Tripods are essential for many kinds of photography because they hold the camera still during long exposures – and when you’re using telephoto lenses where the slightest wobble will blur the picture. Tripods are also useful for slowing down the pace of your photography, for holding the camera so that you have both hands free […]
Center column
The main part of a tripod is the three legs, but most also have a centre column that extends upwards still further for extra height. Some tripods have removable centre columns and with some Gitzo tripods they are optional extras. The advantage of removable columns is that get the camera closer to the ground for low angle shots, or replace them with different types, such as short columns or geared columns. In some cases the centre column is on a hinged mechanism so that it can be rotated and used as an angled boom for overhead shots or close-ups.