This year for the birthday, did a fantastic 2 week trip to San Francisco and Sonoma. Lots of touristy stuff, lots of wine drinking, and lots of photos… Cameras were the GF1 and a Holga – this was my my first “real” outing with the GF1 and it absolutely lived up to my expectations. Was able to carry the body with kit lens and 20/1.7 in the corner of my daybag with room for the rest of my assorted junk. Never missed carrying the big SLR one bit!
“Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is nonexistent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery—celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: “It’s not where you take things from—it’s where you take them to.”
Just got the 2 head kit, looks like a great piece of gear. Full review forthcoming as soon as I get a couple of shoots down with it. Initial impressions are *wow* It puts out an amazing amount of *quality* light for such a tiny package.
For years now, I’ve had this concept of a shoot at night, under the streetlamps with snow coming down… dramatic light and environment… the whole nine yards
Unfortunately I live in Philly, and the only “snow” we get here is usually slush, rain, and more slush…
Course this week was different… practically couldn’t have asked for better conditions. It was coming down pretty hard, and I think I put the weather sealing on my gear to the test (watching piles of snow accumulate on your lights is a little disconcerting…) By the time we finished my camera bag on the ground was merely a small white lump. Luckily no gear casualties though, and some great shots came out…
One of the issues that always comes up for emerging photographers is dealing with contracts and negotiation. Let’s face it – most of us are more “artist” than “businessman”. we just want to make pictures and leave the legalese to someone else.
Of course the reality is that to be a successful *artist* you must be a successful *businessman* as well.
Go to any photography forum on the web and you will invariably find questions such as “how do I make a contract/terms for such and such a job?” or “the client sent me this crazy contract to sign, what do I do?”
In this piece, Bill Cramer of Wonderful Machine, Inc shows an actual contract negotiation he had with an editorial client, including exchanges, contracts and revisions. This is a fantastic read for any photographer and a perfect example of how to do it right. In particular, notice how he responds to the disagreement in contract terms – guiding the exchange to a mutually satisfactory agreement, rather than stonewalling and confronting.
The post Tripod Buying Guide – 6 Vital Features to Look For appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Suzi Pratt.
A tripod is one of the first accessories people like to buy when they get a new camera. But there are hundreds of thousands of tripods out there, all with different features and price points. How do you go about choosing the best tripod for you? This tripod buying guide will highlight 6 features to consider before purchasing a new tripod.
Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 100mm f/2.8 – 1/160 sec, f/7.1, ISO 400
Why use a tripod?
There are a couple of reasons why you might need a tripod in the first place.
First, you should use a tripod if you plan to shoot slow shutter speeds or high f-stops (apertures). Conditions like this are typically real estate, interior, architectural, and landscape photography, where you need your scene to be as sharp as possible, often in low light conditions.
You should also use a tripod when shooting bracketed photos for compositing or HDR in post-production, or when taking selfies or group photos that you want to be a part of.
There are certainly more reasons to consider using a tripod, but hopefully, these give you good examples to start thinking about.
Fujifilm X-T3 with Carl Zeiss Touit 12mm f2.8 WITHOUT Tripod – 1/75 sec, f/2.8, ISO 2500Fujifilm X-T3 with Zeiss 12mm WITH Tripod – 0.8 sec, f/9, ISO 400
1. Payload (or load capacity)
The very first feature to consider when researching tripods is its payload or maximum load capacity. In other words, how much weight is it able to support? The payload is typically found in the product description of each tripod. To come up with this number, consider the heaviest and largest camera setup that you plan to use on the tripod. Camera and lens weights can easily be found via a Google search or examining their respective product descriptions.
For example, my Sony A7rIII camera body alone weighs 23.2 oz (657 grams). My heaviest lens, the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 weighs 52.16 oz (1480 grams). So together, my heaviest camera setup would be 75.36 ounces (2137 grams). That means I should find a tripod with a payload of at least that amount.
It is also important to look at the payload of the tripod head or the piece that attaches your camera to the tripod legs. Some tripods come with a head included, or you can replace it with a head that you buy separately. Many tripod heads have their own payloads specified, so be sure to consider that number as well.
MeFoto Roadtrip travel tripod. Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 100mm f/2.8 – 1/160 sec, f/7.1, ISO 400
2. Tripod minimum and maximum height
All tripods have a minimum and maximum height expressed in their product descriptions. Some tripods can get ultra-tall, others can get ultra-low to the ground. Think about what kind of subjects you will be photographing, and the optimal height you would want your tripod to be.
If you are tall or plan to shoot tall subjects, aim to get the tallest tripod you can find. However, if you shoot subjects that are lower to the ground, you may want to consider tripods with a low minimum height. There are even new tripods like the upcoming Peak Design Travel Tripod designed to get extremely low, down to 5.5 inches.
Manfrotto 055 tripod. Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 100mm f/2.8 – 1/160 sec, f/7.1, ISO 400
3. How stable is the tripod?
The next quality to consider is how stable the tripod is. First, consider the payload or weight capacity mentioned above – this will give you a good idea of whether the tripod can support your camera and lens combination. But there are other features that can enhance tripod stability.
Some tripods come with retractable or removable spikes in the tripod feet. These provide extra stability by sticking into the dirt or soft ground if you happen to be shooting outside.
Tripods can also come with a retractable hook in the center column of the tripod, allowing you to hang weight to stabilize the tripod. Attaching a heavy sandbag to the hook is often the optimal option, but you can also get creative by using other items like a heavy water bottle or even your camera bag.
MeFoto Roadtrip Travel Tripod. Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 100mm f/2.8 – 1/160 sec, f/7.1, ISO 400Legs of the Manfrotto 055 tripod. Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 100mm f/2.8 – 1/160 sec, f/7.1, ISO 400
4. How easy is it to carry the tripod?
If you plan to travel a lot with your tripod, or use it on the go, it’s important to consider the overall weight and folded length of the tripod. If you opt for a heavy, large tripod, you might get optimal stability, but you will likely struggle to carry that tripod around.
Consider the material the tripod is made from. Most tripods are made of aluminum (cheaper, but heavier) or carbon fiber (lightweight, but more expensive). Many tripod models are available in either construction material, so think about your budget and how important the weight saving is to you.
Also, look at the overall ease of folding the tripod up. Most tripod legs are three sections meaning they get taller with each section you open, but some can be two sections or even five sections. The more leg sections you have to deploy equates to a longer time to set up and put away. Along the lines of tripod legs, look at the mechanism they use to deploy. Most tripods use a twist-lock mechanism, which can get confusing about which direction locks or unlocks the legs. Meanwhile, other tripods have a simple clip lock that is much easier to unlock and lock.
5. Tripod head quality?
Some tripods come with a tripod head, and others require that you buy it separately. In some cases, you may even want to buy your own tripod head if you have a preference in the best type to use.
A ball head is the most common type of tripod head, allowing for 360-degree rotation to position the camera where you want it. However, many ball heads, especially cheap or low-quality ones, will slip over time and be less stable. Thus, it may be worth buying a high-end ball head or looking at another type of head to use on your tripod.
Examples include the Manfrotto 3-Way (my favorite), or a pistol grip tripod head. Pretty much every large tripod allows you to replace the tripod head with one of your choosing.
Standard Arca Swiss type tripod ball head. Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 100mm f/2.8 – 1/160 sec, f/7.1, ISO 400
The final piece of the tripod head to consider is the tripod plate or the piece that mounts directly to your camera. Arca-Swiss type plates are among the most common and universal, but they often come with the need to use an Allen wrench to tighten the plate to your camera.
On the other hand, there are other tripod plates such as those made by Manfrotto or Joby that includes a twist screw that you can easily secure without the need for an extra tool.
6. Extra features?
The last things to consider are any extra features or bells and whistles that come with the tripod. Here are a few examples to look out for:
Tripod to monopod conversion
Some tripods such as those made by MeFoto, allow you to easily convert the tripod into a monopod by simply removing one leg and attaching it to the center column. This is a handy feature if you anticipate needing a monopod.
Tripods with a column that can be positioned at 90 degrees
If you have the need to shoot with a 90-degree column, look for a tripod that offers this feature. My Manfrotto 055 has this feature and it comes in very handy for product or flat lay photography.
Built-in bubble leveler
While many cameras have a built-in leveler, it always helps to have a physical bubble leveler to make sure your camera is straight. Some tripods have bubble levelers built-into the tripod head or the center column of the tripod.
Carrying case
Some tripods come with a carrying case to aid in transportation, and others require the carrying case to be purchased separately.
Manfrotto 3-Way tripod head. Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 100mm f/2.8 – 1/160 sec, f/2.8, ISO 2000
In conclusion
There are a plethora of tripods out there and it is not an easy task to find the right one for you. Ultimately, this tripod buying guide is intended to help you think of all of the situations in which you plan to use a tripod and encourage you to carefully research all six features above. And while there are plenty of cheap tripods out there, consider investing in a high-quality tripod to begin with. Your camera equipment is expensive, and you don’t want to risk dropping or damaging it due to placing it on a cheap tripod.
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The post Tripod Buying Guide – 6 Vital Features to Look For appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Suzi Pratt.
If you’re going to try, go all the way. Otherwise don’t even start.
This could mean losing girlfriends, wives, relatives, jobs, and maybe your mind.
It could mean not eating for three or four days.
It could mean freezing on a park bench.
It could mean jail. It could mean derision.
It could mean mockery, isolation.
Isolation is the gift. All the others are a test of your endurance.
Of how much you really want to do it.
And you’ll do it, despite rejection in the worst odds.
And it will be better than anything else you can imagine.
If you’re going to try, go all the way.
There is no other feeling like that.
You will be alone with the gods. And the nights will flame with fire.
When I was looking at reviews of the Elinchrom Ranger Quadra, one of the most common complaints people seemed to have was the fact that they couldn’t mount standard umbrellas on it (Elinchrom uses a 7mm umbrella shaft, while most others in the US use an 8mm shaft).
Now this seemed kind of silly to me – first off, the Quadra head is extremely small and lightweight – hanging anything larger than a *tiny* umbrella off it just seems like a recipe for disaster. Secondly I thought to myself “I mount umbrellas on speedlights all the time and they have no umbrella holder whatsoever – why is the quadra any different?” The solution:
The plain ol’ vanilla Umbrella Swivel. Beloved of “Strobists” everywhere, it provides a secure slot/mount for the umbrella, placing the weight & torque on itself rather than the strobe head. Screw in a post on top, plop the Quadra head on that and good to go. You can even still use the angle of the quadra head itself to hit the sweet spot of the umbrella.
Personally this is just fine for me. works great for my umbrellas, Apollo softboxes and Softliters…but let’s say you need the light more “on axis” with the umbrella shaft (maybe to fit the hole in one of the new PLM diffusion screens for instance…) I found the easiest thing is to simply take a second swivel, and use it to “hang” the head off the umbrella shaft itself. The head is light enough that it doesn’t put undue strain on the shaft (or the swivel).
Kinda kludgy but it works. Personally I don’t bother – mounting it on the swivel itself is quick, easy and gets the job done with hardware that I’m already carrying anyway for my speedlights.
So there you have it: Mounting umbrellas on the Quadra made easy!
