Do you pack your tripod?

Sigh.

I bought a really nice, lightweight travel tripod (Gitzo). I'm heading to Europe with my Mom for 16 nights and I'm finding I'm really running out of room with TWO suitcases (one 18 inch carryon, one 22 inch...).

Even though I bought this specifically for traveling, I'm debating if I should take it on this trip. I'll be with my Mom, I definitely won't be carrying it during the daytime/sightseeing and if anything I'd just take it out on the occasional evening. We will be in the Alps - so Munich will be the largest city on the entire trip. It would be nice to have great sunset shots though...

I've yet to take a tripod on a trip (other than my little tabletop one...). Will I regret it, do you think?

Ever thought of a monopod?

Analog6 wrote in post #5548988
Ever thought of a monopod?

Or a Gorillapod? (not bad for what it is!)

well, it's either this tripod (2 pounds, collapses to 14 inches) or nothing at all. A monopod isn't going to be less to carry than this tripod, and I already have a table tripod that is very small and stays in my pack. I just don't know if taking a full size (albeit compact) tripod is dead weight I'll wish I hadn't packed.

skywalkerbeth wrote in post #5548956
Sigh.

I bought a really nice, lightweight travel tripod (Gitzo). I'm heading to Europe with my Mom for 16 nights and I'm finding I'm really running out of room with TWO suitcases (one 18 inch carryon, one 22 inch...).

Even though I bought this specifically for traveling, I'm debating if I should take it on this trip. I'll be with my Mom, I definitely won't be carrying it during the daytime/sightseeing and if anything I'd just take it out on the occasional evening. We will be in the Alps - so Munich will be the largest city on the entire trip. It would be nice to have great sunset shots though...

I've yet to take a tripod on a trip (other than my little tabletop one...). Will I regret it, do you think?

take it ... and pack lighter. Make one carryon a backpack. Here's what I do:

http://www.prophotohom​e.com …php?userid=3425​2&entry=54

This works great. Last winter, we went sailing for 12 days, and I took all my stuff (clothes) and camera gear in this one bag including laptop. Tripod was strapped on the outside.

You can always pack lighter - I can travel pretty much nonstop in a 22" wheelie including photog equipment.


J.

Well, I'd say take it even if you are going to use it only few times. I used to take much bigger Gitzo 2540 which is something like 22" when folded. I only used it once last year's vacation but it was only picture that I'm in it with entire family. Well worth it for me.
This year I'm taking Groundpod so I can carry it inside my backpack. Every year I take one of tabletop tripods to try it out but none worked out for me. I'm hoping this year will be different as I had good success with Groundpod in my hikes. In fact I stopped carrying full size tripod all together for hiking.

I packed my Manfrotto 190XPROPB in my suitcase on a trip to London earlier this spring.
I'm glad I did.
I'm sure you can squeeze it in one of the suitcases.
Go for it.

I'd take it. I took my alluminum manfrotto tripod to NZ and hiked up a couple mountains with it. It's not the lightest thing in the world either, but that was very doable. A lightweight Gitzo tripod should be a cinch.

Yasou Pitabread.

[QUOTE=skywalkerbeth;5​548956]Sigh.

I bought a really nice, lightweight travel tripod (Gitzo). I'm heading to Europe with my Mom for 16 nights and I'm finding I'm really running out of room with TWO suitcases (one 18 inch carryon, one 22 inch...).

Even though I bought this specifically for traveling, I'm debating if I should take it on this trip. I'll be with my Mom, I definitely won't be carrying it during the daytime/sightseeing and if anything I'd just take it out on the occasional evening. We will be in the Alps - so Munich will be the largest city on the entire trip. It would be nice to have great sunset shots though...

I've yet to take a tripod on a trip (other than my little tabletop one...). Will I regret it, do you think?[/quote]

i've never taken a tripod when i've travelled and i've always regretted it. i now have a 2.5 lb travel tripod and it will go with me when i travel.

ed rader

i went to kenya in feb and packed my tripod in my suitcase! you cant carry it on as hand luggage orstrapped to the side of the bag!

Take the tripod. Better to have it & choose not to take it with you all day, than wishing you had it (while it gathers dust at home)

ed rader wrote in post #5558363
i've never taken a tripod when i've travelled and i've always regretted it. i now have a 2.5 lb travel tripod and it will go with me when i travel.

ed rader

Yep. Been there. Me too.

j

Think about a beanbag

You can often find a rail, a bench, a seat, a car hood or a fence on which to place your camera and a beanbag will do a nice job supporting it for slow shutter speeds.

You can carry a beanbag empty to Europe to save weight and buy some dried rice or beans with which to fill tha bag once you get to your destination.

That is a trick often done by Africa safari photographers but, no reason why it might not work for Europe.

Just FYI - I did take it, and pulled it out exactly once. sigh.