Too Many Undurable Tripods

I have been taking photographs with a variety of cameras for decades including a Pentax K1000 (35mm), a Canon A-1 (35mm), a Toshiba point and shoot digital camera (I can't remember the model), a Nikon D80 (digital), a Canon 1D Mark III (digital), a Canon 5D Mark II (digital), and a Canon 1D Mark IV (digital).

The Gitzo tripods (with the tripod at left missing a leg) above were photographed in June 2013.

These cameras have all offered a degree of enjoyment while the transition to digital has been especially rewarding with the ability to ditch the expense of 35mm film. There was only one instance countless images ago where I did not spool the film correctly with the Pentax camera losing the documentation of whatever I was photographing. I don't remember the occasion so it was fortunately not important.

More recently a planned event of documenting wildlife was scuttled as I had forgotten to replace the camera's memory card. On another occasion I had forgotten to put the camera's battery back in it after a re-charge. Both of these devices have been routinely removed from the digital cameras I have owned while I've been sure not to leave home without them for over a year now. I would prefer to leave the memory card in the 1D Mark IV (my primary camera at the time of this writing) when transferring images to the computer, but I need to install an unknown program to allow that to happen.

This is irritating as I hadn't had this problem with previous digital cameras, and I prefer and recommend leaving weather resistant areas of the camera undisturbed as much as possible. I have read that some like to insert the memory card into their computer to transfer their images to conserve battery life. I'm not sure if this extends the expected life of the battery which seems unlikely. Without doubt my experience with digital camera batteries is that they have all performed unexpectedly well with as many as 1800 images taken between recharges (exceeding manufacturer specifications).

Well, enough of those thoughts off topic from the title of this article. What I've really wanted to discuss is the value and utility of tripods. I've had as many tripods in use as I've had cameras. I don't recall the brand and model of the first tripod acquired as it was so long ago, but I recall it met my expectations at the time. It was an easy task then as the gear it supported was lightweight and I wasn't near a beach routinely.

A workhorse tripod I wish I had gotten more utility from, and am keeping for posterity I guess is a Bogen 3021. It's missing at least one critical component lost years ago. I was in Tampa at the time when the lever that controls the center column, and screw that mounts the camera were lost. Poor construction was my thought of it at the time.

When I had a need for another tripod to manage the load of heavier gear, I chose the Gitzo 5541LS. This is a very high quality tripod that I would expect to last a lifetime. Its inundation in saltwater, however, caused an irreparable failure in November 2011. As I don't remember the tripod's purchase date, I will guess that it was less than two years old. I continued to use the tripod for four more months making good use of it with Duck Tape before replacing the tripod with another 5541LS.

I suppose I thought I would give the new tripod a little more care as I really like the 5541LS when it works properly. My second Gitzo 5541LS failed about 14 months later with the exact same symptom. The images presented by a cell phone note the failure point.

I have replaced the Gitzo brand with an Induro AT-413 at a fraction of its price. I've been in the field on a few occasions (including a concluded trip to the Florida Keys today) with the Induro and am very pleased. I will stick with this brand indefinitely while expecting to have a replacement necessary every 24 months based on my experience with the higher priced brand.

The Gitzo tripods with a duplication of failure above were photographed in June 2013.

My July 2013 issue of Popular Photography has an advertisement for a Gitzo "Ocean Traveler" tripod described as the only tripod in the world developed for photographers who work in the most extreme environments. I nonetheless highly recommend the Induro brand which you may replace ten plus times for the same cost of one Ocean Traveler. It's very unlikely I will be using the Gitzo brand again.

25th Annual World Sandsculpting Championship

With the Florida dry season approaching at the end of the 2011 hurricane season, I was still surprised by a call for rain this week at perhaps the worst time.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

Following the 25th anniversary American Sandsculpting Championship at Fort Myers Beach a few weeks ago, the 25th anniversary World Sandsculpting Event was in progress behind the Holiday Inn allowing visitors including myself the opportunity to view some remarkable stuff.

I had anticipated making the trip to Fort Myers Beach for this event but was wary to make an early start while waiting to see how the weather developed.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

There were a larger number of sculptures available to view in good weather in the late morning and early afternoon with at least a couple of them appearing to me to have been created by artists participating in the American competition recognizing their style.

The sculptures at this event were much closer together than at the American Championship which made photography of them with the longer lens more of a challenge.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

I had my backup for my backup camera in hand to bring with me to allow 18mm views, but its battery charge wasn't even enough to turn the camera on.

As I made my way around the inner perimeter of the cordoned off event I would occasionally enjoy the opportunity to speak with fellow patrons that had an interest in photography.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

I was also happy to meet Bouke Atema from the Netherlands whom was a sculpting participant.

Bouke told me that he had a particular interest in wildlife photography.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

With that a mutual interest of mine I was able to advise him of some locations for viewing of species that he might enjoy seeing while in the area.

There was musical entertainment though of greater interest to me was a "QuickSand" event where two sculptors had ten minutes to create a subject unknown to them until the start of the competition.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

The pile of sand available to each sculptor looked about the size of five gallon bucket.

At the start of this particular event the subject was divulged to be a turkey.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

Near the end of the challenge, I was able to hear one of the artists tell the other that his creation looked like a chicken.

Later in the day I met a family chatting briefly as I gave my opinion to the user of the 7d that saving should begin immediately to acquire the Canon 1dm5 that I anticipate being released sometime in 2015.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

Canon will be hard pressed to significantly improve its flagship camera in the 1dm4 which has proven extremely popular with serious photographers.

I'm saving for the camera myself which I hope to make fun use of in retirement.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

With a comment heard made by a fellow visitor just arriving that there were rains to the north I made a beeline for the exit to avoid a possible downpour as the rain drops began to fall.

Recent research of sand sculpting has been very interesting and envision myself chasing these events around the globe if I am ever able with an attention paid to the local wildlife.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

A second quicksand event had begun during my visit to the championship, but I didn't pay as close attention to it as I was determined to capture a record of the sand sculptures created days before.

I was able to hear over the loudspeakers that one of the sand sculptors had to forfeit the match as his pile of sand collapsed almost immediately.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

On the way home I stopped at one of the beach parking access points to photograph the sunset on the Gulf.

While I take great care in minimizing looking at the sun through the viewfinder of the camera, I couldn't help on this particular day to be entranced by what appeared to be sun spots on the sun's surface.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

I at first thought the black smudges were dust on the lens or mirror but quickly determined that they were a rarely seen phenomenon on the sun's surface without special filters.

The black smudges were perhaps the size of many dozens of earths in the upper left corner of the sun.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

I'm disappointed that I was not able to capture what I saw in reality as the brightness of the sun could not be darkened enough with
the camera's controls.

It was enjoyable nonetheless to see numerous large flocks of birds miles from shore making their way both north and south as the sun dipped below the horizon.

The scene above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.

With thought that the rains had damaged the sand sculptures overnight, workmate Margie Congregane had called the local newspaper to inquire about the sculptures.

She was told that that there was no significant damage with them hopefully enjoyed by many thousands of visitors in the ensuing days.

The sunset above was photographed at Fort Myers Beach in November 2011.