Death of the tripod

[Ari]

I was having a look at the ultra wide angle lens page that CJ linked to, and in the process saw this:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/digital-killed-my-...

It makes interesting reading, and I wondered what the PH consensus was?

[North West Tom]

I think he's chatting a steaming pile.

[markmullen]

He does talk some bks that lad.


Loch Etive by mark_mullen, on Flickr

42 Seconds. Good luck handholding that.

[anonymous-user]

What an absolute pile of arse that article is.

Like Mark says, how does he suggest I do my HDR or long exposure shots without a tripod?

Just ridiculous.

[ChipsAndCheese]

To be fair, he does say "Also hang on to your pod if you don't have IS or VR on your telephoto yet, and for very long time exposures".

But yes, I agree that the article is a bit crap. Very well for shooting quick shots here and there, but for getting a set of bracketed shots you surely want the camera in the exact same position for each one.

[markmullen]

ChipsAndCheese said:

To be fair, he does say "Also hang on to your pod if you don't have IS or VR on your telephoto yet, and for very long time exposures".

But yes, I agree that the article is a bit crap. Very well for shooting quick shots here and there, but for getting a set of bracketed shots you surely want the camera in the exact same position for each one.

• Or if you want to maximise sharpness
• Or if you want to keep ISO low for optimum quality (my 5D3 will shoot very useable images at 6400, even 12800 but still the majority of my shots are at ISO100)
• Or if you're shooting timelapses
• Or if you want to shoot at very low angles
• Or if you want to compose accurately (eg horizon completely level
• Or if you want to use hard edged graduated filters and get the transition absolutely aligned

Some of Ken Rockwell's stuff is interesting but you have to wade through lots of this crap to get to it.

[CommanderJameson]

markmullen said:

• Or if you want to maximise sharpness
• Or if you want to keep ISO low for optimum quality (my 5D3 will shoot very useable images at 6400, even 12800 but still the majority of my shots are at ISO100)
• Or if you're shooting timelapses
• Or if you want to shoot at very low angles
• Or if you want to compose accurately (eg horizon completely level
• Or if you want to use hard edged graduated filters and get the transition absolutely aligned

Some of Ken Rockwell's stuff is interesting but you have to wade through lots of this crap to get to it.

I doubt he'd disagree with any of that. I think the point he's making is that lots of people use a tripod when there's no need (because the technology can overcome the obstacles that make them think they need it), and they take less interesting photos as a result, because a tripod is a compositional compromise.

[S47]

They never existed so can't die.
Who uses 'em besides landscapers and pedants - yawn.
A monopod does everything I've ever needed, and my money lens is a 400 f2.8 IS - Canons heaviest lens [the old 1200 f5.6 excepted]
Plenty will disagree I'm sure
I often laugh at snappers with a 70-200 zoom on a massive tripod - doh

[Ari]

CommanderJameson said:

I doubt he'd disagree with any of that. I think the point he's making is that lots of people use a tripod when there's no need (because the technology can overcome the obstacles that make them think they need it), and they take less interesting photos as a result, because a tripod is a compositional compromise.

That was pretty much how I read it, but I'm no expert hence posting it up for discussion.

[nellyleelephant]

S47 said:

I often laugh at snappers with a 70-200 zoom on a massive tripod - doh

Why's that then?

[y2blade]

nellyleelephant said:

S47 said:

I often laugh at snappers with a 70-200 zoom on a massive tripod - doh

Why's that then?

stupid/ignorant

[miniman]

KKKKKKen said:

If the light is marginal, shoot several frames and pick the sharp one later

Wow.

[davepoth]

Ari said:

CommanderJameson said:

I doubt he'd disagree with any of that. I think the point he's making is that lots of people use a tripod when there's no need (because the technology can overcome the obstacles that make them think they need it), and they take less interesting photos as a result, because a tripod is a compositional compromise.

That was pretty much how I read it, but I'm no expert hence posting it up for discussion.

He was moaning an awful lot about film though - which is rubbish because a quarter second exposure is a quarter second exposure regardless of the medium. If he wanted to moan about people using tripods for taking family snaps then he should have done so...

[RobDickinson]

Ken Rockwell, generating income for Ken Rockwell since ages ago.

[anonymous-user]

RobDickinson said:

Ken Rockwell, generating income for Ken Rockwell since ages ago.

+1

I'm just waiting for MTV to do a Celebrity Deathmatch of Ken Rockwell and Fro Knows Photo...

[ian in lancs]

Take a look at the youtube of him visting B&H in New York...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3S0_7xKOIc

c0ck

[ian in lancs]

y2blade said:

nellyleelephant said:

S47 said:

I often laugh at snappers with a 70-200 zoom on a massive tripod - doh

Why's that then?

stupid/ignorant

nope, still dont understand