Originally posted by Canada_Rockies It is a lot of lens, but I think I would rather that than my 680mm rig: M 400/5.6 + AFA 1.7x. That means focusing at (1.7*5.6)=f/9.5 with a rig that even on my Manfrotto 055 and 0168 ball head shakes violently any time someone sneezes - anywhere on the same beach! Imagine the pixie dust this shot would have had with the 560 and a slight crop. This is full frame on a K10D, by the way.
RE: tripod shake
I went through the tripod shake issues and bought bigger tripods etc. but the single thing that I found helped the most was when I bought offset plates and balanced the camera and lens. other wise the
tripod was like a heavily deflected spring and when the mirror went up the camera jumped like a mouse trap being tripped, but if the camera is hanging fully balanced on a gimble head that is much less of an issue.