So I've decided to finally buy a tripod for my camera so that I can expand on the photography that I can take...however...there's so many different ones out there at many different prices...are there any features that I should be looking for? any that I shouldn't be looking for? any recommended tripods?
If it helps, I intend to use to help me get some night time shots at the lake and for long water exposures when I go away later in the year and to use on my birdwatching trips so I'd quite like it to be reasonably lightweight so I can travel easily with it. It will be used to support my SONY HX300 Bridge Camera - so not too heavy!
Price-wise I'm looking at the cheaper end if possible, but I obviously want something that will last!
I had an inexpensive light-weight aluminium tripod for many years and this was more than adequate with a light camera and no 'big lenses' - providing it was not a windy day it was fine. The moment I had a larger digital camera and telephoto (which you will need for birdwatching) it was not stable. For many years I handheld using higher shutter speeds and ISO - this has drawbacks but got me by. I have decided to invest in good quality glassware and so my lenses tend to be heavy (I feel it gives me much more confidence and stability than light lenses) and so a good tripod is essential, especially , when like you I wish to try low light photography. I look at many tripods on the market but in the end invested more and bought carbon fibre (Manfrotto). My reasoning being that whatever tripod I purchased I wanted it to last for many years and I would not therefore expect to expend more having to replace after a year or two and I reasoned spending more now means a saving in the long run. I also wanted a tripod that was light so that it does not become a burden on long walks to photo sites.
One thing you might think about is a monopod. I bought one last autumn (about £70 carbon fibre) and this is execllent on many local walks when I carry only one or two lenses - meaning I leave the tripod at home to be used for specific projects. Also don't foget a bean bag - very light to carry and very helpful when you need a camera prop when out and about.
Tony Northrup has two very informative videos on tripods on YouTube. You can learn a whole lot by 'investing' about ten minutes or so watching them. He kind of hits the sweet spots about where 'less expensive' and 'something that will last!' might meet ~ or not~ and how different types are made. After I got sick of a rickety aluminum one that was thrown in as a bonus with a purchase I made, I spent about $300.00 on a carbon fiber model with a ball head and an extension arm b/c of the macros and low light stuff I shoot. It was an investment I don't regret!
Thank you all for your replies! You've given me some food for thought about what to look for, and I will certainly go and look at some in a shop! Thank you! :)
Whatever you buy make sure you get a model with a quick release plate. For many years I used an old Velbon tripod where you had to screw the camera directly on to the tripod. It was a pain to use ;-)
Random observations from owning tripods:
- Any tripod is better than no tripod, unless it collapses and your camera crashes to the ground
- Ball heads are slow to adjust and don't pan. They're also lighter.
- Cameras with electronic levels can substitute for tripod heads allowing the same.
- The stability of any tripod can be increased by hanging a weight from the apex of the three legs, but the weight will pendulum if it's too light or there is too much wind.
- To me, traveling with a tripod always seemed like a better idea before the trip than after, but still I carry it.
- I'd bet testing shows how more expensive and heavier tripods produce images with higher technical image quality. I'd also bet many shoot with lens-sensor combinations where such differences are unnoticeable, or have no effect on the appreciation of the image.
- After you find a tripod you like, compare it to a comparable model from Slik.
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One thing you might think about is a monopod. I bought one last autumn (about £70 carbon fibre) and this is execllent on many local walks when I carry only one or two lenses - meaning I leave the tripod at home to be used for specific projects. Also don't foget a bean bag - very light to carry and very helpful when you need a camera prop when out and about.
Thank you all for your replies! You've given me some food for thought about what to look for, and I will certainly go and look at some in a shop! Thank you! :)
- Any tripod is better than no tripod, unless it collapses and your camera crashes to the ground
- Ball heads are slow to adjust and don't pan. They're also lighter.
- Cameras with electronic levels can substitute for tripod heads allowing the same.
- The stability of any tripod can be increased by hanging a weight from the apex of the three legs, but the weight will pendulum if it's too light or there is too much wind.
- To me, traveling with a tripod always seemed like a better idea before the trip than after, but still I carry it.
- I'd bet testing shows how more expensive and heavier tripods produce images with higher technical image quality. I'd also bet many shoot with lens-sensor combinations where such differences are unnoticeable, or have no effect on the appreciation of the image.
- After you find a tripod you like, compare it to a comparable model from Slik.