Choosing a tripod is not an easy task. There is so much offer in the market that one can go crazy looking and deciding. But as you well know, we love helping you out so I will try to put it on as easy as possible. With this article I intend you to get an idea of ??the different types of tripods that exist and their differences so that you find the most appropriate to your needs. Because once again, I have to tell you that there is not the best tripod in the world, but the best tripod for you, the one that suits your needs.
WHAT IS A TRIPOD FOR?
Let's start with the basics, know what a tripod is for and determine if you need it. A tripod has the function of stabilizing the camera and preventing the image from moving (or trepidated which is the same). After reading this you may think: Ah, okay, if my camera has a stabilizer, then I don't need it. Well, yes and no. If you only shoot with fast speeds, or more or less fast, the stabilizer will serve you, however, it will not be enough for long exposures. Which are? Let's see some examples:- Capture motion
- Photograph the silky effect of water
- Night landscapes
- Stars
- Lightpainting (Get inspired by this gallery of examples )
- Car light trails
- Improve the sharpness, sometimes our pulse is not as firm as we would like and if you need impeccable sharpness (for whatever reason) a tripod can be a good ally.
- Self portraits
- Panoramic
- Time lapses
- Macro photography
- With telephoto lenses
- Bracketing or bracketing
- Architecture photography
- Animations
- Videos
PARTS OF A TRIPOD
Once we know its uses or utilities, I will present the parts of which it is composed, in this way, when I tell you below which one suits you according to what type of photos, you will understand what I am talking about;).BALL JOINT
The head or head is the part that allows you to move the camera in different directions without having to move the entire tripod. There are different types. If you buy a tripod with interchangeable kneecap , you will have the possibility to have different heads and change it according to the type of photography you are going to do without having to have several tripods. This is advisable when you are going to give it a wide variety of uses, for example, you do the same panoramic things as telephoto action photography. If not, it will probably be worth it with a fixed ball joint, which are cheaper. Now let's see the types of patella that exist, below you will see an image of each one:- Ball joint (or rocker). They are simple, quick to use and allow flexibility of movement. Ideal for use with telephoto lenses for moving subjects.
- Three axis head. It allows vertical and horizontal movement and is indicated for landscape photography , in studio, macro or architecture.
- Joystick ball joint It is a type of ball head, but with a trigger that allows moving in all directions. Perhaps it is the most comfortable and ergonomic, it allows a great freedom of movement so it is ideal for those who need to change the frame very quickly as in sports photography. The drawback is that they are not the most accurate and tend to lose stability. If you are going to use it for long exposure photography, it may not be the best option.
- Panoramic kneecap. It is a special kneecap that allows 360º panoramas and photographs.
- Kneecap. It allows the possibility of performing millimeter movements. Therefore they are ideal, for example, for macro photography or with large telephoto lenses because they withstand heavy equipment better . On the contrary, it is that they are usually very heavy, they are not to take them everywhere;), they are not exactly the cheapest either. They are for a very specific purpose.
- 2D head. They control the vertical and horizontal movement by means of a handle with the intention of obtaining greater fluidity in the recording of videos.
LEGS
They are the ones that support the weight of the tripod. There are those that can be opened independently, which are the most suitable for irregular terrain; and those that extend at the same time, more suitable for studio photography, The legs usually have between three and five sections. They can be opened and closed with quick closing tabs or with a rotating clamping system. The most suitable diameter of the legs to support a medium weight equipment is between 28 and 38 mm. Regarding the feet, where the legs end, they can be plastic or rubber, more recommended for interior. Or metallic tip, to fix on very slippery terrain, such as ice. There are also those that can be changed to better adapt to different surfaces, although they are usually high-end. You can find that they screw directly or with a quick coupling system. That is, the shoe is screwed to the camera and when you want to place it on the tripod you attach it to the quick system. It is a much more comfortable system because you can leave the shoe on the camera and not have to be screwing every time. This quick coupling system can be made of plastic or of a stronger material. The drawback of plastic ones is that they can break. Here is the test. I dropped mine and it broke, what you see white was an attempt to fix on my part with a putty that obviously did not work for me (one session I think lasted me). Luckily, all experience is learning and I got one that had the strongest coupling system.TYPES OF TRIPOD
In this section I will summarize the types of tripod you can find.- Low range. They are usually made of aluminum or plastic and have no separable parts.
- Mid range (light). Here we find tripods that seek the balance between stability and lightness. Designed for travel or easy transportation. Depending on the price you will find them with a ball joint that can be separated or of the previous type, which form an indivisible whole.
- High midrange They are more robust and allow greater load capacity. Designed to work for example with telephoto lenses.
- Minitripods or pocket: designed to always carry on top and be able to put the camera on a table, a rock or the floor, for example. They do not support too much weight, although you can use them with an SLR.
- Flexible mini-tripods: basically like the previous one but whose legs you can bend or tangle in a branch. Here I told you about mine, with which I am very satisfied. You can use it with SLR, compact, mobile or GoPro.
- Monopod: halfway between the raised hand and the tripod, you have the monopod that offers more stability than freehand shooting but more freedom of movement than the tripod. Ideal for sports and wildlife photography.
WHAT DETERMINES THE STABILITY OF A TRIPOD?
Some elements influence the stability of a tripod, let's see what they are so that when choosing one, you can look closely and know what you need.- Weight: the weight is determinant in the stability. The heavier a tripod the more it costs to transport it and it is also more stable. If you are not going to take it out of a study, it is clear that it should be heavy. If it is to go outside you have to assess, if you prefer something light because you are always going to carry it on and travel long paths, you may be interested in something lighter. But if you want stability above all else, your back will have to sacrifice a little.
- Sections: having more than three sections affects the stability of a tripod. On the other hand, if it is to travel and stability is not the greatest of your worries, you should keep in mind that the greater the number of sections, the more it will fold and be more compact to put in your suitcase.
- Leg diameter: if the diameter is very thin, it will affect stability, especially with heavier equipment. Around 30mm is a good diameter, as I told you above.
- Central column: the more you extend the central column, the more stability you will subtract. So it is convenient a tripod that is at your height when you extend it, because if you have to resort to the central column to avoid having to bend over, you will lose stability.
- Materials: the quality and hardness of the materials is also very important, as well as its finish.
- Foot bumpers : if you intend to put it in the water and / or use them on very slippery surfaces, it is convenient that you can change the rubber bumpers of the legs for nails so that they have a good grip on the floor. Although rubber bumpers will be useful for most situations.
MATERIALS
As you can imagine or have been able to verify, the tripods can be made with different materials:- Aluminum: light and economical, but more unstable. It offers corrosion resistance and usually have better value for money. Not suitable for working at temperatures below 0ºC. You can get your skin stuck!
- Carbon fiber: they are the most expensive, but they are also much lighter than aluminum and very stable. They absorb vibrations very well and work the same in extreme cold or heat conditions. To compensate for light weight, the hook is used to provide more stability and lower the center of gravity. While in the rest of the materials the legs can have different shapes, in the carbon fiber ones they are usually tubular (tube-shaped) and with a rotating fastening system instead of quick closing.
- Basalt: its use is less widespread (for now). It shares the characteristics of carbon fiber, however, it is harder and lighter.
- Stainless steel: they are very heavy, are more designed for video equipment than for regular use.
OTHER ASPECTS TO CONSIDER
- Load capacity: the first, and most important, what you should look at is the load capacity. Ideally, hold a little more of the weight of your equipment. But not much more than you plan to add, because you will make an unnecessary expense. Although this is a lesser evil. It is a worse idea to buy a tripod that holds less weight than your equipment has, because you run the risk of damaging the tripod and of damaging the equipment.
- Spirit level: necessary to align the camera with the horizon. There are to find a general level or three levels that serve for a more precise leveling in different planes.
- Central column: not useful for landscapes, night, panoramic, architecture, sport and wildlife. Add versatility while subtracting stability. It allows you to gain height when you need it and it is useful in macro.
- The folded size: if you are going to travel with him or walk with him great distances, you may also be interested in taking into account how much he measures once folded. This will depend on the height of the open tripod and the number of sections.
- Feet: the part that rests on the ground, which are made of rubber helps it not to slide on smooth surfaces, with nails that grip well on slippery surfaces (such as ice).
- Hook: if you usually take photos often with wind, the hook at the end of the central column will allow you to place an additional weight to provide greater stability.
- Neoprene handles: they can also be made of other materials, such as rubber. Its function is more thinking of you than in photography;), because they are so that you do not freeze your hands when you take it when you are photographing at very low temperatures.
- Ball diameter: when it comes to using the tripod with heavy equipment, it is important that the ball of the kneecap is adequate. So that it can support more weight it will be bigger, more robust and heavy.
- Good relation between price and benefits: remember, it is not better the most expensive tripod, nor the one that offers more benefits, but the one that covers your needs at a better price.
- Versatility / specification: nobody better than you knows your photographic needs. If you are a photographer who experiments with everything and makes very different types of photographs, you will be interested in a more versatile tripod even if you lose accuracy. However, if you are clear that yours is, for example, macro photography and that only occasionally do you take other types of tripod photos, you better look for one designed for macro photography. And who says macro, says landscape, sports, architecture or whatever makes you sleepy.
AND WHICH ONE DID I BUY?
After all this information, you may be wondering what tripod to buy you. As we have said it will depend on your needs. What we can tell you is that if you are starting, if you have never used a tripod and do not even know what use you are going to give it, getting an economic one can be an option, there are quite decent ones for less than 100 euros. Even if your budget does not reach more and you do not know if it will reach you in a long time but you are dying to try the long exposure, or take night photos. Do not be sad. The most purists will tell you that it is to throw money, we will tell you that beyond the absolute sharpness of great stability, there is learning. The one you enjoy with what you like the most and don't get frustrated because you can't have the most expensive tripod. Now, if you are already clear about what is taking you out of bed at odd hours; if you know what kind of photography it is that makes you vibrate; if you have a tripod that no longer serves you You have broken the one you had, or it doesn't give you what you need, so our advice is to analyze this article well. Once well analyzed, make a list of the benefits you should have to meet these needs and take the time you need to save or to find the tripod that best suits your list of benefits. A good tripod is always a good investment.RECOMMENDATIONS
Then, and for guidance only, you have some general recommendations. These are tripods very well valued by users and with great value for money. To test, to travel and for very light equipment Finally, I leave you with an essential article in a matter of tripods, if you do not learn How to Mount a Tripod Properly , it will be of no use to have the best tripod you can afford. I hope this article has been useful for you, to serve as a guide now or when deciding on a tripod. If you find it useful, I'm going to ask you a favor, share it on your favorite social networks. You can save some of your contacts headaches. I will thank you infinitely. Until next time!