Arguably, one of the most important tools in your photographic arsenal is the tripod. I strongly suggest that if you want to get consistently sharper images that you use a tripod. After all, you paid good money for that lens; why not squeeze all the performance out of it that you can, right? Aside from getting crisp, detailed images, a tripod will also help you slow down a bit and focus on composition and technique a little more. In the pages that follow, I'll go into detail about how to choose the best tripod system for your needs. Notice that I call this a system because not only do you have to consider a tripod, but you have to consider what kind of tripod head you'll use as well. These two items work hand in hand, which I'll also discuss.