Tripods

Tripods

Recently, some have said that advancements in image stabilisation in the latest mirrorless cameras means we simply don’t need tripods any more. Any serious photographer will happily tell you that this simply is not true. While optical stabilisation systems are powerful enough to allow for much slower hand-held shutter speeds than were previously possible, a good tripod enables pin-sharp shots at absolutely any speeds. With a tripod, you can leave the shutter open for longer than 30 seconds and still get a sharp image – stabilisation cannot compare.

There are many reasons you might want to keep your camera still and steady for an extended period of time. As touched upon already, long exposures are a big one. If you want to create images with super-smooth water or elongated traffic trails, or gather a lot of light for a shot of the night sky, a tripod is essential for supporting the camera throughout the process. You may also want to take an extended sequence of shots from the same position, either for a time-lapse or to merge them together to create an HDR image.

Tripods are also useful for smooth panning – moving the camera in a sweeping horizontal motion. This is a technique with many different applications – it can be used to stitch images together for a wide panorama, to capture fast subjects in motion like speeding cars or planes, or for filmmakers to introduce movement to their footage.

Tripods are predominantly constructed from aluminium, carbon fibre or in some cases magnesium alloy. Aluminium tripods are generally the most affordable – it’s a strong and lightweight material that doesn’t break easily. Carbon fibre is lighter and can take more weight, however it’s more expensive to produce (and therefore to buy) than aluminium. Some tripods also have parts constructed from aerospace-grade magnesium alloy, which is exceptionally strong.

When choosing a tripod, you’ll want to take a look at its key specs to make sure they’ll suit the needs of your kit. All tripods will have a maximum load capacity, and if you’re using a heavy setup (e.g. a pro DSLR with a heavy telephoto lens) it’s important to make sure the tripod can take it. You’ll also want to look at the weight of the tripod itself and how small it folds down, to check that it's something you’ll be comfortable carrying.

Some tripods also have specialist features like a removable central column or leg that can double up as a monopod, or a reversible central column that lets you put the camera very close to the ground for macro shooting. Lastly, you may also want to pick up a good tripod head for additional support and flexibility.

View Our Awards »