Do you take a tripod?
 

I am a total camera novice who just bought a new camera and is taking classes and reading to educate myself. My goal is to take some beautiful travel photography during our trip to Greece and Turkey. I would like to take lots of photos of the various mosques and other structures that are illuminated at night as well as some sunrise and sunset photos. I have seen some very small, lightweight tripods. Am I crazy to think about taking one?

I know that there are several camera pros on this forum as well as others who take travel photography seriously. Do you take a tripod? Thanks.

Hi M,

>I would like to take lots of photos of the various mosques and other structures that are illuminated at night ...

In general, commercial picture postcards ar much better for this.

I bring a cheapy, lightweight tripod, but very rarely use it.

My camera is a Canon S3 with Image Stabilization.

If your camera doesn't have IS, you will want a tripod.

((I))

I don't use a tripod traveling. You can get creative and rest your camera on a post or fence or whatever for night shots.

No, I've never taken a tripod when traveling. Just too much weight and bulk.

Now, I use lenses with image stabilization. Before, I put my camera on railings, hold it against poles, etc.

I have a Canon mini tripod with a flexible head and 4" legs that I use with both the DSLR and point-and-shoot cameras. It takes up almost no room in my purse. I don't use it a lot, but it has come in handy on a few occasions, particularly at night or for darker interiors.

I am a serious amatuer photographer. Whenever I travel overseas and have the convenience of a car, I bring a tripod. Mine is lightweight and fits into my suitcase.

A tripod is a must if you are doing night photography.

For my upcoming trip, I will not have a car. However, I just bought a lighter weight tripod, Slik, Springt Pro 3 Way at B&H for $85. It comes with a panning head too. It is sturdy enough to hold my Canon 5D with a 24-105 MM lens.

I am also bringing a cable release so I minimize any shake of the camera. This tripod will also fit into my suitcase and weighs 2lbs.

Enjoy your trip and good shooting.

Thanks for you replies. Ira I agree but I want to be able to use my own shots in a slideshow. They may not be perfect but I would like to try.
rkkwan-
I was hoping to hear from you so I know that if you don't take one maybe I will be okay. I will look more closely at some very small options that some of you have suggested. I know that I would only use it rarely if I were to take one but wanted to know what others do. Thank you.

I also have a camera with IS that makes a big difference. I usually don't carry a tripod, but also might suggest a "compromise". I was given as a Christmas present a mimi-tripod. It's about 6" long, and it's 3 legs are flexible. It can wrap around railings, branches, benches, rocks etc and is a great option to the usual larger and heavier tripod. I've seen them in camera shops and they aren't expensive. Just a thought.

What camera did you just buy?

I don't lug my tripod on plane trips. But I do take one of two mini tripods I have. My newest one is a tiny thing from REI that has the normal 3 legs - but also has a velcro strap so you can tie the camera and clodes up tripod to a vertical object. Hard to visualize - but I used it several times in Paris where there was nothing handy to put the tripod on but there were convenient streetlight poles.

This thing weighs almost nothing and is just a terrific little gadget.

Besides the fact that you don't want to be dragging around half the world with a tripod, there are 2 issues:

Many sights don;t allow indoor photography at all - or if they do only without a flash

I'm not aware of any sight that will allow you to set up a tripod for photos unless you have advance permission for some photography for an official purpose

So - if you want to bring one for street photos - or photos at night from a distance - but do;t think you can use them inside museums etc.

i have used the item janisj describes and also found it to be useful.

many times i have found a place to brace the camera against to keep it still. Most of the time the pictures have come out fine.

Thanks all.
rkkwan. I bought a the Canon SD 800IS primarily for the image stabilization. I researched a long time because I wanted something very small. I am hoping that it is enough but I am such a novice. I would not consider using a tripod for anything in a museum or in crowded areas. I will check REI and see what the little guy looks like.

An alternative might be a monopod. Very light and compact. You still have to hold onto the camera but it does help reduce vibration. Not as good as a tripod, but smaller and lighter.

Another alternative I've read in one of my photography books is to carry a small bean bag with you. You can place the bean bag on uneven surfaces or sloped surfaces and create a stable, even surface for the camera. Also helps to protect camera and whatever you may be placing the camera on. Also, it's quicker than attaching even a mini-pod and adjusting legs.

With a SD800IS, you don't need to bring a tripod. Its maximum aperture is f2.8, and with image stabilization, you can handheld inside a museum or church, or take night photos.

A few tips to avoid shakes:

- Keep it at the wider zoom setting. The maximum aperture is larger when set to wide, and you get less motion blur with shorter focal length anyways. With 7.1MP, you can crop the image after you get home, instead of zooming in.

- While there's an auto ISO setting, you may also want to set it manually. At 1600, the image may look more soft, so I think 800 should be fine except at the darkest locations.

- Learn how to hold the camera steadily. Squeeze your elbow against your body is one trick. Hold it with two hands with more of the weight of the camera on your left hand. Press the shutter button lightly and steadily.

If you want to, bring a little tripod which takes up very little room and weighs nothing. Don't bring a real large tripod or monopod.

Image Stabilization and a tripod are not the same. For travel I carry a Giottos Ball Pod - mini mini. Folded it is 4 inch long, weighs 3 oz and expands to about 10". I also carry two, 18" x 1" double sided velcro strips. The strips allows me to attach the tripod very securely to anything that I need to use if I cannot find a high enough flat service. Also carry a remote control trigger so that I can be in some of the pictures or fire the camera when it is mounted.

Image stabilization and tripods of course are not the same thing, but the results are the same - allowing one to use slower shutter speed while still getting good pictures with less shake.

The net effect of both are the same. Unlike higher sensitivity and/or larger apertures. Those give you different results in low-light situation than tripod/IS.

Thanks. I am adding these comments to my notes and will be practicing my bracing techniques.

I would suggest practicing in lowlight settings and see if you are happy with the results you get without a tripod.

Practice techniques like using a bean bag, holding the camera with your elbows tucked into your body, and the others mentioned here.

Another trick is to take the hand you don't hold the camera with (arm 1) and bring it over your front and place it on your shoulder (your elbow will be pointing straight out from your chest). Then, using your other hand (arm 2) to hold the camera and take the photo, let arm 1 support the weight of the camera. You may look a bit odd, but it does help.

With the size of your camera, I don't think you'll feel a tripod is necessary. Just practice, practice, practice in lowlight so you know what the camera and you are capable of.

I don't know if this will work with the SD800, but another trick to get stable shot is to put the camera into continuous mode so you keep the shutter pressed to take 2-3 pictures in a row. The 2nd or 3rd ones often has less shake than then first.

Also, when in doubt, preview your picture with the LCD screen. <b>Zoom in</b> to check, as a picture may look sharp on a small screen, but it's not at normal viewing (on a computer screen or in print).

I researched and bought a Velbon Ultra Maxi S. About double the price of comparable tripods, very light, fits in my messenger bag.

I also have a IS camera but it's not the same thing as using a tripod.

Anyone ever play around with the Night Scene modes on their cameras? Real long shutter speeds and it uses lower ISOs for better picture quality (less noise or snowy grain).

That said, I don't take it everywhere because for one thing, in a lot of interiors, you aren't allowed to use it (or in many cases, even take pictures). Louvre used to let you take pictures but that's changed and more and more museums, which have plenty of ambient light, aren't allowing it.

Almost impossible to find cathedrals or churches which let you use inside.

So I have had to take handheld pictures and I often take several and usually get one good one.

For outdoor shots at night, it definitely helps. I got a lot of good shots of the Eiffel Tower. I also got good shots of one of the Gaudi buildings at night, although someone asked me if I had a license to use a tripod, which I thought was a bizarre notion.

I have not used the Canon SD800IS, but here are some examples of what IS in a compact camera can do. Check out these three pictures taken by my friend using
her 2+ year old Panasonic DMC-FX7. The Canon should be as effective.

She probably left ISO to &quot;auto&quot;, or she would have gotten more stable shots if she had manually set them to higher (800) on some of these:

An interior shot at Chenonceau. Typical of what one will find at a museum. 1/8 sec, ISO 200, f/2.8:

rkkwan.zenfolio.com/p299457843?photo=980447829

Here's one inside the Chartres Cathedral. Also 1/8 sec, ISO 200, f/2.8:

rkkwan.zenfolio.com/p299457843?photo=589909863

This last one from the Eiffel tower. 1 second exposure, but still usable. ISO is 100. Meaning an usable shot can still be gotten if there's 1/8 the amount of light if ISO is 800:

rkkwan.zenfolio.com/p299457843?photo=636007677

You can see how amazing IS is on a compact camera from these pictures, all handheld.

&lt;&lt;This last one from the Eiffel tower. 1 second exposure, but still usable. ISO is 100. Meaning an usable shot can still be gotten if there's 1/8 the amount of light if ISO is 800&gt;&gt;

Don't you mean 1/4 the amount of light? ISO 100 is 4 stops down from ISO 800.

A small compact digital camera can take good night shots - if the person using it learns the techniques and tricks to get around the issues.

I will add that if you are upping the ISO, that it is a good idea to get a noise reduction software program (i.e., noiseninja or neat image) - it will help reduce the noise created by high ISO settings.

ISO 100 is 3 stops from ISO 800. 3 stops is 8x.

Having a camera with IS is not a substitute for a tripod. Image Stabilization is typically useable to about 1/30th. of a second...maybe 1/15th. if you haven't had too much coffee.

And if you're using a pocket point &amp; shoot digital...like the SD800...it's just going to up the ISO when the light goes down, unless you manually set it.

While images may look decent on a computer monitor, they will not enlarge well at all. There's nothing wrong with this, but if you want great quality a tripod is the ticket.

I carry a Leitz tabletop model. It's not large or heavy and usually doesn't draw any protests from officials.

In all honesty, Millebz, if capturing great pictures is important to you, you should invest in a DSLR.

Rkkwan, You're right - I always count the ISO I'm at as the first stop... :( Luckily, I always count the shutter speed and/or aperture I'm on as the first stop also so I usually end up with the right settings... It's amazing how well I can confuse myself sometimes! :)

See, I'm just trying to be as objective and scientific here about IS. I also just looked at some of my own pictures using a Canon dSLR with IS lens taken inside various Italian churches.

In general, I was often using ISO800, f/4, 1/4 second, plus or minus a stop or so.

Now, with a SD800 that has a 28mm (35mm equivalent) wide angle lens, one can reasonably get sharp shots at 1/30sec without IS. I don't know what Canon claimed, but it's probably conservative to say IS is effective for at least 2 stops. So, 1/8 sec is very reasonable (and the shots taken by my friend using her Panasonic shows). The SD800's maximum aperture is f2.8 at the wide end.

Put those together, one can get high percentage of those shots of interiors of churches at 1/8, f/2.8 at ISO800. Noise level at 800 is of course higher than 200 or 400, but still quite usable. Or one can try 1/4, f/2.8 at ISO400.

Yes, for those who need low noise plus razor sharp details at pixel-peeping level, or who's planning to get huge printes, sure they need a tripod. But for general travel photography, IS alone on these compact cameras are quite sufficient. And those links from my friend's camera should indicate it.

I recently bought a tripod on ebay for an upcoming trip. It's very light weight and folds small, comes with a nylon carrying case with a strap so I can hang it over my shoulder. With shipping, the tripod came to $15 -- you can't beat that! And it adjusts to different levels.

I also am going to try the remote control device that came with the camera. Even with a tripod I found a little shake when pressing the button, but between the tripod and the remote shutter release I should get some good night shots. I have a Canon G6 and have been getting some lovely pictures.

I recently bought a &quot;quikpod&quot; with a tripod accessory. Heard about it on this forum. I'm such a sucker for these kinds of things. Don't know if I'll ever have a chance to use it, but the thought intrigued me!

www.quikpod.com/home.asp

what you can do if you're using a tripod is use the self-timer. All cameras should have a 10-sec timer but many have 5 or 2-sec timers.

Most camera manufacturers say IS will add 2-3 stops over non-IS. In the end, though, IS will only help if the user learns how to use the camera properly.

Luvtotravel - the G6 is one of the best of the prosumers. I upgraded to the Rebel XT from the G6 a few years back. One thing about the cheap tripods is that they don't always hold up well. While it expands to a good height, watch out for balance - often, if they are extended fully, they can't support the camera and topple over with the slightest touch. It should work for what you need, but be prepared. If the balance isn't great, you can hang a bag of pebbles, marbles, etc. from the center column to increase the stability a bit. Also, watch the legs and center column for cracks and breaks (even if it's OK at first - some crack easily), and make sure the leg locks hold up under pressure (some can't support the weight of the camera).

I recommend practicing at home, with and without the tripod. You can always bring a compact/lightweight tripod, then just leave it in the room if it's more trouble than it's worth.

I'm afraid, Milliebz, that there is no technological shortcut or substitue or camera basics.

To get clear, sharp images of static subjects in low light, the camera must be steady. The best way to do this is on a tripod. The best quality will come from an ISO that is no higher than 100 or 200 tops. ISO 800 on ANY point &amp; shoot digital is dreadful, especially in the shadow areas of your shot.

If you don't want to carry a tripod, place your camera on something solid, set the ISO to the lowest setting provided on your camera, and use the self-timer to take the shot. You should also turn the flash off.

I have some tips on using pocket cameras on my site here: http://www.jimtardio.com/olympus-epic.html.

Have fun &amp; good luck.

Take your tripod out and take some &quot;tourist&quot; shots of your home town at night, and see how you like the results. Even if it's just a local strip mall or something; try many different exposure settings and try to get some pictures. Getting good ones is a skill, and requires much practice. If you find you can't get the kind of results you're proud of, skip them. If you can, this practice will be invaluable.

The quickpod isn't very useful for low light; it's designed to take pictures of yourself, or above crowds, but doesn't brace or stabilize (unless I'm missing something). There are alternatives, though: the mini-tripod (six inches or less in folded length; the bean bag, especially &quot;The Pod&quot;, which is a bean bag with tripod mount screw in it, to hold your camera on it; and the weird &quot;Monster Pod&quot; which sticks to ANYTHING (including window glass, walls, signs, etc.) for long enough to get a shot off.

Your practice should tell you if these things, which will work great up to exposures too long to hand-hold (like 1/4 of a second to a second), are enough, or whether you want a proper travel tripod, which will get you into the long-exposure range (half-minute or longer).

I just looked up the Monster Pod on the net and found this review:

http://www.ephotozine.com/equipment/...fm?test_id=519

I almost don't believe the picture of it attached to the tree! Looks like a really cool product, but I would be wary of attaching a larger SLR camera to it. Great for small point and shoot models though.

Thank you all so much. You have been fabulous and I have a lot of studying and practicing to do. Your information has been very, very helpful to me. I wish I had started this much earlier but I am going to give it my best shot.
rkkwan - Great photos!

Jim:

I don't know about milliebz, but I sure got a lot out of the site you sent us to. Your shots are wonderful and the advice helpful.

I use a Sony digital camera because it was one of the few &quot;point and shoot&quot; digital cameras that allowed me to add a wide angle lens, which I need for business. I don't get the kind of detail or color that you do from your lumix though. Are those straight from the camera without any Photoshop or other manipulation (which would be okay, but more work)? If using a tripod helps with the focus, I should start using one. Great shots!

Postcards are pictures of someone else's trip. If you want your own nightshots, you will need some type of stabilization device.

In Europe, I carry a large minipod. It is about a foot long when collapsed and extends to about two feet when unfolded. I have one that is even smaller. It is great for my Coolpix, but I never use it with my SLR.

Minipods should not be used in the &quot;traditional&quot; tripod fashion (i.e., sitting upright on the ground). Instead, open the legs and press the minipod sideways against a wall or post. The purpose of a minipod is not to support your camera, but to stabilize it. You can support the camera yourself, but you cannot stabilize it sufficiently for a high clarity nightshot.

This works beautifully. It also allows you to take pictures in museums and cathedrals where flash and tripods are not allowed. In these places, tripods are discouraged because they are in the way. Holding a minipod against a post does not interfere with other tourists.

If you decide to buy a tripod or minipod, the one essential is a swivel or ball-joint head. The type that require three levers for each plane of rotation are practically useless when you need to shoot fast.

Glad you found my site useful, Leburta.

With the Lumix I shoot in raw format. In Photoshop I tweak the curves a bit which adds contrast and then I apply some sharpening, which is necessary when shooting in raw.

That's about it. A tripod won't help with the focus. It only keeps the camera from moving. What you focus on is up to you.