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Even the slightest of vibrations can distort an image making it look amateurish. Tripods help avoid these vibrations and so that you can produce truly professional pictures. It is important to ensure that the tripod has a quality construction so that you do not have to worry about breaking a knob while adjusting the tripod. Tripods of today are made of aluminium or carbon fibre. Carbon fibre is sturdier and lighter than aluminium but more expensive. Generally the heavier the tripod, lesser the shake while shooting but it normally comes down to balancing between sturdiness and portable weight of the tripod. Tripods with nuts and bolts joints are easier to repair in case of damage than tripods with riveted joints. Before buying, extend the tripod to its maximum height and exert pressure vertically on the head with your hand and if the tripod flexes or creaks, give it a pass.
The tripod should offer a good range of height, most of it is ideally by adjusting the legs and not the centre column. Extending the centre column too much makes the camera unstable. If the tripod has telescopic leg construction, the thinnest part of the legs should be sturdy enough not to flex or bend under camera weight. The splay of the legs should be independently adjustable. Tripods with bubble level allow you to place the tripod evenly on uneven surfaces.
Most entry level tripods come complete with the head on which you attach the camera but it is always better to go for a ‘tripod + head’ combination so that you can fit a better quality head on your tripod later if required. The tripod head is the most important component as it has to hold the camera stably but allow for smooth movement while shooting. There are ball heads at the lower price end and fluid pan and tilt heads for smooth movement at the higher price end for smooth movement.
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Velbon CX 640 Tripod with 3 Way Head The tripod has a three way head and is a mini tripod. |
Sealey Mini Laser Level Unit Mini tripod can be placed on any surface and features a laser dot for indication. |
These folding tripods have a height of 144 cms. |
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Manfrotto 7321YB M-Y Tripod with 3 Ways Head The tripod has three ways head and is lightweight and compact. |
The tripods are well suited for holding SLRs and Video cameras. |
The aluminium tripod is used for professional level. |
