Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/10/10
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I'm enjoying all the perspectives and opinions in this thread: Ted and Walt, Gary (Tree LUGger), Mike J., Jim Brick ... though little has been written that hasn't crossed through cyberspace before. IMHO the Leica is the epitome of a hand-held camera, but using a tripod certainly isn't verboten. I've been trying to balance the desire for spontaneous photos of wildlife against the desire for sharp photos; often the desires conflict and are mutually exclusive. I've used a tripod when nessesary (like, when shutter speeds get in the 1/4 sec range) but more often I'll opt for the spontaneous over seeing the dirt under an ant's toenails, using a shoulder stock with long lenses to improve image quality. This will typically get me to shutter speeds as slow as 1/60 sec with good results. Yesterday I tried using a monopod along with the shoulder stock to try for slower usable shutter speeds. The effect in the viewfinder is certainly noticable; I haven't yet seen what the effect is on film. My observations: 1) In dense brush the monopod is MUCH easier to use than a tripod 2) the monopod by itself isn't as good as the shoulder stock by itself 3) with larger mammals the loss of sponteneity is negligible 4) I gotta have a quick-release thingie between the monopod and camera, for when I need maximum mobility. The setup I used: ) Leicaflex SL ) 250 mm Telyt-R ) old-model shoulder stock with flat bar instead of handgrip. This has a tripod socket in the flat bar. ) an old monopod with a tilt head I bought at an REI closeout sale several years ago for $10 ) an RRS QR plate and tripod adapter given to me by Gary Hanlon. What would I do without Gary's reject photo gear?!? The RRS plate goes on the shoulder stock, and the tripod adapter goes on the monopod. The rig has felt most stable when I extend the monopod to full length and place the 'pod's foot a couple feet ahead of me. Not only does this increase stability, it also keeps the 'pod's foot away from mine so I don't trip over it. As I've only started using this setup I can't say how well it all works but it seems promising. Under similar circumstances the tripod has been impossible. Doug Herr Birdman of Sacramento http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/telyt - -------------------------------------------------- Visit the Northwestern Alumni Association portal page at http://www.nualumni.com to get free web-based e-mail and many other exciting features.