• Camera Equipment

    The New (Perfect?) Tripod

    Back in late May I ordered the Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod. I sat undecided for months before ordering it because of its high price. Please don’t think this is a review with any ratings but it’s my way of sharing my experience at how the tripod is working for me after almost 3 months of use. 

    My current tripod is a carbon fiber Manfrotto 3443 I’ve had for over 20 years. I have had no complaints or issues with this tripod, it has served me well. However, I do not carry it with me primarily due to its size. At just over 5 pounds and a folded length of about 29 inches I’m not excited about lugging it around at my age.

    Here are my impressions. I was pleasantly surprised with the size of this new tripod. They call it a travel tripod for a valid reason. Because it’s small and lightweight, at 2.8 pounds and just over 15 inches in folded length, it is very easy to carry. And, since it is easy to carry I am finding I bring it with me far more often than my other tripod. And, I use it!

    I am going through a learning curve in setting it up and taking it down and finding what works best for me. Each time I use it I find myself getting into a routine, it becomes easier and quicker, which is something I really want in a tripod and entices me to use it more often.

    I was concerned with how stable the tripod was going to be. I shoot with a mirrorless camera so my gear is much smaller and lighter. My largest lens is the 70-300mm zoom and the tripod has no issues supporting it. It is stable enough for my photography. Gusty winds will be an issue with any tripod.

    For my stature its minimum height of 51” inches is good enough for me, only 3 inches shorter than my Manfrotto. I love the ball head. It is easy to place my camera in the ball head and lock it down. I did forget to lock it down once and had a close call. I also like how easy and quickly the one ring is to adjust. I seldom shoot vertical images and when I do it has not been a problem for me. I raise the center column about 4-5 inches and have begun to use my LCD more when on the tripod. It really is easier than looking through the viewfinder. The tripod is not capable of doing a panorama series but I’ve only done that once in all my years of photography. I so enjoy not having an L-bracket on my camera. Their little standard plate is small and much less intrusive.

    I also find it to be physically attractive, a state of the art tripod. Its design fits my hand very well because of the shape of the legs and how it’s folded. There is no wasted space. I probably will never use the stowable mobile phone mount but it’s there. Peak Design also has several useful videos on their website for using and servicing the tripods.

    So, I am pleased with my purchase but still reeling from the cost. It will not make me a better photographer and I knew that when I ordered it. However, when I use it as a tool in the craft of photography it will help in my photography. Just taking a tripod with me does that. Was it worth the money? Probably not. Well…

    In closing I’ll say it is not the perfect tripod because there is none. But we can argue that when I have it with me and use it, it is the perfect tripod at that moment. Oh, and it’s guaranteed for life. It’ll probably outlast me.

  • Arapaho Bend Natural Area,  clouds,  landscape,  natural areas,  poems,  poetry,  sunrises

    The great Way

    Predawn red sky at Arapaho Bend Natural Area

    The great Way is easy,
    yet people prefer the side paths.

    Be aware when things are out of balance.
    Stay centered within the Tao.

    When rich speculators prosper
    While farmers lose their land;

    when government officials spend money
    on weapons instead of cures;

    when the upper class is extravagant and irresponsible
    while the poor have nowhere to turn-

    all this is robbery and chaos.
    It is not in keeping with the Tao.

    Tao Te Ching – Verse 53
  • quotes

    Doubt and Indecision

    One of the painful things about our time is that those who feel certainty are stupid, and those with any imagination and understanding are filled with doubt and indecision.

    Bertrand Russell

    Happy Saturday!!!

  • insects,  quotes

    The Small Wonders

    “Because I was watching for miracles on an epic scale, I didn’t recognize the small wonders that were occurring every day.”

    Spiritual Awakenings, Journeys of the Spirit

    I began this day watching the sunrise at Pineridge Natural Area, always a good start to any day. I am amazed at this life I am living. It is nothing like I would have imagined. All of life’s experiences have led to this time and place. I am so grateful today! May we all look for each small wonder as a spiritual awakening! 🙏

  • Mary Oliver,  poems,  poetry,  quotes,  writing/reading

    It’s a gift…

    I believe poetry is very old.
    It’s very sacred.
    It wishes for a community.
    It’s a community ritual, certainly.

    And that’s why, when you write a poem,
    you write it for anybody and everybody…
    It’s a gift to yourself,
    but it’s a gift to anybody who has a hunger for it.

    Mary Oliver
  • Plants,  quotes

    Living its purpose

    “Our challenge is not only to recognize the face of the Creator in the beauty of creation, but also to serve the Divine by taking care of the land, the air, and all beings that dwell with us here…”

    Mirabai Starr

    This has been a wet summer for us in Colorado. So, we’ve been blessed with mushrooms sprouting in the shady area of the grass. These mushrooms are harmless but play a natural part in our lawn’s ecosystem. They have an essential role in breaking down organic material, such as dead leaves, grass clippings, and tree roots, into nutrients that plants can use. So, that means they are taking care of the land, the air, and all beings that dwell with us in their own way. Seems man is bent on doing the opposite! With reverence for their lives I bow down on my knees to shoot at their level rather than looking down on them. Such beauty, living its purpose in the short time it has on earth.