Tripod Camera question (and not about buying anything)

[william4192]

Ok, I hope I have your interest. If you are going to be taking a lot of tripod pictures at Disney (say at night). Do you leave your camera on the tripod or do you constantly screw it on and off to move to a different location?


Is it bad for the camera to leave the tripod "connected"?

 

[Todd_H]

The ball head mount I have for my tripod uses a quick release plate system. I just pop the camera off of the ball head mount, carry my gear to the next location, and then set up the tripod and snap the camera back into place. I'm a little scared to carry my camera around connected to the tripod, but I know many people do that too, especially if you aren't walking far to the next location.

 

[william4192]

I have the type you screw on (and on and on and on). It is such a hassle.

 

[zackiedawg]

I also use a tripod with a quick release plate...so taking the camera off and putting back on is a breeze, therefore I do take it off all the time. I will sometimes leave my tripod legs extended, and just compact them together to carry the tripod to a new location if I know I'll be setting up just a few hundred feet down the path again. The only time I'll leave the camera on the tripod in a Disney situation is when I'm moving around in a small space taking multiple photos - such as in a pavilion in Epcot. I won't bother to take the camera off to move 30-50 feet. But I will take it off to move to the next pavilion.

It shouldn't be any real problem to leave the camera on the tripod - the act itself - but you risk bumping into things or dropping, or if you have a heavy lens mounted which is unsupported, maybe stressing the lens mount. Otherwise, it's just preference I suppose.

When I'm out birding, I use a very large lens - a 200-500mm. Because of the size, I don't bother taking the camera off the tripod, because it's actually easier to carry the whole rig with the camera mounted (actually, with that type of large lens, it has its own tripod mount, so the camera body is actually attached to the lens which is attached to the tripod), the tripod legs extended but compacted, then just hoist the lens over one shoulder and grab the tripod legs at my chest with my hand in the neck strap as a safety loop. I'll walk miles with the lens like that - so I can sling it off and snap off a shot monopod-style with little notice.

 

[boBQuincy]

With the camera screwed directly to the tripod, or with some tiny QR plates, there is a very small area contacting the camera. This makes it easy for the camera to pivot around the screw and come loose. Definitely do not carry the camera on the tripod this way!

A good QR plate (such as from Really Right Stuff) makes it so much easier and more secure.

 

[jann1033]

i'm neurotic so if i do leave it attached to move a short distance away, i put on the neck strap and put the camera on my shoulder and hold the lens with one hand, tripod with the other. not all that convenient, much easier to use the quick release plate. i saw a woman walking all around the zoo once with a big L lens on the camera on the tripod ( opened) and she was just holding the tripod legs while the body and lens dangled over her shoulder..... just watching her made me nervous. although if i were the devious type i could have crept up behind her and stealthily unscrewed the lens and saved about $3000 ( she didn't have a tripod collar on the lens either which made me wonder if she was richer than she was sensible)

 

[MICKEY88]

I've carried my camera with my 80-200 2.8 lens . mounted on my tripod or monopod, many times this way at events such as the renn fairre, the camera has never come loose... i rest the camera on my shoulder, with the lens pointed down, and hold the mono or tripod, I do keep the camera strap around my neck for extra safety,

pro sports and wildlife photographers do it all the time...


however I did have one accident with my Minolta 7d.

with monopod attached I was changing batteries in my flash, the camera slipped out of my hand, fortunately as always the strap was around my neck, unfortunately the extra weight from the monopod was enough to rip the camera strap lug from the top of the camera..fortunately I caught the camera, before it hit the ground..

so I'm still comfortable carrying this setup as long as the monopod or tripod is supported.. I would never trust the camera and strap to support the extra weight of the pod..

 

[ssanders79]

If you do get a quick release (QR) mount I would suggest getting one that has a safety lock so it will not accidently release. My first QR did not have a lock and it would constantly release. My new ball head has a safetly lock and I feel better when I walk with the camera mounted.

 

[Golf4food]

I have a quick release plate also and will unconnect it if we're moving very far, but if I'm only planning to move a dozen or few dozen feet to setup for the next shot then I just leave it attached, fold in the legs, and hold onto it with both hands - one on the camera, one around the legs - and carry it to my next stop.

 

[william4192]

I appreicate all the comments. I decided to order one like advised, although I had to go on the cheaper route. I don't have a ton to invest in a tripod right now. I am excited to get it and I hope it works good enough for now. I'm going to scrimp for a while and hopefully get a better one. I really do appreciate all the comments.

 

[zackiedawg]

Price shouldn't be a concern...you can get quick releases inexpensively. For 6 years, my tripod was a $36 Quantaray (Sunpak)...just a basic metal tripod that extended up to about 60" or so. After 6 years of heavy use it finally broke off the locking tab that kept it compacted, so to carry it I had to velcro a strap around it. I finally replaced it at Christmas with a $100 model thats lighter, stronger, compacts shorter, and extends higher. Sounded expensive to me...until I looked at prices for some of the carbon fiber leg and head assemblies some folks put together!

 

[boBQuincy]

Price shouldn't be a concern...you can get quick releases inexpensively. For 6 years, my tripod was a $36 Quantaray (Sunpak)...just a basic metal tripod that extended up to about 60" or so. After 6 years of heavy use it finally broke off the locking tab that kept it compacted, so to carry it I had to velcro a strap around it. I finally replaced it at Christmas with a $100 model thats lighter, stronger, compacts shorter, and extends higher. Sounded expensive to me...until I looked at prices for some of the carbon fiber leg and head assemblies some folks put together!

I needed sturdy for long exposures and HDR. I needed light or I knew I would not carry the tripod much, negating the whole reason for buying one. Plugging those two factors into the equation results in $$$! Add a decent ball head, quick release, and an L plate to allow an easy change from landscape to portrait orientation and the price can get scary. =

Of course it all has to fit in a WDW locker too! Why Velbon/Manfrotto/et.al. have not marketed a "WDW Special" tripod is a mystery.