Do you love your tripod?

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CarolineS

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Caroline Shipsey
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I have a bad relationship with my tripod - I hate it and despite carrying it most places, which cripples my shoulders I still don't want to use it unless absolutely necessary.

Almost every photographer I see is carrying a tripod and I'm wondering how you really feel about using it?
Is it second nature?
Can you visualize the position and height as you set it up?
Do you intuitively know how far to extend the leg sections?
Does it assist or inhibit your creativity?

I would love to hear any tips and tricks, suggestions etc. My tripod is a Giottos with a Manfrotto 410 head.

Cheers,
Caroline
 
I have a hate-hate relationship with every tripod Ive ever owned, but its an essential tool. I need to just deal with the infuriatingly childish attempts its makes to trap my fingers between every leg, fall over and hit me in the face when its on my back in the bag and I lean over.

I quite frequently get very angry with it and threaten to throw it off the nearest cliff, but it looks at me with its sad eyes and whispers, "you need me". It is quite correct, I do.
 
If i take it with me i tend to know i might need it. I dont carry on a whim for a shot.
Mine doesnt hinder me. i can set it up roughly right with a certain amount of extension. It has got me shots i know i wouldnt have got otherwise.

mine is on the heavy side and does slow me down at times but worth it when i know i am gonig to need it!
 
I don't really like using one and I rarely do.

My current Benbo is at least more to my taste than my previous Manfrotto as that one just fristrated the hell out of me because getting the positions I wanted was simply impossible and at least the Benbo will do what I want.

I still don't like using it all that much though.
 
I regard it as a necessary evil. Tend to avoid using it, but sometimes it's a necessity.
 
If you don't want to use a tripod, there are usually ways around it.

IS/VR is the first line of defense, and that is very effective with maybe three stops extra handholdability. Shooting three or four quick consecutive frames is good trick - chances are one will be sharp when you're on the limit. Or up the ISO, drop the f/number. Learn the best hand-holding techniques, use whatever support/brace you can, eg wall, beanbag etc.

Get a lightweight carbon tripod, a folding traveller-style if size is an issue, and while that lovely M'frotto geared head is very nice, it weighs a ton. Expect to pay a few quid for a good one with a ball head (Gitzo, Benro, Giottos, various others) but that will come in at under 2kg which is probably half what you're carrying now. A monopods are good, effectively turns any lens into an image-stabilised one.

These days I hardly ever use a tripod because of low light camera shake issues - just not necessary. But I use one a lot to hold the camera in a certain fixed position, or when I can't actually hold it myself.
 
TCR4x4 said:
I have a hate-hate relationship with every tripod Ive ever owned, but its an essential tool. I need to just deal with the infuriatingly childish attempts its makes to trap my fingers between every leg, fall over and hit me in the face when its on my back in the bag and I lean over.

I quite frequently get very angry with it and threaten to throw it off the nearest cliff, but it looks at me with its sad eyes and whispers, "you need me". It is quite correct, I do.
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You'd love my Benbo Trekker then :D
 
I love my present tripod - a Gitzo GT3530LSV. It's sturdy, light to carry and the twist locks are a cinch to use - it's hands down the only tripod I've ever been completely happy with, and I've had a few.

I also have a Gitzo Explorer which is lighter, more compact, very sturdy, even with heavy lenses. On the face of it, it's the ideal all round tripod, but it has the old style twist locks which tend to lock up. It would be a stretch to say I hated it, but it drives me nuts compared to the other. :nuts:

You just can't put enough time and thought into purchasing a tripod - if you really don't like it you just wont take it. :shrug:
 
If I know I'm going to need slow exposures then I'll take it, otherwse it stays in the car. It's too heavy and I can't be bothered setting it up, then taking it down everytime I see a shot. I'd rather hand hold.
 
Yes. I love my tripod.

I have a Manfrotto 055XPROB Tripod and a Manfrotto 322RC2 Heavy Duty Grip Ball Head.
What makes all the difference is my Manfrotto MBAG80N Tripod Bag.
Tripod_Kit.jpg

Carrying it around isn't a problem. I carry mine everywhere!
 
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I have a cheap cheap tripod so I hate it. Don't like carrying it around as atm I have no bag or attachment so I have to hold it. I usually only take it when I have a specific shot in mind, otherwise I won't take it out on a walkabout. I'll just stick in a small travel tripod in my bag.
Might change when I finally upgrade to the £50 redsnapper bundle, but until then I don't like using it that much.
 
I pretty much hate tripods. I can never get the right height with out mucking about, then it won't be level. 1 plus is it's pretty light as it's a cheap tripod, and it's plenty for my current light gear. I lifted a Manfrotto something or other in the same shop and was amazed at how heavy it was.

Though as I have been looking into wildlife photography I suspect I'm going to need a better tripod and head eventually. Good bye £500+ :(
 
Being mostly into Macro photography I find I take my Giottos tripod everywhere I go

My Lowepro rucksack has the strap to accomodate the tripod:thumbs:

Les :D
 
I don't like lugging mine about.
But what a versatile tool it is. It's good at holding my camera !! but also an ideal 'bat' if some low life took a shine to my other gear when out and about :bat: :lol:
 
The MF RC322 trigger type head makes my tripod experience sooooo much more pleasant. BUT all the same the tripod vaery rarely gets used, its just too much greif. However looking at some of my sharpness levels I really should use it more!!
 
I have two tripods- don't mind carrying either though one which I'm pretty ambivalent about is heavy so it doesn't go far but it can take a lot of abuse so that's why I got it. My Gitzo was bought to fill the lightweight criteria and is lovingly cared for:love:. Carried it 40k in one trip last year with no probs:)

Don't mind tripods at all really- but I do find myself becoming ballistic bob when I've forgotten to take the ball head off for landscapes- pan&tilt any day for that:lol:
 
I very rarely take mine out with me unless im going for a particular shot or Im out in the evening shooting. I keep a Joby Gorrillapod in my bag so that usually allows me to 'make do' as most of my shooting is in an urban context.

I do really like it when i pull of the long exposure or light trail but I would say it doesnt leave my room very much at all. Camera is almost always with me and the last time the tripod was used was well over a month ago.

Added to this that most buildings prohibit the use of a tripod without (sometimes even with) prior permission then I really dont get as much use as I should for the cost.
 
I bought a Red Snapper tripod plus a monopod a couple of years ago and have to say ... in that time I have never used the tripod and the monopod only once.

Absolutely hate the thing with a vengance ... and I am fairly sure I would hate a more expensive one just as much.
 
I have a Redsnapper and a cheap Manfrotto, they live in the boot of my car and the Redsnapper has taken No1 spot for landscape/night use. I like using it and is quick to set up having twist lock legs.
 
I have a Gitzo GT3531S and I love it :love:

Case of having to when your most used lens is a 500mm f4 :D
 
i hate my tripod, it feels like it is made of wrought iron, it is forever getting caught in bushes or thorns, or if not it is getting wedged in between rocks when i am climbing. It is a nightmare to snowboard with, feels like it is constantly bending the plate in my shoulder when strapped to my back and isn't even that easy to set up.
i am asking for a steadier hand for christmas
 
Mike.P said:
I bought a Red Snapper tripod plus a monopod a couple of years ago and have to say ... in that time I have never used the tripod and the monopod only once.

Absolutely hate the thing with a vengance ... and I am fairly sure I would hate a more expensive one just as much.
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If you hate them that much I'm sure I could find some space in my heart :love: :lol:
 
I rarely take my Manfrotto 190CXPRO4 and Markins Q3 out even though it is very small and lightweight.
Having said that I really love it.
For size and weight it can't be beaten.
 
I love my tripod and use it a least one a week, I don't know where I would be without it to be honest

It lives on my backpack and gets knocked about a lot so I will never be able to sell it as mint ;)

I also need to buy a new screw for the centre column as it only has half of it left after this weekend :bang:

Matt
MWHCVT
 
I hate mine 'cause it's too friggin heavy.. :( (10/06/2011)

(11/06/2011) the next day: I bought another Manfrotto <190DB with a 496RC2 head> yesterday, actually bought it for my wifey, but I'm sure she will let me use it.... :) much lighter and easier to carry... :)
 
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I have a gorillapod I use when I think I'm going to need stability - way smaller than a normal tripod, and still works because it can use the environment - I've wrapped mine around railings, lampposts, branches, and just sat it on a rock as well. Good compromise if you don't want to carry a proper tripod around :)
 
Since being in my ownership my 5D and 1D have never been on a tripod.

My Nex has but only for shooting video.
 
CarolineS said:
Almost every photographer I see is carrying a tripod
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you baint be from that Lunnun, then? :suspect: :)

I've a selection of tripods for various purposes.

The main attraction is a Manfrotto 055BPRO (not the X) married up to Markins M20 head and when I need it, it's a wonderful thing.

A Velbon Sherpa does lighter duties and dinky 1970s Yashica ST-7 mini tripod slips into my pocket and can be tremendously handy round town.
 
I'm happy enough with my tripod/gym-membership. It's practically welded to the camera, such is my dependency on it. But didn't love the experience of finding the right one to buy.
 
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