Despite being of one of the least expensive photography gear, it is a must in some shooting situations. Choosing a good tripod will give you more confidence in shooting subjects that need high stability. In some cases, some photos can not be taken without a tripod.
What exactly is a tripod?
A tripod is a stand with legs that is used as a holder above ground level. In addition to using the tripod as a holder for cameras and lighting units, it is also commonly used to hold other equipment such as theodolites used in land surveying, small telescopes, and even some types of guns.
The word tripod comes via Latin tripodis, which means “three-footed”. Although some modern types of tripods come with four legs for more stability, a tripod, by custom, is the gear that holds the camera at a higher than the ground level, regardless of its shape or number of legs.
Factors to consider when buying a tripod
When you decide to buy your first tripod, the plethora of options might make you choose the first tripod you see. But, you are making a mistake here, as there are a lot of factors to consider when buying a new tripod. Like:
- Weight rating: This is probably the most important factor when considering a tripod, especially if it is intended to be used with a relatively large camera or a large and heavy lens. There is a tripod designed to support up to 3kg, and a tripod designed to support 30kg. What are my needs? Simply get the total weight of your heaviest camera, your heaviest lens, and any accessories you might use such as flash, extra battery, etc., then multiply the result by 1.25 and you will have a tripod that meets your needs and more.
- Tripod height: Just like weight, height is another important factor. You don’t want to have to bend to look into the camera’s screen or the viewfinder. What are my needs? It is recommended to get a tripod that can be extended to your eye level or slightly above. On the other hand, too much height is not a wise decision for two reasons: you will not need the extra height and the extra height will translate into extra weight for the tripod, as well as extra length when it is folded.
- Tripod construction: Most tripods are made of one of three materials:
◦ Carbon-fiber: Extremely durable, light, and rust-resistant, used in premium tripods that come with a high price tag.
◦ Aluminum: The second best construction material, it is not light as carbon-fiber, so you will get a slightly heavier tripod, at a much better price. Aluminum is also rust-resistant.
◦ Stainless steel: Much heavier in weight, but also more robust than its predecessors, usually used in studio tripods, and with large video cameras.
- Centerpost: Some tripods come with a centerpost, a leg in the center of the tripod that allows you to increase or decrease the height of the camera without having to readjust its legs. This may look like a very cool idea to beginners. But most professional photographers believe that the centerpost reduces the stability of the tripod, and makes it vulnerable to the slightest vibration around the camera. So it is advised to avoid tripods with centerposts.
In addition to that, you should also make sure to get a tripod with a good head that is capable of supporting the same weight as the tripod itself. It is also important to buy a tripod with the smallest number of sections possible, because the more sections, the less stable the tripod. It is also important to choose a tripod with appropriate interchangeable feet for different conditions and shooting situations.
Tripod Prices
Tripods start at $25 for very basic low-quality ones; a tripod at that price might only support a mobile phone. By raising the price to $50, you may get a tripod that can support a camera with a small lens, but its build quality will not be as good as you expect and will not give you the best possible stability.
Starting at $100, you’ll get a reasonable tripod that allows you to carry a camera with a lens, flash, and an extra battery, with good stability. For $200, you will get a premium carbon-fiber tripod with an interchangeable head and feet. Tripods for up to $500 are made for professional photographers, and they come with an extra-durable ball-head, and support the weight of just about any camera and lens.
How to make the most of your tripod?
Now this may sound a little arrogant; the tripod is after all just a camera holder, and it does not require heavy training. But we promise you that some of the tips below will be heard for the first time:
- Extend the legs from the top down: If your tripod is too long and you don’t want its full height, then start extending the legs from the top down, rather extending from the bottom leg section up. If you have noticed before, the wider diameter upper-leg sections will make your tripod more stable than the thinner lower legs. By extending the legs from the top down you will obtain the best possible stability. Also, if your tripod has a centerpost, do not use it and rely only on the tripod legs.
- Have one leg pointing in the direction that the lens will be pointed to: This has a double benefit; it will increase the stability of the tripod because the entire weight of the lens will be under the leg, and you will have a space between the other two legs to stand between.
- Spirit level is not a decoration: Most tripods these days -even the cheap ones- come with a spirit level, which is used to make sure that the tripod is balanced. Note that the water bubble will always point to the leg that should be shortened.
- Attach something to the hook: Some tripods come with an inner hook that can be used to hang things, even if you don’t need to use it, attach anything (such as a camera bag) to the hook; that extra weight will make the tripod more stable. However, note that if it is windy, it is safer not to hang anything with a big surface area as this will make it easier to fall by the wind.
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