"Avoiding Photographic Equipment Disasters"

By: Scott Bourne

Having attended and led several photo workshops, I have unhappily witnessed many equipment tragedies.

There was the time a fellow student set up his tripod on the beach for the sunset shot. We were all waiting for the light to get right. Suddenly, this photographer says, "I forgot my split ND filter" and dashes off to his car, a mere 100 feet away. None of us thought much of it until a sneaker wave came in. We were all standing there and saw it coming. We had just enough time to pick up our cameras and run to avoid getting wet. Unfortunately, none of us were close enough to keep our fellow photog's camera dry. In fact, not only did it get wet, but also it got lost. The wave took the tripod and camera and never gave it back!

Another fellow had just switched to a long lens while photographing Box Canyon on Mt. Rainier. He slid the lens into his Arca Swiss style mounting plate but forgot to lock it down. When he let go of the camera (resting on the tripod) to bend down for something, the whole kit slid into the 160-foot deep gorge below.

Unfortunately I could tell you ten similar stories. But you obviously get the point. Disaster seems to loom around every photographic corner. Tripods crash to the ground, flashes fall off the hot shoe, lenses are improperly mounted and break, etc. Is this the fault of the equipment? Almost all of the time the answer is no.

OPERATOR ERROR

The simple fact is that as photographers, we have a great deal on our minds. We are considering lighting, composition, subject, exposure, view, angle and yes...equipment. It is easy to see how something might slip through the cracks, especially when you get the chance to shoot that once in a lifetime sunset, etc. But it is crucial that we pay attention to our equipment if we want it to survive for another shooting day.

I try to practice a serious regimen of checking and double-checking everything that I put on the camera or the tripod. I do this while I am setting up so that it will be done long before the heat of battle when I am less likely to be careful.

TRIPOD SAFETY

It starts with the tripod. In fact, as most car accidents happen within two miles of home, most camera disasters happen on the tripod. Paying attention here will save you time, money and anxiety.

Make sure that you have enough tripod for the job. While a small carbon fiber tripod may be a joy to pack, your 4x5 view camera is probably too much for it to handle. Be sure to set your tripod up properly. Check and recheck every leg extension. Lock every clamp down securely. Make sure that you set up on even ground to avoid tip over accidents.

Also make sure that the ground underneath you is solid. Many a tripod has gone over on the beach because the photographer didn't understand that the sand beneath his tripod's feet could shift when wet. Also, make sure that you don't EVER walk away from your tripod to grab something from the car or pack. I once saw a guy put his brand new Nikon F5 on a lightweight Gitzo and walk back to the car (10 feet) for film. A heavy gust of wind picked up the camera like a kite and tossed it over. Lastly, keep your tripod as low to the ground as possible for added stability.

Next, be very careful to check, recheck and check again that your camera is securely mounted to the tripod. This is especially important when you are going to walk around with the camera mounted to a shoulder-slung tripod. I suggest that you use a quick release system and the Arca Swiss style of mounting system seems to be the safest. Of course, if you are too lazy to lock down the clamp, the best system in the world will fail. I would guess that photographers improperly securing the camera to the quick release cause a large majority of camera disasters. Another common problem is using mounting plates that are too small for the lens in question. If you think that your 600 mm f/4 telephoto is going to mount to a one-inch Arca Swiss plate you are mistaken. Don't be penny-wise and pound-foolish. If you have a $6000 lens, mount it with a properly matched plate. (EDITOR'S NOTE: The Wimberley mounting plates that I use have safety stops on both ends that can catch your camera if you fail to lock it down securely.)

PROPER EQUIPMENT

Another factor that can lead to equipment disasters is improperly matched equipment. A few weeks ago I had a NEAR disaster. I was photographing animals at Northwest Trek near Seattle and I slung my Canon D30 with 300 mm /f4 lens and 1.4 tele converter over my shoulder. The kit was mounted via Arca Swiss style mounting plate to a Wimberley Sidekick gimbal mount on a Kirk B1 ballhead. All of this was attached to my very sturdy Reis H600 wooden tripod. Before I moved to put the camera on my shoulder, I checked and rechecked to see that everything was tightened down tightly. It was. No problem. I put the camera on my shoulder and heard a thump. The ballhead had shifted and the camera flopped against my back as I lifted it. At first I was concerned. I realized that there was no harm but it startled me. I am very careful with my equipment so I studied the problem. Even though I had done everything right, the camera still flopped so it was an equipment failure? Was it the ballhead's fault or the gimbal head's fault? Well neither. It was my fault because I didn't know the limits of my equipment. The Kirk ballhead has served me very well for about two years. Unfortunately, it is not designed with that kind of stress in mind. The angle of the gimbal mount combined with the weight of the camera and lens simply stressed the ballhead beyond its limits and it slipped. Even though it was tight when I started, it came loose under that pressure. I should have been using the full size Wimberley gimbal head in that situation and will in the future.

AN EXPERT'S ADVICE

Clay Wimberley, Co-Owner Wimberley, Inc. says, "Test your equipment when you have time and are not in the field. You don't want to find out you have a problem in the middle of an expensive expedition." Wimberley also says that your level of comfort with all of your equipment factors in to how well it will work for you. "I find that mechanically inclined people seem to get more out of their equipment than not," said Wimberley. "I advise folks to practice, practice, practice. Adjusting and matching parts takes practice." Wimberley also says that knowing the equipment's limits can make a difference in success or failure. "In my experience, the Kirk B1 will not hold quite as much weight as the Arca Swiss B1," says Wimberley. "Slippage occurs because of weight or unusual stresses like the addition of a gimbal. As long as you don't overtax the head, any head should work fine. You just need to know when it is time to step up to the next level." Wimberley says that my problem with camera flop will indeed go away when I move to the full blown Wimberley head. "The center of gravity around the big head leaves it with no tendency to flop around," said Wimberley. "Once balanced, it is better suited to being thrown over a shoulder.

NOT JUST TRIPODS

There are other potential trouble areas worth mentioning. I have seen filters slide out of holders that were not properly matched. Poorly fitting camera plates and quick releases are also a common problem as are mismatched flash brackets and light stands.

CONCLUSION

Whatever equipment you choose, make sure that you know its limits and don't try to use it in ways that the manufacturer did not intend. Practice with your equipment if you are not regularly shooting with it. Constantly check yourself while in the field. Ask yourself over and over again if everything is tight. Don't overload your equipment and don't walk away from it for even a minute. Taking an extra second to carry the tripod back to the car when you go get film will seem like a small inconvenience compared to hours on the phone with your insurance agent trying to explain how an Arca Swiss mounting plate works.

Article Copyright 2005, Scott Bourne - Photofocus Magazine

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Scott Bourne is the author of "88 Secrets to Selling & Publishing Your Photography" and "88 Secrets to Photoshop for Photographers." Both are available from Olympic Mountain School Press, http://www.mountainschoolpress.com. His work has also appeared in books, magazines, galleries, calendars, on greeting cards, web sites and on posters.

Scott is a professional photographer, author, teacher and pioneer in the digital imaging field. His career started in the early 70s as a stringer covering motor sports for Associated Press in Indiana. Since then, he has shot commercial, portrait, wedding, magazine and fine art assignments. His new passion is wildlife photography.

Scott regularly lectures on a variety of photo and media-related subjects. He's appeared on national television and radio programs and has written columns for several national magazines. He is the publisher of Photofocus.com, an online magazine for serious photographers and also serves as the executive director of the Olympic Mountain School of Photography in Gig Harbor, WA.

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