Avoid Using the Center Column

Many tripods these days, especially the compact ones, have a center column that you can extend upward to get your camera high enough to get it comfortably to your eye (as seen here on the left). It’s okay to buy a tripod with a center column, just don’t ever use it. The code name for that center column in certain camera circles is “the blur maker.” That’s because it reduces the stability of your camera big time (when your camera is up on that center column, if it gets even a bit windy, you’ll actually be able to see your camera moving while you’re standing there). To keep from being tempted, buy the right tripod—one that is tall enough that when you extend the legs, it’s at your eye height. That way, you won’t need that flimsy center column at all.