Camera Labs

Hi,
I am interested in buying a tripod. After some browsing, I came to know that both heavy and light types of tripods are advertised. Some had self levelling too.
For an amateur like me, is a heavy tripod better or a light one? What are the merits and demerits of each?
What is self levelling and how does it work/help?
I came to know about Ultrapod as a light, pocket sized tripod. Is it adequate to support a dslr?
Thanks....

Hi jinay,

tripods serve to stabilize your camera in various conditions.

Light ones are good because they are easy to carry around and, barring any wind and vibrations, are just as stables as a heavy one.

The heavy ones are less prone to vibrate in wind and less receptive to vibration. They have more dampening built in. The very expensive ones are made of special compounds of minerals and lava-rock etc.

The heavy ones are also better able to support heavy gear, such as large bodies and lenses with brackets on and maybe even flashes. But they can be very expensive and cumbersome to move around in rough terrain.

The leveling help you if you are - for example - on an incline. A small hill maybe. It will assist you in getting the horizons straight, for example.

The one that is best for you, depends entirely on the trade-offs you are willing to engage in. Some have both for different situations.

Good luck with your choice!

Cheers

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Nikon stuff and other stuff, but not nearly as much stuff as I really want!

Thank you very much for your reply.

I am also considering monopods. They are supposed to be very convenient for portability. I was recommended to use a monopod if I were to go shooting photos in places where setting up a tripod is not possible, like a sanctuary tour.

Are tripods and monopods an either or choice, or are both needed?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?

Thanks again.......

There's lots of discussions about the pros and cons of different models here jinay, including monopods - have a browse through first...

Keep in mind: a heavy tripod may be beneficial when there's a lot of wind, but a light tripod you bring with you is way better than a heavy tripod you leave at home

The heaviest tripods are generally for studio use, where they remain stationary all the time. Travel tripods are generally carbon, which is strong and light. Most better tripods offer a hook on the bottom of the centre column where you can hang your bag from to provide more stability, which is really useful.

Take a look at Giottos for good and relatively cheap tripods (I think there's a review in the user review section), or maybe the Hama Omega tripods if you want Carbon and want it cheap. I've tested the Omega II and III and they were quite stable (not to mention the III went HIGH!)

P.S. the omega III has a centre column which also functions as a monopod, perhaps a cost-efficient solution?

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I take pictures so quickly, my highschool was "Continuous High".