Meet the Promaster Chronicle Tripod

Promaster Chronicle Tripod: An All-In-One Tripod for Everyone

A multifunctional, precision-crafted aluminum tripod in a groundbreakingly innovative, self-contained package. Whether you’re using your phone or camera, need a tripod, monopod, tabletop or ground-level tripod, or handheld stabilizer, the Chronicle does it all. 

Photographer with camera set up on Promaster Chronicle Tripod, taking a photo in a mountainous area

Promaster Chronicle Tripod: A must-have for every content creator

The Promaster Chronicle is more than a tripod—it’s a self-contained system designed for creating imagery in a variety of ways. Each component of the Chronicle has been designed to maximize ease of use and offer as many choices as possible in one seamlessly integrated device. It works with cameras and phones without the need for any additional accessories to fumble with or lose. It functions as a full-size tripod, a tabletop/ground-level tripod, a handheld stabilizer, and a monopod with optional 3-leg base. And it handles each of these tasks without compromise, providing stability, flexibility, and a phenomenal user experience for creating both stills and video. 

Visit our Promaster shop here.

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Holiday Stuffing – Steady Shots

Where did the time go?!

The holidays are upon us with families and friends gathering to share good food, warm cheer and the passing of another year.

Regardless of the camera you use (hi-tech D-SLR, point&shoot or cell phone), preserving those smiles is a “gift” for generations to share.

This year instead of balancing the camera on a random stack of books or precariously atop the sofa arm, “steady” the capture of your special memories with a small table-top tripod.

Not only will a small table-top tripod allow you to better frame your image, it will also make your photos more sharp when you press the timer button and race around to take your place!

Holiday Stuffing Blog post by Franklin Viola

From the Promaster T3 Mini and T5 Macro Mini Tripods, to Joby’s Gorillapod, the Manfrotto MP3-D01 Pocket Support and Vanguard’s VS-86 Table-Top Tripod, Bergen County Camera has the perfect stocking stuffer for the ‘designated’ photographer in your family!

Landscape Photography Tip Videos


Our latest series of tip videos is now complete. In this latest video Alan Schwab discusses some accessory items to improve your Landscape Photography.

Video 1 – Lens Hoods
Video 2 – Circular Polarizers
Video 3 – Tripods

Your thoughts and comments are always welcome and appreciated.

Free Saturday Focus Sessions – March – May

Focus sessions are free and take place in the Westwood store from 9:30 am – 10 am and our Englewood location from 10:30 am – 11:00 am. All sessions will allow for questions and answers. Please bring your camera and any images along that you have questions about.

Hit the “Like Button” to let your friends know. Have suggestions for future focus sessions? Feel free to leave a comment.

Here’s our upcoming Focus Sessions:

February 18th – Getting Started with Photo Books

February 25th – Tripods and Monopods

March 3rd – What’s in Your Camera Bag

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Free Saturday Focus Sessions for August 13 – October 1

Focus sessions are free and take place in the Westwood store from 9:30 am – 10 am and our Englewood location from 10:30 am – 11:00 am. All sessions will allow for questions and answers. Please bring your camera and any images along that you have questions about.

Here’s the schedule for August 13 – October 1, 2011

August 13 – All About Camcorders – How To Choose

August 20 – What’s in Your Camera Bag or Should Be

August 27 – Sensor Cleaning

September 3 – Labor Day – No Session

September 10 – Tripods & Monopods

September 17 – How to Photograph at a Vineyard

September 24 – New Jersey Photo Expo tomorrow – No Session

October 1 – Millbrook Winery Trip Review

These are free events – bring a friend along if you’d like. Share with your friends on Facebook – Click the Like button below.

Bergen county Camera's NJ Photo Expo

Free Saturday Focus Sessions for July 2 – August 13

Focus sessions are free and take place in the Westwood store from 9:30 am – 10 am and our Englewood location from 10:30 am – 11:00 am. All sessions will allow for question and answers. Please bring your camera and any images along that you have questions about.

Here’s the schedule for July 2 – August 13, 2011

July 2 – Fireworks Photography

July 9 – Vacation Photography

July 16 – Get Steady – Monopods and Tripods

July 23 – Lenses – From wide and to telephoto – how to select and use.

July 30 – Getting better flash pictures

August 6 – Critique your photos – please bring two prints to discuss what you are doing right and get suggestions to improve

August 13 – Choosing the perfect camcorder

These are free events – bring a friend along if you’d like. Share with your friends on Facebook – Click the Like button below.

Fireworks Photography tips and examples

Here are some basic starting points

If you have any questions, stop by the store, email or call. We’re here to help. Please let us know if you get some great shots we’d love to see!
Please feel free to leave your comments and suggestions. Have a great 4th of July Holiday weekend from all of us at BCC.

Find a fireworks display on NJ.com’s July 4th events page

Tripod
Electronic release (available for most cameras at BCC)
Manually set your camera ISO to 100 (You do not want Auto ISO)
Lens Choice – Wide Angle Zoom to frame what you’d like to capture
Auto White Balance or Daylight
Set your lens to manual focus then focus to infinity (take a test image and make sure things are sharp)
Set your camera to Manual exposure – Try 5 seconds at f/ 16
Carefully release the shutter if not using a release to capture from one to several bursts
Evaluate your exposure – Shorter exposures (or smaller aperatures ) will darken the image and capture shorter trails, Longer exposures (or larger aperatures ) will lighten the image and capture longer trails.
Evaluate sharpness by zooming in on your image – adjust as needed

If you are using a point a shoot, check your camera’s manual for fireworks mode.

Improving Fireworks photos
Shoot with a tripod – it will give a more natural cascade of light

Why use a tripod?

Handheld image above shows motion from camera shake  in the burst of light.

The image below is steadied by a tripod, 5 seconds, f16 at 100 ISO

 

Other Techniques
Set your camera to B and lock open your shutter – keep the lens covered with a dark hat and remove the hat to capture a burst then recover and repeat to capture several bursts. Just be carefull not to bump your camera.
You can even zoom the lens during exposure for some interesting effects

Experiment and best of all have fun

Gallery images below shot mainly at 5 seconds, f16 at 100 ISO

Learn More – Tripods = Sharp Pictures

Historical Posting – Originally published in our In Focus Newsletter in 1998 – Since this is an archived story – products mentioned may not be available or even made any more – Let us know if you have any questions.

Sharper Pictures – Tripods

One of the least expensive and easiest ways to improve your image sharpness whether using digital, video or film is to purchase a tripod. A tripod becomes more important when you’re using a telephoto lens or shooting in low light conditions. A good rule of thumb when shooting film is that a tripod should be used when the shutter speed is less than 1 / [focal legnth of lens in mm]. With this rule in mind, shooting with a 300mm telephoto you would want to use a tripod when below 1/300th or 1/500th of a second. Even at higher shutter speeds a tripod will eliminate camera shake that comes from hand holding your camera and produce sharper images. If you’re planning on making big enlargements, using a tripod will help to ensure the sharpest possible image.

With video cameras, a special type of tripod head is used called a fluid head. The fluid head allows you to smoothly move the camera while following the action without bouncing up and down. In places where tripods are too bulky and cumbersome, many people opt for a single leg of a tripod or monopod. A monopod helps to steady the camera in place where a tripod would be too inconvenient to use. A monopod also doubles as a good walking stick.

Tripods come in all shapes, sizes and prices from tiny tabletop tripods to full size 6′ tall models that will support a professional video camera. Stop by Bergen County Camera and we’ll be glad to show you several models that can improve your photography.

Are you using a VR or image stabilizing lens?
Be sure to check your lenses owners manual to determine the correct setting. Many VR and image stabilized lenses need to be shut off when used on a tripod.