Camera Stands

When it comes to camera stands, there are so many different brands and types to choose from that it seems a bit ridiculous. A camera stand is just a stand to hold your camera while you focus, zoom, and shoot, right? Perhaps it is, but there is more to deciding what type of camera stand you intend to use than just pulling one off the shelf at random.

Are you going to be doing the majority of your shooting in a studio, or will you be in the field? Will you need to be mobile, or are you going to be stationary? If you are going to be indoors and stationary, a studio camera stand is a perfect option for you. While large and heavy by comparison to some other stands, it is a sturdy stand that will allow full range of motion with 180 degrees of rotation and great tilting angles for the right shot. Many studio stands also have mounts for flashes and other devices that are frequently used in a studio. Because studio cameras are often medium and large format cameras that are heavy and bulky themselves, a sturdy stand is highly recommended.

If you are looking for something with more portability for field use, a lightweight tripod camera stand may be the answer. A tripod can be extremely stable with several legs to evenly distribute weight, keeping the camera from tilting to one side or the other. These also make excellent video camera stands, steadying the aim of the camera so that there is no shaky image caused by an unsteady hand.

In movies and other applications where smooth mobility of a camera is needed, a Macro camera stand is used. These devices have sliding arms on which to mount the camera, allowing the stand to stay in position in a single spot while the camera can pan, rotate, turn, and more on a gliding arm. This provides support as well as smoothness that eliminate the shake of an unsteady hand while panning around. These stands don’t come cheap, but if you intend to do a lot of amateur shooting or perhaps become a professional, it’s a great investment.

Choosing the best camera stand for you mostly involves research and determination of how professional you want your images to be. If you want to completely eliminate all chance of wobble and shake, you might be spending a pretty penny, but in the end, the investment may be worth it!