Ken argues that VR and IS lenses contribute to the tripod being obsolete. However, I have 6 lenses, and only two of them have IS. I also do quite a bit of shooting in low light, and I've found a tripod or monopod to be very useful (because of longer shutter speeds). Also, tripods make compositing and HDRs that much easier because framing does not change between shots. And lastly, tripods make self-portraits a heck of a lot easier...