Using a sturdy Tripod

[bhollis]

I mostly do travel photography these days and almost never use a tripod. Only time I really come close is in Hawaii, when I use a long lens on a monopod to shoot surfers.

Tripod Upside--maximum stabilization/image sharpness.

Downsides--something else non-trivial in weight and size to carry around all day; not allowed in many museums/churches/etc.; takes time to set up/take down; draws attention.

Instead, I rely on my camera's IBIS and good technique--i.e., nice, smooth shutter releases. And I've never felt like my images have suffered for it.

 

[BudgetTraveller]

Anyway I have a good tripod and my problem is carrying it around on a trip. And I guess it’s nice to use knowing the camera is steady while taking a photo. Course a hand remote is necessary for the so called perfect photo. What are your thoughts.

The bird photographers I shoot with use a beefy tripod with a gimbal almost 100% of the time. And these are not the cheaper kind of tripods. We are talking about Gitzo 3 and 5 series tripod, weighing almost 11lbs! One of our award winning wildlife photographers, Liron Gertsman, which we sometimes shoot alongside with when we are in his wildlife workshops also shoots with a Gitzo 5 series tripod along with his Canon R5. I also use a tripod along with me. I have 3 different kinds, and my LeoPhoto Ranger is a clone of the Gitzo 3 series. 6lbs heavy with a very beefy head.

Now the question you would ask is. Why in the heck we are using a tripod, where others having the same similar gear don't and use VR or Synchro VR/Dual VR/Sync IS instead?

Well, it depends on time of day.

You see, we start out at 3 AM in the morning, get to the area at around 4 to 4:30AM, set up the tripod and camera system and be ready at 5 AM. Wildlife activities, including birds are the most active during dawn, which is at 5 AM especially with some species of owls. So we shoot between 5AM to 8AM and then we would wait it out until around 5PM and then we start shooting again from 5PM to 9PM, So we usually take the whole day, but we will get the best shots. There is no way you can handhold a heavy lens and a Nikon Z8, Z9, A1, A9, A7R5, R5, R3 and R1 continuously from 5 AM to 9PM pointing at the same tree or same spot! And with such low light levels, VR is usually not as reliable we found as using a beefy tripod. Also, my Nikon Z8's Auto Capture works wonders and I use this feature actually quite a lot. You need a tripod with Auto Capture.

Now.. If we are talking about the mainstream crowd who often shoots from 10 AM to 3PM; well then you don't really need a tripod at all. The most modern VR can easily handle those situations. But wildlife activities aren't really that exciting compared to shooting between 5AM to 8AM and 5PM to 9PM. A lot of what you see from award winning wildlife photographers are from dawn and dusk periods, and when I started shooting at 5AM, I was shocked to find out how much wildlife activities I missed. That is also the reason why I added a full frame system alongside my MFT system. Full frame excels during dawn and dusk shooting, whereas MFT does well for day shooting.

There you go. There are no right answers. It depends on the time of day of your shoot and how long can you handhold the lens and camera gear during the shoot.

 

[Ellis Vener]

For me, a perfect photo is one that

• Continually evokes (stimulates) a profound emotional reaction in the viewer.
• satisfies an existing or stimulates a fresh aesthetic response to how the photographer shows the viewer the subject.
• gets the viewer to think about what is depicted, hopefully yielding a new understanding and insight of the world.
• stirs the imagination

These qualities are what is meant by photographic seeing.

While technical attributes don’t directly figure into any of that , as Ansel Adams wrote in “The Camer” (a book which is still surprisingly relevant) “if a photographer has something to say, they can say it with a pinhole camera, but they’ll reach more people if the photo is well crafted.”

I use a tripod or other support whenever the situation allows or when using one is necessary for the photo I am making. It turns photography into a more deliberative process, and more often than not, that’s not a bad thing.

There’s something a tripod does for a photographer that is obvious, but rarely discussed: liberating the photographer’s body from the role of being a camera support device, freeing up energy to think about what and how they are photographing, and to notice the small details.

But if a tripod is going to get in the way of making the photograph, I want to make, I won’t use one no matter what affect that may have on the absolute technical quality of the photo. As Ansel Adams also wrote, “Better to make a slightly blurry photograph of a sharply seen subject that a sharp photo of a poorly seen subject.”

--
Ellis Vener
To see my work, please visit http://www.ellisvener.com
I am on Instagram @EllisVenerStudio

 

[mysteryman44]

Yes, You are like me, getting up there in age Iam 72 and it’s not bad if one sets up a tripod via with not much hiking. As far as hiking I cannot do that any more, I get out of breath. Maybe a short hike on a flat surface I could do. For taking it to the airport would be a chore since luggage, your meds bag, camera bag, and usually 1 extra carry on. We try to pack light. ( USUALLY DOES NOT WORK OUT ). But cameras have come all by way, seems like they are getting better every year.

 

[Abbott Schindler]

I usually shoot hand-held with shorter FL lenses, or for relatively brief periods using heavier lenses and when tracking birds (I just can't follow that fast with lenses like 500 f/4, 200-800mm lens).

There are times, though, when I find a tripod's essential. For example, when watching something for long periods (like observing/recording bird behavior for an hour or more at a time), when I want a really well aligned sequence for later compositing into images that convey time, like the path of water dripping off an icicle).

Other times: when I want to precisely compose an image that requires holding the camera at uncomfortable positions (usually at or near ground level), like a wildflower pano shot with the camera, or macros of lichen on low rocks in poor light.

These days I find myself opting for a monopod most of the time when using my RF 200-800, especially with an Extender. It's just too heavy for me to do a really good job at modest shutter speeds, and the lens is too slow to generally shoot at 1/1000 or faster much of the time.

And, of course, even if one's got a current camera with great IBIS, the IBIS may not work (or work as well) with older lenses or MF lenses.

Although I've got heavier/sturdier tripods, these days my go-to is a Gitzo GT-2545T (reasonably stable, light, folds compactly, extends to a good height, can shoot at almost ground level) and a Gitzo monopod. Both are easily packable and one or the other is usually with me on hikes and always in my travel kit.

Keep in mind that if you're using a DSLR and/or bridge camera, you may need a tripod more often.

 

[Fabian Joya]

With my 500mm lens, I very much prefer to shoot from a tripod. Besides sharpening the image, it makes it somewhat easier to line up on a small subject.

The alternative is basically higher shutter speed, and/or excellent VR. And to some extent sheer weight. (I find it a lot easier to hold my heavy 200-500vr lens steady than a lightweight 70-300.)

So, for wildlife, I'm going to make an effort to bring my Gitzo 3550. (I have lighter tripods, and not one of them holds a big lens steady. They were essentially a waste of money).

I wonder if that is still true with a shutter-less camera like the Z8? I assume the shutter speed still has to be reasonably high when shooting wildlife, to freeze motion?

 

[Abbott Schindler]

With my 500mm lens, I very much prefer to shoot from a tripod. Besides sharpening the image, it makes it somewhat easier to line up on a small subject.

The alternative is basically higher shutter speed, and/or excellent VR. And to some extent sheer weight. (I find it a lot easier to hold my heavy 200-500vr lens steady than a lightweight 70-300.)

So, for wildlife, I'm going to make an effort to bring my Gitzo 3550. (I have lighter tripods, and not one of them holds a big lens steady. They were essentially a waste of money).

I wonder if that is still true with a shutter-less camera like the Z8? I assume the shutter speed still has to be reasonably high when shooting wildlife, to freeze motion?

Of course it is; freezing action is a function of shutter speed, not IS.

 

[PHXAZCRAIG]

With my 500mm lens, I very much prefer to shoot from a tripod. Besides sharpening the image, it makes it somewhat easier to line up on a small subject.

The alternative is basically higher shutter speed, and/or excellent VR. And to some extent sheer weight. (I find it a lot easier to hold my heavy 200-500vr lens steady than a lightweight 70-300.)

So, for wildlife, I'm going to make an effort to bring my Gitzo 3550. (I have lighter tripods, and not one of them holds a big lens steady. They were essentially a waste of money).

I wonder if that is still true with a shutter-less camera like the Z8? I assume the shutter speed still has to be reasonably high when shooting wildlife, to freeze motion?

I shoot a Z9. Still true.

There is another alternative, somewhat. If you shoot with flash as the primary light source, you might use a 1/10th shutter speed and still freeze motion with a 1/10,000 speed light burst.

 

[Ellis Vener]

The shutter isnt the cause of detail destroying vibration. Total camera motion is, especially with a long focal length lens.VR, IS, OS, etc., helps mitigate the last the last iotas of that.

When you are the camera support device muscle micro tremors, breathing or tensing up as you hold your breath, and pushing the shutter release, or if you are using a poor quality tripod and head with poor vibration characteristics, , that’s at least 90 percent of the problem.

--
Ellis Vener
To see my work, please visit http://www.ellisvener.com
I am on Instagram @EllisVenerStudio

 

[Fabian Joya]

The shutter isnt the cause of detail destroying vibration. Total camera motion is, especially with a long focal length lens.VR, IS, OS, etc., helps mitigate the last the last iotas of that.

I guess nobody understood my question, which is my fault, because I worded it poorly.

I meant, do you still need a super-duper heavy-duty tripod when using the Z8 with a long lens, since it does not have a mechanical shutter (nor a mirror), two common source of vibration when shooting with a tripod.

I guess wind is still a factor... trying to understand what else is, though.

 

[bjtaylor]

There's two fundamental reasons for using a tripod,

• one, to keep the camera still enough for the shutter speed that you're using
• two, to refine your composition

i.e. one is broadly that you need to use a tripod, two is that you want to use a tripod.

I only ever used to use it for reason (1), but I often now use it for reason (2).

It's not the be-all and end-all, however, there is a time for shooting hand held.

I find since I've started shooting with one eye on how I post-process, a tripod is handy not just to keep the camera still enough during the exposure, but between successive exposures - i.e. in order to retain the same composition in order to be able to take multiple shots of the exact same composition but with different exposures/settings, with a view to blending them later.

I did have a RRS versa 34 tripod, which was really nice, but I found it too heavy for hiking to the point where I would leave it out, on trips where I really could have done with taking it. It's 2kg. I find now that one around the 1.3-1.5kg ball park a reasonable compromise between stability and portability.

 

[Malling]

Hello, Iam just wondering what percentage of photographers use a tripod. I imagine everyone would love what is called a perfect photo. In handholding a camera, I’ve heard somewhere is no matter how still and steady one holds a camera, camera shake can be cause by just by a persons normal breathing. Thank goodness for Camera image stabilization. Anyway I have a good tripod and my problem is carrying it around on a trip. And I guess it’s nice to use knowing the camera is steady while taking a photo. Course a hand remote is necessary for the so called perfect photo. What are your thoughts.

It isn’t fundamentally necessary to carry a tripod with modern stabilisation and correction software, yes tripod images will potentially be better if you pixel peep the heck out of them on a high resolution sensor at the lower limit on shutter speed for handholding rules, but that just isn’t how you usually view images. Those the biggest gain for tripod usage is you keep the same framing if you need to do bracketing and do long exposure, but if you don’t intend to do either, I would not bother with it. You can fine tune as much handhold as tripod, the main difference is tripod by nature slow you down and forces you to take your time, you simply more likely to spend time on framing, but if you spend as much effort handholding it won’t make a difference.

It is really only worth carrying around if you know you have scenarios where it will give the best outcome.

one could potentially have a small less stable “table” version if one in doubt, but I honestly wouldn’t recommend carrying a full sized one unless it was a given I would use it

 

[bjtaylor]

The shutter isnt the cause of detail destroying vibration. Total camera motion is, especially with a long focal length lens.VR, IS, OS, etc., helps mitigate the last the last iotas of that.

I guess nobody understood my question, which is my fault, because I worded it poorly.

I meant, do you still need a super-duper heavy-duty tripod when using the Z8 with a long lens, since it does not have a mechanical shutter (nor a mirror), two common source of vibration when shooting with a tripod.

I guess wind is still a factor... trying to understand what else is, though.

I don't think the lack of a mechanical shutter would make much difference.

I think what you really mean is, can I add "opportunity to use a smaller lighter cheaper tripod and it's the equivalent of using a much heavier more expensive one with a different camera" to the list of justifications for why you should splash out on a Nikon Z8 - er... no.

My guess is most movement is caused by either wind, and/or movement of the ground (e.g. when on a beach and there are waves softening the sand), or being accidentally nudged by you (or the oscillations from the fact it has not fully settled after last moving, even if it looks still).

 

[scrane]

Withdrawn.

 

[Malling]

The shutter isnt the cause of detail destroying vibration. Total camera motion is, especially with a long focal length lens.VR, IS, OS, etc., helps mitigate the last the last iotas of that.

I guess nobody understood my question, which is my fault, because I worded it poorly.

I meant, do you still need a super-duper heavy-duty tripod when using the Z8 with a long lens, since it does not have a mechanical shutter (nor a mirror), two common source of vibration when shooting with a tripod.

I guess wind is still a factor... trying to understand what else is, though.

I don't think the lack of a mechanical shutter would make much difference.

I think what you really mean is, can I add "opportunity to use a smaller lighter cheaper tripod and it's the equivalent of using a much heavier more expensive one with a different camera" to the list of justifications for why you should splash out on a Nikon Z8 - er... no.

My guess is most movement is caused by either wind, and/or movement of the ground (e.g. when on a beach and there are waves softening the sand), or being accidentally nudged by you (or the oscillations from the fact it has not fully settled after last moving, even if it looks still).

The weight of your gear has an impact as well, a Z8 would require a more stiff tripod than say A7CR the same goes with lenses, especially the longer ones.



so while correct environmental factors play a role, the tripod still needs to fit the gear your using. And a lighter set can just get away with a less tough tripod. This is especially true for the ball head most still use

 

[RaysJ]

Hello, Iam just wondering what percentage of photographers use a tripod. I imagine everyone would love what is called a perfect photo. In handholding a camera, I’ve heard somewhere is no matter how still and steady one holds a camera, camera shake can be cause by just by a persons normal breathing. Thank goodness for Camera image stabilization. Anyway I have a good tripod and my problem is carrying it around on a trip. And I guess it’s nice to use knowing the camera is steady while taking a photo. Course a hand remote is necessary for the so called perfect photo. What are your thoughts.

It isn’t fundamentally necessary to carry a tripod with modern stabilisation and correction software, yes tripod images will potentially be better if you pixel peep the heck out of them on a high resolution sensor at the lower limit on shutter speed for handholding rules, but that just isn’t how you usually view images. Those the biggest gain for tripod usage is you keep the same framing if you need to do bracketing and do long exposure, but if you don’t intend to do either, I would not bother with it. You can fine tune as much handhold as tripod, the main difference is tripod by nature slow you down and forces you to take your time, you simply more likely to spend time on framing, but if you spend as much effort handholding it won’t make a difference.

It is really only worth carrying around if you know you have scenarios where it will give the best outcome.

one could potentially have a small less stable “table” version if one in doubt, but I honestly wouldn’t recommend carrying a full sized one unless it was a given I would use it

That depends what you are doing. I use one for long exposures. Yes l could handhold but l want sharp images not ICM type images. Also a camera and lens for 2 minutes is no fun.

Also if the light is low you don't need to bump the ISO right up.

On my IR camera the shutter speeds are often quite low, l always use a tripod, unless it is bright sunny day.



When travelling, l don't use a tripod for street or for portrait images.

 

[RaysJ]

The shutter isnt the cause of detail destroying vibration. Total camera motion is, especially with a long focal length lens.VR, IS, OS, etc., helps mitigate the last the last iotas of that.

I guess nobody understood my question, which is my fault, because I worded it poorly.

I meant, do you still need a super-duper heavy-duty tripod when using the Z8 with a long lens, since it does not have a mechanical shutter (nor a mirror), two common source of vibration when shooting with a tripod.

I guess wind is still a factor... trying to understand what else is, though.

I don't think the lack of a mechanical shutter would make much difference.

I think what you really mean is, can I add "opportunity to use a smaller lighter cheaper tripod and it's the equivalent of using a much heavier more expensive one with a different camera" to the list of justifications for why you should splash out on a Nikon Z8 - er... no.

My guess is most movement is caused by either wind, and/or movement of the ground (e.g. when on a beach and there are waves softening the sand), or being accidentally nudged by you (or the oscillations from the fact it has not fully settled after last moving, even if it looks still).

The weight of your gear has an impact as well, a Z8 would require a more stiff tripod than say A7CR the same goes with lenses, especially the longer ones.

so while correct environmental factors play a role, the tripod still needs to fit the gear your using. And a lighter set can just get away with a less tough tripod. This is especially true for the ball head most still use

That depends how windy it is. Lightweight tripods are not much use in windy conditions. The extra weight of the camera may actually help weight it down. I found carbon fibre better than Al, despite being lighter as there is less vibration.

 

[RaysJ]

The shutter isnt the cause of detail destroying vibration. Total camera motion is, especially with a long focal length lens.VR, IS, OS, etc., helps mitigate the last the last iotas of that.

I guess nobody understood my question, which is my fault, because I worded it poorly.

I meant, do you still need a super-duper heavy-duty tripod when using the Z8 with a long lens, since it does not have a mechanical shutter (nor a mirror), two common source of vibration when shooting with a tripod.

I guess wind is still a factor... trying to understand what else is, though.

Even on DSLRs many had Liveview, so there is no mirror slap when using that. Also they may have quiet shutter, certainly my 5DSR was a lot quieter than my Sony mirrorless.

You can also use shutter delay. I just use a IR remote though.

 

[Ellis Vener]

The shutter isnt the cause of detail destroying vibration. Total camera motion is, especially with a long focal length lens.VR, IS, OS, etc., helps mitigate the last the last iotas of that.

I guess nobody understood my question, which is my fault, because I worded it poorly.

I meant, do you still need a super-duper heavy-duty tripod when using the Z8 with a long lens, since it does not have a mechanical shutter (nor a mirror), two common source of vibration when shooting with a tripod.

I guess wind is still a factor... trying to understand what else is, though.

What else is a factor? Physically, your muscles and your brain.

How long do you want to keep holding that camera up against your face and extending your arm to support that long lens while waiting for that perfect instant?

How many times and how much time do you want to spend swinging it up to your face, framing and focusing, because even with lightning fast autofocus there is still some time involved, before you get tired, impatient, and irritated with yourself.



if shooting wildlife or people , all that motion might spook your subject.

 

[Malling]

Hello, Iam just wondering what percentage of photographers use a tripod. I imagine everyone would love what is called a perfect photo. In handholding a camera, I’ve heard somewhere is no matter how still and steady one holds a camera, camera shake can be cause by just by a persons normal breathing. Thank goodness for Camera image stabilization. Anyway I have a good tripod and my problem is carrying it around on a trip. And I guess it’s nice to use knowing the camera is steady while taking a photo. Course a hand remote is necessary for the so called perfect photo. What are your thoughts.

It isn’t fundamentally necessary to carry a tripod with modern stabilisation and correction software, yes tripod images will potentially be better if you pixel peep the heck out of them on a high resolution sensor at the lower limit on shutter speed for handholding rules, but that just isn’t how you usually view images. Those the biggest gain for tripod usage is you keep the same framing if you need to do bracketing and do long exposure, but if you don’t intend to do either, I would not bother with it. You can fine tune as much handhold as tripod, the main difference is tripod by nature slow you down and forces you to take your time, you simply more likely to spend time on framing, but if you spend as much effort handholding it won’t make a difference.

It is really only worth carrying around if you know you have scenarios where it will give the best outcome.

one could potentially have a small less stable “table” version if one in doubt, but I honestly wouldn’t recommend carrying a full sized one unless it was a given I would use it

That depends what you are doing. I use one for long exposures. Yes l could handhold but l want sharp images not ICM type images. Also a camera and lens for 2 minutes is no fun.

Also if the light is low you don't need to bump the ISO right up.
On my IR camera the shutter speeds are often quite low, l always use a tripod, unless it is bright sunny day.

Then your fundamentally doing long exposure as I already stated.



Those it fall within what I wrote if;

1: Doing long exposure

2: Bracketing

I simply would not bother with 1-2 stop as that can largely be dealt with

When travelling, l don't use a tripod for street or for portrait images.