Hi Allie,
yes, definitely give it a try! I’ve been wondering how you would do that in the rainforest with the turntable and greenscreen - although there is a natural one there, hehe.
You might have a point with the contrast, but in my opinion RC excells in that over competitors and I am really not sure if it’s worth the extra effort. It will definitely work well if your coverage is good, that is if a branch has enough pixels to show a distinct texture. With photogrammetry it’s not about actual size at all, just about covering your target well.
Yes, I do use a tripod, but only inside. Outside, a monopod is entirely sufficient if it’s not close to dusk or dawn and in better light I even do it without any support. There is only the odd one that is not 100% crip, and that isn’t a problem at all if you have enough images close by. Although in the djungle it might be a bit too dingy.