Picking your own tripod and taking care of
it will give you gorgeous photos when you need its support.
A
full tripod set
1. Situation
Before buying a tripod, make sure that you are
well aware of when and where you will use it. For example, if your work
requires a lot of travel, you shouldn’t pick a heavy/bulky tripod.
2. Type
A full-size tripod has a height equivalent
to the distance from eyes to feet. It is able to remain firmly under windy
weather. Some models look heavy and bulky, however, many brands has recently
made models with modern material which is far sturdier and lighter.
Travel tripod has the same height with a
commonly full-size tripod but an ability of being folded many times (thus it
appears less sturdy) to make it easier being carried. Travel tripod has many
variants like mini version laid on table or version which can bend and clang to
tree branches. An odd tripod called monopod, which is used by reporters in
events, has similar height to normal tripod’s one but occupied less space than
full-size tripod.
3. Check the tripod’s height
If buying a tripod at store, you should
dissemble it and check whether its height matches yours. Otherwise, if you do
online-shopping with no practical test, you have to check all parameters
provided by the manufacturer to find your most suitable one.
4. Pay attention to tripod head
Most tripods have available heads. Some
brands add specialized heads installed with ball bearing and joints in order to
rotate the camera conveniently. These specialized heads are often separately
sold for various prices in custom styles.
Lock/unlock
mechanism for camera
5. Lock/unlock mechanism for camera
Today’s most tripods have locking mechanism
that is quickly opened to take the camera apart thanks to a screw attached to
tripod’s leg. It is important to check whether this mechanism works smoothly
before deciding to buy the tripod.
6. Legs and leg locks
It is noted that you should unlock tripod’s
legs from bigger parts to smaller ones to ensure the legs’ steadiness. Check
whether all legs are extended to their largest sizes and suitable for the
height demanded before adjusting the center column, because using the support
of three legs is more secure.
To maintain steadiness, leg locks must be
conveniently either locked or unlocked for extending and they have to be firmly
locked. Leg locks can appear in many types: thumb locks or twist lock. Whatever
types they are, you have to check their steadiness before installing your
camera.
7. Tripod feet
Most tripods all have anti-shake rubber
feet which are also anti-slip on a majority of surfaces. Some feet come with spikes
which go through surfaces and keep the tripod still on terrains like sand and
hills.
8. Clean your tripod
To keep your tripod in good condition, you
need to clean it after long trips so as to take out the dust stuck in chinks
and prevent sea salt from rusting the tripod. Cleaning your tripod not only
extends its age but also keeps it ready for every situations.
