weebee

Ime leaving if your here

  Nice guy! LOL

Hey Mike! Trying new places?? LOL

Letchworth State Park, New York. 

Nikon D7100

I have been using the BR metro for about a year now. I find it to very comfortable. But, I don't like using the tripod mount as a attachment point for the strap. So I just use one of the strap lugs. Works perfect and the strap doesn't get in the way for vertical shots. And when I am using my mono or tripod I just leave the strap around my neck in case the camera comes loose from them.

Very nicely done! The wife and I are thinking about taking a train trip across the USA with Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon being stops. 

For birds I would suggest the Tamron SP 150-600MM F/5-6.3 Di VC lenses. I know a few people that have this lenses and get great results with birds. Both on the ground and in flight.

So here is the pair I went with. I bought them at the end of July and took them on my Yellowstone trip. I'm pretty happy overall for the price. For moon shots, I have to use a weight on the center column to reduce resonance, but it's something I can deal with. I just either use my sand bag if I have it, or my backpack if I don't. It holds my D810 and Tamron 150-600 quite nicely. As this is my first ball head, I don't know if others do this or not, but it doesn't pan 360 like I think that it would. It does have a very nice arc, but if I want to turn completely behind me, I have to release the panning knob as well. Other than that, it's worked very well for me. Especially since it weighs in at a less than half of what I expected/planned on spending.

 

http://www.bhphotovi...314_Tripod.html

 

http://www.bhphotovi..._Ball_Head.html

 

Both have dropped in price since I bought them too. The set is $560 at B&H right now. 

 

That being said, I got the chance to use a Really Right Stuff ball head during my Yellowstone trip, and it's definitely an upgrade I'll make sometime down the road, once I get some other things crossed off my list. 

That should be a great ballhead. I have the 20X and it is rock solid and very smooth. 

What's your budget? Are you planning to do other types of photography as well? I was stationed in Hawaii for 4 years back in the day. Loved it there!  For surfing you're going to need something with reach, at least 300mm. 

Took this last night. It was clear and bright out. Taken with a Nikon D7100 with a 55-3--mm lenses. 

I went through 3 different monopods before I found one that I really like. It is a Sirui P-326 carbon fiber monopod. Very sturdy and light. I put a Sirui  ballhead on it. I don't recall the model number. Cost a touch over 200.00 for both. But well worth it.

The wife and I just returned from our vacation. I had a great time shooting the wildlife. Here are a couple I took. Hope everyone likes them.

Hi everybody, first post and wanted to say hi. 

I'm a novice photographer that has playing around with cameras since the early 80's I enjoy wildlife, macro, and landscape photography the most. I'm still working at portraits, just don't, and never had, real talent for that! 

Over the years I've used different makes and models of cameras. But I always seem to get back to Nikon gear. Anyway, I hope to have a good time on this forum.