Field Trip

The field trip was a success. I learned a lot about the camera and the monopod. In no particular order of priority:

• The quick release worked about the way I’d hoped. I need to occasionally tighten the mounting plate on the camera, but it was easy to snap in and snap off.
• Tilt head can be a mystery for the TSA. The guy in Austin couldn’t recognize it, but he may have been new. Tampa didn’t have a problem with it.
• Had some improvement in the “shake” indicator. Found it was best when I was sitting on a bench. But I did take a few low light shots, standing up, that came out well.
• Overall weights weren’t a problem. I carried the monopod, head, camera, and extra lens in a backpack. They weren’t a burden. Didn’t always fit in the provided self/storage on a ride, but that’s a function of monopod length.
• Monopod just fits into the backpack on the diagonal. Most of the time I let it poke out between the two zippers. But, I could, in a pinch, wrap a plastic bag over the whole works and close it in the knapsack.
• I might want to get a longer hand-strap on the monopod. It was just as easy, however, to carry it in the middle, like an umbrella. I usually took the camera off the mount when I was moving to another location. This afternoon (Sunday) I was running another experiment and left the camera mounted as I moved back and forth to the clipboard, carrying the monopod.
• A pratical observation. Start extending the legs from the bottom, if you’re planning the full length. You might not be able to reach the lower leg if you have you hand in the wrist strap.