Using the D&S Traverse tripod on assignment
 

The Davis & Sanford Traverse tripod is very lightweight and compact when folded. It fits easily into my airline carry- on camera case. In the field, it extends to 57 inches, which is tall enough for most shooting situations, but not quite high enough for straight-on headshots of standing adults. The barrel-shaped twist locks on the 5-section legs are easy to operate, and I found opening and closing the legs to be extremely simple and quick.

I took the Traverse to Mexico to cover a professional wedding assignment and I used it primarily with my 100mm f2.8 macro lens to shoot close-ups of the wedding rings. When fully extended, this tripod is reasonably rigid but to enhance stability, especially when shooting with my pro-size DSLR (that includes a handgrip and is often fitted with a long, fast telephoto zoom lens) I set the camera on self-timer and applied slight downward pressure on the yoke connecting the tripod’s legs. This worked like a charm in achieving the critically sharp image shown here. I consider it a minor price to pay for the convenience of carrying a tripod that’s so small and light compared to the heavy duty behemoth I left at home in my studio.

Jim DiPerna