Handheld Or Tripod?

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Which support method do you use the most

  • Tripod

    Votes: 32 19.6%

  • Monopod

    Votes: 18 11.0%

  • Handheld

    Votes: 112 68.7%

  • Other (comment below to let us know what you use)

    Votes: 1 0.6%
  • Total voters
    163
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BLev65 said:
I learned almost everything I know about nature and wildlife photography from an old but classic book by John Shaw (The Nature Photographer's Complete Guide to Field Techniques). The book was written in the film era at a time when careful field technique with ISO 50-100 slide film was a requirement for producing high quality images. Shooting low ISO film w/ a 300mm f4.5 EdIf & 400mm f5.6 Ed lens required the absolute sturdiest tripod in the field. I remember John saying on many occasions, your best investment is a solid tripod with a well-designed ball head. Back in the day, I spent as much on a Gitzo tripod and Foba Head as my best lens.
While VR and smaller lenses now allow me to shoot handheld, I continue to prefer using a tripod. Just this morning I was out shooting solitary sandpipers. While it might have been easier to flick on the VR and shoot handheld, I did 90% of my shooting with VR off and lens on the tripod.

While I do shoot handheld when from the kayak or when the action heats up, I still prefer to work from a tripod.

Great question Steve!
bruce
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It's funny - John is the one who convinced way back when (through his books) to use tripods - and I still do so as much as possible!
 
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Steve said:
It's funny - John is the one who convinced way back when (through his books) to use tripods - and I still do so as much as possible!
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He was a literal and virtual mentor to many of us "old-timers." I still look at his books from time to time. I wrote so many notes on those pages and even took his book when I went to Costa Rica in '95 and Alaska in '96... didn't want to forget those quick exposure tips for shooting white subjects on Velvia film 🤣
 
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BLev65 said:
He was a literal and virtual mentor to many of us "old-timers." I still look at his books from time to time. I wrote so many notes on those pages and even took his book when I went to Costa Rica in '95 and Alaska in '96... didn't want to forget those quick exposure tips for shooting white subjects on Velvia film 🤣
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I was talking to him a year or so ago (maybe it's two now) and we were commenting about shooting in Costa Rica. He told me if I think it's rough in the rainforest now, I should try it with Valvia! Although, I don't think he was doing macaws in flight either :) Great guy and probably the best nature photography teacher I've ever encountered. And, he backed up what he said with images that made me drool!
 
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Steve said:
I'm curious - what support method do you use the MOST in the field? I know many of use a little of each choice in the poll, but which do you use the most?

Also, if you use a combination, feel free to post what percentage you use with each.

For me, I use a bit of everything, but the majority is on a tripod. However, I do find myself going with monopods and handheld more often than ever before (better VR and stabilizations systems combined with lighter gear helps a lot!) Probably 50% tripod, 20% monopod, and 30% handheld. (I should try to use the monopod more than I handheld, but here we are LOL).
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I have been doing 100% of my wildlife photography handheld over the past 4+ years. Much of the reason is because I take my camera + telephoto lens with me on walks. Walking is the main activity. Photography happens if I see something on a walk that interests me. Also, my gear is fairly light - a DSLR + 100-400mm optically-stabilized lens that has no tripod collar. If my gear was heavier, such as a DSLR + 300mm f/2.8 non-stabilized lens with 1.4x converter, then I am sure that I would use some sort of support.
 
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The vast majority of my shooting is handheld with the caveat if shooting from the car, I use a pool noodle on the car window. I have used a monopod about a dozen times, and a tripod maybe twice. But the biggest lens I use is a 500mm PF. I’m sure if I had the 600 f4 these numbers would change.
 
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This thread thread is the right place,I think, to share the design of this simple door support, which should be straightforward to make oneself, or have made up.

It is described in the latest issue of the Kruger Magazine (21, Spring 2022) by the well known local photographer, Roger de la Harpe, a regular contributor. He describes it as follows:
"it works well and is made from 3mm sheet aluminum and one of those double sucker 'handles' that the glass and window people use for lifting sheets of glass and windscreens. Some bending, drilling and cutting are all that are needed and it simply hooks over the windowsill of the car door and is supported lower down by the sucker handle."
A video head or gimbal is attached to horizontal section by a 3/8" UNC bolt through a hole drilled through the plate.
IMG_20220917_204035_489~2.jpg
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fcotterill said:
This thread thread is the right place,I think, to share the design of this simple door support, which should be straightforward to make oneself, or have made up.

It is described in the latest issue of the Kruger Magazine (21, Spring 2022) by the well known local photographer, Roger de la Harpe, a regular contributor. He describes it as follows:
"it works well and is made from 3mm sheet aluminum and one of those double sucker 'handles' that the glass and window people use for lifting sheets of glass and windscreens. Some bending, drilling and cutting are all that are needed and it simply hooks over the windowsill of the car door and is supported lower down by the sucker handle."
A video head or gimbal is attached to horizontal section by a 3/8" UNC bolt through a hole drilled through the plate.
View attachment 46483
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That's really cool!
 
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Steve said:
I was talking to him a year or so ago (maybe it's two now) and we were commenting about shooting in Costa Rica. He told me if I think it's rough in the rainforest now, I should try it with Valvia! Although, I don't think he was doing macaws in flight either :) Great guy and probably the best nature photography teacher I've ever encountered. And, he backed up what he said with images that made me drool!
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It is a pleasure to meet people like John, as photographers like him, Art Wolfe, and Frans Lanting paved the way for "younger" guys like me (I'm 57). Their work inspired me to take up photography when I was a researcher on the Pribilof Islands, and in many ways fueled the passion I still have for being in nature with a camera. I found John to be an unselfish teacher. While there is no doubt that his books led to many sales and workshop attendees, the tips he offered were a gift to those of us trying to learn the craft.
I was still using manual focus SLRs during my first trip to Costa Rica, and non-digital DSLRs for two subsequent trips. Back then, I called my action shots "Creative Blurs" 🤣.
Fortunately, I managed to return to Costa Rica another 9 times with DSLRs, but my last trip was in 2018. Thus, I have not had the pleasure to use a camera like a Z9 there. Just this morning as I was getting caked in mud with a bunch of sandpipers I was thinking about how it felt as if I were cheating. The Z9 drops a little box around the piper's eye, and the box goes where the piper goes.... this technology is mind-blowing for those of us who used split-image micro prism screens to try and focus on anything that moves.
I'm happy to pull the shot, but I'm posting a flying MacCaw just for you... shot w/ a tripod / gimbal, Canon 5D mkIII and 300mm f2.8IS... I would love to repeat this Serapaqui experience w/ my Z9 today!!
Macaw_93A4907.jpg
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I’m probably 95% handheld, 5% monopod, and RARELY on a tripod. Most of my wildlife shots have been with a 500 F4 on a D500, and just recently a Z9, and I do a lot of macro as well with a 105VR.

I think more important (maybe equally important?) than the equipment we use, is the subject matter and locations. I shoot wildlife (mostly birds and some mammals) in Florida, with a little local macro thrown in, but when I travel to the rainforests (Costa Rica, Amazon, etc), I tend to flip that - a LOT of macro, and birds and mammals when the opportunity arises. Rarely do I know exactly where/when my subject will present itself, and often I’m not entirely sure what my subject will be until I see it.

While the stability of a tripod is definitely useful, I find that most of my photography involves hiking or walking to find my subjects, and only fleeting opportunities to shoot them. For me, the weight and setup time penalties are bigger cons than the faster shutter speeds needed (and higher ISOs) for handheld shooting.

The monopod is useful, however, for bearing the weight of the rig on the rare occasion that I can sit and watch the action unfold.

Definitely interesting to see everyone’s approach to this dilemma!

-Frank
 
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I use the monopod far more because it is more convenient to carry and easier when set up space is limited. It also takes less time to set up. The tripod is however more stable. 80/20.
 
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Either handheld or monopod with a shooter's yoke which is almost like hand holding except you have support. That's with the 70-200 with 2x converter on A1. If shooting from car, same body, use 200-600. Have also used the monopod with yoke with the 200-600 and it works well.
 
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I assume for wildlife? For me - birds -50/50 handheld / monopod. Same for outdoor macro (but using monopod more and more when using manual focus and moving forward and back for multiple exposures). Seascapes, landscapes and nightscapes are 100% on tripod.
 
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I tried a Tripod with a Gimbal photographing Eagles in flight with the Z9 /800 PF combo and found better tracking on the subject handheld. With the high shutter speeds in good light that‘s the best use for me. Landscapes in low light it’s generally with a Tripod or when hiking a Monopod. In the Winter months I photograph high surf on the Washington and Oregon coast and 100% Tripod with a remote.
 
It's my habit to carry a walking stick on hikes even if I didn't have a camera. I have a Brunton stick with a quick release photo head attached so that is my main support, as I prefer to walk as light as possible and don't want the added weight of a tripod.
 
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Tripod use has gone way down with the Sony 600 and 2-6. If I can, I will use it for blind work or stationary work. For just about everything else bird/mammal related, I hand hold or use a monopod or bean bag out the window, skimmer. If I need to be mobile, it has been useful to use a duel harness with a QD system with the 2-6 on one and the 600 on the other with a monopod attached. Lumbar spine is cranky with tripod carry so this is my work around. If area being worked is no more than a mile or two, I use the tripod. I get more keepers this way. Landscape is a combo of tripod, 80%, or handheld from kayak/boat.
 
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When birding with my 200-500, I use a monopod at least 90% of the time. For general walking-around shooting with my 18-140, I am almost 100% hand-held. For macro shooting, I use a tripod 90% of the time.
 
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