Favorite Tripod/Head for S2

[jrv]

The Markins Quickshoe has a useful safety feature:



That's a spring-loaded pin so that if you have a flat-bottom plate you can still use that shoe. But the Really Right Stuff L brackets and others have hollowed-out areas and the pin acts as a safety stop in case the shoe works a little loose...

The RRS S2 L bracket has a problem with the Markins 60mm shoe: the L bracket dovetails are small and the safety pin winds up *outside* the dovetail when the camera is in the on-axis centered spot of the quickshoe. Markins has a 48mm shoe but I'm not sure if the pin if moved close enough to the center to eliminate this issue.

[Roger]

Thanks for all the insights and testing. I ended up with a Gitzo 3541L and i think thats the right size for the S2 . The RRS BH55 and the lever release and the RRS L bracket. Nothing original. Could not get the RRS 34 L in time for my trip.

Funny though I was shooting at Maroon Bells in Aspen. The most photographed location in Colorado. Pitch black and 65 photographers set up in the dark. Sun comes up and the guy next to me had the new RRS 34 L ....looks very nice similar in size to the Gitzo 3 series but rated close to the 5. Using the same BH 55 head.

Jack that test looks like one done for LFI years winner was the wood tripod. Thanks again for all the insights.

[woodyspedden]

One experiential comment I can add is that I'm not a fan of the Lever type release on the RRS QR clamp ... nor are a number of other long time MFD users.

It can be to easily snagged and opened, and once adjusted for a tight grip on the RSS camera plates, is not always tight with other QR ARCA type plates, so it has to be adjusted. The big knob type is my preference.

-Marc

Ditto!

Woody Spedden

[Ornello]

I know to extract the most out of the S2 that a heavy tripod is recommended. Looking at the latest article on Luminous Landscape and David s post on the Telyt conversion ...both seem to be using a GITZO 5 series . I have one but use it with a Gimbel head for long lenses .

The series 5 GITZO is as solid as I ve seen but wow .....will I really drag this baby on a shooting trip that includes air travel? I also have a 3 series GITZO which is really quite portable .

What combinations are the other S2 owners using and what are they recommending ? What head are you using and have you sprung for the CUBE?

Where do you get the idea that a tripod is necessary for a camera such as the S2?

[David Farkas]

Where do you get the idea that a tripod is necessary for a camera such as the S2?

While I certainly use my S2 hand-held most of the time, a tripod is an essential tool for my photography (and most photographers). It's necessary when using ND filters, shooting stopped down for maximum depth of field, shooting night scenes, etc. Basically, if you're going to shoot a 16 sec exposure, you better have a pretty good tripod.

[RVB]

Arca Swiss cube with Arca Swiss universal L plate on a RRS verso tripod or a Gitzo 5 series tripod is hard to beat...