Tripods and Accessories
Tripods are a very important piece of equipment for the serious photographer and timelapser. Choose wisely. It will make a difference every day you are shooting!
Tripods
Get a good tripod! I strongly recommend getting a tripod with an Arca-Swiss style quick release plate for mounting the camera. This mount is the de-facto standard for professionals - and it generally implies a good tripod. I also recommend a Ball Head - but that is a personal preference.
ARCA-SWISS MOUNT
DPReview did a Tripod shoot-out, and Sirui did very well. I have been using them for years, in very harsh conditions - including supporting Motion Control equipment. They cost much less than other brand names, but they handle the workload very well. Try them out. And they weigh just about the same as expensive carbon-fiber tripods.
Sirui makes a great Ball Head! I have used them in the desert and Iceland for years and they have never frozen up or gotten jammed with grit - never. They are smooth and stable and handle a Pro DLSR + Lens just fine. And they have the notch for doing vertical panoramas!
Benro also makes some great tripods and ball heads. I've started seeing a lot of these in the workshops.
Leofoto makes some great tripods. These cost more, but the ergonomics and precision of the machining is excellent. They feel like a well-crafted machine!
Smartphones are getting better and better. Here is the best tripod - and it doesn’t cost that much! Keep 1 or 2 in your pack for iPhones and lights.
Accessories
Here are some of the products that I use frequently
Love this SSD storage device! It’s super fast and rock solid. And its super portable!
While Lightroom has gotten very good and corrective exposure issues in post, it is much better to manage environmental light in-camera. The Lee system is very flexible and can handle different lighting situations - from contrasty sunsets and sunrises, to Auoras in a pitch black scene. Make sure to get the filter holder and adaptor ring for each specific lens you will be using.
Variable ND filters have gotten much better at optics. B+W makes some of the best. These are great for ease of use when you shooting dynamic locations (i.e. Diamond Beach in Iceland - with the waves crashing!). You can quickly change the level of ND in real-time, instead of having to stop, move to a secure location, and change filters.
PETZL makes some great headlamps. Make sure to get one that is hands free - because you'll be busy setting up your equipment.
This is a great storage device. It provides mirroring to protect your files. With RAID 1 (Mirroring), you effectively get to use 1/2 of the stated size. These drives are also very fast. I have 3 of them.
This device is used to calibrate your external monitor or laptop. You can't publish or print good color images unless your monitors are calibrated - it’s that simple!
You should have one of these in your camera bag always. Even in the desert where it helps keep the sand out of your camera.
Travel Accessories
Here are some important items for traveling - including Iceland!
Essential for Iceland travel! This allows you to power / charge your devices with their US cords.
When traveling with your gear, it is important to make sure it is well protected. The Think Tank camera bag is well designed to keep your gear secure. It is also the right size so that you can carry it on most flights. But if you do have to check it at the gate - then at least you've done what you can to protect it!
This is my Go To backpack. It is very well built and is flexible in terms of internal storage. I like the large outer storage which can store larger equipment (like boom mics and mini tripods).
Golf bags are great for carrying tripods and sliders - as well as winter clothes, boots and jackets. And on some airlines golf bags fly for free. DO NOT put electronic equipment in there (no cameras or lenses).
