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Main Boards => Photography/Video Q&A Board => Topic started by: Al Kidner on August 05, 2006, 07:02:00 PM
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Well I have my new Canon 350D and I was a wondering if any of you hunt and carry a tripod as well?
I do all spot and stalk/ ambush style hunting. Much like you lads hunt Elk. But the tought of carrying a big ol tripod browns me off the idea.
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Absolutely, every time. As soon as I don't I wish I had. I enjoy taking lots of shots while I wander, usually in poor light. The sturdier the better but even a really compact lightweight tripod is better than nothing. Great camera choice by the way, you will love it.
Dave
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Cabela's also makes a hiking staff that can be used as a monopod, it works really well also.
Dave
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One way to avoid carrying a tripod is to buy a small cheap ball head and then get a stud that is 1/4-20 threads on one end and a lag screw on the other. LocTite the 1/4-20 end into the ball head and now you can screw it into any available tree or stump when you need a camera support.
I think that they actually sell something like this commercially if you are averse to building it yourself.
-Fritz
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Alan:
I have been a serious wildlife/nature photographer for 20 years and a hunter for 35. I learned one thing early on, you either hunt or photograph. I do not mean carring a small camera for documenting success, I mean wildlife photography. For that, it all depends on which lens you are using. I have owned everything from ultra wide angle (Nikon and Canon) to super telephotos (Nikon and Canon 300 f:2.8,500 f:/4 and f:4 I.S., and 600 f:/4 I.S. as well as the bodies to go along with them(F-5, F-100, D1H, 10D, 20D, 1DMK2. You need and want a tripod with a really strong ballhead or Wimberley head for the BIG lenses. And a sturdy tripod with a medium weight ballhead for smaller lenses, even I.S. lenses. These things you cannot carry and hunt. A good GITZO Carbon Fiber monopod is OK for sporting events, but not all that good in the woods. The best all around lens you could get IMO is the Canon 70-200 f:/2.8 I.S. and a smaller zoom W/A (i.e. 17 -40) Still quite a handfull. So either hunt or photograph. I actually hunted with a camera instead of a bow or gun for a few seasons, it was a blast. When hunting you might consider a smaller camera a high end P&S will give you good results. These are just my findings from years of trying to do both, and the thing I found is that neither turns out well.
Good Luck
Frank
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Aussie_longbow i carry my tripod as well everytime i go in the woods. i use a lowepro backpack to carry my camera and lens and the tripod i use attaches to the outside. i bought a Feisol tripod that weighs almost nothing. it's a carbon fiber tripod that will extend up to 5'. i then put a arcatech head on it. worth it's weight in gold if you plan on taking a lot of photographs.
heres a link to the tripod:
http://www.feisol.com/english/feisolen.htm
heres the ball head i use:
http://acratech.net/ultimate_ballhead.html
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Like Frank mentioned, if you're going to try for serious wildlife photos there's a lot of bulky and heavy stuff to lug around. Much more than I would even think about taking along when I hunt.
I can't imagine carrying a tripod on spot 'n stalk hunts.
Phil
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Thanks lads, might look at a smallish type one for when it's needed.
You are right Frank, one can not hunt and take pics at the same time. Not a truer word said.
In Oz, alan
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Alan:
Wildlife/Nature photography is very addicting, as well as, very satisfying. You have a great camera, add a few quality lenses and enjoy.
Frank
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http://www.rei.com/product/411006
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I carry a mini tripod at times, but can set the camera on a pack if need be.
Also, I set my camera on a 2 second delay when taking photos by hand. This allows me to hold the camera still while the photo gets taken, and not have to be pushing the button that could cause movement and blur.
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I carry a tripod at times, but can set the camera on a pack if need be.
Also, I set my camera on a 2 second delay when taking photos by hand. This allows me to hold the camera still while the photo gets taken, and not have to be pushing the button that could cause movement and blur.
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I'm considering trying one of these..
Joby Gorillapod
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Al,
Check out the Gorilla pods. You can find them at B&H photo. Used to carry a Ultra (mini) pod until I found the Gorilla.
You can wrap the legs around a branch or small tree plus it can serve as a small tripod. Excellent piece of equipment that never leaves my pack. Also can hold a small camcorder depending on model chosen.
Chris
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Al,
Check out this product. http://shop.outdoorsmans.com/category.sc?categoryId=3
I have the mid sized tripod w/ the pan grip handle. Awesome small manufacturing company from Arizona that seems to make everything just right for hunting. Nice folks to deal with too.
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The older I get, the lighter I like my stuff. Here is what I put in the pack when I hit the woods. A 4 megapixal Olympus that I got from a hock shop for $35 (with a memory card and case!) and a mini Carson tripod I picked up somewhere along the way. I have 5 or 6 digital cameras (DSLR's down to the Olympus) and the Olympus takes great pics, is easy for the kids/wife to use. The way I see it, if it becomes a pain to haul it around, you'll end up leaving it at camp and won't have it when you need it.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/Rugerfan/DSC00357.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/Rugerfan/DSC00362.jpg)
JL
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Here's another vote for the Gorillapod.
Jerry
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I Still Vote For the "PocketPod" from KustomKing here in the States. Cant GET anymore Simple Than That!!
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I use a Gitzo G0011 with a Monfrotto 482 ball head.
This rig is 12" long and the weight isn't noticeable. This rig is strong enough to hold a full size SLR and a normal zoom lens. Won't hold the heary glass f2.8 zooms and telephotos.
This works well wearing hunting clothes as you have to get down and dirty to frame the picture. Plus it's fully adjustable for landscape and portrait. (For you hugging that Big Deer )
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I agree with others here. I like the UltraPod II
(http://media.rei.com/media/cc/e083bd61-524f-4005-989b-1a0b040419e7.jpg)
Very handy and light.
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This tripod comes in pretty handy.
http://***********.bowsite.com/TF/lw/thread2.cfm?threadid=154764&category=88#1867375
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Ditto about the Gorilla pod. Maybe too little for some shots. I find my best pictures are with the camera slightly downhill from the shot and the subject filling the frame = CLOSE.
I'm also experimenting with a slave unit flash to light up the background.
I carry a small collapsable antique my son found for me at a tag sale. I've seen some small ones at Walmart.
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The Gorilla Pod is great! I carry the larger one with a small Bogen ballhead on it.
Jerry
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If I'm on a photo hunt I use a carbon fiber tripod. Lots of good ones out there and some are very reasonable. Very light weight. If I'm on a hunt, a mini tripod or snake twist (goes around a limb) or one of the rods with a mini head and a wood screw on the other end works great. They weigh almost nothing and both attach to anything. The two second delay that Terry mentioned is a great idea. The only problem is with an SLR where light can get in (on some models) and trick the exposure meter. You might have to cover the viewfinder first with something at hand.
I've done wildlife photography for over 30 years and the equipment today is fantastic. You'll make a ton of mistakes as we all do. Just try to analyze what you did wrong and not repeat the same mistakes.
A photo hunt and photography while you are hunting are two different animals and require two kinds of equipment. Unless of course, you bring along a pack animal for double the equipment, as usual, you'll have the wrong equipment in you hands when the moment of truth comes. It happens to us all.
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1+ for the Gorilla Pod
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Al,
Those Sportsmans tripods are really nice - but pricy - IMHO
Here's another idea you might consider.
I'm from Wisconsin - so plently of trees every where I hunt. This is somewhat important to this system working.......
I use a Giotto's MT-9240 2 section tripod
a Giotto's Mh-1002 small ball head
and a set of misc bungee cords
and an "S" hook.
To use a tree as your tripod - attach a shorter bungee loop to the hook on the lower end of the tripod center column. Then take a wrap or 2 around the tree with the longer bungee. Attach the 2 bungees with the S hook.
The bungee tension holds the tripod horizontal to the tree.
The ball head gives you any camera angle you need.
The Giotto's 9240 weighs 1.8 lb. - $100US at B&H Photo
The small ball head weighs 0.5 lb. - $60US at B&H Photo
Both should be good for your Canon 350D weight.
It's a simple set-up and it has some limitations - but it works.
Chinook
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I carry a small bendy tripod I bought at wally world. I do not remember the name.
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well i will probably seem crazy to you all. I dont carry A tripod I carry three. Only one is a standard size the others are small. The one is a mini that I carry in my pack along with a gorrila, and then the standard is always in my hand. I self film my hunts, so the camera is always at the ready. Never while stalking big game have I missed a opportunity because of the camera. But it seems to happend very few times when small game hunting. I would rather not have any times when the camera impares my hunting, but that is part of self fliming
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I picked up a Gorilla Pod myself.