The Three Legged Beastie…
I had a meeting this morning with Giotto’s Tripods – they very kindly support me with their excellent products in return for my feedback and demonstrations to clients/potential clients of Freespirit Images. This prompted me to ask the obvious question – why a tripod, especially now with IS/VR/OS etc lenses AND cameras.
Well, my reasons, and therefore recommendations, are as follows:
1. the obvious one– the tripod holds the camera absolutely perfectly steady. This allows you to produce sharp photos at all shutter speeds. No more camera shake!
2. the not so obvious one – “at all shutter speeds” – this means if using narrow apertures and long exposure times (making water look ‘flowy’ for example) a tripod becomes absolutely vital. No matter how good the IS/VR/OS function claims to be it simply will not work for exposures running into seconds or minutes (or even hours if doing star trails)
3. the ‘oh! that’s a good point’ one’ – I often use different filters/apertures/shutter speeds/exposure compensation on a series of shots to see which gives me the optimum result. I defy anyone to repeat a hand held composition EXACTLY for each exposure. Cue Mr Tripod. The compostion is locked in and so all and any comparisons become more meaningful – apples with apples etc.
I really would advise against cheap tripods, too many folk bring them on workshops and really struggle, very often jettisoning them in favour of a better one. A cheap one is always a false economy.
Of course, tripods have a place – landscape, coastal, etc etc. Also for architecture where there is room and it is appropriate. There are times when spontaneity is needed and here the tripod is of little use (e.g. urban ‘people’ photography perhaps). But, for static or fixed subjects, it really makes a substantial difference
Et voila! Le tripod. Moan about having to bring it with you and then purr when you see the results.
🙂
Judi Lion
I started out with a cheap tripod, just to see if I thought I would actually use one, and was soon converted. I’ve owned a few over the years, and now have a Giottos. Still hate them, cumbersome, fiddly, a pain to carry, but they really do make a difference, doing all the things you say Nick, and the one you always mention during workshops, they slow you down and give you more time to think about what you are doing, and to take a good look around the viewfinder to make sure what you are capturing before you press the shutter.
The Converted 🙂
Nick Jenkins
That is a very good point – when you are, as Judi Lion says, putting the tripod up it does have a ‘slowing down’ effect on you, discouraging the ‘one snap and I am off’ approach!
Jules
And I thought it was me being a not so good photographer and a wimp for using a tripod. Everyone else seems to just be able to snap away and get good photos and there’s me coming home with out of focus shots. I don’t feel such a wimp now Nick, thanks Julie
Tracey Ann Smith
I found out the hard way cheap tripods don’t work! Trying to photograph a sunset on a windy hill with my 50-300 mm lens didn’t work! Trouble is having the money to pay for one that does the job,I’ve looked around and can’t afford or really justify paying £100’s for photography when I’m not making money out of selling my photos! But after reading your blog realise the benefits of having a good quality solid tripod!
Ginny
I agree Nick- have great tripod for home use, but am still looking for the perfect tripod for travel that won’t break the bank, but do the job!
Mil
For years I’ve struggled with the “carry around weight” v “image quality” of using a tripod. I have recently purchase the lightest carbon fibre Giottos Silk Road which I use with the Kirk ball head I already owned (which facilitates an L bracket). Best of both worlds and anticipate making a lot of use of it.
Agree though the biggest benefit of a tripod is slowing me down and making me look at what I’m taking.