Journey to Eastern Hokkaido ~Early Summer Edition~

July 2021 / Eastern Hokkaido

Photographer / Toshiki Nakanishi

For the past few years, I have been working on a certain theme and have been covering Hokkaido. It's a very stimulating trip because I can learn about an unknown world while maintaining a loose connection to the work I've been working on for many years around Biei. This time, I had time, so I decided to load my newly acquired tripod head "Q3i-RD" into my car and head towards eastern Hokkaido.

I don't have a specific destination in mind, but I decide where to take photos depending on the weather and my mood. It's a free-spirited photo trip with only the final destination in mind. However, there was one mountain I wanted to climb. It was Mount Meakan, which still has active volcanic activity.

The new tripod head I bought this time, the Q3i-RD, is the lightest model in Markins' series. When I go mountain climbing and shoot, I want to carry as little luggage as possible. When I asked Markins about this, they recommended this model. It is certainly much lighter than the higher-end models. But that doesn't mean it's the same operability and feeling as always, and there's no problem with the load capacity. When I actually used it on a windy mountaintop, I felt the same sense of security as before.

In recent years, the image stabilization of equipment has become more powerful, so there are more scenes where tripods are not used. However, when shooting in the morning and evening when there is little light, or when using filter work, a tripod and a head are always necessary. In such cases, the most important thing is operability and stability. How quickly and securely can you attach the camera to the head in dim light? And how can you shoot without shaking? It all comes down to this. I have always had complete confidence in Markins heads, and my impression of the smallest and lightest head I tested this time, the "Q3i-RD", was the same.

I always thought that bigger is better when it comes to heads and tripods, but this test showed that this is not necessarily the case. In other words, it is important that the product is finished with the same precision regardless of size. It is true that lighter means there is more risk of camera shake due to wind, but in the first place, it is better not to use a tripod on a windy day. More than that, this light weight is a godsend for photographers who are looking to expand their field of photography by walking.

This time, we have brought you the early summer edition, but we are planning to report on Hokkaido again in autumn. This is the time when we start to hear reports of snow in the high mountains. Nature will become more severe. I would like to take this new tripod head with me again and walk through the forests and mountains.

Toshiki Nakanishi

Born in Osaka in 1971. After many years of visiting Hokkaido, moved to Biei Town in 2012, now the base for photography work. Photographs center around agricultural landscapes and the people who live there. In recent years, focus has expanded to include the Daisetsuzan mountain range and the virgin forests at its base, exploring the shapes of nature, life, and their relationship with humans to seek the ideal landscape. In September 2020, a photo exhibition titled "Kamuy" will be held at Canon Gallery S.