Camera Labs

I typically would use one when doing a HDR, but I do see some friends who avoid it to due to the extra time and weight required. I all have that lovely bracket button that comes with the D200 which makes switching minds super fast. I can totally see the attraction of seeing the scene, switching to bracketing mode, and then going "snap, snap, snap" on burst, then going on about your business. Let photomatix worry about the alignment. What are your guy's thoughts on this?

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Trevor Harris

Nikon D200
SB-600
YN-560 II
YN RF 603 x 4
Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8
Nikon 50mm f/1.8

I reckon that while using a D90 then around 40% of my shots are on a tripod. In a way it was time consuming and bulky but I couldn't get away with any other method for shooting what I was shooting as I didn't have enough ISO headway to play with.

I've now been using a D700 for a few months and have placed it on a tripod for around 20 shots out of a few thousand. The ability to hand hold has outweighed the need for a tripod, but the subject matter has changed too.

Going back to landscapes and cityscapes I would never be without a tripod, with either the D90 or D700. I'll just use one more selectively but I'll definitely still pack it in the hold luggage on every vacation.

I'd say for simple HDR work, as in blending 2 or 3 frames, then no...tripod probably isn't always necessary. Bracketing functions fire off the frames pretty quickly, and you can learn a good, steady stance, maybe use a wall, fence, etc to helps teady yourself, etc. And most software has some alignment functionality for simple fixes.

If you're getting into deeper HDR - like blending 8, 10, 20 frames or more, obviously a tripod would be a serious recommendation.

And of course, tripods would be a necessity for OTHER types of photography, such as long-exposure shooting (nightscapes, astrophotography, etc).

I personally use the in-camera HDR functionality on my two cameras handheld for quick and easy basic HDR stuff. I shoot probably 85% of my photography with no tripod. But I'm also an avid night shooter, and for the long-exposure work, always use a tripod.

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Justin Miller
Sony DSLR-A580 / Sony 18-250mm / Minolta 50mm F1.7 / Sigma 30mm F1.4 / Tamron 10-24mm / Tamron 200-500mm / Tamron 90mm F2.8 macro / Minolta 300mm F4 APO
Sony NEX5N / 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 / 55-210mm F4-6.3 / Pentax K adapter / Konica K/AR adapter / bunches o' Konica & Pentax lenses!

Galleries:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg

Hate to agree with Ken Rockwell, but "Digital killed my tripod"

Also, for panoramas and HDR Im perfectly happy not to have a tripod and let a program I have called Hugin stitch it all up for me.

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Nikon D5000 and D300 with 12-24mm, 35mm f1.8, 50mm f1.4, 60mm f2.8 Macro, 18-200mm, 17-55mm f2.8 (all Nikon)

a tripod is always necessary,a HDR requires complete stilness & our bodies always move,it's almost impossible to shoot 3 shots of the exact same frame.

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Gear: Nikon D80, 18-105mm, 35mm F/1.8, 85mm F/1.8, SB-600
Visit my work here

I am notoriously shaky, and shoot mostly in low light, without flash. Both of these factors indicate the need for a tripod or other support for much of my shooting.

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Canon 7D/5D/40D/1D2N; Nikon F6, FM3A, & Coolpix A; Canon 40mm Pancake, 135L, 50L, 35L, pre-II 50mm 1.8, 100mm 2.8L Macro, 10-22mm EF-S, 28-135 EF, 400mm 5.6L; Nikkor 50mm 1.2 AI-S, 50mm 1.4G, 50mm 1.8D, 16mm 2.8D Fisheye, 180mm 2.8D, 100-300mm 5.6 AI-S; Tokina 17mm & 100mm 2.8 Macro

Well, there's always the option of monopods. They're obviously not as stable as tri-pods, but they're admittedly better than hand held shots, even with some sort of IS.
I do most of my work hand held, I find that for HDR shots, Photomatix does a well enough job with the aligning that it looks pretty good, of course, it's not perfect. Of course, as Justin mentioned, with 5, 8 or even 10 frame HDR shots, astrophotos or nightscapes I'd always use one.

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-Evan

Gear: 7 Nikon Nikkor AI-S and AF-S lenses, SB-700 flash, Nikon D7000, Nikon FM, variety of accessories

"There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs."
- Ansel Adams

I have considered a monopod, to double as a mobility aid. It seems that every few months I manage to twist my bad knee.

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Canon 7D/5D/40D/1D2N; Nikon F6, FM3A, & Coolpix A; Canon 40mm Pancake, 135L, 50L, 35L, pre-II 50mm 1.8, 100mm 2.8L Macro, 10-22mm EF-S, 28-135 EF, 400mm 5.6L; Nikkor 50mm 1.2 AI-S, 50mm 1.4G, 50mm 1.8D, 16mm 2.8D Fisheye, 180mm 2.8D, 100-300mm 5.6 AI-S; Tokina 17mm & 100mm 2.8 Macro

A tripod is most definately required for clearity purposes. If you are photographing long exposures (slow shutter speeds), you will learn the purpose in one then.

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Canon EOS 500D
Lenses: EFS 18-55mm IS, EF 50mm F/1.8 II

You cant go wrong using a tripod anytime, every time. I do not agree with K.R., digital has not killed the need for a tripod. That's like saying the invention of the car, has eliminated the need for your legs.

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Steve Owen.
http://steveslandscapes.50webs.com

Since I've written this post I have bought a really nice tripod and use it constantly, so I've eaten my words on this post. Thanks for bring it back up in to the "recent posts" category, haha... IN YOUR FACE 6 MONTHS AGO ME!

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Trevor Harris

Nikon D200
SB-600
YN-560 II
YN RF 603 x 4
Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8
Nikon 50mm f/1.8