What is the best tripod on which to mount a 500mm or 600mm lens?
Today there are only two realistic choices: the Gitzo 410 or the lightweight Gitzo 1548 Carbon Fiber. Both are strong and sturdy enough to routinely produce — with perfect technique on the photographer’s part — sharp images at shutter speeds down to 1/60th of a second. Though the 1548 is expensive, and I wish that it were a bit taller, I absolutely love mine; it is my everyday tripod. When working out of and near my vehicle, say at Bosque Del Apache or Ding Darling, I’ll opt for the heavier 410 tripod.
