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Author Topic: Importance of Tripod  (Read 13070 times)

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lisafx

« Reply #25 on: April 18, 2009, 10:04 »
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I have seen the comparisons and will acknowledge that for some situations a tripod will make a noticeable difference in sharpness. 

I lugged tripods all over for a few years, but I found it hampered my shooting style.  As Tan pointed out I like the freedom to change angles or positions on the fly, particularly since I am shooting people, not landscapes or static objects.

For the half of my work that is shot outside, I find it easier to plan shoots for good light, use fast lenses, and supplement the natural light with reflectors and/or flash to get the sharpness I want. 

In studio I used to have hot lights and I had to use a tripod because I could not get the shutter speeds I needed.  My back would get so sore from hunching over that tripod for hours!!  Since I got my fast strobes a couple of years back my tripod has been gathering dust.  :D


« Reply #26 on: April 18, 2009, 13:12 »
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I have seen the comparisons and will acknowledge that for some situations a tripod will make a noticeable difference in sharpness. 

I lugged tripods all over for a few years, but I found it hampered my shooting style.  As Tan pointed out I like the freedom to change angles or positions on the fly, particularly since I am shooting people, not landscapes or static objects.

For the half of my work that is shot outside, I find it easier to plan shoots for good light, use fast lenses, and supplement the natural light with reflectors and/or flash to get the sharpness I want. 

In studio I used to have hot lights and I had to use a tripod because I could not get the shutter speeds I needed.  My back would get so sore from hunching over that tripod for hours!!  Since I got my fast strobes a couple of years back my tripod has been gathering dust.  :D

If I was  "People Shooter" like most of your port nicely illustrates, I would give up the tripod also. With people in action outdoors or inside you need to move with the subjects to get the "just right" shot.

However I am not a people shooter i prefer shooting subjects that do not talk to me!  ;D Like farms, scenics. sports, wildlife, etc. After a million weddings and studio portraits for 55 years, I've grown tired of directing people.
But with my age (71) I cannot hold a camera steady as I used to so on many occasions I use a monopod and image stabilized lenses and that combo works very well.

To each their own.

-Larry

« Reply #27 on: July 27, 2009, 16:02 »
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I'm not a Pro but I do know one who makes a living out of landscape and architecture photography. His advice to me was buy a tripod and a remote release if I ever hope to make a professional landscape image. Believe me you'll see the difference at 100%

I've never heard of a street photographer using a tripod. All it takes is some clown to trip over a leg and you'll be needing to hire a lawyer. I've seen guys in London using monopods, beanbags, going down on one knee, using walls, fences, railings to support the camera or their body. Even with a fast lens you want to be sharp.

« Reply #28 on: July 27, 2009, 16:10 »
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I never almost ever use a tripod when shooting dynamic subjects. Then again, I think there is a place for tripod usage even there.
We tend to shoot on the fly and we are so used to using shutter speed and high ISO to "cheat" for us. Assuming that it will bring us that sharp image.
I look back to the days I was shooting 4 by 5 and 8 by 10, where the tripod is essential. I shoot less, and my useful images were far higher in count.
Maybe there is something there to consider. The tripod "slows us down" where we contemplate more and thus, create that one shot that matters, rather than blast away on our motor drive / continuous xxx fps.
Brings us back to the day of watching the war movies. The privates shoot away with their machine gun hitting everything but missing the enemy , and the sargeant takes one shot with his rifle and drops the enemy.  Marksmanship vs speed. Like football (soccer to you), the dribbler never ever gets the goal; the crackshot does.
« Last Edit: July 27, 2009, 16:16 by Perseus »

« Reply #29 on: July 27, 2009, 16:15 »
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What's a "tripod'?  :o  ;)
A three legged dog?  ::)

« Reply #30 on: July 27, 2009, 16:26 »
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I will use a tripod, even in daylight if I know I want to create a HDR image.  Otherwise, I'll only lug it around at night.

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #31 on: July 27, 2009, 16:44 »
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I only use a tripod if I'm wanting great depth of field, e.g. in a landscape or if it's a set up 'studio' type shot of an immobile object. As I don't do that often, and the latter I can't see me doing much in future (yawnsville), I have little use for a tripod. Subject movement is more of a problem for me than camera shake, even before I had IS lenses, now it's all that much easier. Yup, the light level is often low where I live, but pics taken then will get 'poor light' rejections even with a tripod.
Horses for courses. If I were doing 'still lives' all the time, I'd use a tripod all the time.

« Reply #32 on: July 28, 2009, 16:58 »
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  But with my age (71) I cannot hold a camera steady as I used to so on many occasions I use a monopod and image stabilized lenses and that combo works very well.


the photography i like to do doesnt usually give me the luxury of schlepping a heavy tripod, so i've also gone with a monopod - worked well in the Andes at over 16,000'

another unintended sideeffect of monpods for older photographers, besides getting you into places that don't allow tripods, is i've had many people make room FOR me when they see i'm using a 'cane'

s


« Reply #34 on: July 28, 2009, 18:39 »
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I have a giottos tripod that does the octopus macro thing, but rarely use it for that (just bought good macro flash to hopefully reduce how much I need it for that) so I mostly use it for landscapes, especially morning and night but not much else.  About to replace it with gitzo traveller or benro ripoff and rrs head which is less about half the weight so should see more use.

« Reply #35 on: July 28, 2009, 19:24 »
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Just shot a bunch of art work and had to use my massive Manfrotto tripod.  Boy I hate using that thing.  It's steady enough to balance a truck on, but it's so heavy it's a royal PITA to use. 



 

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