Tell us about your camera and how you use it. What’s the one thing you like the most about your camera? Are you using a cameraphone? They are great for shooting when you come across an unexpected spectacular moment. Some of the excellent moments have been captured on cameraphones. Or are you using a DSLR?
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We have been covering a lot of basic and technical topics on the photography front in the last one month. We’d like to know you better and collect your suggestions. We want to make sure we know you and your camera so that the information is relevant, is usable and valuable. So what are you waiting for? Come on say something :)
Should you by a tripod ? If you enjoy Lanscapes and Nature shots then YES. For those sorts of genre you want your camera as steady as a rock.
You will hear all sorts of claims about cameras’ image stabilisation. Sure its good and very usefull, but it only helps keeping you shots steady. You will hear lots of people telling how they can hand-hold a camera at 1/15th of second, blah, blah. Fine if they wish to risk loosing that fantastic dawn light shot accross a misty valley – let them.
Be safe and use a tripod.
Ok so they can be a pain to carry across the landscape. How much does do you value your images ?
What sort of tripod and how much ? How much can you afford is the big question. You will need a steady tripod and sadly this usually means a heavy one. If you try to pinch pennies and go for a light cheap one it will be of limited value.
I would suggest between $200 & $400 should be able purchase a reasonably stable tripod.
Tripods with legs that can be moved independantly are very versitile. These can allow you to setup in almost any terrain and almost any position and keep a good stable platform to shoot from.
One strange advantage of a tripod is that it slows you down. When you first look at that you may think – “and and that helps how ?”. With digital its easy to stand there and blaze away at the landscape and leap off like a ountain goat to the glorious vista. This is not necessarily a good way to shoot. With a tripod you are more inclined to consider you shots as you set it up. With your camera mounted, (hopefully rock steady) you will be able to choose your shot with more care and thought.
P.S. Buy a bag for your tripod too if it doesn’t come with one. Don’t let the fact that it comes with a bag be a big selling point.
A bag makes it easier to carry, keeps it clean too. Also for those soggy weather days you can always use the bag to kneel on instead of the ground – Hey cold damp knees are cow !
Thanks Mr. Paul Perano for your kind & valuable comments.Yes my subject is Landscapes & natures.I want my shots sharp & steady.After your comments I certainly will buy a Tripod.
One more thing I want to ask that is a 18mm-55mm lens is good enough for me to shoot landscapes & natures?If yes then I will buy the Nikon D5000 instead of the Nikon D90.