Should I bring the tripod? Choosing the right tripod is not a simple decision. As photographers we believe in their value - even their necessity - but dont always want to carry them around with us. They add a certain amount of weight and can slow us down when were out photographing, limit our composition choices, and the ability to move around with ease and quickly. Our own legs and hands can adjust quicker than the time it takes to unlock the tripod legs and reposition them to the height or angle we want. We want to be free. At the same time, the tripod can slow us down in a positive way, give us a chance to compose carefully and wait for things to change within our composition - people enter the picture, macro-sighted blades of grass blow in the wind. A good tripod enables serious photographers to use longer lenses without camera shake, and to shoot with any camera and even shorter lenses at the slowest shutter speeds that are not possible handheld. With winter upon us, the cold, frigid weather can also limit our ability to stay steady and take home tack-sharp imagery. Just as we might opt for a certain camera body and lens combination for an intended purpose, different photo accessories are required for different situations. Photograph a friends birthday party on a Sunday afternoon, and you bring just a camera, one or two lenses and a flash. If youre doing a portrait shoot, you might bring out lights too. A major - or not so major - ad campaign... and you now have cases of equipment, and hopefully a capable a crew. Sometimes the tripod doesnt have to enter the picture at all. I am sure that 85 percent of my photography is sans tripod. I am often shooting in a journalistic manner and also, when able, using natural tripods to steady my camera and lens. I find a tree, pole, wall, desk, seat back, and other sturdy things that are there readily in the environment, though not always where I need them. I still remember my first tripod bought in the 80s. It was a Bogen - and during a West Coast trip I used it to capture my photograph Car in the Woods in Olympic National Forest, a picture that has been used in international advertising multiple times, including for BMW (they replaced my rental car with theirs): bit.ly/car-in-woods Tripods have advanced over the years and there are models available for many types of occasions and job requirements. Some are light, others heavy, made of metal and plastic construction, or wood. The latest new tripod Ive spent time with was back in mid-November at an Adorama-Canon NYC event to launch the new EOS 7D Mark II. At the vendor tables, I had a chance to see Manfrottos Befree tripod which they designed for photographers on the move. It comes in aluminum (3.1 lbs) and the more expensive, but lighter carbon fiber version (2.4 lbs). The aluminum tripods come in five colors, so will likely make good gifts, but a more important feature is that they both can support close to nine pounds (Befree tripods have a ball head with quick release plate). Travel and adventure photographers can use longer lenses, and these Italian-made tripods fold down to 16 inches, to fit comfortably into luggage and backpacks. I must have spent close to 10-minutes with the Befrees, asking questions (I learned that not all carbon fiber is the same quality - Manfrotto uses pull winding technology) and also testing the tripods stance. With legs fully extended, I shook one of them (a reasonable test, and you can try it with a cantaloupe too before eating!). They are quite solid, certainly lightweight, and if you take out a ruler, its clear that a compact 16 inches can mean the difference between taking a tripod with you or leaving it at home in the closet.
Posted on: Mon, 29 Dec 2014 21:07:56 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015