Tripod Use with Small Cameras: When traveling with small cameras such as Sony A6500 and Canon SX 740, cameras that have image stabilization, is there any advantage in normal lighting...

Allie

When traveling with small cameras such as Sony A6500 and Canon SX 740, cameras that have image stabilization, is there any advantage in normal lighting conditions to using a tripod, albeit a fairly lightweight one, assuming that a person has average camera-handholding ability?

rwilson1942 Loc: Houston, TX

In normal lighting I would not think you would need a tripod for stability.
I shoot a Sony A6500 and hand hold a 105mm lens at 1/100 Sec. under very poor lighting.
I get about 50% stable images (no motion). I'm shooting musicians on a stage at ISO3200 and around f5.6.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

If you want to take advantage of the full zoom range of the Canon SX 740 (40x optical zoom), then a tripod will definitely be helpful. At very least, a monopod.

Country Boy Loc: Beckley, WV

I agree you most likely don't need a tripod in normal light but I was on Amazon this week looking for a small tripod and found they carry a number of selfie sticks made for I-Phones and some of them will also allow for the mounting of a small regular camera. They have expandable feet at the bottom and one shaft that can be expanded up to 50 inches that run between $16 and $25. The thing I like about them is they collapse down to almost nothing and could be carried so easy. I would not trust them with a large camera but for a small point and shoot they could be handy.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Allie wrote:

When traveling with small cameras such as Sony A6500 and Canon SX 740, cameras that have image stabilization, is there any advantage in normal lighting conditions to using a tripod, albeit a fairly lightweight one, assuming that a person has average camera-handholding ability?

Tripods are traditionally used, even with small cameras, if the photographer plans to include himself in a group shot.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

"is there any advantage in normal lighting conditions to using a tripod?"

The advantage is diminishing but remains for certain "creative" special purposes. An example is shooting water falls, rivers and waves that you want to blurr to creaminess. Another might be time lapse video.

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

Allie wrote:

Whhen traveling with small cameras such as Sony A6500 and Canon SX 740, cameras that have image stabilization, is there any advantage in normal lighting conditions to using a tripod, albeit a fairly lightweight one, assuming that a person has average camera-handholding ability?

There is even an advantage in using a tripod with an iPhone.

deanfl Loc: Georgia

Allie wrote:

When traveling with small cameras such as Sony A6500 and Canon SX 740, cameras that have image stabilization, is there any advantage in normal lighting conditions to using a tripod, albeit a fairly lightweight one, assuming that a person has average camera-handholding ability?

I have the similar Canon SX730. As others have stated, to get the best picture quality, a tripod makes a difference....allowing you to use the lowest ISO.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

With the use of new VR or image stabilizer a majority of shots can be made in good light without the need of a tripod. Indeed VR does an excellent job to stabilize the image.
Even so I still use my tripods and for the mirrorless cameras a smaller tripod is all you need when traveling. I use a cheap aluminum Dolica tripod that has served me well.

A tripod to me is a necessity. It slows us down and it is very effective for an accurate visual design.

hcmcdole

Group shots would be a good reason to use a tripod with a compact camera along with the other reasons given already. I use a lightweight travel tripod with the Canon SX60 when I zoom in no matter how much image stabilization there is.

(Download)

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

camerapapi wrote:

With the use of new VR or image stabilizer a majority of shots can be made in good light without the need of a tripod. Indeed VR does an excellent job to stabilize the image.
Even so I still use my tripods and for the mirrorless cameras a smaller tripod is all you need when traveling. I use a cheap aluminum Dolica tripod that has served me well.

A tripod to me is a necessity. It slows us down and it is very effective for an accurate visual design.

There are many types of photography where "slowing us down" is not an advantage.

Blair Shaw Jr Loc: Dunnellon,Florida

Allie wrote:

When traveling with small cameras such as Sony A6500 and Canon SX 740, cameras that have image stabilization, is there any advantage in normal lighting conditions to using a tripod, albeit a fairly lightweight one, assuming that a person has average camera-handholding ability?

If you're going to do any video while on travel .....Yes. If you're relatively new with your rig or not ONE With It and don't know your margins, then Yes .. again. If you have to do any Panning or Stitching layouts or Bracketing of architectures and really busy images, then Absolutely use a tripod. Finally , if you don't mind dragging and setting that sucker up while in the company of strangers staring at you for getting in their space with that tripod......go for it. They are not allowed in some places as I am told......????Do your Research before you depart.

And OH...if you're old and clumsy with Parkinson's like me....by all means .... or just get someone else to take your pictures for you. Good Luck.

P.S. Cellphones double as great small travel cameras when all else fails.

cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast

I have always found that smaller, lighter weight cameras are harder (for me) to keep absolutely steady, while anger, heavier cameras are much easier to manually stabilize. Knowledge of the exposure triangle can help you get steady images for any situation.

gouldopfl

I think it depends on many things. As I have gotten older the weight of the camera and lenses seem to have gotten heavier. I have a very nice tripod that I use for macro inside and landscapes. When I am walking around I do carry a nice monopod which closed up is about 12" and not too heavy. I have switched from large zoom lenses and now concentrate on primes because they are usually lighter and better quality but also caused me to re-think how I compose shots because I am at a fixed focal length.

aHab

We took a trip to Iceland for the northern lights. The wife tried a table top tripod with her iPhone. Any tilting upward caused it to fall over. I bought a Mefoto Road Trip Air Travel tripod from B&H for $89. Weighs about 2 1/2 pounds. Used it with a Nikon D610 and a 50mm lens. Worked just fine.