Tripod - How much do you use a Tripod?

Tripod - How much do you use a Tripod?

  • Yes, over 50% of the time.

    Votes: 31 8.1%

  • Yes, less than 50% of the time.

    Votes: 222 58.3%

  • No, I use a monopod.

    Votes: 26 6.8%

  • No, I use a beanbag

    Votes: 5 1.3%

  • No, never.

    Votes: 107 28.1%
  • Total voters
    381
kshapero said:
Anybody have any experience with TrekPod? It is a monopod that can become a tripod.
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I've taken a look at one in a store... but there's no way in hell I would trust that thing to hold up thousands of dollars worth of camera gear. The only use I would have for it is for throwing my P&S on to take self portraits out in the field... I would never trust it with a real camera.
 
I use a tripod over 50% of the time.

On a wall in my office I have a 40" x 30" framed photograph that would be impossible, at least for me, to obtain the results I received if I had hand held the camera.

When people order a print that size they expect certain results with the pricing I have. The profit from those sales allows me to go out and buy Leica M cameras and lenses! Fun! And smiles!
 
Bill Clark said:
I use a tripod over 50% of the time.

On a wall in my office I have a 40" x 30" framed photograph that would be impossible, at least for me, to obtain the results I received if I had hand held the camera.

When people order a print that size they expect certain results with the pricing I have. The profit from those sales allows me to go out and buy Leica M cameras and lenses! Fun! And smiles!
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In an essay I can't find online, Erwin Puts included use of a tripod on his list of what defines a "careful worker", i.e, one who gets the most out of his equipment by consciously using the best techniques. Of course his overall point was that, all other things being equal, a careful worker using Leica equipment will produce superior results.

I did find a more recent article entitled, 'Vibration Reduction compared with handholding' that speaks well of VR but confirms the superiority of tripod use:

http://www.imx.nl/photo/technique/technique/page40.html
 
When I use a SLR such as a Hasselblad for making a photograph that I know will be made into a large wall hanging photograph (large wall hanging photograph = >16x20) I will use a remote to fire the shutter and, before firing the shutter, move the mirror up to prevent movement from mirror slap. Every little bit of help to prevent movement can make a difference in the quality of the photograph!

Mirror slap not a problem with a Leica!
 
I like tripod photography, I like landscapes at night, long exposures, all that stuff. So while I really like using tripods, and the results they allow, I rarely have the time/opportunity. I will say that if you find the right location, go at the right time, and shoot medium format on a tripod, the results may well be to your liking.

In terms of which one, I think unless you have a really big camera, most decent ones will do. I use a carbon fibre Jessops one, it was cheap compared to the Gitzo etc. and it's never let me down.
 
No tripod for me. When I able to consistently capture what I seek to, then I shall concentrate on maximising the technical quality of those images. I will confess I do use a tripod when I absolutely need to though, which is usually for still night subjects.

Camera format (large or even medium format), and camera subject (landscape, still life, etc), might change my use or openness to tripods, but right now, I have too many excuses not to take a camera with me, and don't need another 🙂

By the way, have seen some very large (3 feet +) images by Steve McCurry, all from scanned Kodachrome or digital (Nikon D3S, I believe), all of which were handheld, with not a tripod in sight, I imagine..
 
Not as much as I should...and I have plenty of them so no excuses...
Wish I had taken one with me today...using the Mamiya m645 with a 210mm lens...1/500 @ f8 but still would have been better if it was on a Tripod...we'll see when it gets developed...Acros 100...
 
"Of course! But that eliminates only one source of vibration. In my case, I am the primary cause of it."

Me too! Especially after a glass or two of wine! Don't drink wine at a paid gig but when I'm having fun then a little red wine usually helps! I'm in retirement mode so I don't look for work anymore.



Take care.
 
I almost never use one with rangefinder cameras, but I use it a lot with SLR and larger cameras, mostly a tripod, rarely a monopod. Apart from the other obvious advantages they tripod help me to focus on composition.
 
99% of my landscape work with my DSLR is on a tripod, cable release in hand, and mirror in lock up position. Won't have it any other way.

With a rangefinder in hand on the street, it's just not going to happen.
 
Remove all human intervention as much as possible

Remove all human intervention as much as possible

1) Mirror Lock UP
2) Tripod
3) Remote shutter actuation
4) 2 gallon milk jugs filled with water, or an easily carried net style shopping bag filled with rocks on site, hooked to the bottom center post of the tripod.
5) in the absence of a remote trigger, use the 2 second self timer... 10 seconds if your camera has no 2 second timer.

If you get camera shake following all the above, you must refrain from shooting from Flatcars on a moving train, or during Hurricanes or Earthquakes.

I always carry a net style shopping bag folded in the corner of my camera bag, and the first modification to all my tripods is a hook at the bottom of the center post for adding weight.

A Long time ago, right after taking the NYIP course (and actually completing it), I read a bunch of research on tripod use and all the points I listed above. If you accept the stats, then a person would be a blithering idiot to shoot any other way, if possible.

I love the Charles Atlas types who proclaim..."Hey, I can handhold any camera 2 minutes at the largest aperture!!!" Hogwash!

I will admit to taking an occasional hand held shot, but even being fit and in good health, with good eyes (20/20 at 69), my keeper rate goes to S__T when not stabilizing the camera.

Using a tripod, and getting the best image possible, without my hands and fingers on the camera does NOT MEAN I did not create the image.

I think that being seen without a tripod on photography outings is a reflection of my stupidity in ignoring the best tool for acquiring good images.
 
Evil

Evil

rxmd said:
That said, with newer non-medium format SLRs it isn't much of a problem either; manufacturers have been pretty successful at developing mechanics that will dampen the slap in-camera.
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Mirror slap is definitely not a problem with the newer EVIL mirrorless cameras. Hmmm .. wonder why?

Still does not reduce much the benefit of a good tripod. After all, you are still touching the camera and "jabbing" the shutter with a real finger.
 
kuzano said:
Mirror slap is definitely not a problem with the newer EVIL mirrorless cameras. Hmmm .. wonder why?

Still does not reduce much the benefit of a good tripod. After all, you are still touching the camera and "jabbing" the shutter with a real finger.
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Maybe the self timer or even a good old cable release might be something to consider 🙄?
 
Only for long exposures, studio-type shots or interior architectural shots where the camera needs to be perfectly leveled. Otherwise, no.

Cheers,

Antonio
 
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