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Tripods
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Do you use tripods for general photography where possible ?
or do you only use them for night scenese or very long exposures ?I have been getting different advice on this , some say use where possible so as to compose shot better and offer a better steadiness to shot , whilst
others say only use where absolutly necessary , such as night scenes , as spontanaity will suffer !What do others think here !
Also , i use a cheap old Hama Star , its ok , any advantage in using a classier tripod such as a
Manfrotto ?Where possible I never use a tripod as I find it in the way and a barrier to be behind. I would use a monopod if possible and needed. For nightime or long exposures then yes but in general work like people shots …. I just dont use it.
It really depends on what your shooting. Apart from the obvious technicla merits of using one (i.e., less risk of camera shake) it will force you to slow down and think about what you are doing by virtue of the fact that it can be awkward to move around with one so you’re obviously going to make sure you get it right first time if possible. On the other hand it’s this very fact that can result in you missing a shot. Like I said, each situation is different. However, I NEVER travel anywhere without mine!
In general, if your subject is moving then don’t use one, if it’s still then do. I find they get in the way for people shots, others swear by them.
Si
Thorsten, what tripod do you use? I’m in the market for a new one and can’t decide. I think I’m going with the pistol grip ballhead though, so that makes it a choice of a Manfrotto/Bogen or Manfrotto/bogen!! My B+H wishlist for February keeps growing!!!
Baz, as thorsten says it depends on what you’re shooting. It also depends on what focal length too. As a standard rule, if shooting hand held you should at least shoot the same shutter speed as focal lenght. So if shooting at 200mm don’t shoot below 1/200sec if shooting at 50mm don’t go below 1/50sec, any slower and camera shake WILL be visable in the photograph. I shoot landscapes mostly and ALWAYS use a tripod and sometimes I use the self timer too. This will also reduce shake as I’m not pressing the shutter button the camera is.
I use a crappie SLIK U6600. Made of alloy. I had a “test drive” of a Velbon CX700 (priced at about ?70stg including head) in Jessops and wow, the differance was amazing. I’m getting one but just wait till pay-day comes round again.
I keep mine in the car with me at all times but I only really use it when needed. I prefer the freedom of not having it!
Flipflip wrote:
I keep mine in the car with me at all times but I only really use it when needed. I prefer the freedom of not having it!
I agree , i prefer the freedom of not using, but as Thorsten says probably helps technically for photography — but i don’t want it to become a chore taking shots — so i’m buying a supposed easy to use portable Manfrotto second hand — hopefully might take the chore value out of using a tripod !
markcapilitan wrote:
Thorsten, what tripod do you use? I’m in the market for a new one and can’t decide. I think I’m going with the pistol grip ballhead though, so that makes it a choice of a Manfrotto/Bogen or Manfrotto/bogen!! My B+H wishlist for February keeps growing!!!
For general day to day use, I use a 20 year old Manfrotto 055 with the centre column cut down so I can set it almost flat on the ground if I have the need to do so. Never raise a centre column if you can avoid doing so as it just makes the camera more prone to vibration). For heavy duty work or when I need something rock solid I use a Manfrotto 074. The 055, although not carbon-fibre, is really easy to carry around but the 074 is more of a studio tripod. I use two heads, again depending on what I need but normally the 055 carries the Manfrotto Proball 468 RC2 and the 074 carries the geared 410 head.
The 410 head is great when you need to be able to make very fine adjustments such as you might need to do to get dead level horizons or perfectly vertical verticals! I normally use it with a hot-shoe spirit level. The Proball 468 RC2 was the best ball-head I could afford when I bought it, although I would love something like an Arca Swiss Monoball or the Kirk Enterprises BH-1.
Si (Allinthemind) suggested that if your subject is moving, don’t use a tripod. However, if you have a good ball head, with the friction controls properly set up, it’s great for tracking moving objects. Although most people that use them really like the pistol grip style ball heads, I personally don’t like them. They’re not really suited to holding anything heavy very solidly – it’s just the way they are designed. If you need the flexibility that one of these offers, I would recommend a good ball-head with independent friction adjustment. Once properly adjusted for the load that’s on it, it will stay in position until you have to move it and then all you need do is grab hold of the camera and re-position it without having to make any further adjustments (in most cases).
Incidentally, you can mix and match tripods and heads in most cases, so if you wanted to you could put a Manfrotto head on to a Gitzo tripod.
thebaz wrote:
…but i don’t want it to become a chore taking shots…quote]
Strange as it may sound, that’s the very reason a tripod can help you improve your work. Because it involves more effort, you will inevitably think a bit more about what you are doing so instead of rattling of 10 frames and hoping that one might come out, you carefully plan just the one frame safe in the knowledge that it will come out. Clearly this doesn’t suit every subject you are likely to shoot, but landscapes and architecture are two examples that immediately come to mind where a tripod will most definitely be more of a help than a hindrance.
Hi All
i need to buy a Tripod is there a good brand name to look for
and what price range is goodnot going over the top
I use the Manfrotto 190cl and pistol grip head – I love it!! As for not being suited to holding heavy things – it holds my 20D, battery grip, 2 batteries, 580 flash, and a 70-200 2.8IS + 2 x teleconverter perfectly well, and that’s pretty damn heavy!!
Smitty – what kinda price do you want to pay?
I bought a cheapo Jessops one when I started out, and found it to be too flimsy – you’d frame your shot, let go, and your camera would move 5mm, ruining your shot. Manfrotto are great, and with a decent head will last you a long time.
Decide what you’ll use it for, how much use it will get, what kind of head you need, how much it weighs (if you’re trekking up a mountain with it), and go from there.
Tim
Tim i have no clue how much a good or bad one is
i would sooner buy one that would lastas i got a pressy last year of a cam corder the tripod wil get a bit of use
how much is your one or am i not alowed to ask on forum?If you want to use it for a camcorder,
you may want to get a tripod head with a pan bar,
the longer the better-You can also use this for your stills camera,
but if you were to get a photo head,
a ball head like Tim suggested, for example,
It would be difficult to get good results with video.A good tripod shouldn’t wear out very fast,
often you can find them in the buy and sell if you keep an eye out for them-
allowing you to get a better tripod for the same money as a cheap one.Experience is your only guide for buying a tripod,
there is no single tripod that can do everything you might expect it to do.I’ve got 3 of them, for example,
and wouldn’t want to see any of them go-
just in case-j
I’ll second what jb7 says and add that buying a cheaper, less stable tripod will only annoy you in the end. You’ll end up cursing it and wondering why you wasted money on it. Buy the best you can afford. I think anyone of the current Manfrotto 055 incarnations would be a very good buy indeed. Like I said above, I have my aluminium 055 (the original design, I think) for over 20 years now and it’s still going strong! When you amortize the cost of that over the 20 years I’ve had it, it turns out to be a very cheap tripod indeed!
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