| Taking it to the Trail |
© Mark LaMonica. All Rights Reserved.
Text and Photography by Mark LaMonica
There's something about 92 pounds of gear and going uphill that makes me wonder why I'm doing this. It all comes down to having the right gear to produce images worth enlarging. I'll pack the usual
cameras, lenses, sturdy tripod, filters, speedlights, tent, sleeping bag, water pump and a weeks worth of energy bars. Now most people reading this are saying to themselves, this dude is nuts, all he
needs to bring is a digital point and shoot. Well yes and no is the answer to that, because a P N S is not going to give you enough control over what I'm trying to achieve and even though the marketing
team does a great job pushing "Megapixels" as the magic bullet, you will not get the same results side by side with a 16MP P N S and 16 MP DSLR. Fisrt the sensors are different sizes, which means the
pixels are different sizes which means the quality will be different. If I'm making the effort to be out here, I'm taking the appropriate gear to produce results like I enjoyed with my film equipment.
cameras, lenses, sturdy tripod, filters, speedlights, tent, sleeping bag, water pump and a weeks worth of energy bars. Now most people reading this are saying to themselves, this dude is nuts, all he
needs to bring is a digital point and shoot. Well yes and no is the answer to that, because a P N S is not going to give you enough control over what I'm trying to achieve and even though the marketing
team does a great job pushing "Megapixels" as the magic bullet, you will not get the same results side by side with a 16MP P N S and 16 MP DSLR. Fisrt the sensors are different sizes, which means the
pixels are different sizes which means the quality will be different. If I'm making the effort to be out here, I'm taking the appropriate gear to produce results like I enjoyed with my film equipment.
I meet a lot of people while I'm hiking and I do get some strange looks, but when you are up on top of a mountain and everyone has their arms
stretched out in front of them composing a picture with their tiny P N S, I quietly take off my pack and break out the good stuff. Now all those
looks I got on the trail turn into inquiring minds that want to know what's in that pack? Pictured here is what I call the working hikers combo.
Most of my hiking pictures were taken with a variety of film cameras and after 1999 I used the AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8D IF-ED (2.5x)
lens with a Kirk BH-1 ballhead mounted on a Gitzo G1548 rated for 39lbs. of gear, Max height: 4'.10" (1.48 m) and weighs 6 3/8lbs.
After doing the stills on a movie in 2006, which was 100% digital and I had been using the newer AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G IF-ED
(2.9x) lens, I decided it was time to bring everything up to speed and update my hiker combo. I sold my trusty 1548 and replaced it with a light
weight field tripod. I liked the fact it was light, but it didn't give me the rock solid support I was use to with my 1548. I sold the tripod within a
month and bought the Gitzo GT5560SGT rated for a load capacity of 55lbs., can reach an extreme height of 8.5' (2.6 m) and weighs 7.5lbs. So
why would anyone need a tripod that can go that high? To be honest . . . . I do, and I use it at that height as well as using the long reach to
stabilize the camera while on very steep inclines. For an extra pound of tripod weight, I gained a lot of versatility and there's other ways to
shave off the extra 3 pounds compared to the field tripod. The last update was my Kirk ballhead. I had great luck with that head, but when I was
doing extreme precision alignment of micro work, I would get a slight creep after tightening down the ball. I decided to do some research on
Ballheads and found Really Right Stuff and bought a BH-55 which is load-rated for 50lbs. Pictured below is the new "Hikers Combo" system.
stretched out in front of them composing a picture with their tiny P N S, I quietly take off my pack and break out the good stuff. Now all those
looks I got on the trail turn into inquiring minds that want to know what's in that pack? Pictured here is what I call the working hikers combo.
Most of my hiking pictures were taken with a variety of film cameras and after 1999 I used the AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8D IF-ED (2.5x)
lens with a Kirk BH-1 ballhead mounted on a Gitzo G1548 rated for 39lbs. of gear, Max height: 4'.10" (1.48 m) and weighs 6 3/8lbs.
After doing the stills on a movie in 2006, which was 100% digital and I had been using the newer AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G IF-ED
(2.9x) lens, I decided it was time to bring everything up to speed and update my hiker combo. I sold my trusty 1548 and replaced it with a light
weight field tripod. I liked the fact it was light, but it didn't give me the rock solid support I was use to with my 1548. I sold the tripod within a
month and bought the Gitzo GT5560SGT rated for a load capacity of 55lbs., can reach an extreme height of 8.5' (2.6 m) and weighs 7.5lbs. So
why would anyone need a tripod that can go that high? To be honest . . . . I do, and I use it at that height as well as using the long reach to
stabilize the camera while on very steep inclines. For an extra pound of tripod weight, I gained a lot of versatility and there's other ways to
shave off the extra 3 pounds compared to the field tripod. The last update was my Kirk ballhead. I had great luck with that head, but when I was
doing extreme precision alignment of micro work, I would get a slight creep after tightening down the ball. I decided to do some research on
Ballheads and found Really Right Stuff and bought a BH-55 which is load-rated for 50lbs. Pictured below is the new "Hikers Combo" system.
So now lets take a look at the after hiking accommodations. I also did a lot of research on
choosing a tent for my on the trail photo trips. It had to be 4 season, but have the luxury of a 3
season tent like screens for open air in warmer weather. I needed fast setup in darkness, water
and wind proof and have plenty of room to stretch out and review my images at the end of the
day. My tent is a Mountain Hardwear Light Wedge 3 that has a pack weight of 7.2lbs. (3.3kg).
That's quite heavy for a backpacking tent, but there's plenty of good reasons why I chose it.
choosing a tent for my on the trail photo trips. It had to be 4 season, but have the luxury of a 3
season tent like screens for open air in warmer weather. I needed fast setup in darkness, water
and wind proof and have plenty of room to stretch out and review my images at the end of the
day. My tent is a Mountain Hardwear Light Wedge 3 that has a pack weight of 7.2lbs. (3.3kg).
That's quite heavy for a backpacking tent, but there's plenty of good reasons why I chose it.
It's a 3 season, 3 person tent which means 3 sleeping bags shoulder to shoulder will fit. As a 3 season tent with a rainfly that works so well, I was able to
camp in -20 degree weather, so as far as I'm concerned it works as a 4 season tent for me. The space is fabulous ! It's like a Condo in the woods :) I love
stretching out at the end of a long day and reviewing my images without feeling like I'm packed in a sardine can. The entrance shown in the lower left
picture is 74" (188cm) wide and the other end is 58" (147cm) wide. The length is 96" (244cm) and the vestibule of the rainfly pictured on the right is 40"
(102cm) wide and 29" (74cm) long, so you can see it's really roomy and has an inside height of 50" (126cm). Like I wrote about having the right camera
gear, I also need the right camping gear to make each hiking trip an enjoyable experience so I can concentrate on photography. Safety on the trail is very
important to me. Being well rested and alert can be the difference between coming back with memorable images instead of a broken leg or worse.
camp in -20 degree weather, so as far as I'm concerned it works as a 4 season tent for me. The space is fabulous ! It's like a Condo in the woods :) I love
stretching out at the end of a long day and reviewing my images without feeling like I'm packed in a sardine can. The entrance shown in the lower left
picture is 74" (188cm) wide and the other end is 58" (147cm) wide. The length is 96" (244cm) and the vestibule of the rainfly pictured on the right is 40"
(102cm) wide and 29" (74cm) long, so you can see it's really roomy and has an inside height of 50" (126cm). Like I wrote about having the right camera
gear, I also need the right camping gear to make each hiking trip an enjoyable experience so I can concentrate on photography. Safety on the trail is very
important to me. Being well rested and alert can be the difference between coming back with memorable images instead of a broken leg or worse.