Soon the rice season will begin again, and many wonder whether he should really take the heavy old tripod on the trip, which has been unused for years in the corner. The perfect tripod is not it, it is difficult, to labor with difficulty and keep it really well does it no more.
But just on trips there are, of course, a lot of motifs, which can hardly be taken in good quality without a tripod. What to do? And even more, how should the perfect tripod be? Travelin’ Camera and the Stativ Lexikon give answers!
The quadrature of the circle | For which camera? | How do I travel? | For which type of photos? | The budget | The perfect tripod for travel
1. Practical Advice | 2. Practical Advice | 3. Practical Advice
The quadrature of the circle:
Light – Low Cost – Small – Stable
Of course, the perfect travel tripod should be small and light, yet as stable as possible and at the same time affordable. And this is clear: the perfect travel tripod does not exist! According to my experience of the past 40 years, I can say that a tripod with three characteristics can be described: weight, price, stability. One of these properties always suffers. Either one has a light and very stable tripod, then it rips a large hole in the wallet. Or you have a cheap and at the same time very stable tripod, then you have what for towing! Unfortunately, the third option is the most common. A light and cheap tripod is offered in every photo shop or discounter for small money, unfortunately it wobbles like a lambs tail.
So what can you do?
First question: For which camera?
This does not mean, however, that one under 200, – € no useful tripod for the trip could acquire. The most important question is, for what kind of camera you would like to use the tripod mainly. On the tripod, which has a professional full-format reflex camera to wear, of course, other requirements are placed than on a small tripod for the actioncam or the smartphone. The question of what kind of lenses are used in cameras with interchangeable lenses is also crucial. The typical holiday photographer, who uses only the kit lens of his digicam, comes with a less stable tripod than the bird photographed with very long focal lengths.
In the comparison tables, which are listed for the most famous tripod manufacturers in the Stativ Lexikon, the most important dimensions of the tripods are given as well as their maximum exposure by the camera weight. The manufacturer’s information should be a bit careful, I have the impression that it is with these values as with the consumption values of the car manufacturers. They are valid only under optimal conditions.
1. PRACTICAL ADVICE!
You can increase the stability of each tripod by not pulling out the center column. The tripod then is not quite so high and you may have to bend to look into the viewfinder. This is a comparatively small sacrifice, if you get sharper images, because the recording is not blurred.
Second question: How do I travel?
Another criterion is the type of journeys that are preferred. If you spend your holiday mostly on a sailboat, in the ultralight or on the paragliding screen, you will be looking for a small tripod for fixing the actioncam at the sailmast, helmet or other mounting options. Mountain walkers and mountaineers should take care that the required tripod for taking up the sunrise on the summit is as light as possible and weatherproof and also fits in the backpack.
The means of transport used can also be decisive. If you are traveling by car, it will not be a problem to store a larger and heavier tripod in the trunk. If one chooses the airplane, then it is known every kilogram counts. If you still want to take your luggage on board, it is really difficult: the tripod must fit in the suitcase, which can not be longer than 55 cm / 22″ (with wheels and handles). There is mostly less than 50 cm / 20″ pack size left for the tripod.
The comparison tables also help with the technical data in the Stativ Lexikon. Please pay particular attention to the packing size and the weight including the tripod head.
Third question: For which type of photos?
One aspect that many users ignore when choosing a tripod is the question of what type of photos you prefer to make.
Architecture images can be better done with a 3D tilt, portraits rather with a ball head or pistol grip. If you want to mount your camera anywhere, you can use the popular staplers, the gorilla pods or other clamps. Landscape photographers who want to capture panoramas are best to travel with a panoramic head and the specialists for mushrooms, beetles and other macro themes often need a base tripod or special settings to position the camera particularly close to the ground.
The different types of tripods and tripod heads as well as the materials used for building are explained in the Stativ Lexikon and supplemented by the presentation of the most important manufacturers and their products.
2. PRACTICAL ADVICE!
With a cable, infrared or radio trigger, you can avoid vibrating the camera by pressing the shutter release button. This reduces the risk of camera shake, resulting in sharper images during longer exposures or focal lengths.
… and the last question!
“What does a tripod cost?”, Which can be answered at least Travelin’ Camera. Because, of course, the question arises about the available budget. There are, therefore, many factors which can make the selection of the suitable stand difficult.
… and then someone comes to me in my photo workshop and asks me, “What kind of tripod should I buy?” The question is just as easy to answer as this: “What does a car cost?”
But with the help of the Stativ Lexikons you will definitely find the perfect travel guide!
3. PRACTICAL ADVICE!
Again and again I see that the cameras mounted on the tripods are only very timidly screwed. The screw that connects the camera to the tripod or the quick release plate should be tightened as much as possible so that the camera does not move or even fall down from the tripod. I have NEVER seen a camera in 40 years, in which the tripod thread had broken out because the user had tightened the screw too much!
The same applies, of course, to all the detents of the tripod itself. Some cameras wiggle on the tripod back and forth, just because the tripod legs or the tripod head has not been correctly locked. However, you have to pay attention to cheap plastic stands – after “solid” comes “off”!
The perfect tripod for travel
Here comes finally my small selection for the perfect Reisestativ of Gitzo, Joby, K&F Concept, Manfrotto, Novoflex and Sirui. They are all very well suited to travel, as they are small and light tripods with good load bearing capacity and stability.
The TC2534 from K&F Concept, Manfrottos Befree and the Sirui T-005X offer three very similar tripods at a similar low price, with the tripod of K&F Concept standing out as the only carbon tripod with an attractive price. The GT1542 Mountaineer from Gitzo and the Novoflex TRIOC2840 are priced in a different league, but offer a top quality under the travel destinations.