Tim Nielsen wrote:
> This is something that I've been considering giving a try:
>
> It's a combination walking stick and tripod. I'm sure it's quite
> heavier than a carbon fiber trekking stick, BUT, it might still be a
> workable solution. I imagine you'd want to steady the base a bit
> more, perhaps with some rocks, etc. It does seem however like perhaps
> a nice dual function item.
>
> http://www.trek-tech.com/
>
Having tried a few of these things, a few thoughts. (1) Will it fit
in your luggage? Walking sticks are not made like monopods and don't
shorten up as much. This one breaks into two pieces, but how long are
they? (2) Monopods shorten up nicely, but you can't tighten them enough
to make them into walking sticks - don't lean on a monopod if your life
depends on it, such as when you ford a strong stream. (3) For
photography, a short 3-legs such as on the trek-pod will not stop the
stick from swaying, making it useless as a *photo* tripod in any breeze.
It's not that the legs are faulty - it's the amount of pole above the
legs. I can't say what happens to a mic, but it would be interesting to
find out how much swaying is needed to produce a wah-wah effect on the
recording. Also, I can imagine a blimp on top of this trek-pod would
make it very vulnerable to toppling in gusts of moderate wind.
My ideal combo stick would be a luggage-friendly hiking stick with a
hidden/optional spike in the base that you could jam into non-rocky
soil. It should be a hiking stick first, and a good one, so you don't
take risks with your personal safety. If it doesn't have a 1/4x20 bolt
sticking out of the top, look for a sturdy mini-tripod with an integral
velcro strap that allows you to attach it to any pole or fencepost or
*hiking stick* (I got one last year at Samy's Camera and sorry, can't
remember the name - it cost a bit over $20).
========
Chuck Bragg, Pacific Palisades, CA
Membership, Newsletter, Web manager
Santa Monica Bay Audubon Society
www.smbas.org
========
"Microphones are not ears,
Loudspeakers are not birds,
A listening room is not nature."
Klas Strandberg
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