1. What kind of tripod head is that?2.

[laird@hachyderm.io]

@mattblaze ok, now I'm curious. You usually mention the lens used for most pics, and I think you said that you usually use an Arca-Swiss C1, but which tripod legs?

[mattblaze@federate.social]

@laird Depends on how light I'm traveling. RRS TFC-34 if I'm packing into a carryon, otherwise usually a Gitzo 5543XLS if I have the packing space or are near home.

[chase@infosec.exchange]

@mattblaze you should get yourself invited to astronomy parties because everyone wants to talk about their tripods and tracking systems there!

[mattblaze@federate.social]

@laird The Gitzo is a beast, but extremely stable. I usually don't have to extend the lower leg sections unless I'm shooting from an incline or something, which makes it even more solid.

[laird@hachyderm.io]

@mattblaze Ah, I was going to guess a 5-series Gitzo systematic. I have a knockoff that's similar in height and rarely end up using either of the bottom two leg segments. I'll keep it in the car if I'm going someplace to shoot, but mostly use a mid-sized set of FLM legs that are way easier to carry around. Not as nice as the RRS, but nice enough.

[larrybiggs@infosec.exchange]

@cazabon @mattblaze
Watch out if the start stamping their feet

[jacquiharper@mastodon.world]

@mattblaze You’re just at the wrong parties

[maccruiskeen@social.linux.pizza]

@mattblaze One time I was walkng around with a Koni-Omega and some guy says "What the hell is that!?"

[cvvhrn@sfba.social]

@mattblaze nothing wrong with that cause lets be honest I could care less about the body as I have what I like as do you and not even a thermonuclear weapon will dislodge that but gear?

I love to talk gear all day

[rodgerd@mastodon.social]

@mattblaze a medium format back is relatively unusual though; it’s not surprising when people focus on it (if you will forgive the pun).

[horqua@mastodon.social]

@mattblaze I still have the first Manfroto tripod I bought 40 years ago along with three others including a carbon fibre. They wear like iron and they’re just as heavy. I own two of the Pistol Grip heads shown and I love them. I also have a ball head that came with the carbon fibre tripod. I don’t like them because they’re too light duty for my Nikons with lenses. But the CF works just fine when I mount my iPhone 15 PM on a quick release mount.

[nothacking@infosec.exchange]

@mattblaze@federate.social You are definitely at the wrong parties. In astrophotography setups, the tripod is usually the single most expensive thing.

It's not easy to take long exposure photos when your camera is on a rotating surface, especially at crazy focal lengths. (2000+ mm is not uncommon) People get real proud if they can get the tracking error below 1 arcsecond.

[oblomov@sociale.network]

@mattblaze I'm now picturing you going around like the stereotypical sword master. Two swords crossing on the back, four hanging on the sides, in pairs, and one in the hand, except it's tripods instead of swords

[itgrrl@infosec.exchange]

@mattblaze ooh, do you have any strong recs for not-enormous camera bags or tech / laptop backpacks?