tripod... - DPChallenge Forums

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED

10/31/2004 09:10:06 PM · #1

When does it become necessary to use a tripod? I know that in dark situations you should, and when zooming all the way in you should, but other than that, is there a set rule?

Let's say for example it's a really bright day and you're taking outside shots of a soccer game with shutter priority at like 500...would you need a tripod if you're zoomed in to 10x?

Also, watching the football game tonight (GO STEELERS)...I noticed one photographer sitting near the end zone with a tripod but it wasn't a tripod, it just had one leg (any links to view some of those? -- I'm assuming that's what a monopod is???). When I saw him, the reciever was just missing a pass right infront of him, and his tripod was not connected to his camera, but he was shooting just holding the camera (but the lens was still attached to the tripod and it was HUGE) -- looked like he was in burst mode or whatever and his flash was firing away like crazy (just thought that was cool to see).

Sorry for the long post, and thanks for your time.

Flash

Nikon D700

10/31/2004 09:12:52 PM · #2

A single legged camera support stick is called a mono-pod.

Some fotogs use a tri-pod for all their shots. Longer heavier lenses require more support to avoid camera shake or blurry pictures.

deapee

Kodak V803

10/31/2004 09:55:11 PM · #3

Originally posted by deapee:

(but the lens was still attached to the tripod and it was HUGE)

hrmm...after reading a bit about this subject, I'm assuming he had two cameras and that was the other camera mounted to the monopod -- boy I'm quick! :-\

David.C

Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro for Canon

10/31/2004 11:15:58 PM · #4

rules I try to maintain.
necassary? ... maybe not -- but...

Always use a tripod.
If there is no way you can use a tripod, use a monopod.
If there is no way you can use a monopod, rest the camera on something solid.
If there is no way you can rest the camrea on something solid, hold it in your hands -- and hope for the best.

:D

BTW: A monopod is used by placing the leg out in fron of you at an angle, and useing your legs as the other two legs of the make-shift tripod.

David

longlivenyhc

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

10/31/2004 11:19:02 PM · #5

here u go
how to use a monopod

David.C

10/31/2004 11:27:05 PM · #6

While were on the subject of monopods, does anyone have a link to one that snaps out (and preferably in as well) with the touch of a button?

The one I have requires me to release a lever-lock for each section, and then fasten them down again to hold it out. This takes more time than I usually have when hiking about.

Thanks for the link Evan, I wasn't aware of the other 'proper' stances.

David

jab119

10/31/2004 11:44:51 PM · #7

I saw someting a while back ago i cant find now.

Its a tripod and the center column is removed and becomes your monopod. Anyone have a link to one???

James

Rooster

Sigma 28-105mm f/2.8-4.0 Aspherical for Canon

11/01/2004 12:43:30 AM · #8

all the time or whenever there is a choice, i would choose to use a tripod

fotodude

Nikon D70

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D

11/01/2004 01:09:06 AM · #9

for 2 reasons (in the situation you described) i would use a tripod and those are your zoomed in at 10x and beleave it or not that is like shooting a person who's the distance of one football (the american kind) away and having the image come up as if he is only 10-20 feet away (so there will be alot of shake from the camera), the second reason is that you are shooting movment and so in order to produce as clean an image as possable you can cut down on the movment of the camera inyour hands (even at 1/500).

on the other topic monopods and why there are used for sports. i've got a friend who is a pro. sports photographer and shoots alot of the Cubs(baseball) and F1 racing there are many reasons why he uses a monopod but the main 2 seem to be that he can pan with a swing,or F1car,and the space that is offten given to him is too small to set up a tripod of the "spred" that he needs.
also when (another of my pro. sp. photographer friends) was at the Ken.Derbie he was bumped around from space to space and it is soooooo much easer to pk. up in a pinch with a mono. rather than a tri.

hope i helped,

_brando_

also i use a tri. for lots of my studio stuff.

deapee

Kodak V803

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR DG IF-ED

11/01/2004 07:08:53 AM · #10

Sounds good, thanks for the information. Anyone else have any 'rules of the tripod' they'd like to share or their own personal views?

Thanks a lot.

librodo

Nikon D3s

11/01/2004 07:28:17 AM · #11

It is quite funny but all of my posts here in dpchallenge are without the use of tripods. As a matter of fact, I never used tripod except for the last time that I tried a nightscape and was unsuccessful.

I guess I still have steady hands.

Manny

Gordon

RIM BlackBerry Curve

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

11/01/2004 10:13:12 AM · #12

Originally posted by deapee:

When does it become necessary to use a tripod?

Some pros would suggest the correct answer to this is 'any time you plan on pressing the shutter'

It is a fairly easily proven fact that you can never take a picture as sharp hand holding it, as you can on a tripod using good technique.

You can get close enough that you might not care for the majority of your images, but you'll never do better than you can do on a tripod.

So use it as often as you can. You might be surprised.

(yes I know you can come up with lots of reasons where it is difficult or impractical - doesn't change the fact that your pictures will be generally sharper, better composed and have more thought put in to them, if you have to set up a tripod every time)

I don't shoot every shot on a tripod. I probably don't even use it as much as I should. But I know when I do and it is obvious in the pictures.

11/01/2004 10:42:44 AM · #13

Personally, I don't even own a tripod. I own a monopod that I've used maybe a half-dozen times or so. They're useful for digital in low light or just to take some of the weight off of you if you're standing around for long periods of time. I see just about every photographer (no matter what they're actually shooting and what the conditions are like) using a tripod. I find them all limiting and only use one if absolutely necessary!

Edit: I should mention, I only shoot 'people' like models, bands, and weddings. I don't do standard portrait work. From my experience, I've never seen a photographer in a band or model setting using a tripod. And tripods are definetly on their way out of wedding photography.

Message edited by author 2004-11-01 10:47:31.

Gordon

RIM BlackBerry Curve

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

11/01/2004 12:14:44 PM · #14

Originally posted by GoldBerry:

Edit: I should mention, I only shoot 'people' like models, bands, and weddings. I don't do standard portrait work. From my experience, I've never seen a photographer in a band or model setting using a tripod. And tripods are definetly on their way out of wedding photography.

How do you deal with weddings when you aren't allowed to use flash ?
Seems a pretty common restriction during most ceremonies. Certainly the reportage style of wedding photography is really popular right now and for the last few years but it doesn't really work for everything from what I've experienced.

Message edited by author 2004-11-01 12:18:38.

11/01/2004 12:18:33 PM · #15

Originally posted by GoldBerry:

Tripods are certainly used a great deal by professional model photographers as they allow them to achieve a crisp and detailed image where they might otherwise not.

Whilst I'd agree that they are used less in wedding photography than they once were this is down to a change in tastes as more and more people are looking for informal reportage-style images. For formal portraits they are still useful and heavily used.

There are certainly situations where they are helpful and some where they are not. They are used a great deal in studio work and very seldom indeed in action shots taken at band concerts, sporting events etc.

Without wishing to be critical, I notice that some of your shots seem a little soft. Whilst this may be an intentional effect I must admit I think they'd benefit from being a little sharper and this would be easier to achieve using a tripod.

Message edited by author 2004-11-01 12:22:49.

Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM

11/01/2004 12:34:10 PM · #16

I've mentioned a number of times that my DPC portfolio is rubbish - some of my first ever shots. And there's some crap on my site, too. But, keep in mind, I could never get the good/great shots that I do at weddings if I were using a tripod. It'd be impossible.

I guess you'll all have to wait for my new site launch to judge whether or not I should be using a tripod. I still won't, but atleast you'll have a clearer idea of the type of work I produce :-)

Edit: Oh yeah, and again, all of my views on tripods are from personal experience. No model or band photographer I've ever seen or worked with used a tripod. Sorry!

Message edited by author 2004-11-01 12:37:02.

melking

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

11/01/2004 12:47:45 PM · #17

Goldberry! When is your new site going to be ready?

11/01/2004 12:51:45 PM · #18

Originally posted by melking23:

Goldberry! When is your new site going to be ready?

Mel! I think Charla and I are doing it this week sometime :-)

11/01/2004 12:52:21 PM · #19

Originally posted by GoldBerry:

I look forward to seeing the new site - we can only judge on what we can see!

11/01/2004 01:00:53 PM · #20

Or why not just NOT judge at all? lol

By my earlier posts (where I have said I've never seen certain genre photographers using tripods) it looks as though you checked out my DPC portfolio and since it's for the most part crap-tastic, you decided the photographers I work with must also be crap-tastic :-)

I'm not trying to fight, I just think it's silly. Plus, I'm biased 'cause I hate all borders, tripods and muslins.

crabappl3

11/01/2004 01:02:56 PM · #21

Glad you found your niche then :-)

-danny

Originally posted by GoldBerry:

I'm not trying to fight, I just think it's silly. Plus, I'm biased 'cause I hate all borders, tripods and muslins.

11/01/2004 01:07:24 PM · #22

Originally posted by GoldBerry:

Er... we all judge all the time. We constantly look at what's around us and decide what we think of it.

And personally when I evaluate advice on photography I like to see what kind of style and results the person giving that advice produces. That's only natural.

I don't assume anything about the people you work with being "crap-tastic" - on the subject of how regularly certain groups of people use tripods or not I'm simply presenting an opposing viewpoint since I don't think your experience is representative and wouldn't want people to go away thinking that tripods are hardly used in professional photography.

There are two main aspects to DPC. One is learning about and improving one's photography. The other is judging the images posted on the site.

And judging is also precisely what potential customers do too.

Saying "judging" is silly strikes ME as silly!

;o)

Message edited by author 2004-11-01 13:08:52.

11/01/2004 01:12:08 PM · #23

For the most part I was only kidding.

And I know I fail at the 'judge not lest he be judged' as well as the rest of us :-)

11/01/2004 01:18:07 PM · #24

LOL

Don't worry - I'm fully aware of just what people would think of my photography skills if they judged them solely on my portfolio entries. The images I have loaded as prints on DPC Prints are completely different and (I believe) somewhat better.