Tripod or not: Will be taking a cruise from Santiago, Chile to Buenos Aires. Will go thru the Straits of Magellan and around Cape Horn. For those times I am ashore (for anyone who has...

DarylEPC

Will be taking a cruise from Santiago, Chile to Buenos Aires. Will go thru the Straits of Magellan and around Cape Horn. For those times I am ashore (for anyone who has taken this trip) is a tripod recommended. Any tips or recommendations are welcome.

Thanks

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

I travel better and get better results with small, light gear and no tripod. Traveling on a cruise ship frequently puts you in excursions and other adventures where you have to share space with other travelers. Tripods are out of place in those situations. Try to use faster shutter speeds, higher ISOs and camera/lens stabilization. Today's gear provides all that.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

Well that depends on what you intend to photograph.

My experience with travel is it is fast paced and hand held works fine for me. But that is me. What do you intend to photograph? That will give you your answer.

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

DarylEPC wrote:

Will be taking a cruise from Santiago, Chile to Buenos Aires. Will go thru the Straits of Magellan and around Cape Horn. For those times I am ashore (for anyone who has taken this trip) is a tripod recommended. Any tips or recommendations are welcome.

Thanks

Consider a Manfrotto MePhoto Carbon Fiber travel tripod. If, weather permitting, you found the uppermost and most forward deck with a viewing area, you could set the tripod up. Anybody who's been on an Alaskan cruise that enters Glacier Bay is familiar with getting there early when there's room on the railing.

https://www.mefoto.com/products/roadtrip-s-travel-tripod-carbon-fiber-0

On excursions the same thing, it depends on how long you are stopping and what you are photographing.

nicksr1125 Loc: Mesa, AZ

Unless you're considering some long exposure shots, a monopod will be easier to travel with & give you almost as much stability. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1431956-REG/mefoto_wasablk_walkabout_s_travel_aluminum.html. Add a ball head rated to handle the heaviest lens you're planning to take & you're all set.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

DarylEPC wrote:

Will be taking a cruise from Santiago, Chile to Buenos Aires. Will go thru the Straits of Magellan and around Cape Horn. For those times I am ashore (for anyone who has taken this trip) is a tripod recommended. Any tips or recommendations are welcome.

Thanks

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

DarylEPC wrote:

Will be taking a cruise from Santiago, Chile to Buenos Aires. Will go thru the Straits of Magellan and around Cape Horn. For those times I am ashore (for anyone who has taken this trip) is a tripod recommended. Any tips or recommendations are welcome.

Thanks

I have been on over 10 cruises. PLEASE leave that thing at home.

bikerguy

I have been on numerous small boat cruises (between 40 and 130 people) including Patagonia. Do not take a tripod. It is useless on teh ship since the tripod will simply transfer the ship's vibrations to your camera. Off the ship go hand held and enjoy the trip. We were on the ground shooting wildlife, in the water fording small rivers to get closer to birds and generally moving around. Image stabilization is your friend. If you want a long exposure, find a flattish surface to use.

Retina Loc: Near Charleston,SC

DarylEPC wrote:

Will be taking a cruise from Santiago, Chile to Buenos Aires. Will go thru the Straits of Magellan and around Cape Horn. For those times I am ashore (for anyone who has taken this trip) is a tripod recommended. Any tips or recommendations are welcome.

Thanks

There are hand held mounts used mainly for video but if traveling light means anything at all, I would take extra memory cards and at least two spare batteries and shoot more exposures than usual. There is plenty of time to throw out the tilted ones later. Take the advice already given by others and optimize your hand-held technique.

mizzee Loc: Boston,Ma

Leave the tripod at home, or, if you feel naked without it, leave it in your stateroom. They are an annoyance to others and get in the way. Since you're on a cruise and will be on shore excursions with others, you won't have time to set it up and take it down. In addition, if you go to a museum or church, etc., tripods won't be allowed. You might want to check out a Platypod.

Stardust Loc: Central Illinois

Only take tripod if you enjoy the scorn of the other passengers, you prefer to hold up others on excursions, and desire to draw attention to yourself from any local undesirables that you are carrying expensive camera equipment.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Unless I was taking a trip specifically for photography, I would prefer to travel light - small camera and no tripod.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

Do you have vibration reduction lenses? Do you have a camera with vibration reduction built in? If you do you have a good chance that you will not need a tripod for outdoor use.
I have a small and cheap Dolica tripod that I always carry with me. Using good tripod techniques the little tripod is as steady as my big boys.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

Unless you are doing specific night photographs I would leave the tripod at home. You can always raise the ISO if you need a faster shutter speed. I also look for something to brace my camera with if the light is not that great. You will tire of carrying a tripod and only using it occasionally.

Have a great trip,

Dennis

Bultaco Loc: Aiken, SC

dennis2146 wrote:

Unless you are doing specific night photographs I would leave the tripod at home. You can always raise the ISO if you need a faster shutter speed. I also look for something to brace my camera with if the light is not that great. You will tire of carrying a tripod and only using it occasionally.

Have a great trip,

Dennis