New DSLR... my very first SLR

[tropterrarium]

Without knowing about that article, I am a happy Gitzo CF legs owner (a 1200 and a 1300 series), with one Linhof Profi II (with Locktite, funny really), and an Arca B1, both with Arca QR. RRS L-plate on camera. Linhof is sufficient for most plant photography. Only when I use the 5DmkII with battery holder, MPE 65 mm, on two axis macrofocusing stage and MX 24 twin flash, then it gets a tad heavy. My first Gitzo legs with Linhof I bought about 15 years ago, been around the globe several times, in saltwater, mud, sand, still works like a charm. The 1300 with Arca head I've had for about 6 years. Even more charmed.

Treat yourself once, never look back. Unlike a camera, a tripod is not going out of date.

Proper technique (mirror lock up, self-timer, cable release) is a must. The suggestion that looking at the front of the lens can sufficiently identify vibrations seems a bit overly confident. If you can see it, you certainly have a problem. However, consider that resolution of your image is cut in half if the image moves by one pixel. Pixels are in the 4-8 micrometer size range! Even with generous leverage amplification, do you think you can see with the naked eye movements on the 50-100 micron = 0.05-0.1 mm side?
Look at fine image detail at high magnification.

[DelawareJim]

Trop;

Nice to know.

Your kit is pretty consistent with the writer of the article. He uses a Gtizo mountaineer, and either Arca or Really Right Stuff ballheads and RRS plates.

Just for giggles I priced out a kit.

Gitzo GT2531 Tripod - $595.87 from Amazon
BH-55 LR Ballhead - $455 from RRS
BP-CS Plate for Nikon D80 - $55 from RRS

Total - $1,105.87

Optional Gitzo tripod bag - $89.90 from Amazon
Optional shoulder strap - $39.90 from Amazon

Rosie, all this, could be yours, for a grand total of...... $1,235.67 (about £ 773)

Cheers.
Jim

[RosieC]

Interesting stuff about the tripods, thanks for the article Val.

[tropterrarium]

Yep, each tripod & head is over a grand US. If you want to get decent images, you gladly take the plunge. It certainly depends on your final product. One of my standard formats is 13x19" on an Epson 3880 with luster paper. With proper technique, those images pop. 4x5" still has a bit of an edge over a 20 MP SLR digicam. But it's tough, once you do USM in L channel of Lab (or with modified highpass filter in an adjustment layer), and tweak the color in a and b. Needless to say, color management is critical.

But without a solid file off the camera, all that is a non-starter. That is why I shoot from an exquisite platform and use prime MF lenses.

For images posted here, one may get away with much less, and differences are difficult to impossible to see once the files are reduced to a small web-jpeg. This is not an approach I take, but may be workable for many on this forum.