Tripods - Do I really need an expensive one?
Tripods are one of those less glamorous photo accessories that are often not given a lot of thought. Sure we all know we need one but which one is right? You can find tripods at the local hardware store, gun shop, Wal-Mart; I've even seen them at Dollar stores. Some are heavy, made of metal, exotic fibers, wood, or plastic. There are kinds with head, no heads, ball mounts, quick-locks, and liquid so how do you pick the right one? It's neither as simple as it may seem nor as complicated as the vendors make it.
To me one of the surprises is not only the many brands but also the many styles from those brands. First lets discuss the major kinds and why they are made with certain materials
Tripod Materials:
Aluminum is the most popular along with other metals. The main and obvious reason for these heavier tripods is stability and durability. Pros often have several of these from ones that hold 10 pounds to ones that hold 30 or more. There are also studio stands that really are not tripods at all. Theses can run into the thousands of dollars and we won't discuss them in this post. The heavier and sturdier tripod have a number of benefits; primarily they stand up against wind and vibration better than almost any other kind. Often these come with hooks in the center column so you can add sand bags or other weights to further aid in stability. The fact that these are the most common for the working pro should be a clue to you that you should own at least one. The main two drawbacks are the weight if you like to work in the field and the metal can be dangerous in the cold to bare skin and can also get hot and the temperature changes can affect the way the tripod performs.
The next main style is carbon fiber in various forms and manufacturing methods. Mainly designed to be lightweight and effective in the field these can be surprisingly expensive. If you've got the cash to spare and go hiking or mainly do outdoor nature photography you'll want one. Having used several including some very expensive ones I have been a little disappointed in stability. They seem to pick up wind and surface vibration more than I like for the trade off in weight. I'm a big guy with a strong back and shoulders so I can put up with dragging my Bogen (before it was renamed Manfrotto) tripod with me most of the time. I have found that I like to leave my carbon fiber tripod in my pickup and only use it when I have no other choice or when weight is truly critical. I also pack it when I fly as it fits nicely in my suitcase but to be honest I often find myself missing my main Bogen tripod. Oh and yes carbon fiber is much more forgiving in extreme weather than metal tripod.
Plastic - Skip it they are not worth it, so I won't even discuss them. Cheap is cheap and you'll regret buying a full sized tripod for less than $150.00 retail.
Wood - Now here’s a tripod that constantly surprises me. We often think of wood as only for the view camera crown. We image Ansel Adams stooping over under a black hood, head pressed up against a 4X5 or 8X10 view camera. However, wood tripods are gaining popularity again, even in this high tech world. Why wood? It's lighter than metal tripods, can handle vibration better than most any other kind of tripod, can get wet, and easy effective in most weather and temperature conditions. You won't get your skin torn off touching wood in the freezing cold and lets face it wood is cool looking. As the wood ages in the better made models they will take on a personal look and feel. If they ever warp (which I understand is not a real problem when made out of properly cured woods) you can always apply some light sanding and oil or wax and it will be smooth and ready for years of service. I have only borrowed one but having tried it I can't wait to get one for myself. Wood can cost as much as a good aluminum tripod but generally do not cost as much carbon fiber.
Heads:
Where to begin? First of let me say that you should get a head that has a level and accurate markings for panoramic and other purposes even if you don't use it all the time. I highly recommend a tripod that allows for head changes to make the most out of your tripod. I have 4 heads for my main field tripod; a standard heavy 3 point head with a medium format quick release that can hold up to 20 pounds. Even though I never have that much weight on it, when I'm using a long telephoto a heavy smooth and accurate head makes all the difference. Cheap heads can be jerky, stick and jump ruining many potential shots and often causing you to miss the decisive moment. I'd even go far as to say that your main head should cost as much as the tripod, whatever it takes to have a smooth well balanced head. Next I have a liquid filled head with long arms so I can use my tripod for video. Even though I don't due a lot of video it's worth having to both look professional when I'm working and to have smooth clean movements while shooting video. Don’t try to do double duty to save a few bucks; video heads will cause you unending headaches trying to work against the springs or liquid to find the right alignment for your shot. Next I have a ball head which fits my mono pod as well as my tripod (most will fit both) I use this the least as I don't do a lot of sports or action work. But if you do it's a requirement. Again this is a place where money counts, spend too little and you'll end up with a head that is jerky sticks and slides. Many cheaper or lightweight ball heads don't lock down well and slowly move over time from where you lock them in. This can really be annoying and goof up many kinds of shots. Last is my quick release pistol grip head, perhaps my favorite. Not as study as my main three way head but it's one third the weight, very fast to position (even faster than a ball head) and because the release works like a bicycle hand brake it's easy to pull, position and let go to lock it in. I find it very useful for action as well as kids and group portraits where getting into position fast is important.
Is there one brand better than another? Well yes and no. I always say buy the best you can afford, or one level better. But like many things it's all a matter of taste. Having said that Manfrotto is my favorite followed by Gitzo, which are both distributed by Bogen. Next I also like Giotto, Cullman, and surprisingly a number of no name models like Cabela's branded tripods, Brunton, Amvona, or DYNATRAN. These second tier brands often provide well-made tripods for much less than the big name brands.
The choice is really up to you. Consider how difficult or easy the tripod is to clean, what options are available, the reputation of the manufacturer, etc. Play with it in a camera store, do you like the action, are the legs easy and smooth to move, after locking them into place can you press down on the head and make the tripod move down? For my money I'd pass on these. How low can it go, do the legs swing out wide so you can get down close to the ground, are there click stops at various angles, etc? Can you flip over or otherwise change the main column? Can you easily find replacement quick release adapters and how much do they cost. For me this is a big deal, some off brand named tripods use quick release adapters you can't find easily and you will loose them over time. I carry two of the two models I use. And it's a real pain to swap out adapters if you use more than one camera at a time like many of us do.
In the end it's up to you; check out tripods in person, make a list of the kind of photography you do against the intent the manufacturer suggests, and talk to friends and sales people. Find out if they had problems, had to return anything and how well the manufacturer supported them if they ever needed service. I've had my oldest tripod (Bogen) for over 24 years, the model is still made and I've never had a problem with it. Nor the other two Manfrotto tripods I use or my Cullman. Other brands I've owned fell apart after a few years of use, got easily bent, rusted, or otherwise became trash after what I consider medium use.
To me one of the surprises is not only the many brands but also the many styles from those brands. First lets discuss the major kinds and why they are made with certain materials
Tripod Materials:
Aluminum is the most popular along with other metals. The main and obvious reason for these heavier tripods is stability and durability. Pros often have several of these from ones that hold 10 pounds to ones that hold 30 or more. There are also studio stands that really are not tripods at all. Theses can run into the thousands of dollars and we won't discuss them in this post. The heavier and sturdier tripod have a number of benefits; primarily they stand up against wind and vibration better than almost any other kind. Often these come with hooks in the center column so you can add sand bags or other weights to further aid in stability. The fact that these are the most common for the working pro should be a clue to you that you should own at least one. The main two drawbacks are the weight if you like to work in the field and the metal can be dangerous in the cold to bare skin and can also get hot and the temperature changes can affect the way the tripod performs.
The next main style is carbon fiber in various forms and manufacturing methods. Mainly designed to be lightweight and effective in the field these can be surprisingly expensive. If you've got the cash to spare and go hiking or mainly do outdoor nature photography you'll want one. Having used several including some very expensive ones I have been a little disappointed in stability. They seem to pick up wind and surface vibration more than I like for the trade off in weight. I'm a big guy with a strong back and shoulders so I can put up with dragging my Bogen (before it was renamed Manfrotto) tripod with me most of the time. I have found that I like to leave my carbon fiber tripod in my pickup and only use it when I have no other choice or when weight is truly critical. I also pack it when I fly as it fits nicely in my suitcase but to be honest I often find myself missing my main Bogen tripod. Oh and yes carbon fiber is much more forgiving in extreme weather than metal tripod.
Plastic - Skip it they are not worth it, so I won't even discuss them. Cheap is cheap and you'll regret buying a full sized tripod for less than $150.00 retail.
Wood - Now here’s a tripod that constantly surprises me. We often think of wood as only for the view camera crown. We image Ansel Adams stooping over under a black hood, head pressed up against a 4X5 or 8X10 view camera. However, wood tripods are gaining popularity again, even in this high tech world. Why wood? It's lighter than metal tripods, can handle vibration better than most any other kind of tripod, can get wet, and easy effective in most weather and temperature conditions. You won't get your skin torn off touching wood in the freezing cold and lets face it wood is cool looking. As the wood ages in the better made models they will take on a personal look and feel. If they ever warp (which I understand is not a real problem when made out of properly cured woods) you can always apply some light sanding and oil or wax and it will be smooth and ready for years of service. I have only borrowed one but having tried it I can't wait to get one for myself. Wood can cost as much as a good aluminum tripod but generally do not cost as much carbon fiber.
Heads:
Where to begin? First of let me say that you should get a head that has a level and accurate markings for panoramic and other purposes even if you don't use it all the time. I highly recommend a tripod that allows for head changes to make the most out of your tripod. I have 4 heads for my main field tripod; a standard heavy 3 point head with a medium format quick release that can hold up to 20 pounds. Even though I never have that much weight on it, when I'm using a long telephoto a heavy smooth and accurate head makes all the difference. Cheap heads can be jerky, stick and jump ruining many potential shots and often causing you to miss the decisive moment. I'd even go far as to say that your main head should cost as much as the tripod, whatever it takes to have a smooth well balanced head. Next I have a liquid filled head with long arms so I can use my tripod for video. Even though I don't due a lot of video it's worth having to both look professional when I'm working and to have smooth clean movements while shooting video. Don’t try to do double duty to save a few bucks; video heads will cause you unending headaches trying to work against the springs or liquid to find the right alignment for your shot. Next I have a ball head which fits my mono pod as well as my tripod (most will fit both) I use this the least as I don't do a lot of sports or action work. But if you do it's a requirement. Again this is a place where money counts, spend too little and you'll end up with a head that is jerky sticks and slides. Many cheaper or lightweight ball heads don't lock down well and slowly move over time from where you lock them in. This can really be annoying and goof up many kinds of shots. Last is my quick release pistol grip head, perhaps my favorite. Not as study as my main three way head but it's one third the weight, very fast to position (even faster than a ball head) and because the release works like a bicycle hand brake it's easy to pull, position and let go to lock it in. I find it very useful for action as well as kids and group portraits where getting into position fast is important.
Is there one brand better than another? Well yes and no. I always say buy the best you can afford, or one level better. But like many things it's all a matter of taste. Having said that Manfrotto is my favorite followed by Gitzo, which are both distributed by Bogen. Next I also like Giotto, Cullman, and surprisingly a number of no name models like Cabela's branded tripods, Brunton, Amvona, or DYNATRAN. These second tier brands often provide well-made tripods for much less than the big name brands.
The choice is really up to you. Consider how difficult or easy the tripod is to clean, what options are available, the reputation of the manufacturer, etc. Play with it in a camera store, do you like the action, are the legs easy and smooth to move, after locking them into place can you press down on the head and make the tripod move down? For my money I'd pass on these. How low can it go, do the legs swing out wide so you can get down close to the ground, are there click stops at various angles, etc? Can you flip over or otherwise change the main column? Can you easily find replacement quick release adapters and how much do they cost. For me this is a big deal, some off brand named tripods use quick release adapters you can't find easily and you will loose them over time. I carry two of the two models I use. And it's a real pain to swap out adapters if you use more than one camera at a time like many of us do.
In the end it's up to you; check out tripods in person, make a list of the kind of photography you do against the intent the manufacturer suggests, and talk to friends and sales people. Find out if they had problems, had to return anything and how well the manufacturer supported them if they ever needed service. I've had my oldest tripod (Bogen) for over 24 years, the model is still made and I've never had a problem with it. Nor the other two Manfrotto tripods I use or my Cullman. Other brands I've owned fell apart after a few years of use, got easily bent, rusted, or otherwise became trash after what I consider medium use.
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