A tripod is one of the key bits of equipment that should be found in most photographer’s kit bag. The image stability offered is second to none, and tripods prove invaluable for landscape and macro photography, as well as being generally useful in other situations.
When purchasing a new tripod the temptation is to go for the cheapest, however putting your heavy, expensive SLR camera on a cheap tripod can be a recipe for disaster. As with all our buyers guides it is recommended you look through the list to find the right kit for you. If you are looking for a recommendation I give my personal opinion at the end.
[divider_advanced color=”#000000″ paddingTop=”5″ paddingBottom=”15″ thickness=”1″ width=”75%”]
Your tripod can be considered in terms of its two components: the legs and the head. What you buy of each can be influenced by the kind of things you photograph.
.jpg)
Legs
Most tripods have extendable legs which go to ground level to support the weight of your camera. You have 3 things to consider about tripod legs:
• Weight
• Stability
• Price
Unfortunately no tripod offers all three, you have to pick the best suited to your requirements. The most common tripod materials are:
Plastic: cheap, light but unstable. Many of the cheaper plastic tripods can mount an SLR but are actually designed for compacts, making them top-heavy and unstable. Higher end plastic tripods can be very well made, and added hooks can be used to hang weights (see below)
Aluminium: mid priced and very sturdy, aluminium tripods tend to be among the heaviest. For home or studio use this isn’t a problem but for landscape photography the extra weight really makes itself known on long hikes
Carbon Fibre: offering solid stability at a relatively light weight, these offer the best of both worlds. However this comes at a price, with a starting price well into the hundreds of pounds.
[divider_advanced color=”#000000″ paddingTop=”10″ paddingBottom=”10″ thickness=”1″ width=”20%”]
Head
The tripod head is where your camera sits. In many cameras the head is fixed on the legs but higher end tripods the heads can be easily interchanged for different purposes. Some things to look out for when buying a head are:
Axis head: offering individual orientation of each axis these heads offer the best in precision. Favoured by landscape, still life and architectural photographers, these are well suited to static subjects that need to be framed with care. Many heads have degrees measures marked on them, for those looking for absolute precision.
Ball head: suited for quick adjustments, as the name suggests the tripod head sits locked atop a ball. When the lock is released the head can be moved freely then locked in position again when needed. Sports and wildlife photographers often make use of this to allow steady shots of unpredictable subjects.
[divider_top]
[success]
Tutor Tips: Personal opinions & experiences
It is always worth spending a little more on a tripod: it’s a key piece of kit you will find yourself using time and again and a good tripod can last years. More importantly putting a heavy camera and expensive lenses on a cheap, flimsy tripod is a recipe for disaster.
For my own experience you should spend at least £40 on your tripod, but ideally more. Aluminium tripods offer the best balance of stability and price, so look for a tripod with thick aluminium legs and you won’t go far wrong.
There are a great many tripod manufacturers out there. Personally I have used Velbon, Hama, Jessops and Manfrotto and found all to work well.
[/success]
[divider_advanced color=”#000000″ paddingTop=”10″ paddingBottom=”10″ thickness=”1″ width=”100%” top=”true”]
