Jacobs Digital | Tripods

Whether utilising a long exposure or the full telephoto reach of your lens, camera shake and skewed horizons can be avoided with a tripod. Here’s a checklist of what to look out for:

For greatest flexibility, go for quick-release telescopic sections, allowing rapid adjustment to leg height.

If you own a weighty DSLR, make sure that you choose a tripod sufficiently sturdy, when at full height, to support your camera.

A tripod with a quick release plate is also useful, both for easier access to your camera or to quickly be on the move.

While checking the maximum height the tripod can be extended to, also investigate the minimum, and whether its legs are fully collapsible for low angle capture.

For macro and wildlife photography, where you need to get really close, select a tripod with reversible or swivelling centre column.

Many tripods just come as a set of legs, so you can choose a head to best suit you.

A pan & tilt or ball and socket head with spirit level will allow you to get your horizon level on uneven ground, and let you perform more precise operations by locking down each individual plane.

Whilst more expensive than metal alternatives, a tripod constructed from lightweight carbon fibre or magnesium will repay investment by aiding portability. If you’re stuck for space in your kit bag, a monopod is a possibility.