Tripod - To lock, or not?

[Marcel]

When using a tripod, do you lock the head? or do you just use it as a rest, and have it freely moveable? Or maybe somewhere in between?

 

[Jimmy_Lemon]

I only ever use a tripod for long exposures so always lock it off for that

 

[Brains]

Depends on what I am doing. I usually have the friction adjuster fairly tight so that there is no movement when I lift my hand off the camera. If it's a landscape shot then I usually lock it off. Studio sessions....I lock it off, never look through the viewfinder once I am happy with focus etc and then interact with the model and fire off shots.

Long exposures - definitely a lock off.

 

[Amp34]

It depends really, if they are long exposures and shots that are carefully picked I will lock the head. If they are multiple short shots (such as fireworks) I leave the head unlocked and just rest the camera there.

 

[Yv]

definately lock it off....usually.....have been known to use it just as a 'rest' if you like, but yes, usually locked.

now then, anyone got a nice pistol grip ball head for the mafrotto I just got from Doug?

 

[digitalfailure]

I use the 322rc grip head, it locks off as soon as you release the handle.

Ladylens, it's a great head and if you can stretch to it, you'll not regret it.

 

[whiteflyer]

I might sound stupid, but what do you mean by lock off? I have a ball and I think it's either loose or tight.

 

[Marcel]

I was thinking thats where I might have been going wrong.

If, say I was taking a shot that required, say 1/60th at 200mm (quick example....for examples sakes), would I need to lock the head?

I have always locked my tripod after composing, but especially with my previous cheap Hama tripod, and less so with my current Manfrotto head (390RC2), its a b****r to get the correct composition, it goes either too far one way or the other, and its still wobbly to an extent. Or it still droops a bit..lol

Which all means that using my tripod is a bit of a ballache to be honest, which is why i've shyed away from it before now.

If I just had to use it to rest, then it would be easier and quicker to use......

So it looks like I wasn't going wrong, locking the head is the usual concensus.

 

[Marcel]

I might sound stupid, but what do you mean by lock off? I have a ball and I think it's either loose or tight.

I think they mean, tighten the head so you can let go of the camera, and it stays.....

 

[Yv]

I use the 322rc grip head, it locks off as soon as you release the handle.

Ladylens, it's a great head and if you can stretch to it, you'll not regret it.

Thats the problem, I can't at the moment - I would love the 322 or even the 222, but for now it will have to be something s/h and very cheap. Only temporary mind you, by the end of this year, my kit should be undergoing some radical exapansion!

 

[Brains]

I think the quality of the ball head is a factor in it 'staying' put too. I can put the 70-200 on my D2x and have the friction setting loose enough to move it but yet is stays rock solid when I take my hands off. Never tried a grip handle type head.

Portrait setting was a git to get used to at first.

Now....the Wimberley....well!