My Impetus

There’s plenty of cool equipment in photography - but an often overlooked piece of gear is the humble tripod. The tripod is an essential piece of equipment for a photographer, and learning when one is needed is a key step in the journey. In order to take pictures with slow shutter speeds (long exposure) to either blur motion or in low light situations, you must hold the camera steady. Many SLR’s also offer some sort of exposure bracketing - usually denoted AEB - that allows you to ensure a proper exposure of your picture. This can be done hand held, but it is not easy. These bracketed photos can also be merged to create stunning high dynamic range (HDR) images.

In low light situations, even a bit of movement from your body can ruin a nice shot. In fact, some SLR digital cameras have custom functions to help minimize even the most minuscule of movement. They can lock the mirror in place before a shot to reduce the smallest vibrations. Many of today’s cameras, or preferably lenses, have some type of image stabilization feature built-in. Termed IS (image stabilization) in the Canon line and VR (vibration reduction) in the Nikon line, IS can help from 1 - 4 shutter/ EV stops for movement of the camera - a photographer shooting at 1/250 can turn on a 3-stop IS and shoot hand held at 1/30. The lenses all differ in their approach, but the basic idea is that a lens ‘floats’ and moves in an opposite direction of the camera movement to capture a sharper image. In fact, some of the earlier generation IS/VR modes need to be turned off when used on a tripod, as the sheer lack of movement ‘tricks’ the sensors and the image may be worse if taken in this mode….but I digress.

So I set out to look for my first tripod. I was looking for the following features / qualities:

After much research, I decided upon the Slik Sprint Pro. It is a smaller, lightweight tripod that can hold up to 4.5lbs - which was right in my wheelhouse as the XTi weighs just over a pound. This tripod shipped with the gunmetal-grey finish, which looked very professional, included a ballhead, and a small nylon carrying ‘pouch’ with a shoulder strap. The tripod collapses to a very manageable 18.9″ and weighs only 1.9 lbs - so, it is very light and easy to take with you.

The first time I used the tripod, I knew I made a great purchase. The legs feature quick release knobs which allow a wide range of heights as well as use on uneven ground. The feet of the tripod are multi-purpose - there are rubber stoppers for indoor use, and with a few twists the rubber stoppers spin up to reveal small spikes for outdoor use. The legs lock into multiple angles as well as an extreme wide stance with the release of small plastic hinges at the top of the legs to get extremely low level shots. The tripod felt extremely stable for it’s light weight. It is made from aluminum, unlike it’s more expensive carbon fiber brothers.

The center column extends upwards to a maximum height of 64.3″ which is a perfect height for me - I’m 5′7″. A taller friend of mine, around 6′4″ found it to be a little low for him, but not terribly inconvenient.

For macro photography use the legs open to very wide angles for extremely low shots with the camera mounted the normal way. In addition, the center column can be removed and flipped, with the camera mounted upside down, for even more extreme shots just an inch off of the ground - or for different perspective on life.

I brought the Slik with me on a walk of a small garden in my area. This garden is home to a very large array of plants and insects and has a small stream running through it. The tripod deploys very quickly, thanks to the quick release locks - and with a few swivels the camera mounts quickly to the ballhead. I was soon taking macro shots of plants with the EF 100mm f/2.8 USM lens that came out incredibly sharp. I set my XTi up for a long exposure, and snapped a pic of the stream. The goal was to blur the water to create a silk effect, and leave the remaining background sharp and clear.

I also brought the Slik with me to a fireworks display this summer, and I was not disappointed. I was able to use long shutter times to blur the fireworks to create trails. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate this year, and there were thunderstorms the next day which prevented a second attempt. However, the Slik worked quite well with the XTi and the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0 IS USM lens. This is a pretty heavy lens weighing in at 1.7 lbs, for a total of almost 3 lbs with the XTi - the only thing to be careful of is when you loosen the ballhead. There is zero resistance, and as soon the lever is loosened, the weight of the lens would cause it tilt. The first time I loosened it to reposition I learned very quickly to hold the camera and lens with the other hand!

Stream and Fireworks

All in all, for the price ($79 from B&H or Amazon) this is an excellent starter tripod. It is very light and portable which means I will bring it with me for use in the field, as a heavier tripod might get a second thought and get left behind. I carry a small backpack with my gear in it and the tripod in the pouch straps on nicely and doesn’t add much weight. The Slik Sprint Pro was exactly what I was looking for and it’s a welcome addition to my gear.

In the future, I may be looking for a more robust tripod for indoor use - where weight and size are not as important. If I do go this route, the Slik will still be my choice for travel - and it can still be useful for holding a flash or other photographic equipment if a sturdier tripod replaces it in the future.

About the only thing I don’t like is the ballhead - it works fine. However, a quick release mount would be ideal. These mounts are available, but adds price and weight to this little package.

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The Canon BG-E3 Vertical Grip/Battery for EOS Digital Cameras is an interesting accessory for the Canon Digital Rebel (350d) and Digital Rebel XTi (400d) cameras.

The BG-E3 is a welcome addition to my 400d, giving it a bit more weight and balance - especially with heavier zoom lenses such as the EF 70-200mm f/4.0 IS USM. The surface of the portrait grip is rubberized for a great tactile, secure feeling - and adds some much needed room for your pinky in normal grip. Pictured on the right is a side view of the BG-E3, mounted on a 400d with a 17-40mm f/4.0 lens attached. Visible on this side of the grip is the battery release lever, which turns and unlocks the battery tray - which then slides out.

When I first held the 400d, it felt good, but it was a bit small. I noticed that when shooting, my right pinky finger seemed to dangle off, and it naturally started to curl up under the camera. When I mounted the battery grip, it immediately felt like a much larger, more robust camera, and ‘felt’ much better in my hands.

The extra room provided by the grip made shooting a breeze. My pinky no longer dangled off of the edge, but curled around the nicely textured grip and I didn’t feel as much fatigue in my right hand as I was no longer supporting the camera with my pinky finger.

The BG-E3 holds two NB-2LH battery packs (or 6 AA batteries) for double the shooting time. The grip attaches to the camera via the battery door. On both the 350D and 400d, the battery door has a small slider that allows for easy removal and storage. With the battery door removed, the grip plugs in and then screws in securely via the thumbscrew.

The NB-2LH battery mount is different from the AA battery mount - ideally it would be great if you could just ‘pop’ in some AA’s. This is not the case - you will need to keep the AA mount with you in order to be able to use AA batteries - they are not interchangeable. In addition, the grip comes with a small plastic covering that is to be placed over the metal contacts on the mounts to prevent damage during storage. There are two slots for the NB-2LH batteries. Fortunately, however you do not need to have both batteries in the device in order to function, and it doesn’t matter which slot is occupied. In addition, the batteries are wired in parallel - thus power is drawn from both batteries simultaneously. This should give you ample time to take photographs (and power IS lenses) before you notice the battery level dropping. However, you might need to pick yourself up another charger =)

The grip allows for full use of the camera in portrait grip (vertical shooting) including: shutter release, AE lock / FE lock, index / reduce button, main dial, AF frame select button, and the aperture / exposure compensation button.

Before I had the grip attached, I found myself shooting less than 5% in portrait mode - the stock 400d does not lend itself well to shooting in this mode. It is somewhat awkward to manipulate your fingers around the camera to press the AE or shutter release buttons. However, after I attached the grip, I noticed a much larger percentage of my photo’s in portrait. Shown to the left is the nicely sized, rubberized portrait grip, along with the controls - you can also see the the gap where a Canon (or third party) hand strap can be mounted. In addition, the tripod mount screw is directly in the middle of the grip. This is truly a wonderful addition to the 400d, and nothing is sacrificed by adding the grip as every feature is duplicated and in the ‘right’ spot.

The BG-E3 is available from Amazon. Get yours today! Makes an excellent Christmas or birthday gift for the budding photographer in your family.

Dimensions:	5 x 3.8 x 2.8″ (128 x 96.4 x 70.7mm)
Weight:	8.1 oz (230g)

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