Who Uses a Tripod?

[Tina Manley]

I almost never use a tripod with the M8. I'm usually using the M8 in low light to photograph people who are usually moving. A tripod wouldn't do any good. I just use fast lenses in those cases. The only time I've used a tripod with the M8 was experimenting with some HDR landscape photos and panoramas - not my usual work.

Tina
Tina Manley- powered by SmugMug

[adan]

Extremely rarely - as with Tina or Stunsworth, if it moves slowly enough for a tripod to be useful, it's already too boring for my work. (and if I were willing to carry around a 10-pound object to shoot pictures for best image quality, I'd have stuck with 4x5 film.)

Swapped my Leitz/Tiltall (c. 1980) for an italian something-or-other with a fluid head for shooting video - where camera movement becomes obtrusive at ANY shutter speed (Blair Witch Project notwithstanding).

I can use that 'pod with the M8 - if I ever see the need.

Not adverse to tripods - I just think they are about as useful, hitched to a Leica M, as a boat trailer is, hitched to a Miata.

[PeterP]

I find a monopod (monofroto w/ ball head) useful at night , but never use a tripod with my M8. I can hand hold 1/30 and sometimes 1/15 , but cannot always guarantee results. I have the Leitz table top tripod that I have been carrying around in my bag - but haven't used it in about 7 years. Routinely however use a tripod w/ my DSLR's for studio and long lens work.

PeterP

[ho_co]

I don't remember whose story it was, but one well known and respected photographer some years ago said that he always used the largest tripod he could find.

His point was that if he just walked in with a Leica, his clients could argue, "Gee, I coulda done that!" But when he first sized up the shoot, then carefully set up the tripod and mounted the Leica atop it, the clients could see that he was clearly a professional and worth his pay.

Cute story, told I'm sure half in jest.

The situation is becoming more rampant now since everyone owns a digital camera 'just like the pros use.'

[Alberti]

I have a monopod, while I don't use it with the M8, I did with the M2/M6, with wide-angle lenses.
It is very important as a tool to frame, even with 24/25 mm lens. Using the monopod gives flexibility but ease of framing (the perspective).
With the M8 this is a thing of the past (technology solved that. Puzzled?)

Anyway, when I finally buy a 21 mm again then I will sometimes revert to the monopod again.

I tried the monopod a few times with longer lenses, but then I saw I still had 'shutter depression' marks, i.e instability of the camera plane.

And for macro, yes of course, I have a tripod... but even there now with 1/2000-1/8000 sec, why bother?
alberti

[gfspencer]

Originally Posted by ho_co

I don't remember whose story it was, but one well known and respected photographer some years ago said that he always used the largest tripod he could find.

His point was that if he just walked in with a Leica, his clients could argue, "Gee, I coulda done that!" But when he first sized up the shoot, then carefully set up the tripod and mounted the Leica atop it, the clients could see that he was clearly a professional and worth his pay.

Cute story, told I'm sure half in jest.

The situation is becoming more rampant now since everyone owns a digital camera 'just like the pros use.'

Jest or not, that story has a lot of truth in it! I am not a pro. (I have been a serious armature since the mid-sixties.) Last year I was taking pictures at a steeplechase. It was the first steeplechase that I had ever been to. I found what I thought was a good spot along the track and pulled out my gear (Canon 40D with battery grip, 200 - 400 L lens, and monopod). I hadn’t been there but a minute or two when I noticed that a half dozen people with cameras had gathered behind me. One of them said, “We want to shoot where the pro shoots.”

[fotografr]

Originally Posted by gfspencer

Jest or not, that story has a lot of truth in it! I am not a pro. (I have been a serious armature since the mid-sixties.) Last year I was taking pictures at a steeplechase. It was the first steeplechase that I had ever been to. I found what I thought was a good spot along the track and pulled out my gear (Canon 40D with battery grip, 200 - 400 L lens, and monopod). I hadn’t been there but a minute or two when I noticed that a half dozen people with cameras had gathered behind me. One of them said, “We want to shoot where the pro shoots.”

I had kind of a similar experience. A few years back, John Kerry was in town for a huge rally. I thought I was going to be out of town so didn't bother to get credentialed (I am a pro). It turned out I was here, so decided to go and see what I could get. I had all my gear hanging from both shoulders and walked right past the secret service and back stage security groups (about 20 people) and up onto the press platform and nobody even looked twice. I was six feet from him at one point. So I guess the secret it to just look liike you belong there.