Is a tripod a vital piece of equipment ???

[Mega]

At the moment i have the very basic 'essential' equipment,my original thought last year was going down the wildlife/outdoor niche,so with this in mind i wanted to travel as light as possible so i chose a 'monopod' it may not be the best option or as steady as a tripod but so much lighte and also much better than hand held.

But althou a mono is pretty steady i am finding that you can still move just when you are going to take the picture,so do i carry on and try and master the stabilty issue with a mono or try and find a very lightweight tripod that can fold down to a small package to carry in my back pack.

Still cannot choose between the 2 options,well i am aware which is more steadier but cannot fathom a way to get around the weight of a tripod.

Does anyone have any suggestions ???

 

[Kelley (Texas)]

The link below should answer your question. One suggestion, please do not buy a light weight tripod, buy a heavy tripod that will add stability so that it will be more difficult to knock the equipment over. It does not need to be one of the high priced tripods, just a good, well constructed middle of the road tripod.

I happen to have both a tripod and monopod and probably use the tripod the most for my type of photography.

http://www.better-digital-photo-tips.com/monopod-vs-tripod.html

 

[DavefromCt]

I don't like using tripods because they seem to keep me from taking spontaneous photos, BUT I think they are definitely a necessary piece of equipment for certain types of shots.....I have a big heavy expensive one I do set up on rare occasions. One type I've heard of, even though is lightweight for carrying into the field, has a feature for hanging a bag of water or sand from the bottom center point of the tripod for extra weight when you need it. That way you can carry a lightweight tripod and still make it more stable out in the field.

 

[Nauti]

Hi Mega,some companies make a 2 in 1 tripod that does both jobs.I think a company called revolve used to make one that weighed under 4lbs.It is basically a tripod with a removable center section that acts as monopod and can even be turned upside down within the tripod legs so you can easily take photos close to the ground.
As a basic rule though I would say Kelly is correct,a good sturdy tripod will give you the ultimate stability and ensure wildlife shots are at their sharpest,but good teqhnique with a monopod will also give great results.
Generally,i carry a manfrotto compact monopod screwed to my camera at all times when taking wildlife shots.I find this set up really quick when photo opportunities arise and I have practised with it enough to be quite steady when taking photos.It also helps to have a fast lens as well which helps to freeze the action on moving subjects such as birds etc.The photo below was shot using a monopod and fast aperture proving you can get half decent shots if you practice with a mono.

 

[Mega]

Hi Mega,some companies make a 2 in 1 tripod that does both jobs.I think a company called revolve used to make one that weighed under 4lbs.It is basically a tripod with a removable center section that acts as monopod and can even be turned upside down within the tripod legs so you can easily take photos close to the ground.
As a basic rule though I would say Kelly is correct,a good sturdy tripod will give you the ultimate stability and ensure wildlife shots are at their sharpest,but good teqhnique with a monopod will also give great results.
Generally,i carry a manfrotto compact monopod screwed to my camera at all times when taking wildlife shots.I find this set up really quick when photo opportunities arise and I have practised with it enough to be quite steady when taking photos.It also helps to have a fast lens as well which helps to freeze the action on moving subjects such as birds etc.

Neil,some great information,planning on a visit to the Lake District in a few weeks time in the 4x4 and try and get to some location that most folks cannot get too,trouble is the weight of a tripod when walking could take its toll when i also carry a back pack as well.

Good point about the lens speed,the lens on my Fuji is 24-720 which should cover most needs,i just plan on carrying the very basics without all the extra weight and cost of massives amount of camera equipment.Keep it basic,keep it simple but enjoying myself using the camera is the No1 priority.

 

[Nauti]

Do you live over here......i'm in north Devon.
I use a panasonic fz200 for most of my nature shots......it goes up to 600mm but more importantly it has a 2.8 aperture throughout it's zoom range.This allows high shutter speeds and lower iso's which is great for nature shots,even in lower light situations.

 

[Mega]

Neil,yep i am not all that far from St Albans

 

[Mega]

Well i ordered a light weight but sturdy tripod this morning,so should be here early next week,nothing bulky with the idea of being able to carry it whilw i am out walking,sometimes i like nothing better just to take my truck off road into places that normal folks cannot gain entry,these type of places are what i am looking for mainly for either wildlife shots or scenary.

At this stage i dont think i require anything else,maybe a slightly better camera bag to carry my essentials,then its just a matter of getting out and enjoying myself.

 

[Mega]

Well my tripod arrived this morning,it cost me peanuts for a new one of Ebay,was not expecting much but it will do exactly what i want from a tripod and much more.Its light and compact so that i can carry it if need be in my back pack with the monopod,these are the main bulk items that i plan on carrying apart from the obvious camera and bumbag to keep the basic batteries and cards in.

Trouble is the weather has chnged for the worse over the weekend after a stunning week,if it breaks at any time i could well then get out foe a short while and try and take some pictures.