WHAT'S IN MY BAG? EPISODE 4

Now that I have my camera body, lens and memory card, I can go out shooting. But one of the other things photographers need (in addition to the above) is a good tripod. Not because we are lazy but because the human body moves. Even when you try to be still, you still move. "Camera shake" is one of the most common reasons for blurry photographs. So before you blame your camera, maybe you should invest in a tripod?
But which tripod should you invest in? Well.. everybody is different. Not what you want to hear, right? It's OK there are a couple of rules of thumb to go by -

• Firstly, make sure your tripod head (the part that your camera sits on) is able to support your cameras weight.
• Secondly, and it might sound silly but, sometimes a heavier tripod is better than a lighter one. Especially when the wind picks up. Your tripod is next to useless if it can't stand up.
• Finally - how easy is it to set-up? Sometimes you will need to set up in a hurry, when the sun is setting or water is flowing and if you can't set-up, you'll miss the shot.

Currently I shoot with a Manfrotto 190xdb 804rc2 tripod kit (pictured left). Whilst it has served me extremely well over the years. It can sometimes be a bit slow to set up which is mainly due to the twist knobs which extends the leg intervals. Some of the other Manfrotto models feature quick release clips, as opposed to the knobs. Much easier! The head can also be a little tricky to level in a hurry, considering you need to level the 3 axis independent of each other. My next purchase will be a "ball head" (eg below). This gives you the ability to set-up and tighten much quicker than the former.

Whilst I cannot specifically recommend a model to get which includes all my wants as I have only experienced 1 tripod and 1 head. I can recommend Manfrotto as a brand, after having mine for a number of years. And believe when I tell you - I have given mine a thorough workout. It even spends a lot of time in my car boot, on the way to shoots, getting thrown around and it is in awesome shape.
Check out some of the Manfrotto tripods and find the one that suits you.
Questions? Let me know.
Catchya
Josh :)