TripodsGood news! If you've got a digital camera you probably don't need one, despite what all the photo mags tell you.
Why? A lot of SLR lenses today have built in image stabilization allowing you to handhold at slower shutter speeds, than was possible a few years back. (My Pentax has it built into the camera so I can use virtually any old Pentax lens bought for a few pounds on Ebay and get the same effect as the new Image stabilized lenses fom Canon & Nikon.) Todays digitals have better depth of field at larger apertures than before. Diffraction (blurriness) is more visible at smaller apertures. Try squinting your eyes to see what I mean. That's just how a lens works. Less light = more blurriness. Despite the old fashioned advice about using small f stops, setting a digital camera on a tripod at f22, will produce softer images than handholding at f8. As larger f stops are actually sharper on todays digitals. f8 - f11is about the optimum or f16 only if you really need it. Most compacts only have apertures of around f8. Also you can shoot on much higher ISO than before. On my Pentax K10D there's really no visible difference shooting on 100 or 400 ISO there's is a bit noise (grain)at 800 if you really look for it, and it is visible at 1600 but not enough to worry about, and technology has advanced a lot since. Many of todays cameras are even better at controlling, noise and have even higher ISOs allowing you to shoot at faster shutter speeds. But still try to keep it down to below 400 ISO if you can. So ditch the tripod and handhold, just increase the the ISO or f number accordingly. If you still find you get camera shake then set your camera to continuous shooting mode, and shoot 3 or 4 frames the 2nd or 3rd shot should be sharp. Of course if your shooting certain subjects you will still need a tripod, like macro, or moon shots or very long exposures, like the popular misty sea effects. (Personally I prefer to see crashing waves, the only time I ever saw mist like that was back in the 70s on Top of the Pops!) But for most digital shooting leave the tripod at home, it'll give you more freedom to be flexible and creative with your composition and framing, by experimenting with angles. Try kneeling or lying down or even hold it above your head, to see if you can get a better composition. You could try all of these quicker than it would take to get the tripod set up! If you still feel you still need a tripod why not browse a vast selection in my Camera Store It might make you look more professional using a big tripod but do you really need such a big one? Why not save your back and knees by carrying a smaller lighter one instead. Of course they're not as stable, especially if you still need to use a slow shutter speed, but you can always add weight to the center column by hanging your rucsac, camera bag or even a carrier bag filled with stones or whatever, to make it as sturdy as a heavier tripod. . |
Photo Tips
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