Recommendation of Schneider lenses and comments on tripods (Ries and Gitzo) and ideal tripod heads, the Manfrotto 3263.

If your ball head slips, your entire camera could land on the concrete floor.

The Manfrotto 3263 head does not slip; a secure lock keeps the camera from falling out. Yet the geared system allows you to move the entire system to a 90-degree position (and keep the camera in that position while taking long exposures).

Ries tripod has no center column, this is an advantage, as it creates a rock solid support platform for the tripod head.

Tripods with center columns tend to wobble.

Linhof make great cameras but no L-shaped support is strong enough for holding a heavy digital insert.

Macro lens from Schneider took most of the digital photographs in all FLAAR web sites.

Links added Mar. 2002, Redesigned January 2004