Tripods, Straps & Support Systems

I am a real fan of Really Right Stuff (RRS) tripods, ballheads, gimbal heads, L-brackets and all the other support system products they sell. They are a great company with great customer service and great products!! An example was my very first purchase of a ballhead from them. I called and was already committed to buying their very highly rated and most expensive ballhead, the BH-55, for $495. They asked a few questions about my lenses at that time and convinced me that I could do just fine with the less expensive BH-40 saving me about $100. It worked great until I got MUCH bigger lenses and the TVC-34L tripod. Find out more about RRS here.

You need a gimbal head with large lenses photographing wildlife.

You need a tripod that can extend well over your head to shoot on hillsides and banks where you extend one or two legs much farther. That same tripod needs the capability to spread it’s legs and lay effectively flat on the ground. Thom Hogan has a great article on buying a tripod here.

• RRS TVC-34L Versa Series 3, 4 Leg section Tripod

• RRS TQC-14 tripod and head. Yes, it has a center column. :(

• Gitzo Monopod GM2540 - purchased before RRS offered a mono-pod. Gitzo also makes great stuff.

• RRS BH-55 Ballhead with B2-40 LR Lever Release

• RRS TA-3-LB-HK Leveling Base, 4.5” with hook

• RRS Pano-Gimbal Cradle Clamp and PG-VR Vertical Rail

• RRS PG-02 LLR Pano Gimbal Head with B2-LLR-II

• RRS Pano Elements Package (PCL-1, MPR-CL II)

• RRS MTX Multi-tool

• BlackRapid Camera Straps

  • R-Strap and Double R-Strap are the best camera straps I have found and I have tried a few. To securely attach the camera, I have added Really Right Stuff 38MM SCREW-KNOB CLAMP WITH ALIGNMENT TABS (B2-FABN).

  • The Sport X sling strap with coyote brown binding and webbing and QD sling swivel which connect directly into my RRS L-Brackets.

• NatureScapes Skimmer Sack bean bag - for use out the window of a car or on the hood when setting up a tripod just won’t work quickly enough.