THE MISSION
Get better shots with your tripod and understand how to use it to its full potential
Time needed 15 minutes
Skill level Beginner
Kit needed A dedicated photographic tripod
It’d be easy to assume that a tripod is just a tripod, right? Well, you may be in for a surprise! As the years go on, pro-level photography tripods get ever more advanced, adding even more useful features.
Cheap budget tripods that cost around £30 are generally made for video, you can tell this from the way the legs are usually bound for extra stability. They also typically come with a pan/tilt head for smoother tracking when recording, but they’re really not the best choice for photography.
Dedicated photography tripods usually start at around £80 and are well worth investing in. Look for one that has unbound legs with adjustable leg angles and also that comes with a ball or 3-way head, depending on your preference. You can then go up the range looking for other features you may desire, such as a reversible centre column, a lightweight carbon fibre build, or a higher maximum load they claim to be able to bear.
Tripods are fantastic tools for landscapes, as they allow you to lock the camera off to remove camera-shake from hand-holding. They also allow you to shoot with a slower shutter speed, so you can turn moving parts of your scene like clouds, into a blur.
Now you know what a pro photo tripod is, here’s how to get the best out of them!
This story is from the October 2020 edition of PhotoPlus : The Canon Magazine.
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This story is from the October 2020 edition of PhotoPlus : The Canon Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
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