Stabilizers: Requirements & Considerations

^{Note: This tip comes from page 5-6 in Tobie Schalkwyk’s free eBook - Bird Photography: Keeping It Stable}

Bird photography has its own unique set of stabilizing requirements, unique in the sense that, in general, bird photographers move around a lot and sometimes through places that are not ideal for walking, such as dense vegetation or water or over mountains or hills. They have to keep their cameras stable at uneven spots. So, they want their stabilization ‘tools’ to have the following characteristics:

LIGHTWEIGHT

This is especially true for non-mounted stabilizers (for example, a car window mount). If you’re like me, there are no limits to how far I have to walk to that special spot from where I can photograph chicks of that special genre of birds on a nest. There is no use in carrying a heavy-duty studio tripod with you on a hike. You WILL regret it.

ADJUSTABLE

This is especially true in uneven terrain. If you’re setting up your tripod on a slope, you want each leg to be adjustable independently. If you need to take shots from a crouched position, you will really appreciate any way (other than your hands) to keep your camera stable. In the event of mounted stabilizers, they must fit onto as many vehicles as possible.

STRONG/STABLE

You’ll be amazed at how much camera shake you can get from the wind, even on a tripod. Your challenge is to balance the weight of your stabilizer and how strong/stable it is. In general, the more you favor the one attribute, the more you will handicap the other. Mounted stabilizers must keep your camera position regardless of the terrain.

DURABLE

You should not feel too protective toward your tripod or whatever other type of stabilization you use. If you want to make it stand in a shallow stream or soft sand, then so be it. Mounted stabilizers must be able to withstand the forces of nature. You don’t want to unmount it in the event of a drizzle or a sandstorm that is gone and over in five minutes. Closely related is the freedom to remove your camera and close your car window if needed without removing the stabilizer.

PORTABLE

This goes hand in hand with it being lightweight. If a tripod can fit into your camera bag or be easily attached to it, it’s a bonus!

UNLIMITED MOVEMENT

Car-mounted stabilizers should provide almost unlimited freedom in tilting your camera and adjusting its position to catch the shot as you move about in your vehicle.

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