Using a tripod Archives - Infrared Conversions, IR Modifications & Photography Tutorials

A tripod is undoubtedly one of the most important accessories that a travel or landscape photographer has. For most, it is their favourite tool in capturing great shots. A tripod can offer so much and really make a difference to the quality of your photos. But sometimes you may find that your photos are not sharp even when you have used a tripod. This can be incredibly frustrating, so here are 7 reasons that your photos might not be sharp even when using a tripod.

Not on stable ground

The first part of ensuring that your images will be sharp is to make sure your tripod is set up securely so that there isn’t any movement. This might sound obvious, but I have seen so many instances where photographers set up their tripod wrong.

You also need to be aware of where you and your tripod are. For example, if your tripod is placed on a bridge there may movement when people or cars go past. You can’t stop this happening so you need to try and time your shot to take photos to coincide with a gap in the traffic. Or you need to use a faster shutter speed.

So the first step in capturing sharp photos with a tripod is to make sure your tripod is stable.

Too windy

There are times that no matter what you try the conditions will be against you and even the heaviest and sturdiest tripod won’t be able to handle the wind. The thing to remember is that when you are shooting with slow exposure even the faintest of movements will cause your shots to be blurred. So what do you do?

In a strong wind, even with a tripod, an image won’t be sharp at slow shutter speeds.

In these scenarios, your only option is to use a faster shutter speed to minimise the potential of camera movement during exposure. For example, even though you may want to capture the beautiful silky water, it may not be possible.

One thing you could try is to get your tripod as low to the ground as possible and spread the legs out. This might buy you a couple more stops in strong wind.

You didn’t lock up the mirror

This is one of the most common mistakes that newbie photographers make when using a tripod and shooting slow exposure shots. In DSLR cameras, there is a mirror that reflects the scene into the viewfinder. That is how you see a live image rather than a digital one (like you get in mirrorless cameras).

When you press the shutter button to take a photo, this mirror flips up to expose the sensor to light to create the image. Incidentally, this is why your viewfinder goes dark. Because the mirror has flipped up. At fast shutter speeds, this doesn’t cause any issues. However, when you are shooting long exposures the mechanical movement of the mirror flipping up and down can cause vibrations which make your image look slightly blurred.

The solution is to go into your camera’s menu and select “lock up mirror”. This ensures that the mirror is flipped up before the sensor is exposed. Another easier solution is to set your camera to “Live view mode” which also does the same thing in flipping the mirror up.

Image stabilization in on

One of the best innovations in photography has been image stabilization. This can be really useful in allowing photographers to shoot at slower shutter speeds than was possible before. While this works great when you are shooting handheld, when your camera is on a tripod, the lack of movement can confuse the image stabilization system. This can cause your images to appear soft. So remember to turn off the IS when your camera is on a tripod.

You touched the camera

The most important thing to remember when your camera is on a tripod is that any movement can cause your photos to appear blurred (when you are not using fast shutter speeds). So even pressing the shutter button can cause this movement.

Rather than pressing the button to take a photo, set your camera on a timer. So that when you press the shutter button it takes a few seconds for the camera to take the photo. Or alternatively, you can use a shutter release cable.

Aperture too small

You probably already know that the smaller your aperture is, the greater your depth of field will be. So in landscape photography, for example, you will want to utilise this long depth of field. Most lenses have a sweet spot for sharpness which is around f/8 to f/11. That doesn’t mean that other apertures will give you a blurred photo.

But where it does start to cause problems is when you use extremely narrow apertures of f/18 and smaller due to something called “diffraction”. There’s plenty online about the science of this occurrence. But in short, this is an optical issue that is caused by small apertures. So always aim to keep your aperture at no more than f/16.

This shot was taken at f/18. You can see that when zoomed in, the image isn’t 100% sharp.

Not a good tripod

Like anything in life, sometimes the quality of a product makes a difference. A cheap and flimsy tripod might be more susceptible to vibrations and movements. So try to invest in a good quality carbon fibre tripod. I have had my Manfrotto tripod for almost 15 years and in that time I have dropped it, knocked it around and it even got hit by a car and it’s still standing strong.

Capturing sharp photos when using a tripod isn’t a given but if you follow the advice above you should end up with sharp photos when using a tripod every time.

It was almost as if it was slow motion. The camera fell towards the ground where a big rock and muddy puddle awaited it. Luckily the camera missed the rock and landed in the muddy puddle instead. As I picked it up in sheer terror anticipating the worst, I discovered it still worked! With a bit of cleaning up, I was ready to shoot again. It was a lucky escape that resulted in me not ensuring my camera was properly secured to my tripod as I photographed a waterfall. Had the camera landed a little more to the right it would have no doubt smashed. A bit further to the left and it would have probably been floating away in the river. This happened to me a few years ago and taught me a valuable lesson to always ensure that my camera and tripod are secure and steady when taking a photo.

I often see many amateurs and even pro photographers using their tripod in a way that can not only ruin their photos but also put their camera at risk. So, here are 6 mistakes to avoid when using a tripod to ensure your camera and photos are safe.

Avoid raising the centre column

I have lost count of the number of times that I have seen people taking photos of landscapes with the centre column fully extended. The thing about the centre column on your tripod is that it can actually be detrimental to the sharpness of your photos. The reason is that it isn’t actually that secure. So even the slightest of movements will rattle the column and thus mean your shots might be blurred (especially in low light conditions).

So what is the purpose of that centre column you may ask? Well; usually the reason that photographers use that central column is to take shots where the camera needs to be facing down fully. Like for example taking an overhead shot of food. By extending the column and tilting it over it allows the photographer to take an over the top shot without capturing the tripod legs.

Make sure tripod insert is tight

The tripod shoe or insert is what tightens to the bottom of your camera and then subsequently clicks onto your tripod. This small apparatus is what keeps the camera on top of the tripod. If it isn’t correctly screwed in or tightened it could mean camera movement which in turn mean blurred photos.

Always make sure that you are using the correct size screw (most tripods will come with a small metal addition screw that can make the shoe connect to bigger camera holes). Also, check that when you have screwed in the shoe to your camera the arrow at the bottom is pointing in the direction of your lens.

Mount the camera properly

This is the error that almost cost me my camera. When I mounted the camera onto the tripod, it hadn’t fitted in properly and so it wasn’t secure. As soon as I let go, the camera fell. When you mount your camera, make sure that the connection has closed and is secure. A good habit to get into is to just gently move the camera once you have mounted it to make sure it doesn’t come out. Then you can let go.

Position the legs correctly

This is often the most common mistake that I see people make. Even if your camera is straight, by not positioning the legs correctly you could find that you tripod falls over with the slightest breeze. It’s all about making sure that the weight of the camera is distributed evenly across the frame of the tripod. Ideally, you should use the spirit level on your tripod to try and get your centre column to be as straight as possible. Sometimes that means lowering one of the legs so that you can do this. But you also should be aware of the need for a potential counterweight that might be needed to stop your tripod falling over.

For example, if you are photographing food with an overhead shot (i.e. your centre column is extended and tilted over), when you mount a camera on, the tripod will immediately start falling over at the camera end. So to ensure it doesn’t you need to hang a sandbag to one of the legs (on the opposite side) to counter the weight balance.

Always look to set up your tripod first and check that it is secure before mounting your camera on. Be especially careful when there is wind as a strong gust can easily knock over a tripod.

Extend the top legs first

Another potential mistake that you might be making that you don’t even know about it how you extend the legs. All tripods legs come in different sections that are thicker and more sturdy near the top to thinner the lower you get. This is simply so that the tripod legs can be retracted into the upper sections. Naturally, the thicker and more sturdy section of the legs is nearer the top. So if you find yourself needing to only extend you tripod partly, always start with the top section first. On higher end and more heavyweight tripods, you should see any issues even if using the lower part but it’s still worth getting into the habit of using the tripod correctly.

Be careful how you carry it

It amazes me how often I see people carrying their tripod incorrectly. If your tripod is extended you should always carry it over your shoulder. Even if you have your camera mounted on there, over your shoulder will keep it much safer than any other way. Avoid carrying the tripod by your side as not only there is more chance of you knocking your camera on things but also more risk to others who may trip or be it by the legs.

Always remember that your tripod is what is holding up your expensive camera and lenses so if it isn’t secure you are risking a potential fall and damage to your camera. But there is also the potential risk to your photos as well. A tripod that isn’t properly set up will move and shake your camera which will mean blurred photos.

Why Your Photos Are Not Sharp When Using A Tripod?