iFootage uprise carbon fiber tripod. Lightweight, adaptable, built in rubber and spiked feet and lever locks. An all around great tripod. I also have one of their mono pods and love that as well. Much better than all of the previous ones I've purchased (Enter roll-eyes emoji here)
True per the L brackets. I put them on and leave them on. Now, I used the small mounts that came with the tripod on my zooms. Oops, now I do need to get those “zoom” mounts you mentioned because I too am always tightening these in the field. Thanks again by presenting both aspects of good and useless gear.
If you are going to buy a rocket blower, or a pelican case, buy them in bright colours; lost my first (black) rocket blower in a dark wood and nearly lost a bunch of memory cards in a black case on a mountain top. I now have yellow and orange. Peak Design strap and buttons, is my best ever purchase. Goes on every camera and my f-Stop ICU. Super useful.
I've found that completely replacing the lens foot with an Arca Swiss foot is a better solution than using an additional plate. One less thing that can shift.
There are two things I add to every new camera or lens - BFORE I take them on location: An L bracket for the camera body; not essentially for use on the monopod (I seriously dislike tripods, despite having 3 of them), but to protect the body when I lay the rig (fuji x-h2s + 150-600lens) down on rocky shorelines. The lens' essential accessory is a U/V filter to protect the front element from salt spray & wind-blown sand, flying gravel etc. I'm no studio photographer, so my kit often needs some tlc.
A quality thermos was the best camera accessory I ever bought and no expedition should be contemplated without one. Reaching your destination then discovering you don't have a hot cup of coffee available just.... well there's not words to describe it.
Great suggestions Mr. Denny. Three related thoughts: 1) The multi-tool you recommend is a favorite for me because it lacks a knife and can stay with me in my carry-on when traveling. 2) When buying an L-bracket watch out for versions that interfere with cables, swapping out memory cards and batteries, and most importantly LCD screens that flip out. 3) Cheap rocket style blowers do break. I have had the squeeze bulb crack, which renders them useless. Spending a little more to get a name-brand, higher quality version has been the way to go for me.
I keep saying this... Cheap simple foam Knee Pads! Super lightweight, lends extra padding to equipment, and they are fantastic when kneeling in mud, sharp rocks, scorching concrete, or to sit on when it is damp.
Mark A wired camera trigger to me it's easier to just plug it in to the camera then to bring the app up on the phone or set the timer on the camera and also prevents camera shake from the camera when its mounted on the tripod
Great information as always, Mark! I would add to that list a headlamp (I use Bio-Lite), and sensor cleaning swabs/fluid. I don't use it a lot, but the Peak design Capture Clip (PDCC) is handy when walking and don't want to constantly take the camera out of the bag. There are L-brackets that are PDCC-compatible.
Now that looks like a clever design! It also does away with the lateral obstruction that comes with the L bracket, which is my biggest reason for not permanently mounting one to my camera.
Those sandisk drives had a ton of failures last year and are generally not considered reliable anymore. There were lots of articles and blogs on the issues several months ago. Great idea but not a brand I would want right now. I still have mine as a back up of a back up but would never want to count on it.
I think it was only newer and higher capacity models that were affected. If you have an older one bought a few years ago then it should still be absolutely fine and reliable
@@duringthemeanwhilst Nope, all of them are crap. I bought mine in 2020 I think. Never left my shelf and failed to mount one day, with months of my pictures on it. Spent $1k in recovery and it took them a year to figure out a way to recover it. SanDisk is dead as a brand to me.
@@PawanDubeyK I can only speak from my positive experience using SanDisk SD cards and their SSD over the years. Touch wood I’ve never had a single issue. Then again the same can be said of Lexar. I used their SD cards for many years with zero problems.
Remember the golden rule when it comes to photography equipment: When purchasing camera equipment, as far as the wife is concerned, you got it on sale for 50% off and it was too good of a deal to pass up. This rule is in your place for your own protection.
One thing I love as a wildlife photographer is the backpack attached camera straps. A back saver with big lenses. I use the OP/Tech ones. A really good line of inexpensive straps and such and all interchangeable. The backpack clips do not look like much but do not let that fool you they work. They carry my 200-800 effortlessly. Pointer buy the extension straps with this kit. No affiliation with OP/TECH just a genuine fan.
Mark. I do a hell of a lot on Scottish Photography and I’m a big believer in getting used to the gear you have, that way you can use your camera and get used to the settings inside out, k owing where everything is at the touch of a button. Photography is a big business and costly to loads us. I do my own channel on Photography locations Scotland and believe me you still give inspiration on UA-cam. Keep it up Mark.
An actual replacement foot for the telephoto foot that has an Arca-Swiss plate as an integral part of it is a better choice than the bracket. Also prefer an ATOLL to an L bracket. Use the Smallrig tool also (partly because I can fly with it).
I often carry a gardener's kneeler pad. Good for getting a low shot, and also good if I want to sit down and everything's wet. I also prefer lever clamps - and flip-lock tripods. Same reasoning - plus twist locks are a total PITA if you get any sand in them - particularly granite sand. I hadn't known about those tripod claw feet, going to pick up a few sets - and that tool looks interesting...
Hi Mark, Thanks for the video. Lots of good info as always! Would you mind answering a question about the BH-40 RRS ballhead? I currently use the Acratech GXP-SS. I like it. It's a good head. But it has a clamp with a knob. The knob can be aa bit annoying because it can take a few seconds to secure my camera and, as you've noted, it's not easy to see visually that the knob is secure. So the lever release on the BH-40 looks very handy and faster. But, it also looks like it would be easy to open accidentally if, for example, my sleeve were to catch it. Is there a locking mechanism on the lever? Is there a way to stop it from opening accidentally? Thank you, Mary
I hate lever release clamps because even if you have all your plates from the same manufacturer there’s always that one that is an odd one out and is loose or tight and makes you adjust the “fixed” side of the clamp. A screw clamp is tight when it is done up.
I use Sunwayfoto L brackets on my cameras and find them excellent quality and design. They also make great ball heads with arca swiss mount with locking lever clamp and screw adjustment on the other side for the slightly different sizing of arca swiss plates. I loved the Smallrig toolkit so much, I bought a second. Outdoors, I think a tripod without spikes is almost useless. Neewer have nice spikes with solid rubber feet that push on securely when you are on scratchable surfaces. I have a set of claw feet but have never found the need to use them, even when on rock. Agree the Giotto blower is a very useful item.
Great information in this video. At about 4:20 you are talking about attaching an Arca Swiss foot bracket. Not sure if it makes a difference, but I always put the shoe stop in front rather in back as you did.
Awesome video Mark!! I’m ordering my tripod claw feet today!!! Never seen those before and my rubber ones fall off of my Benro tripods sometimes. And the Rocket Blower is also great for blowing invisible dust particles out of my CF Express card and card slot. When I get a “Write Error” on my Fuji XH2s, it’s because some how micro dust got in there while I was switching cards or at home with my card out.
FWIW, I think the ProMediaGear L-plates are a bit better than RRS as the left side is adjustable. Handy when I'm on a tripod in portrait and need to attach the receiver for an intervalometer (night sky stuff).
Looking up claw feet now, great advice. For telephoto lens, if available, buy a replacement foot not another plate. I have gotten them from Really Right Stuff for my Nikon lenses. Costy, but worth it!
@@trevorpayne2749 Uhh..yeah... Most know that. Pack it in your check-in baggage. Never had a problem packing my trusty old Swiss Army knife. Also, who says all photo trips require a plane flight?
@@jimbruton9482 Never said flight travel was necessary. Just a word to the wise for anyone careless enough to leave a penknife in their bag when they do. I’ve had two Swiss army mini keyring knives confiscated simply because I forgot to remove them from my bunch of keys before flying.
Cross pollinating from my IT career, I picked up a cheap 4" paint brush for dry brushing dust out of areas a micro fibre cloth can't reach (around the knobs, keyboard keys etc.). I picked up one from Harbor Freight, looks like crap but it does the job like a champ.
Great tips, Mark. The L bracket is by far my favourite accessory. By the way my SmallRig was confiscated at Bahrain airport last year. It was treated as if it was a knife! They saw all my camera gear, totally accepted why I was carrying it, yet still took if off me.
its not nice to say,,,, but they were probably after a small token of respect!! I had the same problem in Madagascar a small man - not in height - asked me if I had the receipts for my camera gear, to cut it short I gave him what was in my pocket.............. about $5 in there currency and some pocket fluff............ hey ho... no receipts needed. keep some of the local stuff when leaving the country.
@@brianm.9062 That culture doesn't exist in Bahrain and most Arab countries. If it was say, the Philippines, Pakistan, Indonesia then yes, I would agree with you.
Thank you for these tips I would like to add one that came in handy to me. I once had cross thread one of my filters and struggled in correcting it. I bought as a result a filter wrench. This was a life savior.😊
Good list! FYI, I shoot Sony and use Kirk Universal Quick Release / ARCA feet on my long lenses. They utilize two screws to keep the foot from turning and reduce the chances of coming loose. Not sure if Nikon has two screw holes. Another accessory I use quite often is a leveling base under the ball / video head for my tripod. Saves a ton of time trying to level a tripod for panoramas, video panning, or astro. I use a Leofoto LB75. Interesting that a tripod did not make your top 10.
I started using one of those circular tripod clamps instead of an L-bracket lately. does the same thing, just without the need to remove your camera from your tripod to change orientation. it works more like a telephoto lens clamp and the advantage is in tricky conditions it completely removes the chance of dropping your camera and lens. disadvantage is they are camera / lens specific and not a universal one-size fits all solution. worth it though for peace of mind particularly for people like me who may be challenged in the dexterity part of life 🙂
Your video led me to look through some of own gear, and I noticed I had (dumbly) left the batteries in a favorite piece of gear, my Petzl headlamp that is wonderful for hands free camera setup/adjustment at night. One battery had exploded on one end, fouling one of the lamp's battery contact terminals. But a little steel wool and cloth and a bit of sandpaper and the terminal was all cleaned up. So THANK YOU for putting out this helpful video!! It led me to check stuff out and save my Petzl headlamp.
Good ideas and another very important accessory are quality straps to securely hold your camera and lenses in a comfortable positions that is easy to attach like the popular peak design system.
I can vouch 100% for FStop bags, not only are they just great photography bags but as someone also with back issues (fractured T9 vertebra years ago) they are super comfortable and distribute the weight evenly
One iteration of the saying you were looking for is "Pay the price to do it right, or pay the price to do it twice". Invest your money wisely in quality gear, or keep buying cheap crap over and over. BTW - thanks for the tip on a *good* ball head. Had a Manfrotto one that was mostly solid, but its locking mechanism was fragile and snapped off. One thing I would add is a geared tripod head. Yes, they are bulky and slow to adjust, but when you need precision positioning that won't move, but can be tweaked, then a geared head is invaluable.
For me, number 11 would have to be my Peak Design camera strap.In fact, I might rate it a little higher than that. It's expensive for a strap, but it sure is handy.
I'm not a huge fan of their straps (at least not the one I have), but their connectors are the best. Fortunately, their Anchor Links let you attach a normal camera strap to their connectors. You're still paying for the brand, so their not terribly cheap, but they've worked well for me
I back up my photo to my phone. It was set to auto upload to my cloud drive. So I will have a mirror copy of my photo in case of device lost or just a damaged card. So a mobile card reader is a must for me.
Blunt fact update. The SanDisk solid state drives have developed a _terrible_ reputation for failing. Western Digital bought SanDisk and everything went south. Western Digital also tried to introduced shingled magnetic recording (on magnetic platter drives) without out telling users (who rapidly noticed the disastrous decline in performance). Samsung SSDs are far better/more reliable.
Earlier (pre video) I replied to one of the responders that I use ladies make up brushes. They come in varying densities, thicknesses, are short & extremely light weight, do a great job of dust removal in the nooks & crannies of lens & bodies.Some can be pricey, but you get what you pay for. I carry two or three in my bag.Took the ones that my wife wasn't using.
Instead of buying a telephoto feet I suggest buying a collar with an arca swiss feet. One thing I absolutely love about the ulanzi zero y tripod is the fact, that the panorama rotation is ON TOP of the ball head. I wish more brands would do that. That way you don't have to level the tripod perfectly. You just have to level the ball head which is way more easy! If you take panoramas, you know what I mean.
Great advice, once again. I didn't even know most of these products existed and some of them made me go "Whooaa, I so need that"! About that Rocket blower, would you use it to clean inside the camera body? Sometimes when I change lenses, I wonder if it safe to try and blow to remove dust or tiny bits of whatever. Could it damage the sensor, you think?
When it comes to tripod feet I strongly prefer those with rubber pads and retractable spikes. That way whether I am on dirt or polished marble I can get good footing. I tried an L bracket and found them not to my taste. It made my camera unpleasant to hold, added weight and bulk to the camera, and having to detach and reattach the camera was just a waste. I shoot most scenes a tiny bit wider than needed so as to facilitate framing later. So the teeny tiny change in alignment is unnoticeable. The exception is when I shoot Macro, then the bracket can be useful. I have 2 - 4tb Samsung drives. I thought they would be great for back-ups on the go. They are and they ain't. The issue was that I also needed another device to effect the copying and transfering of those photo files. I do have a few devices to use (tablets, mini-laptop, laptop, phone), but all but the phone means I have to lug around another piece of equipment that is delicate, heavy, and bulky. I eventually switched back to what I was doing yeats ago, I use high capacity low speed SD cards. They are cheap, weigh nothing at all, and are pretty tough ( have put them through a full clothes wash cycle with no problem). I can back up some to my phone, but mostly I just make copies of my SD cards using the cameras dual slots. So I often have 3 of 4 back-ups stashed in my phone, camera, carry on and luggage. If I lose all 4 I will likely be dead anyways. There is also the added benefit that if needed, I could use those "storage" SD cards in my camera. They are slow, but would fine in s pinch. I know I could get a Gnarbox but they are pretty large and pricey, and if you lose it...
Hi Mark. Great video as usual. Thank you. Regarding the SmallRig tool. They have on Amazon Uk three versions of SmallRig tools(eg. TC2713 and AAK2213D) , and they have some different tools in each. I also have a Nikon Z system, Z7, Z7II. From your video - I believe you have the SmallRig AAK2213D, isn't it ? Which is better for Nikon Z cameras / not videography ? Thanks.
Awesome video as always Mark. I've replaced my collar foot on my 100-400mm by an Arca-Swiss replacement foot made by Haoge. No more plates and my lens easily slips right into my ball head without any worries. Easy peasy ;-)
Hi Mark thanks for another great video but any chance you could do chapters in your videos and a drinks container or waterproof gear 😅😂 as it always rains at some point here in Ireland 🇮🇪 😂
I understand the idea behind "buy once, cry once" but I think it can be really bad advice for two reasons. The first is that you might not really know what features you want or don't want until you use something for a while. Several months ago, I dropped a couple hundred on a new tripod. The good folks at my local camera store warned me that it probably wouldn't work with my big medium format, and that I'd be better off with one that costs about $500. And they were almost right. The cheaper one I bought just wouldn't work with the big camera. But it's fantastic--overkill even--for what I do with my other cameras. That $200 purchase also taught me something: For the big camera, I absolutely did not want a ball head. (I eventually got an ancient Manfrotto with a pan/tilt head that's perfect for the big camera. And it was a gift from an old portrait photographer who had himself been given a Gitzo from the estate of an even older portrait photographer.) The other issue I have with "buy once, cry once" is the assumption that the cheap "wasted" purchase will go unused. Going back to the tripod. I've got a couple of old, really cheap tripods that I've used for light stands with lightweight LED panels or to hold a foamcore bounce board. One day, undoubtedly long after I've gotten my money's worth from my cheaper tripod, and I've figured out exactly what I want, I'll probably invest in a really good one. And then I have the option to repurpose, loan out, or give away. As long as it's getting used, it's all good. Now, I get that if you are a pro and this is a business, it's better to buy exactly what you need the first time. But for a casual enthusiast, it's much easier to "buy once and be completely happy"
I have one of those small rig all in one tools, and the hex bits are 0.1mm too big to fit a lot of hex heads. Normally the hex will be say for 4 mm screw head 3.9mm but mine are 4mm so too big/tight for some. Hope they fixed this on later models
Another thing about polarizer filters is you can't replicate its effect in post processing, mine is on my lense more than off, lol. "Rocket Blower" is actually a Giottos patent and trade marked product name. ...I'd guess most other brands are just slightly different (& with filters) but essentially do the same, i mean it's only blowing air lol Good advice & as you implied, "buy once, cry once" Cheers,
About polarizing filters: When used 0n very wide angle lenses, they can leave a "blob", or an "oval" section in the image which is polarized, while the surrounding image is not. This is really somewhat annoying, especially if you're expecting a nice dark sky, from horizon to horizon.. Although, if you're always using normal to tele lenses, you'll never see it .
Don't buy Sandisk anymore. Poor customer support, shady business practices. Class action lawsuits pending. Other reputable alternatives (I use Crucial SSD's) so not forced to deal with them anymore.
RRS is top quality and expensive, but when it comes to things like their ballheads and L-brackets, they will last a LONG time. Generally these things don't break (tripod legs on the other hand, in general, may, but their ballheads are very durable and they offer a pretty generous warranty on most things -- I think 5 years last I checked). But it's one of those things like they say "buy once, cry once" and you probably won't have to buy another one for say 20+ years. That being said, there are some cheaper alternatives out there, like the knock-off brand Leofoto which looks a lot like RRS but costs about 1/4 as much (but still decent quality for the money).
Out of curiosity why so many SD cards. Even with really high res images most larger cards hold well over 1k images. I get needing extras but thats a lot of cards to fill before offloading photos. Or are you using it more for organization using different cards each day or each subject on a trip?
*bottled air doesn't have (much) moisture. The gas expansion causes temperature to drop, causing the outside are to chill and condense. But I guess looks like moisture out of the bottle 🙂
🔥QUESTION: What's the best camera accessory you ever purchased?
My $100 third party 50MM lens.
iFootage uprise carbon fiber tripod. Lightweight, adaptable, built in rubber and spiked feet and lever locks. An all around great tripod. I also have one of their mono pods and love that as well. Much better than all of the previous ones I've purchased (Enter roll-eyes emoji here)
True per the L brackets. I put them on and leave them on. Now, I used the small mounts that came with the tripod on my zooms. Oops, now I do need to get those “zoom” mounts you mentioned because I too am always tightening these in the field. Thanks again by presenting both aspects of good and useless gear.
L brackets and Peak Design camera strap
Not sure if this applies but a backpack with a rain cover, saved my kit several times already.
If you are going to buy a rocket blower, or a pelican case, buy them in bright colours; lost my first (black) rocket blower in a dark wood and nearly lost a bunch of memory cards in a black case on a mountain top. I now have yellow and orange. Peak Design strap and buttons, is my best ever purchase. Goes on every camera and my f-Stop ICU. Super useful.
Get an air tag as well
I've found that completely replacing the lens foot with an Arca Swiss foot is a better solution than using an additional plate. One less thing that can shift.
More manufacturers are using Arca Swiss-compatible feet on their lenses.
I find that replacing the whole foot makes it sturdier, those little soft pads on plates add just a tiny bit of play in the system.
Another no nonsense, to the point, informative video. 15 mins well spent. Thank you Mr. Mark Denney !
Thanks so much - glad to hear it!
There are two things I add to every new camera or lens - BFORE I take them on location:
An L bracket for the camera body; not essentially for use on the monopod (I seriously dislike tripods, despite having 3 of them), but to protect the body when I lay the rig (fuji x-h2s + 150-600lens) down on rocky shorelines.
The lens' essential accessory is a U/V filter to protect the front element from salt spray & wind-blown sand, flying gravel etc.
I'm no studio photographer, so my kit often needs some tlc.
A quality thermos was the best camera accessory I ever bought and no expedition should be contemplated without one. Reaching your destination then discovering you don't have a hot cup of coffee available just.... well there's not words to describe it.
Hear, hear! Also one of the best motorcycle touring accessories ever! ;)
Great suggestions Mr. Denny. Three related thoughts: 1) The multi-tool you recommend is a favorite for me because it lacks a knife and can stay with me in my carry-on when traveling. 2) When buying an L-bracket watch out for versions that interfere with cables, swapping out memory cards and batteries, and most importantly LCD screens that flip out. 3) Cheap rocket style blowers do break. I have had the squeeze bulb crack, which renders them useless. Spending a little more to get a name-brand, higher quality version has been the way to go for me.
I keep saying this... Cheap simple foam Knee Pads! Super lightweight, lends extra padding to equipment, and they are fantastic when kneeling in mud, sharp rocks, scorching concrete, or to sit on when it is damp.
Mark
A wired camera trigger to me it's easier to just plug it in to the camera then to bring the app up on the phone or set the timer on the camera and also prevents camera shake from the camera when its mounted on the tripod
Good time to start thinking about Christmas gifts to myself, great recommendations, thank you!
Thanks for presenting both sides.
Of course - glad to do it!
Big thank you Mark, very helpful information. A recommendation from you is worth a million.
Great information as always, Mark! I would add to that list a headlamp (I use Bio-Lite), and sensor cleaning swabs/fluid. I don't use it a lot, but the Peak design Capture Clip (PDCC) is handy when walking and don't want to constantly take the camera out of the bag. There are L-brackets that are PDCC-compatible.
I switched from L bracket to Atoll Silencer bracket for Sony and absolutely love it! No need to remove from ball head, just rotate bracket.
Now that looks like a clever design! It also does away with the lateral obstruction that comes with the L bracket, which is my biggest reason for not permanently mounting one to my camera.
Nice! Building my shopping list now
Glad it was helpful!
velcro straps. It keeps all the cords well arranged.
Those sandisk drives had a ton of failures last year and are generally not considered reliable anymore. There were lots of articles and blogs on the issues several months ago. Great idea but not a brand I would want right now. I still have mine as a back up of a back up but would never want to count on it.
I think it was only newer and higher capacity models that were affected. If you have an older one bought a few years ago then it should still be absolutely fine and reliable
I hope not :/ I bought a 4TB 9 months ago. It had a ton of excellent reviews.
@@duringthemeanwhilst Nope, all of them are crap. I bought mine in 2020 I think. Never left my shelf and failed to mount one day, with months of my pictures on it. Spent $1k in recovery and it took them a year to figure out a way to recover it. SanDisk is dead as a brand to me.
@@PawanDubeyK I can only speak from my positive experience using SanDisk SD cards and their SSD over the years. Touch wood I’ve never had a single issue.
Then again the same can be said of Lexar. I used their SD cards for many years with zero problems.
I've been using SanDisk for years, never had a problem. They are certainly not as bad as one UA-cam commenter says.
My wife isn't going to be happy that I watched this video.😃
Hahahah!!
Did you steel have a wife? :=)
Remember the golden rule when it comes to photography equipment: When purchasing camera equipment, as far as the wife is concerned, you got it on sale for 50% off and it was too good of a deal to pass up. This rule is in your place for your own protection.
@@BroswithBeerandPants we'd be losing money if I didn't buy it
Add her to your kit!
One thing I love as a wildlife photographer is the backpack attached camera straps. A back saver with big lenses. I use the OP/Tech ones. A really good line of inexpensive straps and such and all interchangeable. The backpack clips do not look like much but do not let that fool you they work. They carry my 200-800 effortlessly. Pointer buy the extension straps with this kit. No affiliation with OP/TECH just a genuine fan.
Mark. I do a hell of a lot on Scottish Photography and I’m a big believer in getting used to the gear you have, that way you can use your camera and get used to the settings inside out, k owing where everything is at the touch of a button.
Photography is a big business and costly to loads us.
I do my own channel on Photography locations Scotland and believe me you still give inspiration on UA-cam. Keep it up Mark.
An actual replacement foot for the telephoto foot that has an Arca-Swiss plate as an integral part of it is a better choice than the bracket. Also prefer an ATOLL to an L bracket. Use the Smallrig tool also (partly because I can fly with it).
I got the same bag recently and I'm absolutely loving it.
I often carry a gardener's kneeler pad. Good for getting a low shot, and also good if I want to sit down and everything's wet.
I also prefer lever clamps - and flip-lock tripods. Same reasoning - plus twist locks are a total PITA if you get any sand in them - particularly granite sand. I hadn't known about those tripod claw feet, going to pick up a few sets - and that tool looks interesting...
Solid tips, thanks!🙂
Hi Mark,
Thanks for the video. Lots of good info as always!
Would you mind answering a question about the BH-40 RRS ballhead?
I currently use the Acratech GXP-SS. I like it. It's a good head. But it has a clamp with a knob. The knob can be aa bit annoying because it can take a few seconds to secure my camera and, as you've noted, it's not easy to see visually that the knob is secure.
So the lever release on the BH-40 looks very handy and faster. But, it also looks like it would be easy to open accidentally if, for example, my sleeve were to catch it.
Is there a locking mechanism on the lever? Is there a way to stop it from opening accidentally?
Thank you,
Mary
I hate lever release clamps because even if you have all your plates from the same manufacturer there’s always that one that is an odd one out and is loose or tight and makes you adjust the “fixed” side of the clamp.
A screw clamp is tight when it is done up.
I use Sunwayfoto L brackets on my cameras and find them excellent quality and design. They also make great ball heads with arca swiss mount with locking lever clamp and screw adjustment on the other side for the slightly different sizing of arca swiss plates. I loved the Smallrig toolkit so much, I bought a second. Outdoors, I think a tripod without spikes is almost useless. Neewer have nice spikes with solid rubber feet that push on securely when you are on scratchable surfaces. I have a set of claw feet but have never found the need to use them, even when on rock. Agree the Giotto blower is a very useful item.
Great information in this video. At about 4:20 you are talking about attaching an Arca Swiss foot bracket. Not sure if it makes a difference, but I always put the shoe stop in front rather in back as you did.
Awesome video Mark!! I’m ordering my tripod claw feet today!!! Never seen those before and my rubber ones fall off of my Benro tripods sometimes. And the Rocket Blower is also great for blowing invisible dust particles out of my CF Express card and card slot. When I get a “Write Error” on my Fuji XH2s, it’s because some how micro dust got in there while I was switching cards or at home with my card out.
FWIW, I think the ProMediaGear L-plates are a bit better than RRS as the left side is adjustable. Handy when I'm on a tripod in portrait and need to attach the receiver for an intervalometer (night sky stuff).
Looking up claw feet now, great advice. For telephoto lens, if available, buy a replacement foot not another plate. I have gotten them from Really Right Stuff for my Nikon lenses. Costy, but worth it!
4 more things: 1. small flashlight 2. microfiber towel 3. pocketknife 4.small first aid kit
Pocketknife will get confiscated if you ever leave it in your bag going through airport security!
@@trevorpayne2749 Uhh..yeah... Most know that. Pack it in your check-in baggage. Never had a problem packing my trusty old Swiss Army knife. Also, who says all photo trips require a plane flight?
@@jimbruton9482 Never said flight travel was necessary. Just a word to the wise for anyone careless enough to leave a penknife in their bag when they do. I’ve had two Swiss army mini keyring knives confiscated simply because I forgot to remove them from my bunch of keys before flying.
Cross pollinating from my IT career, I picked up a cheap 4" paint brush for dry brushing dust out of areas a micro fibre cloth can't reach (around the knobs, keyboard keys etc.). I picked up one from Harbor Freight, looks like crap but it does the job like a champ.
I found that make-up brushes are very soft, scratch proof, short, weigh next to nothing & don't take up much room in the bag.
Great tips, Mark. The L bracket is by far my favourite accessory. By the way my SmallRig was confiscated at Bahrain airport last year. It was treated as if it was a knife! They saw all my camera gear, totally accepted why I was carrying it, yet still took if off me.
Thanks for checking out the video!
its not nice to say,,,, but they were probably after a small token of respect!! I had the same problem in Madagascar a small man - not in height - asked me if I had the receipts for my camera gear, to cut it short I gave him what was in my pocket.............. about $5 in there currency and some pocket fluff............ hey ho... no receipts needed. keep some of the local stuff when leaving the country.
@@brianm.9062 That culture doesn't exist in Bahrain and most Arab countries. If it was say, the Philippines, Pakistan, Indonesia then yes, I would agree with you.
Thank you for these tips
I would like to add one that came in handy to me. I once had cross thread one of my filters and struggled in correcting it. I bought as a result a filter wrench. This was a life savior.😊
I have switched to Mavin magnetic filters. Excellent quality and no more threading...
Buying a good L bracket will save frustrations out in the field, I learned this the hard way. Thanks for the list.
Glad to do it!
Good list! FYI, I shoot Sony and use Kirk Universal Quick Release / ARCA feet on my long lenses. They utilize two screws to keep the foot from turning and reduce the chances of coming loose. Not sure if Nikon has two screw holes. Another accessory I use quite often is a leveling base under the ball / video head for my tripod. Saves a ton of time trying to level a tripod for panoramas, video panning, or astro. I use a Leofoto LB75. Interesting that a tripod did not make your top 10.
I started using one of those circular tripod clamps instead of an L-bracket lately. does the same thing, just without the need to remove your camera from your tripod to change orientation. it works more like a telephoto lens clamp and the advantage is in tricky conditions it completely removes the chance of dropping your camera and lens. disadvantage is they are camera / lens specific and not a universal one-size fits all solution. worth it though for peace of mind particularly for people like me who may be challenged in the dexterity part of life 🙂
Your video led me to look through some of own gear, and I noticed I had (dumbly) left the batteries in a favorite piece of gear, my Petzl headlamp that is wonderful for hands free camera setup/adjustment at night. One battery had exploded on one end, fouling one of the lamp's battery contact terminals. But a little steel wool and cloth and a bit of sandpaper and the terminal was all cleaned up. So THANK YOU for putting out this helpful video!! It led me to check stuff out and save my Petzl headlamp.
Happy to do it!
Good ideas and another very important accessory are quality straps to securely hold your camera and lenses in a comfortable positions that is easy to attach like the popular peak design system.
Amazing video. Thank you for your time and effort. Have a lovely day.
Happy to do it friend!
I can vouch 100% for FStop bags, not only are they just great photography bags but as someone also with back issues (fractured T9 vertebra years ago) they are super comfortable and distribute the weight evenly
I was told by the HD guy at Adorama NOT to use this Sandisk drive. (The OLD one YES, the new ones are having chip reliabilty issues).
I would say Kirk Photo makes a good alternative to some RRS components. They're not cheap either, but there's options.
One iteration of the saying you were looking for is "Pay the price to do it right, or pay the price to do it twice". Invest your money wisely in quality gear, or keep buying cheap crap over and over. BTW - thanks for the tip on a *good* ball head. Had a Manfrotto one that was mostly solid, but its locking mechanism was fragile and snapped off. One thing I would add is a geared tripod head. Yes, they are bulky and slow to adjust, but when you need precision positioning that won't move, but can be tweaked, then a geared head is invaluable.
For me, number 11 would have to be my Peak Design camera strap.In fact, I might rate it a little higher than that. It's expensive for a strap, but it sure is handy.
I'm not a huge fan of their straps (at least not the one I have), but their connectors are the best. Fortunately, their Anchor Links let you attach a normal camera strap to their connectors. You're still paying for the brand, so their not terribly cheap, but they've worked well for me
Very informative Mark. Thanks.
Thanks John!
Great video - very helpful - already ordered a small rig tool
Thanks Guy!
I have those SmallRig multi tools attached to every kit I travel with. Priceless IMHO.
I back up my photo to my phone. It was set to auto upload to my cloud drive. So I will have a mirror copy of my photo in case of device lost or just a damaged card.
So a mobile card reader is a must for me.
My Giotto Rocket Blower is around a dozen years old. Works great, still like new.
Blunt fact update. The SanDisk solid state drives have developed a _terrible_ reputation for failing. Western Digital bought SanDisk and everything went south. Western Digital also tried to introduced shingled magnetic recording (on magnetic platter drives) without out telling users (who rapidly noticed the disastrous decline in performance). Samsung SSDs are far better/more reliable.
I use my rocket blower on my own glasses too. Got it complimentary from my local camera store.
Great tips 👌
think of what you might need when 5 mile away from the car, some sweet accessories there. Thanks.
Earlier (pre video) I replied to one of the responders that I use ladies make up brushes. They come in varying densities, thicknesses, are short & extremely light weight, do a great job of dust removal in the nooks & crannies of lens & bodies.Some can be pricey, but you get what you pay for. I carry two or three in my bag.Took the ones that my wife wasn't using.
Good Stuff. See you in Colorado in 2 weeks.
Thanks Rob! Lookin forward to it.
Instead of buying a telephoto feet I suggest buying a collar with an arca swiss feet.
One thing I absolutely love about the ulanzi zero y tripod is the fact, that the panorama rotation is ON TOP of the ball head.
I wish more brands would do that.
That way you don't have to level the tripod perfectly. You just have to level the ball head which is way more easy!
If you take panoramas, you know what I mean.
Great advice, once again. I didn't even know most of these products existed and some of them made me go "Whooaa, I so need that"! About that Rocket blower, would you use it to clean inside the camera body? Sometimes when I change lenses, I wonder if it safe to try and blow to remove dust or tiny bits of whatever. Could it damage the sensor, you think?
I just learned what an L bracket was for!
Thank you so much for sharing this! And you’re absolutely right you do lose your composition.
Great video ! Thank you so much ❤
Thanks Daniel!
When it comes to tripod feet I strongly prefer those with rubber pads and retractable spikes. That way whether I am on dirt or polished marble I can get good footing.
I tried an L bracket and found them not to my taste. It made my camera unpleasant to hold, added weight and bulk to the camera, and having to detach and reattach the camera was just a waste. I shoot most scenes a tiny bit wider than needed so as to facilitate framing later. So the teeny tiny change in alignment is unnoticeable. The exception is when I shoot Macro, then the bracket can be useful.
I have 2 - 4tb Samsung drives. I thought they would be great for back-ups on the go. They are and they ain't. The issue was that I also needed another device to effect the copying and transfering of those photo files. I do have a few devices to use (tablets, mini-laptop, laptop, phone), but all but the phone means I have to lug around another piece of equipment that is delicate, heavy, and bulky. I eventually switched back to what I was doing yeats ago, I use high capacity low speed SD cards. They are cheap, weigh nothing at all, and are pretty tough ( have put them through a full clothes wash cycle with no problem). I can back up some to my phone, but mostly I just make copies of my SD cards using the cameras dual slots. So I often have 3 of 4 back-ups stashed in my phone, camera, carry on and luggage. If I lose all 4 I will likely be dead anyways. There is also the added benefit that if needed, I could use those "storage" SD cards in my camera. They are slow, but would fine in s pinch. I know I could get a Gnarbox but they are pretty large and pricey, and if you lose it...
Hi Mark. Great video as usual. Thank you. Regarding the SmallRig tool. They have on Amazon Uk three versions of SmallRig tools(eg. TC2713 and AAK2213D) , and they have some different tools in each. I also have a Nikon Z system, Z7, Z7II. From your video - I believe you have the SmallRig AAK2213D, isn't it ? Which is better for Nikon Z cameras / not videography ? Thanks.
No-brainers, but like most no-brainers worth repeating again and again. Thanks Mark.
Awesome video as always Mark. I've replaced my collar foot on my 100-400mm by an Arca-Swiss replacement foot made by Haoge. No more plates and my lens easily slips right into my ball head without any worries. Easy peasy ;-)
Thanks Eric!
I think I have as much on this list as last week's list.
Have you tried geared heads? I've seen some convincing arguments for geared tripod heads over ballheads, and I'm considering it for one of my tripods.
Hi Mark thanks for another great video but any chance you could do chapters in your videos and a drinks container or waterproof gear
😅😂 as it always rains at some point here in Ireland 🇮🇪 😂
The phrase I learned was, "you only cry once when you buy a good tool"
Ok, the last two episodes were useful, how about one that looks into what gear you would consider buying used?
Another great video! And yes I will be making another purchase or three, LOL
Hahah - thanks Sharon!
Thank you
Gladly!
I especially like the CPL and my L brackets.
I understand the idea behind "buy once, cry once" but I think it can be really bad advice for two reasons. The first is that you might not really know what features you want or don't want until you use something for a while. Several months ago, I dropped a couple hundred on a new tripod. The good folks at my local camera store warned me that it probably wouldn't work with my big medium format, and that I'd be better off with one that costs about $500. And they were almost right. The cheaper one I bought just wouldn't work with the big camera. But it's fantastic--overkill even--for what I do with my other cameras. That $200 purchase also taught me something: For the big camera, I absolutely did not want a ball head. (I eventually got an ancient Manfrotto with a pan/tilt head that's perfect for the big camera. And it was a gift from an old portrait photographer who had himself been given a Gitzo from the estate of an even older portrait photographer.)
The other issue I have with "buy once, cry once" is the assumption that the cheap "wasted" purchase will go unused. Going back to the tripod. I've got a couple of old, really cheap tripods that I've used for light stands with lightweight LED panels or to hold a foamcore bounce board. One day, undoubtedly long after I've gotten my money's worth from my cheaper tripod, and I've figured out exactly what I want, I'll probably invest in a really good one. And then I have the option to repurpose, loan out, or give away. As long as it's getting used, it's all good.
Now, I get that if you are a pro and this is a business, it's better to buy exactly what you need the first time. But for a casual enthusiast, it's much easier to "buy once and be completely happy"
I have one of those small rig all in one tools, and the hex bits are 0.1mm too big to fit a lot of hex heads.
Normally the hex will be say for 4 mm screw head 3.9mm but mine are 4mm so too big/tight for some.
Hope they fixed this on later models
My tripods have rubber feet that you can screw in and uncover spikes.
Same
Another thing about polarizer filters is you can't replicate its effect in post processing, mine is on my lense more than off, lol.
"Rocket Blower" is actually a Giottos patent and trade marked product name. ...I'd guess most other brands are just slightly different (& with filters) but essentially do the same, i mean it's only blowing air lol
Good advice & as you implied, "buy once, cry once"
Cheers,
Do you know if your camera bag fits under airline seat as what they call a personal item?
About polarizing filters: When used 0n very wide angle lenses, they can leave a "blob", or an "oval" section in the image which is polarized, while the surrounding image is not. This is really somewhat annoying, especially if you're expecting a nice dark sky, from horizon to horizon.. Although, if you're always using normal to tele lenses, you'll never see it .
Make sure your SanDisk SSD has latest firmware to resolve issues especially with 4TB drives.
Don't buy Sandisk anymore. Poor customer support, shady business practices. Class action lawsuits pending. Other reputable alternatives (I use Crucial SSD's) so not forced to deal with them anymore.
@@RobSpiv Samsung devices also an alternative. Not had any issues personally with my many SanDisk SSD's but you are quite correct 😉
Hi Mark. Could you please do a video about f-stop Lotus 4 CORE DuraDiamond Backpack...with some f-stop ICU's
Hi Deny...your back ground watch is not working........last couple of scenario...any issue ???or it
intention ??????
RRS is expensive but the very best quality. 👍
How many hours a week would you commit to going out to capture images? And how many hours behind the screen processing? Cheers from NZ.
Oh my, I'm in trouble 😂
RRS is top quality and expensive, but when it comes to things like their ballheads and L-brackets, they will last a LONG time. Generally these things don't break (tripod legs on the other hand, in general, may, but their ballheads are very durable and they offer a pretty generous warranty on most things -- I think 5 years last I checked). But it's one of those things like they say "buy once, cry once" and you probably won't have to buy another one for say 20+ years. That being said, there are some cheaper alternatives out there, like the knock-off brand Leofoto which looks a lot like RRS but costs about 1/4 as much (but still decent quality for the money).
Someone reply when there will be timecodes, please
Joe McNally taught me one time how to use tripod for defense, those feet would help 😎
Out of curiosity why so many SD cards. Even with really high res images most larger cards hold well over 1k images. I get needing extras but thats a lot of cards to fill before offloading photos. Or are you using it more for organization using different cards each day or each subject on a trip?
L-Bracket is the best accessory
Rocket Blower!
Memo to self: Remember to remove claw feet before deploying tripod on Versailles parquet.
Good point!
Buy cheap buy twice😁
"Buy once, cry once" ;)
*bottled air doesn't have (much) moisture. The gas expansion causes temperature to drop, causing the outside are to chill and condense. But I guess looks like moisture out of the bottle 🙂
Never on a sensor
pressurized air can force particles into the camera or lens. Blower has much less pressure and less likely to do this.
Do you have any problems on bringing any of these in the airport?
I've always heard it as "the cheap comes out expensive"...
Since every recent camera has a USB-C port, it would be nice if they could directly backup to an external drive without any additional contraptions.
I’ve always said, “Buy Once, Cry Once.”
Just keep believing what your wife said, 1TB is "Average size" or quality storage is more important than the size of your storage.