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Why use a tripod?Thom posted:The bottom line is simple: if the camera is moving when you shoot, you'll never resolve what the lens is capable of. Thom has a lot of maxims that should be followed, let's take a gander at all two of them: Thom posted:Thom's Maxim #1: You're wasting money on expensive optics if you fail to give your camera and lens a stable platform. Seriously, why should I use a tripod? A tripod only takes seconds to setup and adjust, and it can support your camera in the perfect position for however long you wish, which in turn helps you to take great images. Ever wanted to try your hand at night photography? How about macro photography? I'll tell you right away, you will fail at night photography without a stable/unwavering support base, and if you are doing high precision macro work, you will undoubtedly fail at that too without a good sturdy tripod. Besides those two sub-fields of photography, every other field will at some point or another require a tripod of some sort. Perhaps you are into sports – well it's going to suck to be you when the perfect shot comes around and you screw up panning. You like nature photography, taking pictures of animals and landscapes? Nothing will give you the precision a tripod/monopod can. Telephoto lenses that have huge focal lengths are pretty much guaranteed to need a support system of some sort. Granted, for many things a support system is not mandatory; but drat will you wish you had a good one when the time comes. The simple fact is that such support systems can increase your accuracy and hasten your ability to shoot in complex situations; literally, there is no reason not to own some sort of tripod. What about monopods? Chris Nicholson posted:If you're trying to avoid camera-shake, a monopod will save you between two and four stops versus hand-holding, depending on how you use it and how still you can hold the pod. Aside from the above information, monopods are a great alternative to tripods when you do not want to lug around a larger support system, or if you will find yourself in a situation where using a tripod would just be an unfeasible idea. Do I have to spend Ten-Bajillion dollars? No, like all things in photography you should buy according to your need. Certainly there are plenty of great tripods out there that have too-good-to-be-true prices. But honestly, it seems that the bare minimum for a good tripod from a respected company ranges between $100-$200. That being said, use Ebay and search camera shops – there is nothing wrong with second-hand gear. Also, not all tripods come with heads. Some might view this as a “what the hell, I don't even get a whole tripod for that much money? Highway robbery I say!” type of business scenario, but that's not really the case. Because heads and legs can be sold separately, and because (typically) any head can be put on any set of legs, you – as a consumer – have a myriad of options to choose from. You might actually be able to save money by picking and choosing your parts, just keep your eyes open for opportunity. Sagacious Dorkroom Advice: Interrupting Moss posted:The best tripod is the one that you will have with you. PARTS: This section was shamelessly stolen from here. Heads: Ball head: Ball heads are the fastest to use and adjust. They allow for quick locking and unlocking of the head. Ball heads are smooth and stable and do not “creep” when used with heavy cameras and lenses. However, ball heads can be less precise than other heads (unless you go for broke and get the best of the best). These heads allow a full range of motion across all axes.
Pan-tilt head: A pan-tilt head can be moved to pan and tilt to either side. This enables a camera to be held in horizontal and vertical positions. To control movement, pan-tilt heads have a trigger mounted on a handle that are tightened or loosened to alter the camera position. There a two-, three- and four-way heads. Geared head: Geared heads, often used in studios and for certain types of field work, offer precise control and great stability for heavy photographic equipment. Capable of fine adjusting and control, a geared head allows the photographer to obtain very exact framing. These are also known as Micro-focus plates or Focus Rails. They are necessary for macro work when your DOF is shallower than a Hilton. Dials typically allow the entire camera body to be moved towards/away your subject mm's at a time.[/list] Fluid head: Fluid heads contain a lubricating fluid around moving parts that enables very smooth movement of a camera. Fluid heads are particularly useful for panning. Gimbal heads: Specialized tripod heads for telephoto lenses. These allow you to rotate your lens around its center of gravity, which makes them very attractive when concerning very large lenses. Note: Quick release plates: Not all Tripods/monopods come with the ability to release your camera from your temporary & portable base of operations. Quick release plates however allow quick and fluid transitions from hand-held photography to supported photography. I highly recommend investing in heads that have quick-plates built in. Types of Quick Release plates: Coming soon Legs: Carbon Fiber – is it for me? Many people argue about material construction. So far it's typically agreed that the sole reason to get something made out of carbon fiber is because carbon fiber is fantastic at eating vibrations. It is also has that sexy combination of being both light and extremely strong. BUT, some people don't actually think that carbon fiber is actually lighter than any other material; in the end, before you purchase any tripod, be sure to test it out. Get a feel for it; after all, if you move a lot you may eventually get tired of carrying around something that is heavier than it needs to be. And to put this to rest: no, aluminum is not a bad material for a tripod. Another thing to look for in legs are the types of locks that are used, the rigidity of the legs when locked, and the amount of weight they can hold, the minimum/maximum height of the tripod, how well they dampen vibrations, and how heavy they are. Types of Leg Locks Twist Lock: As the name implies, these mechanisms need to be twisted in clockwise/counterclockwise to lock the leg into place. Some complain that these types of mechanisms take too long when compared with flip locks – really it a preference thing. With enough practice it is probably exactly as fast as a flip lock. Lever/Flip/every-other-name-imaginable Lock: These look like little latches. Typically when you set up a tripod with these you unlatch the legs, drop them out, and re-latch everything. They're very fast and very easy. Some say that these types of locks are usually far below the quality of twist locks – frankly I think that's bunk. Like all parts, the quality depends on the manufacturer. Gitzo G-locks: Combine the supposed speed of a flip lock within the style of a twist lock – that is exactly what a G-lock is. These are the fastest twist locks (20% faster on average) currently in production by Gitzo. Most recommended brands (no particular order): Arca-Swiss Kirk Markins Really Right Stuff Gitzo Cullmann Manfrotto Slik Velbon Acratech Bogen Dynatron Combo/Singular Recommendations: (aka the land of Manfrotto) Manfrotto 055XPro and 488RC2 head Cullmann Magnesit 35Nm head Manfrotto 190XDB Tripod Legs Manfrotto 494 Mini Ball Head w/RC2 QR Plate Best options for the best prices: $0-$99: Heads: Manfrotto 496 w/RC2 Manfrotto 494 w/RC2 QR Plate Legs: Manfrotto 190XDB Tripod Legs Bogen 3001 Monopod: Manfrotto 679B $100-$199: Heads: Manfrotto 322RC2 Manfrotto 498RC4 Midi Ball Head with 410PL QR Plate Giottos MH-1000-652 Large Ballhead with MH-652 Quick Release System Legs: Manfrotto 190XPROB 3 Section Aluminum Pro Tripod $200-$299: Legs: Manfrotto 190XB Aluminum Tripod $300-399: $400-$499: $500+: Please feel free to contribute anything to the O.P.; hell, feel free to correct me if I have made any glaringly obvious mistakes that I might have parsed over! Also, feel free to recommend more gear with prices, I'll throw it right up into the proper sections.
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Feb 17, 2011 02:48
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| # ¿ Apr 25, 2024 02:48 |
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Reserved.
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Feb 17, 2011 02:48
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rcman50166 posted:So I now have a very heavy camera, a 40D with a grip and a 70-200. My tripod broke with it. So now I need a new one. The whole tripod market is rather confusing, mostly cause they don't have a practical naming systems for heads or legs. I want/need to move up to a drat beefy tripod now, But I'm not entirely sure where to start. I can't dump $300 into a tripod either. I'm looking for something in the area of $100-200. I understand you can get some decent manfrotto setups for that price. Anyone got some advice, or at least explain the naming system? The OP is good, however the variety is limited. If you're looking for cheaper than the Manfrotto posted, I would recommend this: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/131427-REG/Slik_615_315_Pro_700DX_Tripod_with.html I have it, and I love it.
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Jul 23, 2011 09:33
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