Tripod - Worth It?

CliffyBiro · 26 Oct 2009 at 14:54

Just for your regular digital camera, is a tripod worth it? My hands tend to shake a little which almost always results in a slightly blurry shot which can be seen from this:

It's condensation on a can of coke. Needed a few interesting textures but couldn't get a steady shot.

The camera is a Canon Powershot A480 that I just got this week so still playing with it to see what it can do in terms of detail and quality without thinking too much about the shots.

Have noticed a few cheap tripods that look useful. Is a tripod for a compact useful at all though? Does anyone here use one for a compact?

BFG_9000 · 26 Oct 2009 at 14:57

Tri-pods are always useful... just get one, cheap as chips

martinturner · 26 Oct 2009 at 15:01

perhaps a gorillapod may be more convenient?

CliffyBiro · 26 Oct 2009 at 15:03

martinturner said:
perhaps a gorillapod may be more convenient?

This is actually what I was looking at. They look dirt cheap too. < £5 in some places.

Are they actually that stable? Just looked to me like something that could slip out of position.

martinturner · 26 Oct 2009 at 15:25

skippi90 said:
This is actually what I was looking at. They look dirt cheap too. < £5 in some places.

Are they actually that stable? Just looked to me like something that could slip out of position.

Personally, I am not sure you need one? Your test shots are all taken indoors, which I am guessing is not very well lit. Most compacts struggle a bit indoors unless you are firing the flash. Outdoors I would not expect any camera shake from your compact, unless the lighting is bad, long exposures (unlikely) or night shots (possibility?). So I can only deduce that this would be for indoor shots much akin to your test shots. In which case, if you are going to take loads of these type of shots, then buy a cheap adjustable tripod. Or if you are thinking of going outdoors for say some night shots, then get a Gorillapod, although I would buy the one up in size from the smallest one. If you are not likely to shoot many items, you could always prop up the camera with books, compose and then set a timer, thus removing camera shake?

BFG_9000 · 27 Oct 2009 at 14:45

skippi90 said:
This is actually what I was looking at. They look dirt cheap too. < £5 in some places.

Are they actually that stable? Just looked to me like something that could slip out of position.

£5 for that price just buy one... done.

TwoSaints · 27 Oct 2009 at 15:04

martinturner said:
perhaps a gorillapod may be more convenient?

This would have been my suggestion also, much more useful with a compact camera tbh.

Tomsk · 27 Oct 2009 at 17:43

At 1/4 sec exposure you need some support!

You could try improving your own technique.

It's a compact, so you're probably holding it at arms length when taking pictures.
Try holding your elbows against your body, and holding your breath when you take the picture, or supporting your forearms/elbows against something - table, top of fence etc.