Tripod Suggestion Please.

For my upcoming visit to Pantanal in search of Jags. can you recommend a tripod that will be conducive to supporting a 7D Mark II and a 100-400mm ver. II lens while in a slow moving boat. The good news is that I won't be in a "group" boat but just myself and my guide on a small/medium sized motorboat. I assume that a tripod would be beneficial in such a situation? Thank You.

I like Really Right Stuff and Gitzo tripods. I’ve never shot on a boat before so I can’t recomend one specific for that. If this is your first tripod I would get a two series, depending on your other lenses.

I was about to suggest a 2 series but jlt23 beat me to it!

I use the Gitzo GT2531 and find it great for my 7D2 and 100-400 Mk2. I do not like RRS because of their price over here (UK) - nothing to do with their products which are excellent.

Add one of the smaller, high quality, gimbal heads (Jobu look good) and you are set to go. Alternatively a Wimberley Sidekick and a decent ball head gives great adaptability.

Have a great trip.

If the plan is to buy one tripod Id suggest getting the RSS...model that fits you best. You won't be buying another tripod.

I would recommend the Manfrotto MT055XPRO3 and the X-PRO 3-way tripod head.

Bogino wrote in post #18658037
For my upcoming visit to Pantanal in search of Jags. can you recommend a tripod that will be conducive to supporting a 7D Mark II and a 100-400mm ver. II lens while in a slow moving boat. The good news is that I won't be in a "group" boat but just myself and my guide on a small/medium sized motorboat. I assume that a tripod would be beneficial in such a situation? Thank You.

I will only use a monopod in such a situation, if I have a heavy rig, but mostly hand held is better as you absorb more of the boats motion and act as a gyro for the camera.

Are the rest of the replies suggesting a tripod is a good idea in a boat? Have you tried it?

that said, I've never had the chance to be in a private boat. It's always been a small group of people I am traveling with, so maybe my experiences are less applicable.

Bogino wrote in post #18658037
For my upcoming visit to Pantanal in search of Jags. can you recommend a tripod that will be conducive to supporting a 7D Mark II and a 100-400mm ver. II lens while in a slow moving boat. The good news is that I won't be in a "group" boat but just myself and my guide on a small/medium sized motorboat. I assume that a tripod would be beneficial in such a situation? Thank You.

For that situation, I would suggest foregoing a tripod, or even a monopod and take some form of beanbag or beanbag-like object to use to lean on; and just rely on keeping your shutter up and the IS system. I've only had to shoot from a moving boat once, but even with the 7D and 100-400 MkI, I was able to get some cracker shots of sea otter that were also in the water and sea lions on land. I think both tripod and monopod would just be unwieldy in a small boat. You're likely to want to be a little more mobile (in switching sides) than either of those options are likely to allow.

Snydremark wrote in post #18660746
For that situation, I would suggest foregoing a tripod, or even a monopod and take some form of beanbag or beanbag-like object to use to lean on; and just rely on keeping your shutter up and the IS system. I've only had to shoot from a moving boat once, but even with the 7D and 100-400 MkI, I was able to get some cracker shots of sea otter that were also in the water and sea lions on land. I think both tripod and monopod would just be unwieldy in a small boat. You're likely to want to be a little more mobile (in switching sides) than either of those options are likely to allow.

That sounds like the best idea. I've never shot from a boat, but it seems to me that a solid, fixed tripod on a rocking boat wouldn't be any help at all.