Choosing a Tripod or Monopod

The best photographers know the merits of a good tripod. Other photographers try their best to avoid them, because they don’t like the weight, or the bulk, or the they just can’t see the point.

With any camera, even the best, you’ll never be able to hand hold as steady as a tripod can. With even the fastest lenses, you’ll always encounter situations where you could use some support to shoot at slower shutter speeds. Sometimes the very point is to shoot at low shutter speeds.

The rule of thumb is that you can hand hold a camera so long as the shutter speed is (1/focal-length). So if you’re shooting with a 50mm lens, 1/50 is about as slow as you should go. At 300mm, 1/300 should be your minimum. This is because when you zoom out, you increase the magnification of the subject, but also the magnification of any camera movement. Anything slower than this speed, and you should lock the camera down somehow. If you don’t, you run the risk of blurriness due to camera shake.

That’s where a tripod and monopods come in.

I have my own opinions as to the best brands, based on seeing them stand up to years of student abuse. The features from brand to brand may vary, but the best tripod makers let you match the legs with a head of your choosing.

Monopods

A monopod is a single leg, which you can attach to the bottom of the camera. Some also let you attach heads to it. The most obvious difference between tripods and monopods are that you need to hold a monopod in place, whereas a tripod can be left to stand on its own. Because of this, a monopod is less stable than a tripod, but still more stable than hand holding. They’re also lighter and less bulky - so backpackers and hikers like them. A good monopod can also double as a hiking pole. In fact, some hiking poles have the facility to double as a monopod.

Tripod Legs

You want tripod legs that are going to fit your needs as a photographer. Those that are light and flexible will be easier to carry, but may shiver in the wind if you plan to shoot outdoors. Those that are heavier will accomodate a bigger camera and lens, but may not be as portable.

You’ll also want to check to see how the legs extend. Some have a “quick release” switch that will allow the legs to extend. Some have a screwing mechanism. The quick release is more convenient, but after time they could become loose.

Feet are another feature to look at. Rubber feet will help to prevent damage to a floor, and some tripods have the ability to attach or reveal a “spike” for added stability on soil or rock.

Heads

This is where it gets tricky. You’ve got ball heads, pan/tilt heads, geared heads, qtvr heads… and the list goes on. There are likely as many styles of tripod heads as there are tripod manufacturers. The three most common heads are Ball, Pan/Tilt, and Geared.

Ball heads are nice because they have one basic control, which releases the grip on a ball and gives the camera a wide range of movement. They are quick and easy to use, and they are small and non-descript.

Pan/Tilt heads usually have a few controls on them (most of the time, three controls) which control various axis of movement. I like this style because I can easily get it level, and then control the up/down axis independent of the others.

Geared heads are sort of like pan heads (they have lots of knobs and stuff) and they allow for very fractional adjustments to be made independently on the various axis. The difference is the geared head has accomodates this movement through the use of gears, so it’s more fluid, and it’s powered by the turn of the control rather than the pan/tilt method which is control by how much you pan or tilt it.

Finally, some heads have a “quick release” plate, which makes moving the camera on and off of the tripod easier and quicker. Some also have a spirit level, to help ensure that your head (and camera) are level. Both are handy features to have.