There is an old saying in photography: “Date the body. Marry the lens.” This means the body is something you will use, but probably upgrade every few to several years. Your lenses, on the other hand, will probably stay with you for a very long time. There’s good reasoning behind this approach. Camera technology progresses quickly. Sensors today have more megapixels and higher dynamic range, plus better IBIS and image processors are far ahead of where they were a few years ago. Lens technology, on the other hand, advances much more slowly. The best glass from 10 years ago can still compete with the newest models today. Also, a good lens will have a much larger impact on overall image quality. Think of it this way, a great body with a mediocre lens at best can produce a soft, mediocre image. An older body with a great lens can produce a beautiful, tack-sharp image. Invest in good glass. It will improve your images more, and will last you longer.
Haleakala Crater – Sony a7R IIIA, Sigma 24-105mm DG OS HSM Art lens, tripod, 24mm, f8, 1/160 sec, ISO 100. Edited with Darktable 4.6.1
So, what does this have to do with tripods? Well, let me tell you a little story. As I write this blog entry, I’m sitting on the balcony of a hotel on the picturesque island of Maui, Hawaii. Yesterday, I went up to the Haleakala volcanic crater to shoot some golden hour images and catch the sunset from the top of a volcano. I think it was a successful trip. Giving myself an abundance of time to reach the summit afforded me multiple opportunities to stop along the way to look for compositions. After the sun finally set, I tore down my gear for the 90-minute drive back to the hotel. As I was collapsing my tripod, I heard and felt a pop when loosening a leg. The leg retracted a bit, but then came to a premature stop. I couldn’t push it in, and I couldn’t extend it back out again. My tripod was now a bipod. Normally, this wouldn’t be a problem, except I’m on Maui. Google isn’t showing me any camera shops on the island. The best I’m able to find is a $29 USD cheapo tripod at Walmart without an Arca-Swiss mount, and no way to mount the ball head from my existing tripod to the Walmart special. Tomorrow we’re planning to drive the road to Hana. If you don’t know, gorgeous waterfalls are plentiful on the road to Hana. A good tripod is essential for long exposure shots to give the water a beautiful milky-smooth effect. Fortunately, I was able to disassemble the tripod leg and extend it, and this is how it will stay until I disassemble it again to pack it in my luggage. I dodged a bullet, but only after spending a few hours in my hotel room making my tripod usable again.
The moral of the story is this: like lenses, make sure the rest of your gear is good quality. Spend a little more so your gear won’t let you down during a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Instead of “dating” a $100 tripod, I’m going to “marry” a $300-$400 tripod with the hope it won’t let me down when I need it most. I’ll let you know what I end up buying after I return home.
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