I think I found a good tripod on Amazon, but I'm not sure if I can use it for both portraits and landscapes. It is a Ravelli APGL5 Professional 65" Ball Head. Eventually I would like to get a Tamron lens that is about 400mm to 600mm to use for those distant shots of wildlife. I have a smaller tripod that I have used for Family History, but is old and needs more care. What tripods do you people use or know about?

I've never tried your method for photographing old books. I use a method that is listed here: http://www.subchaser.org/photographing-documents

I, in my love for family history, come across a variety of documents and photos. Scanning is best if the pictures or documents are small enough. Otherwise, I have brought my old Canon Rebel G film camera and used it very similar to the article listed above and get the pictures developed and printed so I can scan them in.

I have budgeted $2,500 or there abouts. I have never tried using a lens over 400 mm so that is why I asked about the long lens.

I'll be using a Canon EOS Rebel T5 and a tripod, but I haven't invested in one yet. Any suggestions?

Has anyone had any experience with large focal length lenses? I want to invest in one for taking photos of wildlife at the National Parks. Any advice you can pass on to a novice is greatly appreciated.