What tripod should I buy?

 

Tripods, some people love them, some people hate them. There are times where a tripod will enable to capture something that you just couldn’t do handheld. Here are some tips on what to look for in a tripod and also, on how to get the most out of using a tripod.

If you are looking into getting a tripod here are some things to think of before purchasing one.

How heavy is my camera/Lens combination?

All tripods and tripod heads indicate how much weight they can support in their specifications. If your camera and tripod combinations are too heavy for your tripod you may find that the tripod won’t be stable and maybe even fall over and damage your gear.

How tall do I need the tripod to go?

This depends on how tall you are and whether or not you mind bending over a little bit to use your tripod.  These days a lot of cameras have fold out LCD screens that make shooting lower or higher a lot easier. So, this may not be as important as it once was but it’s still a point that you need to think of.

Is the tripod too heavy?

How are you going to be using the tripod?  Are you going to be using it in a studio situation or are you planning on going out hiking to capture some landscape photos? How heavy your tripod is a serious consideration. If, like me, you are primarily going to use your tripod on locations where hiking is the only way to get there, you might want to look into a carbon fiber tripod.

What conditions will I likely be using the tripod in?

Do you need a waterproof tripod? Shooting in wet weather or near waterfalls where your tripod might get wet? This is another thing you need to consider.

Using your tripod to get sharp photos

Tripods will allow you to get photos with shutter speeds that would be impossible handheld. You can leave your shutter open for as long as you want using a tripod and if used correctly you can be sure that your image will be free of camera shake.

What is your budget?

Something to keep in mind when looking for a tripod is this. Don’t be afraid to spend a fair bit for a good sturdy tripod. These things last a long time and if you spend the money now, you will probably find that your tripod will last you a lot longer than your camera.  My old manfrotto tripod cost me nearly $800 when I first started and it’s still going strong. The only reason I’m not using it anymore is because I got old and it is heavy.

Here’s a tip to get the most out of your tripod!

Turn the self timer on in your camera.

Turning the timer on in your camera will give your camera and tripod time to stabilize after pressing the shutter. Believe it or not, we introduce a little shake just by pressing the shutter.

Here are some links to some tripod manufacturers.

Sirui Australia

Manfrotto

Three Legged Thing

Peak Designs

Gitzo

There are many more!

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