Tripod and it's uses

[dana44]

Okay, I seem to be at a delima here.. Since I use a 80-200MM lense alot, I have to put up with Camera shake alot, I am very stable when it comes to my hands but no matter what I seem to be getting camera shake bad, I've tried upping the shutter speed only to get darker pictures (I am still need to complete manual photography)

I thought about getting a tripod, but problem is, I am constantly moving from one place to another taking pictures of things, I am never in one spot... and sometimes I don't have a place to set a tripod

So my question is, how many of you use tripods when using the bigger lense (200mm and up), how do you avoid getting camera shake? or what tripods do you recommend on a small budget?

Thanks

 

[Andy K]

Have you considered a monopod? Small enough to carry anywhere. I shot the attached photographs handheld on a monopod. As I recall exposures were all between 1/2s to 1sec or slower.

 

[jstraw]

Handholding a 200 should be manageable at shutter speeds 1/125th and up for most people. If you're getting "darker pictures" I have to ask if you understand the basics of exposure and reciprocity.

 

[dana44]

Handholding a 200 should be manageable at shutter speeds 1/125th and up for most people. If you're getting "darker pictures" I have to ask if you understand the basics of exposure and reciprocity.

To be brutality Honest... Not really.. I just got into photography.. well, no really.. Just using manual camera.. My first camera was digital.. So I kind of lack knowledge, I have a basic photography book coming soon I hope.

Yea, I feel out of place here now for posting such stuff.

 

[Soeren]

I use my tripod alot both with 35mm and MF. I started doing Macro and close ups where the use of tripods is a must so its kind of second nature for me not only with the long lenses. I use a Manfrotto 055 with a 141 head.
I also move around when out photographing and I don't find lugging the tripod around annoying enough to leave it home.
There are some alternatives to tripods depending on your shooting style, one is the monopod and another is the DIY VR (or IS for Canon users) A cord with a loop round your lens and another for your feet. Tighten it up and you stabilize your camera to a certain extend. the string can also be used around trees and poles etc.
If shooting close to the ground you could use a beanbag wich would also be useable on surfaces above.
The added benefit of the tripod is its slowing you down and making you work more with your compositions resulting in better pics.
Cheers
Søren

 

[Claire Senft]

I use a tripod almost all the time. It is as useful for wideangles photos as it is for telephotos. Almost all of what I photograph is stationary. With a heavy 200mm lens perhaps you may get close to what a tripod allows with a shutter speed of 1/2000th of a second or shorter.

For me, a tripod has two primary uses: A device to aid composition, A device to stabilize the camera.

35mm, I believe, gets more benefit from a very stable tripod than do the larger film sizes. A tripod that is well designed of 8x10 use with a very strong tripod head is about what I would consider best for 35mm usage.

Save your money until you can afford a good used tripod such as Gitzo, Majestic or Reis..8x10 models.

 

[Andy K]

To be brutality Honest... Not really.. I just got into photography.. well, no really.. Just using manual camera.. My first camera was digital.. So I kind of lack knowledge, I have a basic photography book coming soon I hope.

Yea, I feel out of place here now for posting such stuff.

You are not out of place here! EVERYONE was a beginner once.

 

[mark]

DOn't worry we all had to start somewhere.

A mono pod would be great for what you do.

You might think about looking into a community college class to help you figure out your camera. best to have someone there to help as you learn he basics of aperature and shutter speed. It really is a visual thing.

 

[reellis67]

With a long lens like that, you can easily get camera shake problems. The further from the film plane the front of the lens is, the more shake becomes a problem. First, try to stabilize the front end of the lens when shooting at slower speeds (below 1/125th). If you are hand-holding, put one hand at the very end of the lens and one on the camera itself - this should help with stability greatly.

As for adjusting the shutter speed, once you have a known exposure - say 1/125th @ f/11 - when you move one setting smaller on the shutter speed dial you must move one setting higher on the aperture dial in order to keep the same amount of light hitting the film (and vice versa). So if you wanted to go to 1/250th (one stop LESS exposure) you would then move your aperture one stop to compensate - f/8 instead of f/11 (one stop MORE exposure). The same goes for the other direction - if you wanted to shoot at 1/60th (one stop MORE exposure) you would then go to f/16 (one stop LESS exposure) on the aperture dial. One step either way in shutter speed equals one step *in the other direction* on the aperture dial.

As for a tripod, I've found that the lighter versions that you find the most camera shops actualy worsen shake problems because they are not stable enough. Wait until you can get a tripod with some heft to it and stay away from camera shop brand names in general in preference to the well known brands as listed above. I have a Bogen 3001 leg set with a 3-way head that works very well for all formats up to 4x5, but it cost some bucks, even 20 years ago when I bought it.

Hope that helps somewhat.

- Randy

 

[jstraw]

To be brutality Honest... Not really.. I just got into photography.. well, no really.. Just using manual camera.. My first camera was digital.. So I kind of lack knowledge, I have a basic photography book coming soon I hope.

Yea, I feel out of place here now for posting such stuff.

No worries...we were all beginners. I just didn't want to talk down to you if you were already familiar with reciprocity.

Basically, without giving the whole tutorial, exposure is your aperture (f-stop) and your shutter speed. Fast shutter speeds let in light for less time, slower shutter speeds let in light for more time. Aperture is the size of the opening that lets light in. A larger number indicates a smaller opening and vice versa.

Your exposre is how big is the opening and for for how long is it open. If you open it for less time, you need to open it wider for the same amount of light to reach your film (and vice versa).

The relationship where you increase or decrease exposure time by x f-stops and increase or decrease aperture by x f-stops is called reciprocity. One stop less exposure time means you need one stop more exposure aperture.

When you make these adjustments you will learn the relationship between aperture and depth of field but that's another topic.

 

[Andy K]

and another is the DIY VR (or IS for Canon users) A cord with a loop round your lens and another for your feet. Tighten it up and you stabilize your camera to a certain extend. the string can also be used around trees and poles etc.

See attachment...

 

[reellis67]

Andy, great picture of the 'museum' tripod as I call it. This works great for places that do not allow tripods but do allow cameras.

- Randy