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Author Topic: Camera Tripod Recommendation  (Read 16901 times)

UncleUB

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Camera Tripod Recommendation
« on: August 24, 2009, 08:52:42 AM »

Hi all.

I am first of all looking for a tripod for my Sony A200.Reason: to be able to take dusk/night landscape photos.

I want something that is quite tall,as I am 6.2" and can't bend too far,and also cost is a paramount feature.I know I will be only able to consider the cheaper end of the market.
I have see this..........

http://www.mymemory.co.uk/Tripods/Hama/Hama-Star-63-Tripod

Any thoughts or advice............

Oh and can anyone give me tips and advice for night time landscape photography..........
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tuftedduck

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Re: Camera Tripod Recommendation
« Reply #1 on: August 24, 2009, 09:24:49 AM »

That tripod is well worth a look...........it is a decent compromise between stability and cost, especially when you consider that it is something that you would not be using everyday.......so no need to buy the top flight jobs, match your budget to your usage. Also, it is light enough to be carried around and as long as you are not trying to use it on extreme terrain it should do fine......you can add extra stability by hanging something heavyish (a six pack ?  ;D or camera bag or a plastic back full of stones etc) on that hook at the bottom of the centre column

Will have a look at the alternatives within your budget and see what there is.

The prime rule in buying a tripod ( at least the aluminium ones, carbon fibre is a different story) is that it should be at least as heavy as the heaviest load you intend to put on it...........so get the Sony and the heaviest lens you have and weigh, that will give you a good guide.
If you go to have a look at that or other tripods in Jessops or wherever, take that camera/lens combo with you if possible and try it for size.........make sure there is no wobble when the camera is loaded and.......important........with you longest lens on board and extended to it's fullest, make sure that the tripod is stonge enough to support it without the camera/lens combo drooping and you lens slowly rotating until it is pointing at the ground.
Also make sure that you can get your eye to the eyepiece without getting yourself snagged up on the pan and tilt control arms which on some can protrude a fair bit ( there is nothing to stop you have these arms point to the side or front if it keeps them out your face and as long as they don't appear in the pic.)

Night landscape is generally the same as day in terms of composition etc.
There is a temptation at night to crank up the ISO rating to it's highest in order to allow shorter shutter speeds, but that can lead to very bad digital noise.....better to leave the setting at its lowest and allow for a longer shutter speed.
At night, leave the flash off.
Once your camera is on tripod, composition settled, exposure settings agreed on, it's time to fire the shutter...........and that is when you can get camera wobble and blurry pics......and on a longish exposure time that is going to get worse so the idea is to reduce that as much as possible, which is why a lot of folks fire the shutter by means of a cable release which allows you to do the firing without actually touching the camera ( and it is shaky hands that causes most blurry pics). Now, I suspect that you do not have such a gizmo but there is a way to do a hands free shooting........and its free and built into the camera.... ;D............the self timer function.!
You can set the camera using that to allow a few seconds delay between pressing the shutter button and the shutter actually firing....a few seconds in which the vibration caused by your hands will die off. So, set self timer...press button...hands off and stand back...camera fires when nice and steady.

For night pics one of the best accessories to have is a little torch....makes the fiddling around changing lenses etc much easier.
« Last Edit: August 24, 2009, 09:34:57 AM by tuftedduck »
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UncleUB

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Re: Camera Tripod Recommendation
« Reply #2 on: August 24, 2009, 09:30:42 AM »

Excellent advice as always TD  :)

Just seen the Hama Star 63 @ Tesco Direct for ............£8.97  :swoon: + £5 delivery = £13.97

http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.203-9465.aspx
« Last Edit: August 24, 2009, 09:34:15 AM by UncleUB »
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tuftedduck

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Re: Camera Tripod Recommendation
« Reply #3 on: August 24, 2009, 09:37:25 AM »

I've just added an extra wee bit in the first paragraph ... :)

Nice price at Tesco  :thumbs:

Just had a look at the spec.........it extends to a maximum of 166 Cms (what that is in real money I have no idea  :-[) with the centre column at full stretch (remember that a full column will be a bitty more prone to wobble than will be an unextended one.. ) which is about par for the course within this price range.
« Last Edit: August 24, 2009, 09:49:36 AM by tuftedduck »
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UncleUB

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Re: Camera Tripod Recommendation
« Reply #4 on: August 24, 2009, 10:02:27 AM »

Quote
it extends to a maximum of 166 Cms (what that is in real money I have no idea

166cm = 65"(5.3")

I have seen this Giotto one,a little bit more expensive.........hows it compare to the Hama

http://www.collegecameras.co.uk/Giottos-VT809-Tripod-p-1352.html
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tuftedduck

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Re: Camera Tripod Recommendation
« Reply #5 on: August 24, 2009, 10:25:00 AM »

The two are much of a muchness and neither is better than the other.

The Giotto has a carry handle on the column, but the Hama comes with a carry/protective bag. The Hama has a built in spirit level which can be handy in getting straight horizons etc.

The max heights on the two are about the same..............and I think that within your budget you will not get one much taller than that unless it is so wobbly as to be useless............to get something solid at 6 feet or so takes you into the £100+ bracket. :(
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scottiesmum

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Re: Camera Tripod Recommendation
« Reply #6 on: August 24, 2009, 10:25:30 AM »

I really enjoy all the photo questions  ... and TD's replies   !   I have a special folder called  " TD's Photo Class "  and whenever I see one of your  'gems'   I copy and paste it   .....    :)   for future reference!

Merci TD  !  :)
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UncleUB

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Re: Camera Tripod Recommendation
« Reply #7 on: August 24, 2009, 10:42:24 AM »

Quote
to get something solid at 6 feet or so takes you into the £100+ bracket.

I thought as much,

but tbh,as this will be my first tripod and wil only be used now and then I think (hope) the Hama will suffice my needs. :)

Thanks for all your time and trouble TD,very much appreciated.  :thumbs:
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tuftedduck

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Re: Camera Tripod Recommendation
« Reply #8 on: August 24, 2009, 10:52:51 AM »

I think that is a wise move unkyUb........the Hama should do just fine, all things considered. Only time will tell if the lower height causes you problems...and if it does, it has not cost you a fortune ( hope Sue and Blue agree with that  :D)

As a side issue, I see so many pics taken from eye-level that it is refreshing to see ones taken when kneeling or lying down ......much nicer perspective, although of course not always possible.

No time or trouble, it's a pleasure to try and help.  :)

@ scottiesmum........aw, shucks  :blush:


Oh, almost forgot......unkyUb I'm thinking back to that lovely flower image that you posted in the "printer recommendation" thread. I pinched that  :-[............according to the imprinted metada on that pic., it was shot in sRGB colour mode. It would be an advantage if you are going to print your pics to go into your camera menu and alter the colour space to RGB 1998..............you'll get even more colour rendition, a wider range of colour nuance and a wider range of detail... ;)

sRGB is fine for the web, RGB1998 is better for printing.
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UncleUB

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Re: Camera Tripod Recommendation
« Reply #9 on: August 24, 2009, 10:59:31 AM »

Quote
Oh, almost forgot......unkyUb I'm thinking back to that lovely flower image that you posted in the "printer recommendation" thread. I pinched that   :-[ according to the imprinted metada on that pic., it was shot in sRGB colour mode. It would be an advantage if you are going to print your pics to go into your camera menu and alter the colour space to RGB 1998..............you'll get even more colour rendition, a wider range of colour nuance and a wider range of detail   ;)

sRGB is fine for the web, RGB1998 is better for printing.


Thanks TD,will have to have delve into the camera settings......... ???  Which menu would that come under.?

No problems with the flower photo TD,call it a present from the 'printer guru' to the 'camera guru'  :lol:
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tuftedduck

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Re: Camera Tripod Recommendation
« Reply #10 on: August 24, 2009, 11:27:49 AM »

 :D

>>Which menu would that come under<<<

Page 88 in the user manual..............which seems to suggest that RGB1998 is the deafult setting (good)..........
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UncleUB

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Re: Camera Tripod Recommendation
« Reply #11 on: August 24, 2009, 12:20:33 PM »

Quote
Page 88 in the user manual..............which seems to suggest that RGB1998 is the deafult setting (good).

Thats good then,one less thing to tax my brain.. :D

Just had a go with the self timer.... :thumbs:

You'll make a photographer of me yet... ;D
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tuftedduck

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Re: Camera Tripod Recommendation
« Reply #12 on: August 24, 2009, 12:34:32 PM »

>>>Just had a go with the self timer....<<<

Living dangerously now, unkyUb.... :D
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BritBrat

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Re: Camera Tripod Recommendation
« Reply #13 on: August 24, 2009, 02:10:37 PM »

Shooting night shots:

If your camera has a B (bulb) option just get a mat black card and with camera on a tripod on the lowest ISO put the card in front of the lens.

When you are ready to take the photo remove the card from the front and replace it when the time you allow has expired.

Reset for next frame and increase/decrease the times (bracket exposure)

When it comes to fireworks do the same thing but this time remove the card when a firework goes up and replace card over the front of lens (no need to touch the lens/camera) and try and visualise the position it was in the photo, wait for another to go up in another area of the frame and remove the card again giving two exposures on one frame.

The advantage is you do not touch the camera and introduce and shake.

You could also use a lapse timer if the times are quite fast.
« Last Edit: August 24, 2009, 02:15:36 PM by BritBrat »
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tuftedduck

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Re: Camera Tripod Recommendation
« Reply #14 on: August 24, 2009, 02:24:05 PM »

The problem with the bulb setting is that you must have the means of holding the shutter open and then, once it has  done it's thing, closing it.
That's fine if you have a cable release..........which unkyUb does not have hence my not mentioning bulb in my earlier posts.

All and any of my posts in answer to photo questions posed by unkyUb are tempered by my knowledge of the equipment he has to hand.

Having said that, and assuming that a cable release is to hand, then your ideas and suggestions are of course perfectly valid. :)
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