wow im impressed lol well those good lenses for DSLR are extremely expensive but they are good investment since once you have bought them you can keep using them on the cameras you will buy in the future. well if you are into action photography then you may want to consider 40D or 50D instead of buying a tripod that cost hundreds of dollars

I'm outdoor/Nature.
And some people.

ah ok well I mainly shoot outdoor and nature as well and even though I am not expert or anything but I think you certainly dont need a pro tripod for those and the strap that you get with the camera is more than good enough but of course everyone has their own preferences

If you spend hundreds on straps and bags you are foolish.

But a good tripod. That's another point. If he ever intends to graduate into longer lenses or pro-applications he will need something he can depend on. This may be something he uses 5 cameras down the line, but that tripod, if it's good will still be swinging ... This is my same philosophy for lens purchasing. Your lenses will out last the camera body which camera manufacterers are continously improving and releasing more updated versions.

But a good tripod. That's another point entirely. You can use that for the rest of your life so why waste money on a cheap one that will blow over or get shake or whatever ....

And hundreds of dollars on straps and bags, huh? You gotta have money to burn for that and most people don't.

Additionally, while I agree that a good camera and lenses are priority, a good tripod can be important depending on your methods and style. For example, lets see you handhold a 30 second shot of a city downtown at night without a tripod (http://www.flickr.com/photos/silversproduction/2703155229/in/set-72157606379137324/) ( Or http://www.flickr.com/photos/silversproduction/2685006795/in/set-72157606379137324/) ...

Or in a chapel around dusk when lighting is horrible and flashes wouldn't work: http://www.flickr.com/photos/silversproduction/2719151328/in/set-72157607584392320/

Or try HDR 5-shot exposure without moving.

But don't get me wrong, I purchased 3 lenses aside from the kit lens that came with my camera before I purchased a tripod.

If you shoot, sometimes like I do, for hours on end, you begin to appreciate the better straps than the "kit" straps which will gnaw at your neck or shoulder after a while. If you shoot like I do, sometimes out for hours, and you shoot raw because you have more flexibility in the digital darkroom, then you find you need more memory cards because my raw files are around 11megs each and a 4gig card fills up pretty quick (about 200 shots). Or if you go on hikes or walk through a city, like me, you will find that an uncomfortable bag will a) put undue strain on your neck/back (maybe I am old) and B ) take 10 minutes to get into it to get your other lens or filter or whatever out thus increasing the chances of losing a shot.

For every 5 useless items related to cameras there is probably 1 important thing. It's those particular things that someone shouldn't skimp on.

This post was edited by Solarves on Oct 13 2008 02:34pm

uh I don't think he will be using those freakishly huge and expensive telezoom lenses anytime soon, at least not only for taking outdoor/nature photos. I know night photography and certain landscape photos require a tripod but spending money on a very expensive tripod when he is just planning to buy his very first DSLR is just too uh soon. I am sure when the time comes when he realize the importance of a tripod he will get one, I just found it a lil bit strange to recommend him to get one now. anyway as I said that's just my point of view and we all have our own preferences

Well he mentioned it in his first post ... so I was just chiming in with an opinion.

My second lens (after the kit) was a telephoto. My third a macro, my fourth a carry round lens. But that's just me.

From the article on tripods:

"The bottom line is simple: if the camera is moving when you shoot, you'll never resolve what the lens is capable of."

A good head and tripod are considered one of the most important accessories BTW. Although a good tripod is the one you don't leave at home.

The tripod also helps during the day, and mostly it helps you learn.
Using a tripod gets you focused on the composition, the angle and the focal length.
It's a very very good tool to learn to take good pictures.
People now tend to use the "spray and pray" method and then checking on the rear screen.
Photography is about thinking about the picture while in the viewfinder.

I suggest you grab at least a Gorrillapod SLR zoom (awesome and light gizmo).

Also trust me on this one: get a good camera bag, I mean a good one, or you will end up searching for a new one sooner than you think (especially since you like outdoor nature photography).

Personally I reccomend Kata (I have an R-102).

In photography it's never been so true: "you get what you pay for."

This post was edited by Astragony on Oct 14 2008 01:20am

All true.

I use a tripod in any place where I am doing HDR, architectural (usually), interior shots for real estate, some portrait stuff, most landscape stuff, all night photography (unless I am trying to blur or get motion intentionally and even then I sometimes use a tripod) ...

The places I rarely use a tripod or never: fairs, concerts, events where I am moving around, on boats, airplanes, some portrait stuff, some landscape stuff, walk around city shots, some artistic blur stuff at night, some pet photography.

But almost everything I am getting paid for I use a tripod with the exception of product shots with models as they tend to move into different poses and I want different angles. But if I am doing headshots or jewelry or something that doesn't move I usually opt for the tripod.

Don't underestimate the power or importance of the tripod. It's probably the most important "accessory" to any camera system. The next being a really comfortable, sturdy bag that wont kill your neck, shoulders, etc.

How important tripod is depends quite lot of what u shoot and how u want to shoot. I use tripod really rarely and it never left the house. I carry camera all the time with me(unless i go just to market or some) and about all the pics i take are outside are spontanous or just something that i could get camera from backpack for. Would be really hard to carry a tripod with me all the time, since it cant fit in my backpack. Yes there comes situations where tripod might be handy, but not worth carrying it all the time with me. What comes to camera bag, i just keep it in the bottom of my backpack, more like for custom interior in backpack. Naturally the tripod i got is a piece of shit, but i dont feel that i need a better one. I think that could take the tripod out at winter tho to take pics in low light.

its a nice one...