Tripod Advice

30 Jan 2011

1:£50 tripod light /heavy breeze ....don't extend to full height (unless absolutely necessary)hang bag from hook underneath.....solid as a benbo (and if you're going to spend a fortune I'd get a benbo....you wont want to carry it far but you'll never have a problem with camera shake)if you're using a manfrotto giotto or any other otto you'll have to do exactly the same...cos it's the weight that keeps it steady
2:Wildlife...if you're really going to take wildlife pics you'll be in a hide with a fixed focal length waiting for the animals to come to you
3:lenses...the cheaper end of a good quality range is more than adequate if you really can't get that background blurred enough at 5.6 and spot focus use gimp or photoshop to fake it.
4:If you're crafting a shot in manual you have plenty of time to work round the limitations of your kit or even turn those limitations to your advantage
5:there is no more reason for reasonably priced kit to let you down than expensive kit....you will miss shots with both
6:I have always had to pursue photography on a tight budget my kit (often very cheap third hand 'crap') has never let me down....bad shots (and I've taken many) have always been the fault of the operator and not the machine
I don't know what budget you have Nola I'm just saying you don't need to spend a fortune to practice and succeed in your photography.
Sorry Suffolk-cpl I'm not trying to turn this into an argument....but I do think you're wrong

30 Jan 2011

Quote by Staggerlee_BB
I don't know what budget you have Nola I'm just saying you don't need to spend a fortune to practice and succeed in your photography.

I have a fairly modest-ish budget Staggers, but I am prepared to splash out a bit as I feel a tripod will help. I've started to go out on photo meets with a bunch of local photographers and their results with tripods are much better than mine without. I've asked their advice too, but I just knew there were a lot of folk on here into photography too.
I must admit I didn't quite realise how expensive photography would be in general!
Still, keeps me out of trouble! lol

Genuinely appreciate everyone's thoughts.

30 Jan 2011

Quote by Staggerlee_BB
1:£50 tripod light /heavy breeze ....don't extend to full height (unless absolutely necessary)hang bag from hook underneath.....solid as a benbo (and if you're going to spend a fortune I'd get a benbo....you wont want to carry it far but you'll never have a problem with camera shake)if you're using a manfrotto giotto or any other otto you'll have to do exactly the same...cos it's the weight that keeps it steady
2:Wildlife...if you're really going to take wildlife pics you'll be in a hide with a fixed focal length waiting for the animals to come to you
3:lenses...the cheaper end of a good quality range is more than adequate if you really can't get that background blurred enough at 5.6 and spot focus use gimp or photoshop to fake it.
4:If you're crafting a shot in manual you have plenty of time to work round the limitations of your kit or even turn those limitations to your advantage
5:there is no more reason for reasonably priced kit to let you down than expensive kit....you will miss shots with both
6:I have always had to pursue photography on a tight budget my kit (often very cheap third hand 'crap') has never let me down....bad shots (and I've taken many) have always been the fault of the operator and not the machine
I don't know what budget you have Nola I'm just saying you don't need to spend a fortune to practice and succeed in your photography.
Sorry Suffolk-cpl I'm not trying to turn this into an argument....but I do think you're wrong

No probs, and I'm not trying to be antagonistic :-)
And it would be a boring world if we all agreed. However, I have pursued photography for many years, and learnt the hard way the folly of cheap kit. If all you want to do is take snaps, then yes, it's great. If you want to take good photos, I still believe you need to understand what the limitations are of the kit are, and make a decision based on that. To counter your points:
1. A cheap tripod is cheap. Yes is covers the basic holding a camera hands free, but the joints are either plastic or have large tolerances. They move. That's why they are cheap. A good tripod can also get very very low to the ground, unlike the cheaper versions.
But they may be suitable for the type of photography the OP wants.
2. If your a serious wildlife tog, then yes you will have prime lenes, probably very fast, and over 400mm. Price cira £5k - £10k. If your walking about and looking for things like birds, squirrels etc.. then a good zoom is ideal. If it's too slow, you will soon realise there isn't enough light to get a shutter speed over the focal length, then your shots become soft or blurred.
3. Sorry, but that is totally wrong. A fast lens gives real soft bokeh. At 5.6 you cant get that, at the same focal length. PS and Gimp is difficult to learn to get the same effect, and looks poor compared to getting it right in camera.
4. Very true.
5. I'm not on about the kit breaking, but not giving you what you want. Both tripods could work, but if the cheaper one can't get as low, or moves slightly, then you will be unhappy with the results, compared to the results if you had used a better tripod. (or lens, or flash etc..)
6. I agree. And i'm not saying buy the most expensive kit. There are too many people spending a fortune on kit they don't know how to use, and never move beyond the auto setting. I'm saying work out what you need and why, then buy the best in that range, that you can afford.
Your last comment to Nola I agree with. You don't need to spend a fortune to succeed, but it is wiser to think ahead, and spend a little more on some things, than make a compulsive buy early on and buy the wrong thing.
Happy snapping

30 Jan 2011

Quote by piercedJon
Mind you a 24-70 2.8 lens is blody heavy.

True, but is a bloody good lens :thrilled:

30 Jan 2011

Cheers all... I've ordered one.
:thumbup:

30 Jan 2011

Quote by noladreams
Cheers all... I've ordered one.
:thumbup:

Thanks God for that lol

What a lot of fuss about fucking tripod :twisted:

30 Jan 2011

Quote by noladreams
Cheers all... I've ordered one.
:thumbup:

Surely it's only fair that you tell us which one so that we can all nod/shake our heads in dis/approval

1 Feb 2011

Quote by Staggerlee_BB
Cheers all... I've ordered one.
:thumbup:

Surely it's only fair that you tell us which one so that we can all nod/shake our heads in dis/approval
I got a Manfrotto one. Can't think what model & it's downstairs.
I like it. It's a bit lush. lol

1 Feb 2011

Well done nola xxx

3 Feb 2011

And there was me just girding me loins to offer some advice!! rolleyes

Always said I should read threads backwards!!
.