Exploring Camera Tripod Materials: What Suits Your Needs?
- When a Camera Tripod Is Necessary
- Why It Seems Like a Chore to Some
- Camera Tripod Materials Make a Difference
- Metal Camera Tripods
- Carbon Fiber Camera Tripods
- Wooden Camera Tripods
- Genius Level Camera Tripod Alternatives
- Camera Tripods - Getting the Most Out of One
- Other Recommended Photography Gear
- Critical Tips for Low Light Photography
- Essential Camera Accessories
- The Beauty of Macro Photography: A Closer Look at the World’s Tiniest Wonders
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Using a camera tripod or tripod alternative is an essential task for many photographers seeking a special image or operating under certain conditions. But what kind of tripod should you get, and more to the point, what material should your tripod be made of?
In this guide, we’ll explore all things tripods so you get a better feel of what material suits your needs the best. We’ll even highlight a tripod alternative that might help you ditch that big, bulky tripod in favor of something lightweight, compact, and easy to transport.
Let’s get started!
Table of Contents:
When a Camera Tripod Is Necessary
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I use a camera tripod during a lot of my landscape imaging for the extra stability it gives me, which results in better image sharpness. It helps with my leveling camera if I’m using an ultra-wide lens or shooting panoramas. It lets me line up the gradient line in a gradual neutral density (GND) filter, too.
A camera tripod gives the steadiness required for longer exposure times, macro focusing, or long telephoto lenses. It also lets us place the camera in one spot while designing a lighting setup, such as for portraits or repetitive shots used in product photography.
Astrophotography is another application where a camera tripod is necessary, as seen in this video from the Photo Genius YouTube channel:
A camera tripod or some tripod alternative is also necessary for video recording, especially if we are in the video ourselves, as with a YouTube promotional or instructional video.
>Why It Seems Like a Chore to Some
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All that being said, using a camera tripod or other stabilizing rig is sometimes seen as a bit of a chore. A likely cause of this feeling is the cumbersome nature of some tripods.
A camera tripod ties you down to a location; a tripod is heavy to carry around; a tripod slows you down; tripod use is challenging to master. All of these are reasons I’ve heard for not wanting to use a tripod. And they are valid reasons.
To me, it actually shows that maybe we simply need to know about camera tripods, what they are, and how they can be used. Because, in actuality, a camera tripod or a tripod alternative is a vital tool in photography and videography.
Camera Tripod Materials Make a Difference
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What can make a difference in how we view a tripod or other type of camera mount is what material is used in its construction.
Three primary materials are used in tripod construction: wood, metal, and carbon fiber. Each has advantages and drawbacks. Using alternatives to a camera tripod, such as a low-profile camera mount, introduces some other ideas for materials.
Metal Camera Tripods
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Most camera tripods are made of metal, aluminum being the most used option. Metal camera tripods are generally inexpensive for whatever size they are, and they offer a very stable platform. Aluminum is lightweight, meaning these tripods aren't extremely heavy.
Still, a large metal camera tripod can weigh several pounds. A heavy-duty metal tripod with a specialty tripod head attached can add significant weight to our gear kit. Metal gets cold and hot in weather extremes, making using one somewhat uncomfortable.
A metal camera tripod is usually very rugged and able to handle years of heavy use without breaking, bending, or failing in some other way. I have a couple of used camera tripods older than some classic B&W TV shows that are still operating perfectly.
Carbon Fiber Camera Tripods
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Carbon fiber is a lightweight alternative to metal for many applications. Cars, airplanes, and sports equipment made from carbon fiber are both lighter and, in some cases, stronger than their metal versions.
When referring to camera tripods, carbon fiber is generally used for the legs. The weight difference between a large metal tripod and one with carbon fiber legs can be significant. They’re also great in weather extremes since they aren’t affected as much as metal tripods.
Carbon fiber isn’t just light and strong; it also quickly dampens vibrations. This benefit is useful in the field of telephoto photography, macro photography, and special filters such as GND or split field filter. It’s also a big plus when using a camera tripod for video recording.
Comparing a carbon fiber camera tripod with an equivalent version in metal, the carbon fiber one will almost always be more expensive. If those benefits listed above are important, the extra cost is worth it.
Wooden Camera Tripods
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In the beginning of photography, almost every tripod was made out of wood. Now, very few camera tripods are made from wood - the ones more likely to be found under a high-end video or cinema camera.
Wood is a wonderful building material for many applications. Furniture, homes, and fences are made of wood because it’s a very stable material. Treated properly, a wood tripod can last as long as a well-made house.
If you find a wooden camera tripod today, it will probably be somewhat expensive. They’re either special-purpose cinematography tripods, tripods for very large format film cameras, or classic and collectible antiques.
Genius Level Camera Tripod Alternatives
An issue I run across from time to time is needing a very stable method for holding my camera but not having a lot of room to carry something or a good place to spread the tripod legs.
An alternative for a camera tripod for those situations that is close to genius level is the Octopad camera mount. The ones I use have a ball and socket tripod head for holding my camera and lens; it’s what’s underneath that’s the genius design.
The Octopad is a weighted disk of heavy-duty but slightly pliable material. It has the ¼-20 screw on top for the ball head (or extension arm and then ball head), but underneath is a rubberized non-slip pad.
This design lets me place the Octopad on virtually any surface, from a soft chair back to a rocky fence to a large tree limb. Since non-slip material is on the bottom, I don’t have to find a level spot, either; I can place it on a surface angled up to 45 degrees.
General construction is a heavy-duty, rugged canvas-type material. It holds up well to all sorts of weather and surface conditions. I have yet to wear one out, and I put my stuff to some pretty heavy use at times.
Besides being an alternative to a camera tripod, I use mine to hold other accessories I need outdoors or at events. I can mount a portable LED light or two and place them anywhere I need them to be. I will often use one to place a mic near my subject when recording video.
The Octopad is a very useful camera tripod alternative. Additional benefits are they are lighter than a tripod, smaller than a tripod, and cheaper than a tripod. I tend to carry several with me for various photography and video shoots. It's truly a genius-level design.
Camera Tripods - Getting the Most Out of One
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True, sometimes, using a camera tripod can be a bit of a chore. However, the benefits of a tripod or tripod alternative far outweigh the inconvenience. In fact, some styles of videography or still photography are virtually impossible without one.
Find out what camera tripod material works for you. Don’t forget to look beyond tripods for alternative camera mounts. The end result for whatever level of chore using one might be will be great images and better video.
