Stream Basics | Tripods
Tripods are the foundation of your camera setup, as its sole purpose is to hold and stabilize a camera for that perfect shot. For live streaming, we typically only need a tripod to reach eye level for the presenter. We also want a tripod to be solid for stationary shots yet we may want the flexibility of a moving shot. Here is what to look for in a tripod for live streaming.
Material
The material used to build the tripod will greatly influence the weight, durability, and cost of the tripod. The most common materials are aluminum and carbon fiber while some rare tripods can be found made out of steel, ABS plastic, or even wood. Generally a quality name brand aluminum tripod is the best “bang for your buck”.
Weight
The weight if your tripod can be a catch-22. Most people think that the best tripods are the lightest, but the heavier tripods tend to be a bit more grounded, which makes them more stable and smoother when shooting. If you have a lightweight tripod, adding a sandbag or extra weight to the tripod itself can help add more stability.
Fluid Head
I have discussed a dozen different tripod heads but the one use most for videography is the fluid head. A fluid head is the best tripod head for video since it allows for a smooth camera pan and tilt while remaining cost effective. It uses a hydraulic dampening system to accomplish those smooth and steady shots.
Ball Head Size
Tripods are measured by the diameter of their ball at the center of the head itself. There are three main sizes that are used primarily with professional video tripods: the 75mm, 100mm, and 150mm ball heads. 75mm heads are the most common and are used for lightweight applications. 100mm heads are used for medium duty applications and generally offer smoother operation. 150mm heads are used as you would expect for large heavy camera packages and offer the most smoothness. The payload section below will address how much weight each ball head can handle.
Payload
Payload refers to the total weight of your camera with its lens and other accessories attached. Technically, you can overload a camera system on a tripod with a lower payload grade, but you risk damaging the head and having it not function properly. Tripod payloads can vary, but on average, 75mm tripods can hold cameras up to about 25lbs, the larger 100mm heads take up to 50lbs, and the beastly 150mm heads can handle up to 100lbs.
Casters/Dolly/Rollers
Some tripods can be fitted with casters or a dolly system (essentially detachable wheels). This allows the tripod to be moved more easily on flat and even surfaces. Dollies also have a weight rating so make sure your tripod, head, and camera package do not overload your wheels.
There are a few dolly systems that try to mimic the fisher dolly system with a price conscious mindset. The options for adding movement are plentiful with sliders, dollies, cranes, gimbals and drones. In the advanced live streaming training series, we will talk more about camera movement.
Leg Locks
Twist locks, latch locks, and wing screw locks are the most popular for video tripods. Each one of these different leg locks has advantages and disadvantages.
The wing screw lock has a protruding wing screw that are use to tighten down or loosen the leg.
The twist lock is on the shaft of the tripod itself and rotates clockwise or counterclockwise. This is similar to the wing screw lock but is a little more compact. Most commonly, shaft twist locks appear on photography tripods but they do show up on some video tripods.
A latch lock is the fastest lock but it can loosen over time after the latch pads wear out with use.
Leg Splitter/Spreader
Most tripods have leg splitters or spreaders to keep your tripod’s legs from flying apart. These spreaders are designed to spread at the ground level, mid leg level, or in some cases spreaders are not needed because the legs have built in multi-angle locks. When shopping for tripods, take note of what kind of spreader comes with the tripod and what option it has. Some tripod spreaders can be used at either height. When using casters with your tripod you may need to remove the spreaders to get the dolly to fit properly. Your spreaders may even extend to allow a wider base for the tripod legs which adds more stability.
Leg Stages
Tripod legs collapse within themselves in leg stages. A 2 stage tripod has a top and bottom section where the bottom section retracts into the top section. A 3 stage tripod has a top middle and bottom section where the middle and bottom sections collapse into the top section. A 3 stage tripod will collapse to a smaller size and is more common in travel style tripods. The more stages you have the more “play” or wiggle is introduced to the tripod and the less solid the tripod will be.
Max Height, Min Height, travel height
The maximum (max) height of a tripod is the height at which the legs can extended to their fullest measure. Having a large max height is especially helpful when shooting a stage or when a presenter is elevated.
Minimum (min) height is how low your tripod can get while still being operational. There are high hats and other accessories that can bring your camera low to the floor to give you the desired shot.
Travel height refers to the size of the tripod when collapsed for travel. This is helpful when flying or traveling. Many tripods do not fit in standard suitcases or bags, so keep in mind your tripod’s travel height so you can plan accordingly.
Release Plates
Tripods have a plate that screw into and hold the camera. These screws are typically 1/4-20 or 3/8-16.
These plates lock into the top of the tripod head and there are a few different catching mechanisms to hold the plate in place. Some heads have an extra slider on this top plate to allow you to better balance heavier cameras.
For best practice, build out your camera with a lens, monitor, and other accessories you plan on using. Then attach the plate to the center screw on the bottom of the camera. You may need to adjust the plate so that the weight is balanced. Some bigger lenses have their own mounting point. If your lens is heavier than your camera body it is better to attach the lens to the tripod instead of the camera body itself.
Drag
The drag in your tripod head allows you to have resistance when panning and tilting. A drag sometimes will vary so that you can set it to the specific resistance you prefer. A good rule of thumb is to have at least a slight amount of drag so movements are intentionally made (instead of the camera moving if accidentally bumped).