Robus, Right Now, the World’s Best Tripods for Telephoto Lenses
A Brand New YouTube Video from Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Watch the video to pick up some great tripod handling tips and learn which of the three featured Robus tripods would be best for you.
While the current rage is to hand hold everything, nearly all serious photographers know that to consistently create sharp images using relatively long focal lengths and slow shutter speeds while avoiding ridiculously high ISO settings, a sturdy tripod is an absolute must for 99% of the nature photographers out there. Both Gitzo and Really Wrong Stuff tripods are vastly over-priced and vastly over-rated. Robus offers three truly great carbon fiber models that operate smoothly and efficiently, are relatively inexpensive yet rugged, and stand up to sand and even saltwater without blinking. I have advised B&H that the Robus tripods are underpriced! I have been using Robus for three years and am totally in love with them.
If you would like some advice on which of the three might be best for you, shoot me an e-mail with the words “Which Robus Tripod for Me? cut and pasted into the subject line. Please include your height and your longest super-telephoto lens. I may be able to save you a few bucks.
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The Tripod Leg Tabs |
The Tripod Leg Tabs
As touched upon in the video, the leg tabs on your tripod can be a bird photographer’s best friend. In a perfect world, they will — like those on the Robus tripods, pull out smoothly and easily so that you can quickly adjust the leg angles as needed. If you are photographing on a level surface it is best to have all the leg tabs in the In position with the legs of the tripod fully spread and the stops firmly against the stops.
If you need to get a foot or so lower, pull out the leg tab of the forward-facing tripod leg and the lower the angle of that leg. If you are in a pinch and pressed for time, you can do the same thing with two or three of the legs. Beware, however, when using slow shutter speeds as the stability of the tripod will be reduced (as compared to working with all of the leg tabs in the In position with the tabs flush against the stops).
When working on a slope with some sort of sidehill lie (as was the case when I created today’s featured images), proper technique calls for having all three leg tabs pulled out so that you can work the leg angles to level the tripod platform. (Note: the tripod “platform” is the circular plate above the tripod legs onto which you mount your tripod head. If I am not pressed for time in similar situations, I will first level the tripod platform and then take a moment to fine-tune the leveling by centering the bubble in the scribed circle of the world’s best tripod head, the Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro.
If the leg tabs on your tripod have become sticky over time, lubricating them with either WD-40 or Lock-Ease will usually help.
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Robus Tripod Chart |
Which is the Best Robus Tripod for You?
For the past three years, I have been blessed to own and use all three of the Robus tripods detailed in the YouTube video. Again, if you are unsure of which one would be best for you, shoot me an e-mail with the words “Which Robus Tripod for Me? cut and pasted into the subject line. Please include your height and your longest super-telephoto lens.
What’s Up?
Photography at ILE this spring continues to be excellent. On Thursday morning, I ignored all the young crane families and sat on a pillow atop a milk crate to the left of the pier to try for incoming Black-bellied Whistling Ducks (BBWDs). Not much luck there, but I had some good chances with Mottled Duck, Tricolored Heron, Boat-tailed Grackle, and Common Moorhen.
On Friday morning I did get some nice stuff on the incoming whistling ducks and a vulture on The Perch II put on a very nice wingstretch show. I’ve been getting lots of work done on the BAA 400-800mm Lens Guide. As was the case with the BAA 300mm f/2.8 GM Lens Guide, I have learned a ton about this amazingly versatile lens that I had not been aware of at first glance.
Two Surprises
1- For the first time in 25 years at ILE, I heard a gator booming.
2- I was working from my car shooting the perched vulture out of the opened, west-facing driver’s side window. I had opened the passenger side window hoping for a bit of a cooling breeze. Out of nowhere, the deafening sound of birdsong filled the inside my vehicle. The only explanation was that somehow I-Bird had opened on my iPhone and was playing the song of a very loud species via Car Play. As I turned to my right, I saw a Northern Mockingbird flying away; it had perched on the opened, east-facing window and sang for a second or two. The inside of my X5 had acted like an echo chamber!
Today is Saturday 3 May 2025. I will be heading down to the lake early to try for the BBWDs. Whatever you plan on doing, I hope that you too opt to have a wonderful day. Do remember that happiness is a choice — Byron Katie, The Work.Com.
If an item — a Delkin flash card, or a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
In the Last Blog Post
In the last blog post, Five Lenses On the Front Passenger Seat of My X5 SUV!, my two favorites were #1, The Venerable Orchestra Conductor, #4, Black-necked Stilt adult calling in flight, and #5, Osprey taking flight from the shallow water. Yes, I know that I’ve listed three favorites but I could not in good conscious leave any one of those out. Thanks to all who commented.
Supporting My Efforts Here
If you enjoy and learn from the blog, are all set for gear, or live overseas, consider leaving a BAA Blog Thank You Gift here.
If you enjoy and learn from the blog, please consider using one of my affiliate links when purchasing new gear. It will never cost you a single penny. To support my effort here, please order from B&H by beginning your search here. Or, click here, to order from Bedfords and enter the discount code BIRDSASART at checkout to receive 3% cash back to your credit card and enjoy free Second-Day Air Fed-Ex shipping. It is always best to write for advice via e-mail.
In many cases, I can help you save some serious dollars. And/or prevent you from purchasing the wrong gear from the wrong shop.
If an item — a Delkin flash card or a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
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This image was created on 23 March 2025 at Celery Fields, Sarasota, Standing on the slope of a berm, I used the somewhat lowered Robus RC-5570 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 1600; 1/800 second at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect. AWB at 8:42:36am on a variably cloudy morning. Tracking: Spot XS/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version. Image #1: Sandhill Crane 4-day old chick with damselfly |
Working With a Sidehill Lie
In golf, sidehill lies are quite difficult. And the same is true with bird photography. I was on a fairly steep slope with the chick atop the berm getting fed by the adult. I was concerned with sun angle even though the shadows were fairly faint. Every time I moved, it was necessary to adjust the height of the tripod in addition to dealing with varying degrees of slope. The huge trick in these situations (as noted above) is to pull out all the leg tabs so that you can do most of your adjusting by changing the angle of the each of the three legs independently so that the tripod platform at least approximates being level.
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This image was also created on 23 March 2025 at Celery Fields, Sarasota, Standing on the slope of a berm, I used the somewhat lowered Robus RC-5570 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 1600; 1/800 second at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect. AWB at 8:42:36am on a variably cloudy morning. Tracking: Spot XS/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version. Image #2: Sandhill Crane 4-day old chick with damselfly (huge crop) |
Seven Frames Later …
Seven frames later, in the same second, I had a perfect look at the damselfly. Unfortunately, the baby crane had turned its head away from me to grab the small flying insect. Image #2 is obviously a huge crop that shows what you can do with a sharp a-1 ii raw file. Sharp, in part, because I was on a sturdy Robus tripod. Though some can do it, I would not want to be hand holding at 840mm for a relatively static subject even at a fast shutter speed! My left arm begins to ache when I just think about doing that.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
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