Besides the camera and lens, perhaps no piece of equipment is more standard in landscape photography than the tripod. And while a tripod can help ensure you get the best image quality possible, it does not come without drawbacks. So, do you really need a tripod, or would you be better off without one? This excellent video essay discusses the issue.
Coming to you from Jason Friend Photography, this great video essay discusses the usage of tripods on landscape photography. It might seem like using a tripod is a no-brainer since it increases image quality, but the drawback is both the increased weight and the slowdown of your workflow. If you plan to move between a lot of locations or try a variety of different perspectives, a tripod can actually become a hindrance. In particular, with the advanced stabilization capabilities of both modern cameras and lenses, you can get away with handholding more shots than ever before, making it easier to stay mobile while still getting high-quality shots. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Friend.
And if you really want to dive into landscape photography, check out "Photographing The World 1: Landscape Photography and Post-Processing with Elia Locardi."
If you're doing landscape photography, sooner or later you're going to need a tripod.