shake. Also, if you have any doubts about AF perfection you can switch to Live View and either use Live AF or 10X manual focusing to nail the shot.

Here is a 100% crop from my 50D and 100-400 lens with Kenko 1.4X teleconverter, shot at 560mm and f/8 (wide open). At 100 ISO I was able to shoot at 1/400 and get a reasonablly shake free image, having first focused using Live AF. Of course, using regular AF with the f/8 combo might well have been hit and miss, assuming I'd fiddled about taping the teleconverter in the first place.

20090823_110912_2481_LR.jpg


The tripod I used was a Velbon table top tripod, costing around £54 including supplied head, but I replaced the head with my usual affair - a Manfrotto 468MGRC2. Imagine what could be accomplished with a decent prime and a proper tripod.

I do have a Manfrotto 393 gimbal head but I must confess it gets little use. It's not that it's a bad head, but I think it is better suited to a much bigger/heavier lens than my little zoom. It also works best, IMHO, when you have the tripod base perfectly level, and that can become a bit tedious when simply traipsing around the local bird reserve and stopping every now and then for a few shots.
 
markyboy.1967 said:
Im using the tripod more and more and just about always when i settle into a hide. I just bought a Gitzo 5541 LS and what an improvement when using the 500 f4--solid as a rock and dont think i will ever get rid of it. I use a Benro Gimbal on it and its also superb for the money.
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I picked up the same tripod as you Mark, makes a massive difference and will be very handy for hide work
 
I use a tripod whenever possible, defo a pain to lug around but when you you're using a long lenses it's essential
 
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Thankyou for all your advice guys, will try to find out my model numbers for tripod and head, although the 300mm +1.4 and 50D does look a bit silly on the head I've got.

Thanks again :)
 
I use a tripod for most of my bird photography, a big lens does benefit from good support. I use Gitzo legs with a Jobu Black Widow gimbal head, it's a very stable set up and at 700mm I can shoot down at slow speeds and still get sharp shots. I'm not sure where you are in Suffolk but if you find yourself over in Norfolk (near Swaffham) you'd be welcome to try the 500 and gimbal.
 
I cannot handhold my 50D/600mm at any shutter speed and get sharp pics ... knackered arms/shoulders ... :shake: I looked at, tried, and so NEEDED a Gitzo, but the man from Barclays he say no ... :bat:
I use a Beenbag in a hide, and a Velbon CF730 with a Manfrotto 393 at all other times.
 
I tend to use beanbags, only time I use a tripod is if I've set up a hide.
 
The long mounting plate is the key, well that and getting things balanced.
I've used both an 80mm APO metal bodied astro telescope + adaptor +DSLR and a celestron 6" SCT telescope + DSLR on a velbon sherpa with no issues once I had things balanced.
 
with my 7D & e400/5.6 i use a benro gh-2 gimbal head, great bit of kit at half the price of the wimberely - either with a superclamp when in hides to attach the the 'elbow rest plank' or on a tripod :)

drew
 
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