I had $110 in Best Buy Rewards that were going to expire, so I bought a new tripod and mic.
I eventually want to invest in a nice sturdy carbon fiber tripod, but this one caught my eye.
it's small enough to backpack, and the head is unique.
as for the mic, i needed something that was all purposed and affordable.
after hours of research I found that for $90 the Zoom H1 was the best bang for my buck.
it can be a stand alone mic, or a video mic.
I use the interest free rewards zone card for all of my big purchases. my next big upgrade will be the Canon 100-400mm lens for better wildlife shots.