Long exposure photography in Melbourne : A quick look at the Benro FIF19CIB0 Carbon Fibre Transfunctional iFoto Series 1 Tripod Kit

A successful tripod hunt in the city lead to a tripod test in Docklands. One could hardly find a more ideal location to become better acquainted with a new toy. Here brand new creatively conceived structures sprout from each salt water sided quay like mushrooms on steroids, providing countless photo-friendly views and even some reflections. Today was more cloudy than sunny with a little wind to drive the clouds across the sky. Just the kind of weather for long exposures. What’s the most important item of photography gear in your bag?

The Melbourne Star, Docklands [330s F5.6 ISO200 ND64 + ND1000)

So, the Benro FIF19CIB0 Carbon Fiber Transfunctional iFoto Series 1 Tripod Kit .. seriously how do they arrive at these names … is a compact travel / backpacking tripod. Kit because one leg is removable and can function as a monopod. Kit because the centre column is reversible so you can get the camera very near the ground if you need to. I needed a tripod that could fit IN, rather than ON, my bag. This one qualifies as it folds all the way back on itself to 35cm. But extends to some 146cm .. call it 1.5m tall. It weighs 1.4kg but is claimed the pre-installed head can support an 8kg load. I am quite sure it would support more though it’s always advisable to play by the rules. The tripod comes in the obligatory box that includes a nicely thought out canvas bag with a usable handle/sling. Unfortunately the sling isn’t removable from the bag which means you can’t quickly interlock it to/around your backpack without using extra fasteners. Still it’s always a nice touch to have a nice strong bag to carry equipment in. Also included in the bag is a hex/allen key for maintaining some of the joints on the body.

Sky rushing over the Bolte Bridge, Docklands [176s F5.6 ISO200 ND64 + ND1000]

Ok, starting with the FEET: It comes clad with nice sturdy rubber feet and, in the box, three sharp stainless steel spikes for icy conditions. Each foot screws in to the base of each leg in a very secure way. They seem unlikely to tear off like those of some inferior tripods.

Modern buildings look so stylish : Docklands [281s F5.6 ISO200 ND64 + ND1000]

The BODY/LEGS: Ok, so, the good news is I really like it. The appearance, build quality, feel, fit, use in the hands, is excellent. No sharp edges, nothing to bite me. Yes I’ve been bitten badly by one tripod… plenty of blood… these things you only discover in the field when a perfect moment must be captured quickly and you’re rushing. Once bitten… so careful ever after with “that other” tripod. It is easy to open, close, fold, whatever. Each five-section leg is equipped with four twist-locks. All, together, can be conveniently loosened with one smooth twist of the wrist. That’s probably the key advantage of the twist-locking system. Of course you can’t see if they’re locked but they’re easy enough to lock… I didn’t find any legs unexpectedly shrinking. At the end of the day after several hours of use there were no fuzzy photographs so the conclusion is: it works. ( For the record I used the Olympus EM1-ii and the 12-100mm lens with a Nisi filter kit on it … so we’re not testing the mass limit of the tripod ).

A neat angle selection mechanism allows each leg to be locked at 23, 55 or 80 degrees. The system isn’t unique to Benro, but on this tripod seems perfectly implemented as the locks feel just right and are easy to set. All set up the tripod stands super firm. I felt very confident to walk away and not return to find it blown off its feet. No complaints with the legs after a few hours use.

The centre column is easily enough removed by unscrewing the sturdy hanger mechanism at its base. The centre column comprises two tubes which enables one to almost double it (the column) length. This is particularly useful when it is attached to the single leg as it enables the monopod to reach 1.5m height. That is probably tall enough for most, although not all, photographers. One trivial complaint is that the twist-lock mechanism controlling the extension of the centre column operates in the opposite direction from all the other twist locks on the tripod. I found that counter-intuitive and slightly confusing. But it’s not really an issue once you get used to it. One would (imo) only use it when using the monopod as raising the centre column in tripod mode is normally not a good idea except if there’s really no other way to get the height.

Wait, that’s not a tripod shot : But I simply had to take this portrait of a beautiful Docklands resident

The HEAD: I used to think I could just get a nice body and worry about the head later. WRONG. You pay so much more if you do that. Now days we have choices. So many choices. There is no reason to buy a tripod without a decent head. Unless you already have a favourite you intend to transplant. This tripod comes equiped with a BENRO IB0 Ball head. It’s a reasonably neat, solid head weighing about 320g, and equipped with three knobs. The largest, maybe disturbingly labelled, a “Ball lock”; the next a “Friction control” and the last, a “Pan lock”. They do as their labels suggest. I like that one can independently control the friction from the locking/unlocking. It worked very well enabling me to find a position where I felt the right amount of friction making it easy enough to quickly level the camera before locking the ball. Importantly, their was no noticeable change in alignment on actually tightening the ball lock. Shifting alignment on tightening can be a real ball breaker (excuse the pun) with some ball heads. Finally it’s worth noting the head attaches to the body with a very solid 9mm bolt. The head is easily enough removed by twisting off the body but it won’t fall off in a hurry as several full twists are required. I see no double locking mechanism to prevent the head from being unscrewed but no need for one either. Ok, moving on.

From wharf to Harbour Town [155s F5.6 ISO200 ND64 + ND1000 Two Images, Focus Stacked]

The top PLATE: A compact PU30 Arca Swiss type plate sits atop the head. The plate includes a small spirit level. It’s works well enough, although users of larger cameras may find it too small to properly lock on to the base. That’s not a show stopper because it’s Arca Swiss compatible and many will substitute with L brackets anyway. The release lever includes a double locking mechanism. Unscrew it to loosen but the camera can’t fall off as there are locks left/right; one must pull the lever away from tripod (toward yourself) and then rotate it further to enable equipment to be removed. Seems almost idiot proof. And I could too easily be the idiot who would loosen the plate screw instead of the ball head… so including this protection can be a camera / lens saver.

In conclusion: In a one-day-test situation it’s all good. Nothing negative to be said for it other than it would have been even better if the carry bag could have had a removable carry strap. Overall it’s quite reasonable value for money at AUD329 from digidirect.com.au in Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, considering that one is able to call it a “Two for the price of one” including the monopod.

I will update this blog from time to time as this tripod weathers with me. And of course the tripod is the most important item in your bag for long exposures.

But wait, there’s more!

Black Swan : They know they have us wrapped around their gorgeousness… they do.

Image from the Benro website

Returning to London Bridge

They say you should go back. And practice makes perfect. I don't know about perfection. But I'd like to think I get better... and it's fun. Once again I was alone on this beach. That's a surreal feeling. It's such an extraordinary place. And a mesmerising place to be alone. Tonight my favourite shots were taken a few minutes before and a few minutes after sunset. It's officially Autumn. The leaves are beginning to fall in my street. But it was warm enough on the beach. Even the water lapping around my feet was... lovely. Anyone want to dust off a camera and join me next time?

Five minutes after sunset. So calm. 16mm 6s F8 ISO64 & a 6-Stop ND64 Filter

Sunset at 19:57 21mm 0.5s F16 ISO 64

The light! 19:48 22mm 1/15th F11 ISO64

The sea is a savage! 19:36 21mm 0.5s F18 ISO64

SUNSET AT MORDIALLOC

We've been blessed with a few beautiful sunsets recently. So at the last minute I decided to have a go at getting one in a new location. Not necessarily a good idea. 

It takes 27 minutes to drive from my house to Mordialloc Pier. That's what Apple Maps said. But then I needed to track further along the bay to locate an ideal vantage point to capture the sun setting behind the Pier. Once I'd found said spot I had about 2 minutes to whip the camera from the bag and land it on the tripod. The first shot was my favourite because of how the water/waves 'fell'. But it's hard to choose. Anyone who's tried photographing water knows every shot is different and unique and you may need to take quite a few to get one that feels just right. Ideal shutter speeds range from, maybe, 1/5 to 2/3 of a second. So here are 3 shots taken within seconds of each other around 20:41pm just as the sun reached the horizon. And one or two taken a little later.

Sunset behind Mordialloc Pier 28mm F16 1/5s ISO64

Seagull makes a cross (top left), Sunset behind Mordialloc Pier 35mm F16 1/8s ISO64

Sunset behind Mordialloc Pier, 35mm F16 1/6s ISO64

Sunset behind Mordialloc Pier, 24mm F16 0.4s ISO64

Gulls swimming at Mordialloc Pier, 24mm F16 1/6s ISO64

Dreams begin, Mordialloc Pier, 24mm F16 1.6s ISO64 GND3Stops

Darkness falls, Mordialloc, 17mm F9 2.5s ISO64

Brighton Beach - 18 November 2017

So I went back to Brighton Beach this evening because we'd enjoyed a repeat of the previous afternoon's thunderstorm. Except today's was borderline epic. And I had a hunch the evening sky would be too. So I returned to the beach, arriving about half an hour before sundown.

I was rewarded with a marvellous sky that kept transforming from tone to tone as the sun worked its way first out and then back behind various clouds before eventually setting beneath the horizon shortly after 8pm. But the magic continued. They always say you shouldn't give up on a sunset too soon. Just like you shouldn't be late for the sky.

"Schoolies" week officially began yesterday (Friday 17th) with the year 12 exams all finishing by now. It seems I'd chosen the best vantage point (just in front of a fence behind the bathing boxes) to enjoy the sunset and the colourful bathing boxes because a small group of youngsters gathered behind me. I hadn't even noticed them until one said "excuse me, would you like an ice cream .. we've got one or two too many!". I politely refused. Would feel like taking candy from... oh, well. Still their simple generosity surprised me and they were genuinely interested in seeing some of the pics of the sunset because they'd arrived (no doubt train) too late. One even asked what the square (graduated) filter was for and quickly understood when I told him it's to help balance the sky vs the darker land below. Wow, there's hope for the future after all!

Anyway, back to the pics. I was blessed to get some of the best beach pics I could have hoped for. I've put two in the "Beach" gallery. And i'll put an abstract and one of silhouetted photo-taking strangers enjoying the atmosphere without realising what great silhouetted subjects they were for my point-and-shoot.

Everyone enjoys an epic ending.

Brighton Beach - 17 November 2017

It stormed this afternoon and hailstones pelted down. After the rain the sun came out. And I decided to take a chance on an evening sky. I made my way to Brighton beach thinking of photographing the famous boxes set against a sunset sky.

It's hard to go wrong photographing Brighton beach. There are so many multicoloured boxes. Always people about having fun. Drones in the sky. Pro-photographers photographing clients. Ok, it gets a little busy, but it's still hard to come away without at least a couple of shots.

Here are one or a few from this evening.