Speak to me of Tripods...

[Blueyed Girl]

Those of you who bring your tripods to WDW, how do you lug them around? Is there a special bag that makes this easier for you? What kind of tripod are you using? A full size?? A mini?? My last trip all I brought was my camera. For night shots I propped my elbows on something and braced myself for greatness. Some shots were decent, some not so good.

Teach me, oh wise ones!!

 

[Graeme]

Gorillapod!

It comes in two sizes and wraps round anything, so fence rails, trees etc become the tripod. www.joby.com

 

[jann1033]

our last trip i took my old full size tripod and left it in the lockers till needed...next time i'll take my new full sized tripod and leave it in the lockers till needed..it does have a bag that makes carrying it pretty easy but i don't like lugging stuff and we are past the stroller age group. it isn't a problem imo as i would probably go toward the train station in mk anyway to take wishes and i left it at the international lockers in epcot and don't use it anywhere else, i also plan on a day( first one for that park incase it rains etc) to use it for fireworks so don't take it every day. we always rent a locker though since we go in winter and need sweatshirts in the am and pm. my giottos tripod came with a bag.

 

[AZ JazzyJ]

I was thinking the other day, if I mounted a threaded bolt to the top of the hat that my wife wears to keep the sun out of her eyes, I could then just have her kneel down and I could screw the camera to the top of her head, take whatever pictures I wanted then remove the camera. That would completely eliminate the need for me carrying a tripod into the parks. I thought it was a great idea. Trina on the other hand suggested a different use for the bolt which I won't share here. Sometimes I just don't understand women.

Jeff

 

[BroadcastNewsMSU]

I agree with Graeme. I have a Gorillapod, also. You can put it almost anywhere and it's small enough to carry in your pocket.

 

[jann1033]

speaking of s.o.'s help....i had a similar idea involving my husband's neck and a gorilla pod but he nixed that idea as well...guess he just doesn't understand his intricate role in my photographic pursuits

 

[JR6ooo4]

Gorillapod!

It comes in two sizes and wraps round anything, so fence rails, trees etc become the tripod. www.joby.com

While that may work for most shots, sometimes I will move two steps on one direction to get the best angle for a shot. Sometimes it is only one half foot movement. So settling for the nearest can or pole or fence rail woul dbe aggravating for me.

I brought a lightweight tripod last time and still kept it in the locker until the sun went down.

Mikeeee

 

[MarkBarbieri]

I brought a lightweight tripod last time and still kept it in the locker until the sun went down.

Just be careful to learn about the locker sizes before committing to this strategy. I think they vary between the parks and aren't all that big. I'm almost certain that the MK doesn't have lockers for full sized tripods.

The do make straps and bags for tripods, but I've never really investaged them. I just re-purpose my camera strap as a tripod strap when necessary.

 

[AZ JazzyJ]

I agree with Graeme. I have a Gorillapod, also. You can put it almost anywhere and it's small enough to carry in your pocket.

Ok, am I the only one who when they read this thought of that old Mae West line, "Is that a Gorillapod in your pocket or are you just happy to see me"? I need to stop watching Turner Classic Movies at 3 AM.

Jeff

 

[Groucho]

My best recommendation for a tripod is to bring along a small child and your own stroller, and store the tripod under the seat during the day. Worked great for me!

 

[Blueyed Girl]

Gorillapod!

It comes in two sizes and wraps round anything, so fence rails, trees etc become the tripod. www.joby.com

This thing is very cool! I agree with another poster about maybe not always having a place to attach it to. But for the most part I think I could really put that thing to good use. Thanks for the tip!

 

[Blueyed Girl]

our last trip i took my old full size tripod and left it in the lockers till needed...next time i'll take my new full sized tripod and leave it in the lockers till needed..it does have a bag that makes carrying it pretty easy but i don't like lugging stuff and we are past the stroller age group. it isn't a problem imo as i would probably go toward the train station in mk anyway to take wishes and i left it at the international lockers in epcot and don't use it anywhere else, i also plan on a day( first one for that park incase it rains etc) to use it for fireworks so don't take it every day. we always rent a locker though since we go in winter and need sweatshirts in the am and pm. my giottos tripod came with a bag.

This sounds like a pretty good solution as well. I don't think the full size tripod I have now would fit in the locker. But...HEY!! It's an excuse to go shopping for another one.

 

[Blueyed Girl]

I was thinking the other day, if I mounted a threaded bolt to the top of the hat that my wife wears to keep the sun out of her eyes, I could then just have her kneel down and I could screw the camera to the top of her head, take whatever pictures I wanted then remove the camera. That would completely eliminate the need for me carrying a tripod into the parks. I thought it was a great idea. Trina on the other hand suggested a different use for the bolt which I won't share here. Sometimes I just don't understand women.

Jeff

I can understand her reasoning behind HER use for the bolt.

 

[Blueyed Girl]

***I finally figured out how to multi-quote!!***

speaking of s.o.'s help....i had a similar idea involving my husband's neck and a gorilla pod but he nixed that idea as well...guess he just doesn't understand his intricate role in my photographic pursuits

I've felt this way before too.

I just re-purpose my camera strap as a tripod strap when necessary.

Very interesting!! I will have to give this a try.

My best recommendation for a tripod is to bring along a small child and your own stroller, and store the tripod under the seat during the day. Worked great for me!

DUH!!! I don't know why I didn't think of this considering we will have a stroller every day while there. I'm sort of affraid someone will walk off with it, though! Maybe I can figure out a way to hide it on the stroller somehow.


Thanks to everyone for your responses so far. I'm enjoying reading them all.

 

[jann1033]

i measured my old tripod..it is 27" and i know in 2004 fit in the lockers underneath the railway station in MK and international gateway in epcot as well ...so unless those lockers have changed since then, they are at least that big. i might have had to angle it but it fit with out a problem

but how do you multi-quote since i can not figure that out

 

[Blueyed Girl]

Ok, am I the only one who when they read this thought of that old Mae West line, "Is that a Gorillapod in your pocket or are you just happy to see me"? I need to stop watching Turner Classic Movies at 3 AM.

Jeff

Slowly, back away from the TV!!!

 

[Blueyed Girl]

but how do you multi-quote since i can not figure that out

The little + " button next to the "quote" button. Click that for each post you want to quote, then you click the Reply button. When the screen comes up for you to enter text, all the posts you clicked are quoted in there. Pretty cool.

 

[Steve's Girl]

i measured my old tripod..it is 27" and i know in 2004 fit in the lockers underneath the railway station in MK and international gateway in epcot as well ...so unless those lockers have changed since then, they are at least that big. i might have had to angle it but it fit with out a problem

but how do you multi-quote since i can not figure that out

Hmmm - my tripod did not fit in the lockers at Guest Services which is inside the gate to the right. I did not know about lockers uner the railway station. I'll have to keep this in mind for next trip.

To multi quote use the "+ button to the right of the quote button. - previos poster beat me with better instructions!

 

[jann1033]

The little + " button next to the "quote" button. Click that for each post you want to quote, then you click the Reply button. When the screen comes up for you to enter text, all the posts you clicked are quoted in there. Pretty cool.

Hmmm - my tripod did not fit in the lockers at Guest Services which is inside the gate to the right. I did not know about lockers uner the railway station. I'll have to keep this in mind for next trip.

To multi quote use the "+ button to the right of the quote button. - previos poster beat me with better instructions!

well how cool is that! thanks guess i never noticed that button before

 

[brack]

It depends on how "steady" I want to be .....


Manfroto (Bogen) is rock solid but very heavy
Vivitar is medium light but fairly solid
Sakar is very light and good for daylight at the end of the day
WalMart mini is for shots that can stand a little shake