I'll join in #BirdOfTheDay

What's with all the green fringe?

Rule of thumb: don't go slower than the focal length. So 200mm = 1/200 or faster. But of course, physical limitations can make the use of tripods or monopods necessary.

Nah. Sometimes I wish Sigma would make a lighter version of that lens. Not because of balance issues but because carrying it around all day isn't that great...

Oh but that is not a problem. I use big and heavy lenses very often and hardly ever use a tripod if I can get fast enough shutter speeds. Also, when using a 1900 gram 70-200 when shooting a wedding, I can't use a tripod anyway. :)

You don't need to hold it above your head to photograph the moon :-)

You could, of course. I just meant that it isn't really necessary.

Why would you use a tripod for a moon shot at 1/1600?

Present! :-)