About Tripods

After having spent a small fortune on a new digital camera sporting all the latest bells and whistles and a professional looking camera bag guaranteed capable of protecting your new acquisition against hurricanes, sandstorms and sundry knocks and bumps a tripod is often the very last piece of equipment most aspiring photographers consider investing in. Yet it can prove to be one of the most essential pieces of equipment in your photographic arsenal.

Conditions which clearly demand the use of a tripod are when photographs are taken in low light, such as dimly lit interiors, at dusk or when taking night shots. Other compelling reasons for using a tripod is when strong telephoto or zoom lenses are used or the camera is set at a very low shutter speed. Very often photographers consider these situations as being the only times a tripod is of value, however, it is a fact that the sharpness of most photographs, regardless of the prevailing light or shutter speed being used can be improved by the use of a tripod or other means of supporting the camera.

When taking close-range photographs camera movement is without doubt possibly the single most common reason for disappointing results. Often put down to lack of depth-of-field, bad focus, an inferior lens or a multitude of other reasons, unsharp or fuzzy photographs are very often the result of the camera being moved, however slightly, at the moment of taking the photograph. In cases where extensive camera movement has taken place it is quite obvious and easily recognised by the blurring of all lines in one direction, however, when only a very small degree of camera movement has taken place it can result in no more than a slight softening of the image but enough to render the image unsharp.

The closer you get to a subject the more critical camera movement becomes and the close-range photographer should thus consider a tripod as not just a useful but rather an essential piece of equipment to be used whenever circumstances allow. On the other hand, although a tripod is the ideal tool for stabilising the camera it is not always practical to use in the field, especially when photographing live subjects such as insects. Setting up a tripod, adjusting the legs and fitting the camera takes time during which your insect could decide it no longer wants to be photographed and depart to better places. In situations such as these a monopod, which is an apparatus with only one adjustable leg on which the camera is fitted is often more useful.

Selecting a Tripod

A fact of life is that not all tripods are created equal, hence the great difference in price range between various makes and models. Although a bad tripod may arguably be better than no tripod at all, what is ideally needed is a sturdy, rigid piece of equipment that can be rapidly and easily set up and which allows for quick attachment and precise alignment of your camera. Unfortunately the sturdier the tripod is, usually the heavier it is and the more it costs. The ideal is to select a tripod that suits your particular needs in that while being sturdy it is also also practical to carry around, sometimes for hours at a time in the field. Even the very best tripod will invariably be left behind if it proves to be too heavy or cumbersome.

What to look for

Before buying a tripod check out the following:

• Twist test. Set the tripod up with its legs fully extended, without a camera attached press down on the tripod head and twist to the left and right. If the legs allow the tripod to be twisted, even a little, consider it as being unsuitable. The legs should be strong enough or strengthened by bracing brackets to withstand any twist. The telescopic legs must be easily adjustable and should lock firmly. They should be able to withstand a reasonable amount of weight without sliding back in or buckling.
  
• What type of locks do the legs have? Clip locks work fine and are usually faster to operate than twist locks, just make sure that they lock and release easily and smoothly. If the legs have twist locks check that these can be released easily. Twist locks are notorious for locking-up, requiring the use of both hands and sometimes herculean strength to release. Extend the center post, if the tripod is fitted with one. This should also lock firmly, should not wobble even at full extension and above all should not slide down when weight is placed on it. If the center post is operated by a crank this should also be smooth operating and be capable of heightening or lowering the post in small increments.
  

• The head. While some manufactures incorporate the tripod head as part of the tripod others require that you to buy it as a separate accessory, either way the tripod head is an extremely important component and should be looked at carefully. The head should operate very smoothly and allow small adjustments to tilt and swing without any jerkiness. This is vitally important in close-range photography as any stickiness in the head's tilt adjustment could cause your camera to jump from one position to the next, what is required is a smooth movement. Heads with so called fluid movement are the best. Ball heads also work very well providing they meet the requirements of smooth fluid operation as described above. Finally you need to look at how the camera is attached to the head. Screw type heads allow the camera body to be directly screwed onto the tripod via the tripod fitting at the bottom of the camera. Although slower to use than other methods screw fittings ensure a firm fitting with no play between camera and tripod.  While some of the quick release fittings, which incorporate a dovetailed shoe or female fitting on the tripod head and a corresponding male fitting on the camera, work well, others do not always lock the camera securely into place. I have also found that many of the so called “quick release” mechanisms on tripods require such precise alignment of the shoe and release clip before the camera can be fitted or removed that they are more a hindrance than a help.

Monopods

Text and photographs copyright Lambert Smith.

© COPYRIGHT Lambert Smith, 2010