Photzy

BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY: KEEPING IT STABLE

Quick Guide
Written by Tobie Schalkwyk

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 INTRODUCTION

I’m quite confident that I do not need to convince speeds. But that implies wide-open apertures and
anyone of the need to keep things stable for bird high ISO settings, which are not always feasible or
photography. Those that need to hear this most ideal on bridge cameras’ super-tiny sensors.
urgently probably have high-zoom bridge cameras
and (in general) take images for recreational The bottom line is this: a 1mm (0.04”) movement of
purposes. Why? Because they will be in Auto or one your lens on your side ends up being a movement
of the semi-auto shooting modes and expect the of a couple of meters or more at your subject’s end.
camera to know what they’re up to. This led to the formation of the reciprocal rule of
photography, which is beyond the scope of this
What they do not realize, however, is that zooming guide. Let’s just say that it specifies a minimum
in at a meagre 20x optical zoom has the same shutter speed at a specific focal length in order to
zooming effect as slapping a 560mm zoom lens onto cancel out the average amount of hand shake.
a DSLR camera (depending on the lens of the bridge
camera). For those who do not know, a 500mm With a heavy 500mm or 600mm lens, however, the
lens is one of those long, impressive lenses used by amount of hand shake is a direct function of the
wildlife and bird photographers. It’s a relatively heavy amount of time you’ve been hand-holding it. It’s only
lens and is hardly ever used without a tripod or other a matter of time before the reciprocal rule goes out
means of stabilization. of the window!

Granted, one of the reasons is its weight; it’s simply Now having said this, imagine how much more
not easy to take a bunch of hand-held images with complex the problem becomes with a 65x optical
it without your arms telling you that they’ve had zoom camera like the Canon SX70. A 65x adjustment
enough, unless you are Arnold Schwarzenegger in his of the lens on this camera will give you the 35mm
prime years! Another equally important reason is that equivalent of 1365mm! This is a lens beyond
the smallest handshake is guaranteed to produce comprehension for a DSLR camera owner, and the
blurred images, unless you shoot at ultra-high shutter problem described above just became magnified by
a few times!

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 No wonder that most of the owners of these Key Lesson: Do not fall for the false belief
cameras can’t understand why they’re producing that owning a bridge camera excludes you
blurred images at the highest focal length settings. from the same challenges as DSLR camera
It’s because they’re not stabilizing their camera by owners. In fact, these challenges are magnified
means of a tripod or otherwise! due to the relatively light weight (easier shake)
and small sensor of your bridge camera.
In this guide we are going to look at a few methods
of stabilizing your camera (bridge or DSLR) in order
to minimize camera shake. By the way, stabilizers Recommended Reading: Want a simple way
enable you to disregard the need for using the to learn and master photography on the go?
reciprocal rule of photography. Grab our set of 44 printable Snap Cards for
reference when you’re out shooting. They cover
We’re mainly going to look at the detachable stuff camera settings, camera techniques, and so
like tripods, but I’d like to spend just a little time much more. Check it out here.
with lens collars as well; the reason being that
some of the best lenses on the market come with What You Will Learn:
‘cheap’ collars, or no collar at all. This is somewhat ·· Stabilizing requirements
counterproductive in terms of camera stabilization.
·· The necessity of stabilized movement

·· Stabilizing tools

·· The importance of the mounting head

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 Spotted Eagle Owl by Tobie Schalkwyk

Nikon D600 + Tamron 150-600 G2 @ 460mm

f/6.3 | 1/800s | 1000 ISO | Hand-held

BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY: KEEPING IT STABLE // © PHOTZY.COM 4

 STABILIZER REQUIREMENTS

Bird photography has its own unique set of In the event of mounted stabilizers, they must fit any
stabilizer requirements; unique in the sense that, vehicle as far as possible.
in general, bird photographers move around a lot,
and sometimes through places that are not ideal STRONG/STABLE
for walking, such as dense vegetation or water or
You’ll be amazed at how much camera shake you get
over mountains or hills. They have to keep their
from the wind, even on a tripod. Your challenge is to
cameras stable at uneven spots. So, they want
get a balance between the weight of your stabilizer
their stabilization ‘tools’ to have the following
and how strong/stable it is. In general, the more you
characteristics:
favor the one, the more you will handicap the other.
LIGHTWEIGHT Mounted stabilizers must keep your camera position
This is especially true for non-mounted stabilizers. regardless of the terrain.
If you’re like me, there are no limits to how far I
DURABLE
have to walk to that special spot from where I can
photograph chicks of that special genre of birds on a You should not feel too protective toward your tripod
nest. There is no use in carrying a heavy-duty studio or whatever other type of stabilization you use. If
tripod with you on a hike. You WILL regret it. you want to make it stand in a shallow stream or soft
sand, then so be it.
ADJUSTABLE
Mounted stabilizers must be able to withstand the
This is especially true in uneven terrain. If you’re setting forces of nature. You don’t want to unmount it in
up your tripod on a slope, you want each leg to be the event of drizzle or a sand storm that is gone and
adjustable independently. If you need to take shots in a over in five minutes. Closely related is the freedom
crouched position, you really appreciate any way other to remove your camera and close your car window if
than your hands to keep your camera stable. needed, without removing the stabilizer.

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 PORTABLE

This goes hand in hand with it being

lightweight. If a tripod can fit into your
camera bag, or be easily attached to it,
it’s a bonus!

UNLIMITED MOVEMENT

Mounted stabilizers should not only

provide almost unlimited freedom in
tilting your camera, but also in adjusting
its position as you move about in your
vehicle to catch the shot.

Key Lesson: All stabilizers

share a certain set of requirements
in order to be ‘good enough’ for
the job. Make a shortlist of these
and keep them in mind as you shop
around for yours.

Photograph by Ralph Pollack

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 STABILIZING TOOLS/EQUIPMENT

There are numerous ways of stabilizing your camera, Quick height adjustments
and no matter how many I mention I will miss out
on some. I’m thus going to focus on those I’ve been Make sure that you’ll be able to make quick height
using most of the time, and which I have seen being adjustments. I like the leg locks that can be flipped
used with my own eyes. open with a single finger, no matter how many times
it has pinched my fingers when closing them again!
THE TRIPOD The most common locks are probably the turn-knob
types, but they may be slow at times, especially if
This is the most common, go-to way of stabilizing you have to adjust all three of them. They sometimes
your camera. A few important points when selecting tend to become loose for no specific reason.
one are as follows:
Flexible tripod head
Stability
The tripod head should allow you 360° horizontal
Don’t buy a flimsy tripod. I guarantee you, you’re swivel freedom as well as 180° up and down tilt. The
going to regret it and eventually you’ll buy a sturdier reason for this is that you may want to snap birds
one anyway. Every bird shot only crosses your path above your head or well below you if you’re standing
once. You will never have the chance to redo an on the edge of a ridge or platform.
identical one. Don’t waste it because of a flimsy
tripod. Lightweight

A hook at the bottom of the center column is a You may have to carry the tripod for long distances
great bonus as you can hang your camera bag (or by hand or tied to your camera bag, so make sure
bean bag, or anything else for that matter) on it to you are able to do so without regret.
stabilize your tripod. Even a light wind can be quite a
nuisance, especially if you have a long lens mounted
on your camera.

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 THE MONOPOD

All of the properties to look out for on a

tripod are true for a monopod. It is a nice
tool to have if you do not want to carry
your tripod, even though it’s not as stable
as the tripod. It’s a great tool to have
when you’re on a safari vehicle with very
little free space.

Be on the lookout for hiking sticks that

can be converted into a monopod
by unscrewing its ‘hand knob.’ The
same goes for tripods where you can
unscrew one of its three legs for use as a
monopod.

BEAN BAG

Buy this simple little bag as soon as you

can because you will certainly need and
appreciate it.

·· It is light enough to pack in your

camera bag even on a hike.

·· It is small enough to mount on a

ledge in a bird hide or to balance on
your vehicle’s window sill.

Photograph by Tobie Schalkwyk

BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY: KEEPING IT STABLE // © PHOTZY.COM 8

 ·· It can be hung on your tripod’s hook
to anchor it down.

·· It is flexible, so you can carry or pack

it in any way necessary.

VEHICLE-MOUNTED GEAR

This is for the more mobile bird

photographers and is also popular with
the wildlife togs, for obvious reasons. It
usually comes at a high cost so it tends to
be used by the more serious (read ‘pro’)
photographers.

In general, the following traits make this

gear very popular:

·· Sturdy: made of solid, strong

material like aluminum
Photograph by Ralph Pallock
·· Flexible: you can virtually swivel
your camera 360° horizontally

·· Easy to mount and remove

·· Quick release mechanism for your

camera

·· Protection of your car’s bodywork

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 Key Lesson: Different
circumstances require different
stabilizers. Make sure that you own
a set suitable for your own unique
set of circumstances. Get the best
you can afford.

Recommended Reading: Want a

simple way to learn and master
photography on the go? Grab our
set of 44 printable Snap Cards for
reference when you’re out shooting.
They cover camera settings, camera
techniques, and so much more.
Check it out here.

CUSTOM GEAR

The only limit to this group of gear is its

users’ imagination. I have seen a camera
hanging from a wide rubber band which
was attached to the vehicle’s roof handle.
I have also seen a camera mounted on a
rifle butt!

Any object can serve as a ‘rest.’ Don’t be

afraid to think out of the box.

Little Bee-eater by Tobie Schalkwyk

Nikon D600 + Tamron 150-600 G2 @ 600mm

f/6.3 | 1/640s | 640 ISO | Beanbag in car window

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 LENS COLLAR TRIPOD MOUNTS

I just felt that this guide would be incomplete without Some lenses do come with collar mounts, but
this section. these are way too flimsy or inferior for their users’
liking. It is of no use when you have one of the best
Some lenses are deemed by their manufacturers to tripods and other gear on the market, but you’re
be light enough to not justify a tripod collar so they using a flimsy lens collar mount. Replacements are
are sold without one. Some users of those lenses recommended for the more serious photographers
do not necessarily agree and would like to mount using lenses with such collars. (For example, Nikkor
these lenses on their tripod instead of mounting the 300mm f/4.)
camera directly on the tripod; for example, the 70-
300mm lens sold under most (if not all) brand names. If you are in the unfortunate position of needing a
lens for the reasons mentioned above, ask around on
online forums about the best solution available. The
Kirk Lens Collar seems to be the most popular go-to
replacement collar mount for the Nikkor 300mm f/4.

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 TRIPOD HEADS

No matter what tripod you use, the tripod

head is what makes or breaks it. The
most important things to look out for in a
tripod head is as follows:

·· It is sturdy. Once you’ve set your

camera in a specific position, it must
hold that position.

·· It allows free and unlimited swiveling

and tilt.

The following are the most popular tripod

heads among bird photographers:

BALL HEAD

These are the most common heads used

by those of us who do not make our living
from photography, or who see no reason
for paying the extreme prices of the high-
end tripod heads. Of course, you get
the exception to the rule and the more
serious photographers simply bite the
bullet and spoil themselves to the ‘higher
class’ heads, regardless of their income.

Ball Head by Tobie Schalkwyk

BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY: KEEPING IT STABLE // © PHOTZY.COM 12

 Ball heads are relatively inexpensive and
good value for money. If you buy one,
make sure that it will allow you to tilt your
camera high up until it gets to a position
right above you.

GIMBAL HEAD

This head (or variations thereof) is the

most popular among the more serious
bird photographers. It allows for easy
movement in any direction. They are
usually made of super-strong material and
have solid designs.

Gimbal-type heads are usually mounted

on top of car door mounts or boat
mounts, sometimes on an additional
swivel arm that increases movement
capabilities even more.

MK II Gimbal Head by Ralph Pallock

BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY: KEEPING IT STABLE // © PHOTZY.COM 13

 OTHER HEADS Key Lesson: You do not need to own the
most expensive gimbal head to enjoy your
I’m not even going to discuss other head types as
photography. A good ball head will serve you
they occupy a very low and lonely spot in the world
well and for many years to come. The gimbal
of bird photography. Or to put it differently: if you
head types are a good option if you feel the
want to avoid disappointment and you’re shopping
need for something even better. It certainly
for a tripod head suitable for bird photography, make
allows for much smoother camera movement
sure it’s a ball head or a gimbal-type head. You won’t
than a ball head.
regret it.

Recommended Reading: Want a simple way

to learn and master photography on the go?
Grab our set of 44 printable Snap Cards for
reference when you’re out shooting. They cover
camera settings, camera techniques, and so
much more. Check it out here.

BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY: KEEPING IT STABLE // © PHOTZY.COM 14

 CONCLUSION

The main traits of a good camera

stabilizer can probably be summed up
under two headings: sturdiness and
freedom of movement. Add to that light
weight (for portables) and durability and
you can’t go wrong.

Whatever you’re going to use, don’t spoil

the results from your expensive camera
and lens by using an inferior tripod or
tripod head. Go for the best you can
afford! In the end it will play a big part in
helping you enjoy every moment of your
bird shoots – or not!

Note: Thanks to Ralph Pallock

(owner of gimprogear.com) for
supplying most of the gear shots!

Photograph by Ralph Pollack

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 ABOUT THE AUTHOR Congratulations! You’ve completed
this Photzy guide!

If you liked this photography tutorial, check out

our set of 44 printable photography reference
cards to help you learn and master photography
on the go. They cover camera settings, camera
techniques, and so much more: Snap Cards.

Tobie Schalkwyk is a retired Web Systems Developer hoping

to soon make an income from photography alone. He has a
IF YOU’D LIKE TO CONTINUE
passion for all genres of nature photography, especially bird LEARNING AND IMPROVING
photography, but he also gets involved in other genres of YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY PLEASE
photography like weddings, events, and in-studio portraits.
VISIT PHOTZY.COM
Websites: ctsphotography.co.za
ctsnatureshots.co.za

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