My Impetus

There’s plenty of cool equipment in photography - but an often overlooked piece of gear is the humble tripod. The tripod is an essential piece of equipment for a photographer, and learning when one is needed is a key step in the journey. In order to take pictures with slow shutter speeds (long exposure) to either blur motion or in low light situations, you must hold the camera steady. Many SLR’s also offer some sort of exposure bracketing - usually denoted AEB - that allows you to ensure a proper exposure of your picture. This can be done hand held, but it is not easy. These bracketed photos can also be merged to create stunning high dynamic range (HDR) images.

In low light situations, even a bit of movement from your body can ruin a nice shot. In fact, some SLR digital cameras have custom functions to help minimize even the most minuscule of movement. They can lock the mirror in place before a shot to reduce the smallest vibrations. Many of today’s cameras, or preferably lenses, have some type of image stabilization feature built-in. Termed IS (image stabilization) in the Canon line and VR (vibration reduction) in the Nikon line, IS can help from 1 - 4 shutter/ EV stops for movement of the camera - a photographer shooting at 1/250 can turn on a 3-stop IS and shoot hand held at 1/30. The lenses all differ in their approach, but the basic idea is that a lens ‘floats’ and moves in an opposite direction of the camera movement to capture a sharper image. In fact, some of the earlier generation IS/VR modes need to be turned off when used on a tripod, as the sheer lack of movement ‘tricks’ the sensors and the image may be worse if taken in this mode….but I digress.

So I set out to look for my first tripod. I was looking for the following features / qualities:

After much research, I decided upon the Slik Sprint Pro. It is a smaller, lightweight tripod that can hold up to 4.5lbs - which was right in my wheelhouse as the XTi weighs just over a pound. This tripod shipped with the gunmetal-grey finish, which looked very professional, included a ballhead, and a small nylon carrying ‘pouch’ with a shoulder strap. The tripod collapses to a very manageable 18.9″ and weighs only 1.9 lbs - so, it is very light and easy to take with you.

The first time I used the tripod, I knew I made a great purchase. The legs feature quick release knobs which allow a wide range of heights as well as use on uneven ground. The feet of the tripod are multi-purpose - there are rubber stoppers for indoor use, and with a few twists the rubber stoppers spin up to reveal small spikes for outdoor use. The legs lock into multiple angles as well as an extreme wide stance with the release of small plastic hinges at the top of the legs to get extremely low level shots. The tripod felt extremely stable for it’s light weight. It is made from aluminum, unlike it’s more expensive carbon fiber brothers.

The center column extends upwards to a maximum height of 64.3″ which is a perfect height for me - I’m 5′7″. A taller friend of mine, around 6′4″ found it to be a little low for him, but not terribly inconvenient.

For macro photography use the legs open to very wide angles for extremely low shots with the camera mounted the normal way. In addition, the center column can be removed and flipped, with the camera mounted upside down, for even more extreme shots just an inch off of the ground - or for different perspective on life.

I brought the Slik with me on a walk of a small garden in my area. This garden is home to a very large array of plants and insects and has a small stream running through it. The tripod deploys very quickly, thanks to the quick release locks - and with a few swivels the camera mounts quickly to the ballhead. I was soon taking macro shots of plants with the EF 100mm f/2.8 USM lens that came out incredibly sharp. I set my XTi up for a long exposure, and snapped a pic of the stream. The goal was to blur the water to create a silk effect, and leave the remaining background sharp and clear.

I also brought the Slik with me to a fireworks display this summer, and I was not disappointed. I was able to use long shutter times to blur the fireworks to create trails. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate this year, and there were thunderstorms the next day which prevented a second attempt. However, the Slik worked quite well with the XTi and the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0 IS USM lens. This is a pretty heavy lens weighing in at 1.7 lbs, for a total of almost 3 lbs with the XTi - the only thing to be careful of is when you loosen the ballhead. There is zero resistance, and as soon the lever is loosened, the weight of the lens would cause it tilt. The first time I loosened it to reposition I learned very quickly to hold the camera and lens with the other hand!

Stream and Fireworks

All in all, for the price ($79 from B&H or Amazon) this is an excellent starter tripod. It is very light and portable which means I will bring it with me for use in the field, as a heavier tripod might get a second thought and get left behind. I carry a small backpack with my gear in it and the tripod in the pouch straps on nicely and doesn’t add much weight. The Slik Sprint Pro was exactly what I was looking for and it’s a welcome addition to my gear.

In the future, I may be looking for a more robust tripod for indoor use - where weight and size are not as important. If I do go this route, the Slik will still be my choice for travel - and it can still be useful for holding a flash or other photographic equipment if a sturdier tripod replaces it in the future.

About the only thing I don’t like is the ballhead - it works fine. However, a quick release mount would be ideal. These mounts are available, but adds price and weight to this little package.

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