Novice landscape photographer seeks advice.

[Riley Blue]

We're going to NW Scotland for ten days in early April and I thought I'd have a stab at capturing some of the scenery. Camera will be my ancient but dependable 50D and lens a Sigma 18-125 (not ideal but it's all I have).

I shall need a lightweight tripod and have been contemplating this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lightweight-Aluminum-Heav...

Is that a reasonable choice for my purpose?

Also a remote shutter release e.g.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/RS-80N3-Remote-Shutter-Re...

However I've spotted some inexpensive cordless ones of unknown (to me) origin - any thoughts?

Other advice / tips equally welcome.

[DavidY]

You don't 'need' a tripod for landscape photography, but tripods have three key features, low cost, low weight and high stability, you can have any 2 of them, you pays your money and takes your choice.

And do you need a remote release, if all its being used for is to fire the camera on the tripod to avoid touching it (for extra stability) why not use either the 2 sec or 10 sec delay timer already in the camera. If you are going to be shooting long exposures with filters and bulb mode then it will be useful.

[Riley Blue]

DavidY said:

You don't 'need' a tripod for landscape photography, but tripods have three key features, low cost, low weight and high stability, you can have any 2 of them, you pays your money and takes your choice.

And do you need a remote release, if all its being used for is to fire the camera on the tripod to avoid touching it (for extra stability) why not use either the 2 sec or 10 sec delay timer already in the camera. If you are going to be shooting long exposures with filters and bulb mode then it will be useful.

I have arthritis and sometimes find it difficult to hold a camera steady and operate its controls.

[JulianHJ]

The tripod will probably be fine, but you can get something similar for about the same amount from a brand such as Manfrotto. As for the trigger, buy a copy from Amazon or EBay - Neewer are a reasonable brand in my experience. The mechanics are very simple, so no need to pay a premium for the OEM item.

[JulianHJ]

JulianHJ said:

The tripod will probably be fine, but you can get something similar for about the same amount from a brand such as Manfrotto which will probably be better made. As for the trigger, buy a copy from Amazon or EBay - Neewer are a reasonable brand in my experience. The mechanics are very simple, so no need to pay a premium for the OEM item.

[Simpo Two]

Riley Blue said:

Also a remote shutter release

If the camera has a self-timer function and you're worried about camera shake, try that.

[Elderly]

DavidY said:

.... tripods have three key features, low cost, low weight and high stability, you can have any 2 of them,.....

Carry some kind of plastic carrier bag with you and when you're at your location
find something heavy to put in it (stones etc.), then hang it from the top of your low weight, low cost tripod;
it will aid stability.

[Riley Blue]

JulianHJ said:

The tripod will probably be fine, but you can get something similar for about the same amount from a brand such as Manfrotto. As for the trigger, buy a copy from Amazon or EBay - Neewer are a reasonable brand in my experience. The mechanics are very simple, so no need to pay a premium for the OEM item.

Thanks, I'll check out both.

[GetCarter]

Hi David... will you be in the Riley - and bringing the tash ;0) ? I'll keep an eye out.

If you need top tips for good photo locations round here (Torridon) drop me a mail.

Steve

[Zetec-S]

DavidY said:

You don't 'need' a tripod for landscape photography, but tripods have three key features, low cost, low weight and high stability, you can have any 2 of them, you pays your money and takes your choice.

Apologies for the thread hijack, but as someone just getting started in photography, I'm interested to know what would you class as a "cheap" tripod? I know you can pick up a basic one for £10-15, but would you also classify something like the one mentioned above in the £50-60 bracket as cheap? I know at the other end of the scale you can spend hundreds, just curious at what point it goes from cheap tat -> OK -> decent kit -> professional (or all the gear, no idea )?

[Nigel_O]

I find that landscape photography is just as much about the planning - thinking about the weather, the sunlight (and the position of the sun), wind strength and direction if you're shooting water

A shot at dawn or dusk can be much more engaging than a "normal" daylight shot, so be prepared to venture out when other photographers are still in bed or have packed up for the day

That said, if you're shooting in low light or trying to smooth water, a tripod is an absolute must. I started with what I see as a cheapie - (£20 worth of Velbon aluminium) but swiftly moved to a £300+ Giottos carbon travel tripod when I found that a full-frame body and a big lens on a cheap tripod doesn't produce good results

With a long lens, even a good tripod can sometimes suffer from vibrations from the shutter, so consider shooting mirror-up. Most of my lanscape stuff is pretty wide though, so a £20 remote shutter release or a 2 second delay is more than enough

[GetCarter]

Zetec-S said:

DavidY said:

You don't 'need' a tripod for landscape photography, but tripods have three key features, low cost, low weight and high stability, you can have any 2 of them, you pays your money and takes your choice.

Apologies for the thread hijack, but as someone just getting started in photography, I'm interested to know what would you class as a "cheap" tripod? I know you can pick up a basic one for £10-15, but would you also classify something like the one mentioned above in the £50-60 bracket as cheap? I know at the other end of the scale you can spend hundreds, just curious at what point it goes from cheap tat -> OK -> decent kit -> professional (or all the gear, no idea )?

I have several, the most expensive (with the head) costing the best part of £500. Thing is, 90% of my landscape photos are taken handheld, so I rarely use the posh kit! - I understand that I am unusual in this regard. NONE of these were taken with a tripod >> http://www.stevecarter.com/gallery1/MyFaves.htm

..but I tend not to do stuff that others do that needs one, so feel free to ignore me. Horses and courses etc.

[Zetec-S]

GetCarter said:

I have several, the most expensive (with the head) costing the best part of £500. Thing is, 90% of my landscape photos are taken handheld, so I rarely use the posh kit! - I understand that I am unusual in this regard. NONE of these were taken with a tripod >> http://www.stevecarter.com/gallery1/MyFaves.htm

..but I tend not to do stuff that others do that needs one, so feel free to ignore me. Horses and courses etc.

Wow, those are stunning!

[DavidY]

Zetec-S said:

Apologies for the thread hijack, but as someone just getting started in photography, I'm interested to know what would you class as a "cheap" tripod? I know you can pick up a basic one for £10-15, but would you also classify something like the one mentioned above in the £50-60 bracket as cheap? I know at the other end of the scale you can spend hundreds, just curious at what point it goes from cheap tat -> OK -> decent kit -> professional (or all the gear, no idea )?

Are you happy putting 1K+ of camera/lens on a £10-£15 tripod ?? I've run a number of workshops in the past and the number of 'cheap' tripods that I've seen fail is numerous, like any other tool, buy the tool that is right for the job, or at least the best that you can afford.

My tripod/head combination cost about £450, because I wanted a sturdy tripod that was as light as reasonably possible as I often walk several miles with it. I also wanted it to go high (I'm just over 6ft), have lever locks (I just don't like the twist ones) and have an option for spiked feet, and have an Arca compatible head. Its probably overkill for my cameras but its never let me down and works as well now as the day I bought it.

[C&C]

DavidY said:

Zetec-S said:

Apologies for the thread hijack, but as someone just getting started in photography, I'm interested to know what would you class as a "cheap" tripod? I know you can pick up a basic one for £10-15, but would you also classify something like the one mentioned above in the £50-60 bracket as cheap? I know at the other end of the scale you can spend hundreds, just curious at what point it goes from cheap tat -> OK -> decent kit -> professional (or all the gear, no idea )?

Are you happy putting 1K+ of camera/lens on a £10-£15 tripod ?? I've run a number of workshops in the past and the number of 'cheap' tripods that I've seen fail is numerous, like any other tool, buy the tool that is right for the job, or at least the best that you can afford.

My tripod/head combination cost about £450, because I wanted a sturdy tripod that was as light as reasonably possible as I often walk several miles with it. I also wanted it to go high (I'm just over 6ft), have lever locks (I just don't like the twist ones) and have an option for spiked feet, and have an Arca compatible head. Its probably overkill for my cameras but its never let me down and works as well now as the day I bought it.

I have to agree that having a decent tripod and head is important if you're putting expensive kit on it.

Having said that, I've always found it quite hard to justify some of the costs for top of the range Manfrotto and similar names.

A good compromise for me personally has been Redsnapper tripods - they aren't that well known, but are very well put together.

For example, the RSF-324 tripod & RSH-12 ball head will easily handle a full frame DSLR with heavy lens - rated to 10kg - I've used it with a Canon 5D mark3 (950g) + Sigma 120-300 f2.8 (3.4kg) + 1.4x converter (150g). It is 4 section, goes higher than I am (6 foot), comes with both rubber and spiked feet and lever locks on the legs. Has a hook to hang extra weight from below the centre column. The ball head is very robust, and very well engineered. Asymmetric ball (so it doesn't flop over when released), variable tension drag with separate lock dial, and arca swiss quick release.

I'm not associated with them, but have been using their tripod and larger ball head for well over 10 years with no issues at all.

The ball head, when mounted on top of a carbon monopod would also make a quite fearsome weapon!

Their smaller tripod and ball head is also very robust.

ETA - I guess I'd rate the RSF-324 tripod & RSH-12 as nearer the professional end than the decent kit category.

Edited by C&C on Thursday 9th January 18:24

[Simpo Two]

I don't like ball heads. Release the tension and you lose all 3 axes at once, it's like a broken neck. 3-way pan & tilt for me.

[RobDickinson]

IMO you most certainly do need a tripod for (good) landscapes.

When you are shooting good light you are always looking at longer shutter speeds and small apertures, that plus bracketing and long exposures etc..

Unlike above I always use a ball head, a good ball head, because I find anything else too slow.


A remote release is a good idea but all canon have self times (on drive mode) you can set to 2 seconds and use instead with the same result - actually works better with bracketing because it fires all 3(or more) shots automatically.

[RobDickinson]

Riley Blue said:

I shall need a lightweight tripod and have been contemplating this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lightweight-Aluminum-Heav...

Also a remote shutter release e.g.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/RS-80N3-Remote-Shutter-Re...

Tripod looks fine for a generic alu cheapie

Cable remote is OK too I usually go for a $10 basic for seascapes etc and have a radio remote for other work

I would look at an ND filter, 6-10 stops or something

[85Carrera]

If you’re taking a tripod it’s worth getting a spirit level to are sure camera is level

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TRIXES-camera-double-spir...

[RobDickinson]

85Carrera said:

If you’re taking a tripod it’s worth getting a spirit level to are sure camera is level

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TRIXES-camera-double-spir...

We give them away to students on all our landscape workshops..

Most modern cameras have levels built in ( canon you just press info a few times and it shows on the LCD or in live view etc)

far more important to get it right when shooting in portrait mode as small errors are magnified.

one reason why I always shoot with an L bracket makes portrait (and panos) much easier - i usually get generic ones form ebay etc
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/592358-REG/...