[Leica] Re: tabletop tripod

[George Huczek <ghuczek@sk.sympatico.ca>]

At 07:02 PM 09/01/2000 EST, you wrote:
>
><< When I bought my tabletop tripod the salesperson demonstrated using it on
>the chest (together with the Leica ball head), thus reducing the
>unsteadiness of the hands. Well, I guess it does not help much if your
>whole body sways, and I have never used it on my chest. Has anybody used it
>in that way? >>

For under 10 bucks you can a get novelty laser -- the kind that goes on
your key chain.  Tape one to the camera or lens hood, aimed away from you
of course (don't ever look into it).  Aim at a wall some distance away,
look through the viewfinder, and practice squeezing the shutter.  Watch the
little red dot (on the wall not on the camera body) to see if it jiggles
during hand held shooting.  It will! If you can keep the red dot from
jiggling while handholding then you're probably dead.  This is also a good
way to test your telephoto-on-tripod and macro rigs.  If the setup is
steady, the red dot shouldn't flicker at all while taking the picture.  If
it flickers, you could have a problem.  Try it.  Works great.  You'd be
surprised how much that little red dot jumps all over the place with
oh-so-very-steady-exhaling-while-handholding-using-a-mini-tripod-braced-agai
nst-the-chest-while-leaning-against-a-wall-stuff. If you can keep that
little red dot as steady as possible, you can improve your handheld
technique.