Tripod Poll... How Often?

[PeezieCP4]

How many of you that do have tripods use them, ifso how often? Will you carry it for a photowalk? All inclusive resorts wouold you bring it with you? How about if you were going on vacation to your mainland for 1 month... is that a definite "yes it's coming with me" Would you take it still while having a camera bag, laptop and hand carry luggage on a plane?

I've seen alot of bags that will combo a laptop and dslr gear from lowepro and think tank but with that and a regular hand carry will you still bring a tripod?

I'm going to the Philippines in a few months but trying to find out if i should buy a backpack that carries all and a tripod. If not i will just clip my laptop bag to my pull hand carry and use one of my over the shoulder camera bags.

Also if i dont bring the tripod i can then use the money to buy something like a Lowepro flipside 200 for i ride my bike around town.

Any thoughts or opinions...

[Photosbykev]

If I'm out with my main cameras at home or away I always shoot with a tripod or beanbag so that I have control over what shutter/aperture/iso combination I want to use rather than being forced to compromise. If I just want snapshots then I'll use a small compact and accept what I can get.

Buying a small cheap tripod when you get to your destination, use it, and then discard it might be an option.

[FrankLamont]

For one (major) thing, it depends what you shoot.

In-studio, I tend not to even use it much, unless the need arises (product, etc.). Portrait shoots don't even really require it, unless they're formals and such.

Landscapes; I may when paired with ND's, just to keep things (obviously) steady. Otherwise, no, not really. On a backpacking holiday, a small monopod/carbon fibre tripod can come in handy, especially if you know you're going to be active at night.

[Raoul Isidro]

I'd rather have a lot of 2GB and 4GB cards than a tripod, going where you're going, and shoot in raw and PP later. If the travel is an assignment, yes a sturdy heavy tripod is a must, but if it's for a pleasure holiday, I would not bother taking one. That's just me. Others will have different needs and opinions.
Cheers!

[Quo Fan]

I'll be taking my tripod to Hawaii with me, and my wife will take her monopod, that way we will have both. My tripod can splay the legs out fully and the center post can turn horizontal so I can get my camera to ground level.

[Quo Fan]

BTW, I don't use my tripod or monopod nearly as often as I should, mostly because I forget to bring it.

[cleamon]

Mine goes with me all the time except for perhaps the "walks around the block". I don't always use it, or take it out of the car, but it's there in case the need arises.

[junglebear]

I have a gorillapod, while it's not the most stable it's pretty versatile, light and fits in a shoulder bag so really easy to carry around with me. Cheap as well, the DSLR version is about £26 I think.
I normally leave it in my shoulder bag that I always have my camera in, so whenever I need it it's there.

[dcclark]

No, no, and no. I only use a tripod for very long exposures (say, star trails). Otherwise, I have hands of steel. The real problem is that a tripod is bulky and hard to carry with you -- especially when you're out in the woods, as I usually am. It also makes it a lot harder to find the composition that I want.

[Nicole]

When I go on vacation I almost always carry a tripod because I never know if I'm going to want to do a long exposure. And if I did and didn't have my tripod I'd be pretty annoyed. Then again, I have a reasonably small tripod. It's about 12" when it's folded up, and is about 4' when fully expanded. So it's not huge, but it does the job. I'd rather have the extra size and weight than not have it.

When traveling from point A to point B, the tripod goes in my suitcase. I'm not going to need it on the plane after all. Then I make the call on whether or not to bring it when I'm heading out based on where I plan to go. And I also have straps for attaching it to my backpack, so it's not a huge hassle.