It doesn’t matter whether you are a seasoned veteran or new to the field, the purchase of a tripod  is something that we all consider and eventually make the plunge with in the field of photography.  Let’s face it, we get sharper shots, are forced to plan composition more carefully, and in general, a tripod will improve your photography ten-fold over not using one.  Having said that, there are degrees of effectiveness in a tripod, and as in most things – you typically get what you pay for.While we all can recognize that a $40 tripod will likely not deliver the same degree of durability, stability, and reliability as a $400 set – who’s to say that a $200 set is half as good as a $400 set?  Or a $150 set is 37% as good?  It’s not as hard and fast a science as that, and (surprise surprise), it depends on what kind of photography you are shooting, and what your budget is, because after all, we all have different needs and budgets.

Setting aside the budget factor for a moment, let’s take a look at some of the criteria to take into account when getting your first (or next) tripod.  It really can be a situation where too much information can lead to paralysis, but if you compartmentalize things out, the elements can be much easier to manage one step at a time…

*Point of order*  When I started writing this article, I was going to talk about the entire tripod purchase, but it got pretty extensive as a tripod generally refers to two different items – the legs and the head (or camera mount).  So, in the interests of brevity, I’ve decided to split this into two separate pieces.  Today, we’ll be looking at the factors that go into purchasing a good set of legs for your tripod setup.

1.  Composition (weight)

Of probably utmost consideration these days is weight.  No longer are we encumbered by the heavy aluminum tripods of yesteryear and the days of yore – carbon fiber has made its way to the masses, and we can now get super light tripods that offer rock solid durability.  The problem of course is price here, and as always, there is a trade-off.  Naturally, the more money you have to throw at a set of legs, the lighter your set will be, but there are other considerations to take into account when considering what type of legs to get.

For instance, if you are going to be doing a lot of hiking, or toting around of your gear, weight can be a critical component.  However, if you are in a studio all day every day, the weight factor may not be as big a concern since it will likely either be stationary or move very little.  Putting aside genres such as street photography and photo-journalism that usually go sans tripod, landscape artists, architecture photographers, and even portrait specialists will all have different needs depending on their shooting location.

Consider also the weather and elements of your shooting location and conditions.  Light carbon fiber on a windy beach might not be a good idea.  A strong gust of wind could take the tripod, camera, and whip the entire set 50 yards away before upending the whole rig and smashing your camera on the driftwood (rendering the camera itself driftwood in some cases).

2.  Segments

Another element to consider besides Aluminum and carbon is that of leg segments.  Many vendors are starting to offer both 3-segment and 4-segment legs.  The factors to consider here are portability and height.  With more segments, you can benefit from having a more compact tripod when collapsed down, which makes for easier porting to and from various locations (especially for travel photographers).  now if you don’t travel a lot, or do not do much outside your studio, then segments might not be a consideration, but let’s not forget the factor of height in this equation as well. Finally, when it comes to segments, you may want to consider the latch system versus the twisting mechanisms offered by various vendors.  Some find the twist-lock mechanism easier to manipulate when extending and closing their legs, while others prefer the latch-lock system.  Whatever your preference, it’s just another part of the equation to calculate before making a purchasing decision.

3.  Height

Standing at 6’1″ myself, I have learned from experience that hunching over those 3-6 inches to the top of my tripod can be straining on the back.  For shorter folks, this may not be as much of a consideration, but the extra 3-6 inches of a longer set of legs can be the difference between paying $100 to a massage therapist or not after a long day of hiking, and shooting.  Typically longer legs are also associated with the 4-segment pieces.

4.  Accessory Features

I know – how many accessory features can a tripod have, right?  You’d be surprised!  You can pimp out a set of legs with foot spikes, horizontal bubble levels, vertical bubble levels, dual bubble levels, and even tripod bags for transport.  Some legs come with built-in bubbles, others feature them as add-ons for an extra $5-$25.  The same goes for the foot spikes and the bags – add-ons can increase the price to a degree, so make sure you keep these in mind when purchasing.

5.  Manufacturer

Last but not least is manufacturer.  Note here that I am referring to who makes the legs, not who sells them.  There are several competitive manufacturers out there that offer similar products in the tripod family, and while tastes may vary, there are some notables in the crowd that do seem to be the cream of the crop in stability circles.  Whether you go through B&H Photo (my preferred vendor), Adorama, Amazon, or anyone else, there are some preferred manufacturers to keep at the top of your selection list.  While I’ve not rank ordered these, they are probably the most respected names in the industry when it comes to tripod legs, tripod heads, and complete sets.  So, take a look at:

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Lots to consider when purchasing or upgrading your legs.  I’ve got a lot to think about myself, as I alluded to yesterday in my post about maintenance.  The legs are clearly an important part of helping us capture the images we see, so be smart and research things before jumping in legs-first – you want your first purchase to be the right one!

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For instance – I’ve written articles and posts about maintaining your gear and checking things periodically (the most detailed of these can be found here).  This advice is good advice and extends to your entire gear collection – not just the cameras and lenses.  It includes tripods, ball heads, batteries, flash cards, and so much more.  Cleaning and maintaining your gear is a ritual that we all have. Some may be more detail-specific than others who choose to send gear off for extensive cleaning and maintenance, so it’s really a matter of personal preference.

While recently working on my 10-stop filter project (which was intended to be published this month), I noticed that my ball head was coming loose.  Several times I had taken my allen wrench to the base and tried to tighten things down.  Short term fixes proved fruitless though, and I ended up having to send it off to Bogen/Manfrotto for a true service call.  It might have to do with the little spring that I saw go flying out of the ball head while on my Adirondack trip but I can’t be sure.

I’ve had this post in the works for some time now, and with all but  a few shots completed, believed it within the time frame to finish the project up this month.  It’s not in the cards though, as the tension spring for the tripod ball head has loosened sufficiently that I no longer feel comfortable relying on it to keep the SLR securely in place.  Since my DIY efforts to keep things maintained were not sufficient, the head has now officially left the premises and is en route to be repaired by the folks at Manfrotto.  It was actually a pretty good deal – shipping costs only to get it off to them for an estimate, and regardless of whether repaired, they return free of charge.

Given that it’s only a tension spring in the base of the ball head, I can’t imagine the cost being too exorbitant, so the fix should be taken care of in short order, and I’ll get the gear back and be ready for shooting again!  It does mean that the promised DIY project I mentioned in the newsletter, (you do subscribe to the newsletter, right?) will not materialize in September as originally anticipated.  But, in the interests of practicing what I preach, the ball head was sent off for maintenance, so it looks like the DIY project will have to wait until October.

Since the ball head (and legs) are starting to show some wear and tear, it may be time to retire the heavy aluminum set and look to invest in some carbon fiber legs. With all the options out there ranging from the Manfrotto line to the Gitzo line and everything in between – what does the reading audience say?  Any suggestions for what to do moving forward?  This will likely become a full-fledged post of its own tomorrow on things to consider, but would welcome some feedback from the reading audience up front.  Sound off in the comments on your own preferences – I’d love to hear what directions different people have taken and why.  Until tomorrow then…happy shooting!

The tripod is probably one of the most basic and easy-to-understand pieces of equipment in a photographer’s gear bag – yet likely one of the least used.  I can’t tell you the number of times (myself included) I have heard someone utter “Argh!  I left my tripod back in my car!”  We’ve all done it, so the question becomes one of how to ensure you take the tripod with you.  The answer lies in making the right investment the first time.

FOr me, the first investment (because we all invariably try this route first), was a cheap an economical one from Wal-Mart for roughly $20.  I was quickly disavowed of its ability to support even a Canon XT with a 70-200 lens on it.  I went so far as to weigh down the plastic center column with my gear bag to little avail.  It was just not built for my gear.  Perhaps such a tripod would be good for the P&S crowd, because I would rather not disparage any gear intended to provide an increase in stability.

Anyone who goes to any length to increase their camera stability recognizes the benefit of a tripod.  So many pictures out there can benefit from increased stability – yet they continue to pepper the internet in perpetuity.  So, if you really are strapped for cash – something is better than nothing.  But, if you would like to invest a little in “some legs” (parlance for a tripod among photog-types apparently), then take a look at Bogen/Manfrotto.

Bogen/Manfrotto gear is recognized as one of the industry leaders in tripods, monopods, and camera equipment.  Another serious name in the game is Gitzo, and I’ve heard good things about them too – but for my money, I went with Bogen a few years back in my pursuit of stability.  My choice?  The Bogen 3021BPro:

This set is really sturdy – made of aluminum and an extended eight of nearly 70″ (69.29 technically), this was a great investment for me.  I stand at 6’1″ (73″)  so the height appeal was a major contributing factor.  Cost-wise, it also came in within my range at roughly $150-$200 new.  With quick-clamp leg extensions, and the ability to set up at varying ranges of 25°,  43°, 73° and  90° it was a great investment for me.

With the stability and low price though, came a downside – weight.  The legs themselves weigh in at a little over 5 lbs, but I did not plan on being very mobile with the set.  So, it was a great starter set for me.  The reason why I said “set” though is because any good tripod also needs a good head.  You’ll notice from the inserted image that the legs have a lonely screwmount at the top.  This does not give you much mobility for the camera when attached, so you really need to also invest in a head.

The head attaches to the tripod, and then in turn attaches to your camera and allows you a little more flexibility in moving the camera position around to get the right angle on your shot.  There are many types of heads including trigger mounts, ball heads, and pan-and-tilt heads.  Rather than get into an extensive discussion of the various heads as well, here it’s sufficient to say I chose the ballhead route.  Specifically, I went with the Bogen 488RC2.

This is super nice because it allows you to pivot your camera around very easy and go from landscape to portrait mode in a snap.  Also nice is the fact that the head comes with a quick-release plate, basically allowing you to go mobile from your stationary tripod in a snap.  I’ll go into the various heads and how they work in some future post.  For here though, I got the ehad at about $120, so for less than $300 total, I had a pretty decent workhorse for a tripod/head set.   Here again, the only downside I can think of is weight.  The head also weighs in at 1.5 lbs so I am getting near 7 lbs of tripod weight total.  It doesn’t sound like much, but if you’ve tried lugging a tripod/head combo around on a photowalk, it can get pretty heavy pretty quick if you don’t have some strapped method for carrying it while walking or traveling.  For the most part though, it’s lasted me well and worked gloriously – when I remember to take it out of my car!

Eventually I will probably either upgrade this set of legs to the more lightweight, yet also sturdy, carbon fiber material that is becoming more cost effective.  At the time when I got this set, carbon fiber was very new on the scene, and thus very expensive.  As we see the presence of carbon fiber increase in the market place, the price has also come down some.  Not a lot, but enough for me to start considering it.  In all likelihood, I could see myself hanging on to this set for studio or location work while also adding to the gear bag with the more lightweight carbon fiber legs for on-the-go types of photography.

All in all though – if you don’t have a set of legs, this would be an excellent starter set.  For under $300 your pictures will undoubtedly see marked improvement – that’s assuming of course you don’t forget the gear in your car!  Happy shooting all and we’ll see you back here again tomorrow!