Should I bring a tripod on Europe trip...

[splproductions]

I'm headed to Europe in a few weeks with my Dad for a vacation. While he's not into photography at the level I am, he does enjoy it a lot and wouldn't mind me stopping to compose photos, etc. I'll be going to Germany, Austria, and Italy, and will have a mix of city and countryside in our trip. We will have a rental car for the entire trip. I am packing EXTREMELY light - the only real substantive stuff I will have will be my camera gear.

I have a Canon 6D and own the 16-35 f/4 IS, 24-70 2.8, and 70-200 2.8 IS II. I am considering taking all 3 zooms. (I also own the 40mm 2.8, 50mm 1.4, and 85mm 1.8 but I don't think I'll take those).

My question is whether or not to bring a tripod (for maximum sharpness if desired, as well as longer exposure shots in the morning/evening). I have a Really Right Stuff TVC-24L. With the ballhead it's 26" long folded up and weighs 4.7 lbs. I would love to bring it... my only concerns are whether or not it would add to my concern about gear being stolen (although my State Farm policy covers this - I checked) and whether or not it would "complicate" my trip by adding one more piece of gear I'm fiddling with.

Thoughts on bringing the tripod?

 

[fmw]

I wouldn't do it unless it were paid work. You won't enjoy the sights as much carrying a bunch of stuff around. Take a camera with zoom lens and do the best you can with it. When I go on a trip I carry a point and shoot. My purpose is soak up the sights and sounds. The camera is just to record part of it.

 

[robbins.photo]

I'm headed to Europe in a few weeks with my Dad for a vacation. While he's not into photography at the level I am, he does enjoy it a lot and wouldn't mind me stopping to compose photos, etc. I'll be going to Germany, Austria, and Italy, and will have a mix of city and countryside in our trip. We will have a rental car for the entire trip. I am packing EXTREMELY light - the only real substantive stuff I will have will be my camera gear.

I have a Canon 6D and own the 16-35 f/4 IS, 24-70 2.8, and 70-200 2.8 IS II. I am considering taking all 3 zooms. (I also own the 40mm 2.8, 50mm 1.4, and 85mm 1.8 but I don't think I'll take those).

My question is whether or not to bring a tripod (for maximum sharpness if desired, as well as longer exposure shots in the morning/evening). I have a Really Right Stuff TVC-24L. With the ballhead it's 26" long folded up and weighs 4.7 lbs. I would love to bring it... my only concerns are whether or not it would add to my concern about gear being stolen (although my State Farm policy covers this - I checked) and whether or not it would "complicate" my trip by adding one more piece of gear I'm fiddling with.

Thoughts on bringing the tripod?

If that's your concern, why not hit walmart or best buy and pickup up an el-cheapo tripod. That way you'd have it if you wanted it for longer exposures, etc - and it's not like you need it to last for longer than the duration of your trip. If it does get stolen, who cares.. it's a $20-$30 tripod.

 

[Dave442]

With the lenses you are taking, unless you are planning a bunch of landscape with a graduated ND filter, then I would skip taking the tripod. There is some beautiful landscape on the drive through the Italian alps and you want to go through in the daytime so you can see it, so you don't really need a tripod unless your really into pano shots. A beanbag or tabletop tripod is also an option, I usually just make an impromptu beanbag when needed.

 

[SquarePeg]

I keep this in my camera bag and leave the tripod at home most of the time unless it's a photo centric trip.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000ANCPNM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Designer]

If that's your concern, why not hit walmart or best buy and pickup up an el-cheapo tripod. That way you'd have it if you wanted it for longer exposures, etc - and it's not like you need it to last for longer than the duration of your trip. If it does get stolen, who cares.. it's a $20-$30 tripod.

I think the point of his asking is whether the tripod would be a "signal" to the thieves. I do think it would signal the thieves that there might be some camera gear worth stealing, so keep a small lightweight tripod in your bag and take it out only to use it. Also, keep your camera in the bag as well until you will use it. Don't use a "photographer's" gear bag, but rather an ordinary backpack. The uglier the better.

I don't think you need all three zooms. I would just take the 24-70 as my only lens. I'd probably obtain a Gorillapod to use over there.

 

[robbins.photo]

If that's your concern, why not hit walmart or best buy and pickup up an el-cheapo tripod. That way you'd have it if you wanted it for longer exposures, etc - and it's not like you need it to last for longer than the duration of your trip. If it does get stolen, who cares.. it's a $20-$30 tripod.

I think the point of his asking is whether the tripod would be a "signal" to the thieves. I do think it would signal the thieves that there might be some camera gear worth stealing, so keep a small lightweight tripod in your bag and take it out only to use it. Also, keep your camera in the bag as well until you will use it. Don't use a "photographer's" gear bag, but rather an ordinary backpack. The uglier the better.

I don't think you need all three zooms. I would just take the 24-70 as my only lens. I'd probably obtain a Gorillapod to use over there.

Or buy a cheap tripod and a can of pink metallic spray paint.

 

[manny212]

NO

 

[JoeW]

I'm going to be the contrarian here...it depends upon what you're going to shoot. If you're going to go inside a low-light situation (like a chapel without lights...or Venice at night with lights reflecting off of the canals). Or you're shooting during the blue hour. Or if you want to take a picture of you and your dad without your are sticking out holding the camera. So you'll need something to stabilize your camera in those instances. And shooting f2.8 isn't always the solution--in some cases you want a longer depth of field (so you have to expose for 1-2 seconds. So what are you going to stabilize with? It could be a tripod. It could be exactly what SquarePeg identified (I have one of those too!). It could be a clamp. It could be a bungee cord. The key thing is that it stabilizes the camera. In which case I absolutely wouldn't buy a cheapie tripod.

Now, if you're not going to go for those kinds of shots, skip the tripod.

 

[vintagesnaps]

Look up places you expect to go (tourist attractions) and see if there are any policies about cameras and tripods.

I doubt I'd want to cart one around, if I owned one. I can usually find a way to prop one elbow or adjust my stance or whatever if necessary.

I'd probably keep it to a minimum how many lenses I'd take along. Do you want to keep stopping and changing lenses when sightseeing? I would think the more you're stopping and messing with a bag of equipment the more it says 'tourist' and if anyone's looking to steal camera equipment they may see you as a possible target. Supposedly crooks are opportunistic and if you'd put the bag down and get absorbed in shooting it might leave you open for possible theft.

I'd keep it to a minimum and have fun.

 

[Braineack]

youre not going to want to lug around a lot of equipment for a trip like that.

 

[splproductions]

So I was already thinking I might regret lugging a tripod around. I may look into a little cheapie one but after everyone's replies (thank you!) I'm most likely not going to bring one at all.

Some of you mentioned that you wouldn't even bring the three zooms I listed. Out of the three I listed, which one would you leave home? My gut tells me the 70-200.

 

[Designer]

I gave you my opinion already. You need only one opinion from each of us.

 

[SquarePeg]

I would bring one all purpose zoom and one prime for low light.

 

[table1349]

Monopod.