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Outdoor Field Testing

by Paul Gallagher

McNamee & Gallagher get outside for a change

Taking up any excuse to get out into the wilds your editor willingly accepted an invitation from Paul Gallagher to meet up in the English Lakes for a day out. Paul was actually taking a one-to-one tuition with Doug Thompson (who's forbearance with our antics is gratefully acknowledged). Gallagher was dressed more or less head to toe in Paramo gear (we didn't look too closely) including trousers, a sweat top and a waterproof top. He was packing the new LowePro Trekker AW 400 sufficient to hold more 35mm gear than he actually possesses. Gear did, however, include the new Gitzo GT3541XLS, some Lee filters and an ACS-modified infrared Nikon D70. To complete the inventory of kit, McNamee was trying the Manfrotto 535 along with the VR 304 head but in particular the Manfrotto MBAG90P bag. The English weather provided a perfect mix of test environments; despite the fact that we got a slight touch of sunburn, we also endured rain, sleet and wind. The terrain provided some mild scrambling and sufficient walking distances to see if any of the bags had annoying itches when carried for extended periods. Ground conditions varied too, ranging from soft, steep ground, covered in boggy grass, true bog land, rock, scree and grass. Overall we were carrying a substantial load of gear, too much for a casual stroll or summit-bagging, but within the bounds of a normal day's low-level landscape photography. Typically the first thing we saw was a dipper fishing in the river, the one thing we did not have was a telephoto lens!

The Manfrotto MBAG90P

Carbon-fibre tripods are stable, light and expensive. The one thing they do not enjoy is being biffed into a rock face or (more likely) being knocked into each other in the boot of a Range Rover. A decent, protective bag is therefore a wise investment. The 535 Pro has quite long legs and so does not sit very comfortably on the back or side of a backpack, especially for the shorter photographer. The sling strap of the MBAG is therefore very useful although we found the middle handle also very comfortable for distances of half a mile or so. The opening, like an arrow quiver, is really simple to use, making access very straightforward - this can be particularly important on steep ground where the last thing you need is a tricky zip and snaggy fabrics. Overall then, the bag passed with flying colours but make sure that you look into the length of both your tripod and head when choosing the model.

The Manfrotto 535 MPRO and Manfrotto VR 305 Pan Head

Panorama photography requires a firm, stable and very level set-up. While most tripods will accomplish the task on firm level ground, things are more difficult in the field. We were standing on the slopes of Side Pike shooting the expanse of the head of Langdale Valley. The ground was steep, dry and coated with very springy grasses. It was distinctly unstable even with the spikes of the tripod feet extended. We therefore moved but could only find two large rocks, side by side. We settled for rubber feet onto the rocks with the third leg dug hard into the grasses. The problem with digging the tripod leg down like this is that you lose any pre-levelling you might have attempted. Changing the individual height of a legs can be perilous as you balance precariously on a steep slope. This is when the adjustable ball head of the Manfrotto really comes into its own. We were able to reset the pan head level without moving from our secure stance. Although the VR305 has micro adjusters we did not in fact have to use them, we were able to crack off a few panoramas right off with a minimum of fuss.

The LowePro Trekker AW 400 (PG)

As with many of the LowePro bags I have used in the past this lived up to its reputation. Firstly the new colour scheme of brown and black make a welcome change from all black and the construction has not been compromised at all with this new model. The bag is slightly deeper that other bags and the tripod-holding device on the back really does work, depending on the size of tripod you are carrying of course! The bag is comfortable and sits well on the back with a good waist band that takes the bulk of the weight, along with a chest strap to keep the bag snug and not floating around. Please bear in mind that if you do buy one you need to give the zips time to loosen. At first they are stiff and awkward but with some use they loosen up. The size of the bag is more than enough for the average DSLR kit and the supplementary pockets in the 'lid' serve well.

The 405 Pro geared head

It was exactly four years ago that Paul Gallagher reviewed the Manfrotto 405 Pro Geared Head. Field testing has continued without a break since that time and the unit remains his favourite head. For landscape work involving a no-compromise approach there is little to touch it, but he even let Mike and Doug play on it! Both are firm converts; when you have to get the horizon level (a must for landscape) there is nothing to beat a geared movement. However, the quick release assists greatly in getting close with a tripod set up on very uneven ground. The 405 has so far survived four years of professional outdoor use and is working as well as new even though it is quite scuffed and scratched in many places. Its reputation is well justified which is why it is often seen as the industry standard in the hands of many outdoor professionals. Paul Gallagher says, "Without doubt this is a tripod head for life

Lee Graduated Filters and The BIG Stopper

Gallagher is a devoted fan and ambassador for Lee Filters. Watching him teach with them was something of an eye-opener. Having got the camera and lens set-up, the precise placement of the graduated filter in relation to the scene is much easier with these generously proportioned devices. Less sophisticated grads are often a little too small to cover all eventualities when you might wish to cover only a small fraction of a large-diameter lens, leaving a tell-tale line across your image when the lens stops down. Paul was ganging both grad filters and a polariser. Again the generous proportions of the Lee filter make it expensive but the payback comes as it fits a wide range of lenses and all you need to invest in are adaptors for your various lenses. Filters are something of a forgotten art in these days of sky darkening with Photoshop but to control the dynamic range by good camera work is demonstrably better. The quick release of the Lee holder is particularly useful in the field, especially in difficult terrain, the glassware is expensive if you slip and often times you cannot walk around to the front of the camera to attend to a filter, it has to be done from a single, unstable perch!

Paul also had the new Lee Filters BIG Stopper. This sports a neutral density stopping power of 10 stops and opens all manner of possibilities for the creative landscape photographer. Magic things start to happen when you move into 30-seconds-plus territory for your exposure. The sea takes on an ethereal glow, waterfalls become silken ribbons of mermaid's hair (oh, we could go on!). It was interesting to watch Doug's introduction to this methodology, as he made his first exposures. We had some fun with our 8- to 10-minute exposures and everybody learned very quickly - the punishment for mistakes was being dolled out in 10-minute increments! Remember that 10-stops of exposure is not the normal '10x' that is spoken about. An 8x ND filter is just three stops, 10-stops is a 1024x ND! You have to keep a clear head in computing your exposures, making a measurement without the filter and then working things out. Normally when you throw in an extra stop to an exposure it involves moving from one fraction of a second to another. When you are moving from 10 minutes to 20 minutes you have to be a little more sure of yourself!

With such long exposures light leakage can be an issue and so the BIG Stopper is fitted with foam surrounds to close off the slide-ways of the holder. There is no visibility to speak of through the viewfinder so the stability of the tripods and the quick release of the filter holders are of real benefit for this type of work.

The 100mm x 100mm BIG Stopper is £94 including VAT.

Gitzo GT3541XLS (PG)

I must admit that some time ago I could not afford anything in the Gitzo range but now I use these tripods regularly and they have never yet let me down. Recently I was given the opportunity to try out the GT3541XLS from the 'Systematic Tripod' range. These tripods are constructed of 6X carbon-fibre tubing with the G-Lock to lock the tripod

at your chosen height. This is the first feature of these tripods I like very much. Many of the other manufacturers fit standard cam-arm lock which have a tendency to get knocked about and even snap off if knocked hard enough.

Given the size of this tripod with a four-section leg system that can extend up to 198cm it is exceptionally light. As I regularly work with a Manfrotto 405 geared head, the lighter the tripod the better because the head certainly adds to the weight of the kit I travel about with. This tripod is not designed to 'go-low' towards the ground but, that said, it can stoop to an impressive 10cm from ground level because it has no centre column.

The thing I liked best was quite simply the extended height. I often find myself on the edge of a ravine or in water that needs one leg fully extended and the others fully retracted. With my other tripods I have been caught out by the maximum leg length but not with this model, which can cater for all needs. In conclusion it is light, very sturdy and tall enough to handle any terrain you choose to stand it on. Now I return to the first item I mentioned, being able to afford it. You can pick one of these up for between £500 and £660 depending on where you shop. Do I think it's worth it? Yes because it does all and more than many other tripods and you can rely on its robust construction.



Updated 27/04/2026 16:44:22 Last Modified: Monday, 27 April 2026