Who Uses a Tripod?

[gfspencer]

I was following the discussion about tripods and it made me wonder, "Who uses a tripod with an M8?" It seems to me that if an M8 is a "reportage camera", a tripod defeats the purpose. You aren't exactly stealth when you set up a tripod.

So, who uses a tripod and what do you use it for? What would be your percentage of shots with tripod and without tripod?

Does anyone use a monopod?

I have both but I hardly ever use them with my M8. Maybe I should. (I sometimes use the monopod with my DSLRs.)

[fotografr]

For street shooting, never. But that's because I mostly do street shooting at fast shutter speeds and large apertures.

For landscapes and cityscapes, always. Most of that kind of shooting is done at small apertures and slower shutter speeds that make a tripod more necessary.

I sometimes use a monopod, but not with the M8. I use a monopod when I'm shooting with my Canons and long lenses and need to move around a lot.

Ultimately, all of this depends on how steady you are and what technique you use for bracing yourself while shooting.

[ChrisC]

I use a tripod whenever I can. For more disciplined picture construction, and better stability.

................. Chris

[vanhulsenbeek]

Originally Posted by ChrisC

I use a tripod whenever I can. For more disciplined picture construction, and better stability.

................. Chris

For Panorama's: several on L.Camera Forums

[pgk]

Originally Posted by gfspencer

It seems to me that if an M8 is a "reportage camera", a tripod defeats the purpose.

What makes you think that its a 'reportage' camera?

I use a tripod as and when required and have used my M8 on everything from the very small RRS tripod with a lightweight head to my Gitzo 1548 with an RRS55 head! There's no doubt that the M8 can be used for reportage, but considering it just to be a reportage camera is imposing rather pointless restrictions on its use. Its minimal distortion lenses allow the production of very fine, stitched panoramas as a simple example.

[Rolo]

Originally Posted by gfspencer

[font="Verdana"] It seems to me that if an M8 is a "reportage camera", a tripod defeats the purpose. You aren't exactly stealth when you set up a tripod.

It's not a 'reportage camera'. It's a camera that is ideally suited to reportage and many other variants of photographic craft including documentary and environmental portraiture.

It's fitted with a tripod socket and indeed Leica make a very nice table top tripod specifically designed for the M range.

I use a tripod occasionally and should use it more frequently, but the wide apertures encourage/enable sloppy practice.

Rolo

[stunsworth]

For the type of stuff I do, hardly ever. If I'm away on a trip I'll probably have one in the boot of the car, but can't remember the last time I used one.

Using a tripod slows you down, which can be a good or a bad thing.

[ndjambrose]

For cityscapes, landscapes, low light shots, critical focus shots -- always a tripod.

For street photography never; for this type of work I often don't even use the viewfinder.

[biglouis]

Interesting discussion and I've been thinking recently, am I missing something because I never use a tripod.

I've printed many of my urban landscapes up to 16x12 which I consider the largest I am going to go for exhibition purposes and to tell the truth the resolution is perfect (I often discover points in the picture I never knew existed and can read signs perfectly).

To be fair, I do not do night time or ultra low-light work.

But the question is, am I missing something because f5.6 at between 1/125 and 1/500 seems to yield very acceptable results, even if I pixel peep?

LouisB

[Rolo]

Originally Posted by biglouis

To be fair, I do not do night time or ultra low-light work.

But the question is, am I missing something because f5.6 at between 1/125 and 1/500 seems to yield very acceptable results, even if I pixel peep?
LouisB

Don't trouble yourself Louis.

Faster than 1/30th and I wouldn't bother. At those kinds of speeds just shoot a couple of frames to ensure you have it sharp. I spend a lot of time blow 1/100s and am hand holding slr's down to 1/20s. Multiple shots are essential at this speed. Second is always sharper than the first.

At 1/15s with the MP I'd shoot 2 or 3 frames to make sure. 1/50s with the M8.

Rolo

[Photoskeptic]

I only use a tripod with my M8 for pano's. Everything else is hand-held. OTOH, I do use a tripod with my M3 when shooting 50 speed film and for MF.

[bobtodrick]

Tripod....I don't use no stinkin' tripod!!
Well, actually I do.
As some of the above have said, when I'm street shooting I tend to leave the tripod (Gitzo basalt) in the trunk. But I always have my Leica B&S head with legs with me.
What works very well is to attach the tripod to the camera, then angle the legs in such a way that they form a chestpod (you need the large B&S head, the older short version doesn't work).
This is unobtrusive and works well down to 1/4 or 1/8 of a second.
http://shashinki.com/shop/images/SLIK-MINITPDPTH-02.jpg

[peter_n]

I use a Gitzo tripod and a Manfrotto monopod. For night shooting and my 135mm lens I've taken to using the tripod, I take the monopod on trips and occasionally actually use it. Both are equipped with Arca-Swiss type QR plates so it is very quick to slip the camera in & out of the ballhead.

[richam]

Landscapes, especially bracketed shots intended for eventual HDR conversion. Panoramas. Infrared.

[grober]

I have a monopod but never use it.

I use a full size Manfroto and its little "tabletop" brother a good amount.

(I owned and actively used the Leica tabletop + large Leica ballhead model for over thirty years but, on a flight to New Jersey, I foolishly left my checked luggage unlocked only to have the unit stolen somewhere during the baggage transfer process. I learned my lesson and subsequently bought TSA-approved locks for all my checked luggage.)

-g

[gfspencer]

Originally Posted by pgk

What makes you think that its a 'reportage' camera?

I use a tripod as and when required and have used my M8 on everything from the very small RRS tripod with a lightweight head to my Gitzo 1548 with an RRS55 head! There's no doubt that the M8 can be used for reportage, but considering it just to be a reportage camera is imposing rather pointless restrictions on its use. Its minimal distortion lenses allow the production of very fine, stitched panoramas as a simple example.

Gosh, pgk, I didn't mean to get your knickers in a knot. Maybe "reportage" was a bad choice of words. And I certainly didn't mean to put "pointless restrictions" on the use of an M8. I guess I have come to see my Leicas (M6TTL and M8) as simple, discreet cameras . . . . cameras that are good for the quick, discreet shot. I didn't mean to say that an M8 could not do a great job of taking a beautiful landscape. It certainly can. I just don't use a tripod with mine because a tripod - even the simple Leica tripod - seems to get in the way of that simplicity. But that's just me. Sorry.

[farnz]

Whenever the situation calls for it; night scenes, small aperture scenics etc. I cut my teeth on a Pentax 67 medium format camera where hand-holding isn't really an option so using a tripod is second-nature. I've never quite understood the stigma that appears to surround not using a tripod with an M. Is it a mild form of bravura?

Pete.

[Stan Yoder]

HDR requires a tripod, unless you're really, really steady.

[Kent10D]

Originally Posted by Stan Yoder

HDR requires a tripod, unless you're really, really steady.

... or have a camera that can shoot high-speed bracketed bursts.

[caparobertsan]

I hate to use tripod. But If it is Night time If I am taking scape foto, I use it. But for traveling I don`t take it. I put camera on something steady and do the long exposure using timer.

And I used it when I put R92 hoya IR filter on the VL35/1.2 lens.

But I prefer not to use it! For people shot or moving object I don`t mind my photo to be bit blur= art effect!! Or National Geo effect! Yep M8 `s lowest is 1/15!!! I can hold my Pentax sp up to 1/4!!!!

COme on Leica Please come up with complete new charging mechanism or steal one from CONTAX(kyocera)!!!! G2!=silky quiet shutter!!!