Table tripod
A table tripod in film and photo technology is a tripod with small dimensions and a light construction, which usually has to be placed on an auxiliary device such as a table in order to bring the camera into a normal position. It is therefore well suited for small and light photo luggage. The camera is usually aligned using a ball head .
It is used to avoid blurring with long exposure times and for taking pictures with a self-timer if a larger tripod is not available or if there is not enough space at the location for a larger tripod.
For astronomical telescopes, there are massive table stands around 30–40 cm high that can carry mounts up to around 10 kg.
stability
Most table stands are suitable for compact cameras up to a maximum of a single-lens reflex camera with a standard lens or comparable video cameras . The overall stability of the table tripod depends on the material, the angle and length of the legs, the weight of the camera, the placement of the tripod thread on the camera and the load-bearing capacity of the ball head. For additional protection against the camera falling, a hand strap, shoulder strap, etc. similar recommended.
The stabilization performance of simple table stands is well below that of most larger stands. Vibrations of the camera due to internal (mirror impact, shutter movement) or external influences (wind, contact when shutter release) are only insufficiently absorbed. The use of self-timer, remote control / cable release and, in the case of single-lens reflex cameras, mirror lock-up can help to reduce camera shake.
Combined table and clamp tripod
The illustration on the right shows a special shape: This 14 cm high table tripod not only has three screw-on legs to put it on a table, but also has two alternatives:
- A small screw clamp with which you can clamp it to a plate, rod or similar (clamp tripod ).
- A spike stowed in the handle with which the tripod can be screwed into a fence post, for example.