Tripods page 24

What is a tripod stand?

A tripod is a type of stand consisting of three legs which, in combination with a tripod head, controls the stability and weight of photo and video cameras. This makes the tripod very suitable for making close-ups with telephoto lenses, where every movement has a major impact on the end result. With the tripod, the sturdy construction of aluminium or carbon and easy to stabilise legs allows an image to be captured several times with exactly the same frame, which is useful for macro photography and telephoto photography.

Suitable for every working height

A great advantage of the tripod is that it is available in every size and model and can therefore be used for various purposes. Tripods are adjustable in height with the legs and via the central pillar and can therefore be provided with the right working height for both working with a camera with a wide-angle lens or a telephoto lens. It is therefore possible low above the ground to record an animal in the distance with a tripod, but also to capture at eye level the skyline of a city. As well as adjustable models, there are also tripods available which are small in size and can be taken on a trip more easily. These travel tripods are usually supplied by brands such as JOBY en Manfrotto.

Load capacity

Since tripods can offer an added value for all types of photography, the weight that they can bear varies considerably. Tripods with a load capacity up to 1 kg can for instance easily be carried in a coat or trouser pocket and are therefore intended for the small mirrorless cameras, compact cameras and certain action cams. With a load capacity of up to 5 kg, many tripods can function very well and already offer support for the heavier SLR cameras and video cameras with various lenses. With a load capacity of up to 20 kg, professional video cameras, range finder cameras and SLR cameras with heavy telephoto lenses can be supported. The costs for the tripods gradually increase from less than €20 for the tripods with a low load capacity to prices above €700 for the firm quality tripods. So make sure that you buy a tripod that can bear the weight of your camera and any lenses.

Flexible legs

When you choose a tripod, there are models to be found with both flexible and fixed legs. Flexible legs are bendable and can be rotated in every angle and position and clamped to an object. The advantage of this is that you can make a photo or video from every angle, a disadvantage is that the stability quickly decreases. Fixed legs can often be adjusted in various places, but always keep their stability because they cannot be bent. Especially for applications with heavier cameras and lenses, a tripod with fixed legs is necessary, in order to be able to take photos both level and with complete stability.   

Support for various tripod heads

At the top of the tripod the head is attached and the camera can be connected to this. Some tripods are supplied including tripod head, but for other models it has to be purchased separately. There are tripod heads in various designs and models, the ball head and the tilt-pan head are very common. The functionalities differ per head and range from pivotable, rotatable to models with a spirit level. For our tripod heads more information can be found about the various types and their possibilties.