Twenty years ago, tripods were necessary for any sort of long exposure. Today, though, lenses and cameras can offer insane levels of stabilization of sometimes up to eight stops. With those capabilities, do you even need a tripod anymore? This interesting video poses that question and covers the times where you may or may not need one.
Coming to you from James Popsys, this excellent video discusses whether you actually need a tripod nowadays. No doubt, beyond a certain shutter speed or for certain applications, you definitely need a tripod, but there is a much bigger gray area than there might have been a decade ago, thanks to highly advanced stabilization systems in both camera bodies and lenses. And while you might say that a tripod is always a better option simply because it ensures the best possible image quality, there is another side to consider: a tripod can be cumbersome to work with and can slow you down, reducing the number of possible shots you will be able to find. Furthermore, they lock you into a certain perspective. If you do not absolutely need one, you might actually be better off working without one. Check out the video above for Popsys’ full thoughts.