Measuring Tripod Stability
FIGHT ON
Registered Users Posts: 84 Big grins
Is there such a thing? A way to measure how stable a tripod is other than feel? Seems like with how many millions there are there would be a standard, gauge or chart to rate and make comparisons. "The World Tripod Stability Standards"
I have almost no clue how stable a tripod needs to be for my camera. :dunno
Thank you for any help.
I have almost no clue how stable a tripod needs to be for my camera. :dunno
Thank you for any help.
0
Comments
What most people call a "tripod" is really the tripod legs and a head; 2 parts to the system which holds your camera and lens. In addition, you often have a quick-mount system and even special brackets, L-brackets for instance, which can all factor into the use and stability.
In choosing a tripod and head first explore your camera system paying special attention to long focal length lenses. Long lenses benefit from using a tripod but they also induce problems like balance and wind resistance into the system.
Consider whether you want, or need, the benefits of metal or carbon-fiber for the legs and what sort of mechanism you wish to secure the leg length, snap-lock or twist-lock. Consider whether you want 2, 3 or 4 leg segments. (Generally the more leg segments the more compact the tripod when collapsed, but the stability may be compromised with more leg segments.) Consider if you want a vertical or horizontal extension. Consider if you want a head with 2-way, 3-way or ball-head movements. Consider if you might want a fluid-head for video.
Often, a single tripod will not cover all of your uses. I have several different legs (sticks) and several different heads to interchange with the legs. My needs cover cameras from sub-compact through crop dSLR, FF dSLR, professional grade dSLR, medium format, large format (4x5) and video. I have lenses that range from very light short focal length and compact zoom through 500mm, f4.5 telephoto primes.
At some point make the best basic choices and then travel to some photographic suppliers to see some tripods firsthand. Purchase according to your needs and your budget and then just use what you have. As you have more and additional needs you will discover more and more potential solutions.
Feel free to ask here regarding particular products but realize that without knowing your particular equipment, your intended uses and something about your budget, we can only make broad and speculative statements about what works for us that might, or might not, work for you.
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
good advice...
AZFred
Didn't know that.
Ya the more I look at tripod legs the more lenses I see that I may end up getting as I get more into photography. It could get expensive! real fast!
never heard of two way or three way ball heads. I'm pretty set on the twist locks and three segments as I did go to sammys and compare three and four leg tripods. There is a difference. Pretty big in my opinion but that is just my opinion, not based on ANYTHING!:D
I'm starting to realize this.
I've read enough reviews and see no sense in getting a cheap tripod. Almost everyone regrets it. So it's down to which one of the expensive ones, I just don't wanna buy one that is light and not strong enough or a heavier one that is not necessary.
I get great advice on this site. I don't trust the salesmen much. Thanks for all the time you take to respond!
One can get a absolute motion free image with a $20 tripod from walmart with the use of a shutter release when there is no wind. Tripods are very basic tools, and dosnt take a rocket scientist to design even the best ones. While a higher end tripod will be more realistic in everyday situations, it is very hard (maybe even impossible) to tell apart most tripod performance until you have used them. If someone could come up with some sort of standard way to test them, then people included these test results in there reviews of them, then one would be able to tell the good from the bad, and be a bit more confident when buying one
I use old ali Gitzos - mainly 4/5 series - because the design of the tripod top - a 85mm dia split ring clamp - allows a lot of versatility in what can be attached there, whether it's other Gitzo accessories or stuff I've made.
Eg - For best stability, any centre column arrangement can be removed and a flat blanking plate be substituted - upon which the head of choice can be mounted. (Lose the convenience of quicker height adjustment for this, tho) - or a converter to facilitate the use of video heads with a hemispherical bowl leveller.
Having this std clamp also allows me to fix custom gear - like a lazy susan based turntable for a bean bag.
Maybe there's other tripod makes that offer this - but I'm not aware of them and if they are newer designs, I'd probably have to buy new anyway
Additional to ziggy's comments, I'd add - do you want / need really low-level capability - as not all tripods have this feature - and I definitely wonder whether the people who produce brochures saying that the camera can be attached (upside down) to an inverted centre column - for low-level work - have ever actually used a camera in this manner?
Since it's quite easy to strip / disassemble the above tripods and the leg tubes are standard, it's easy to mix'n match tubes - or remove them completely - as I do sometimes (with a short-legged series 5) if messing about in shallow water, and want to minimise weight being carried.
pp
Flickr
So I bought the 2531.
Fight-On,
Gary
Unsharp at any Speed
Now that I ordered this gitzo tripod legs, I HAVE to buy a ball head now.
I'm gonna close my eyes and get a acratech gps ball head like Icebear has. The lbs rating on the legs are around 27 and the ball head is 25. My camera d7000 weighs around 3. I can't imagine ever putting a 20 lb camera on it, let alone one that weighs 25 lbs. (can a camera weigh that much? :crazy) So it shouldn't collapse.
FIGHT ON!
In high wind you might take advantage of that weight rating. I use a 10 to 20 pound dumbell suspended on a string from the top of the tripod to a position close to the ground to keep the tripod stable when shooting near my vehicle. (neoprene coating for silence and hexagonal shape to prevent rolling.) Away from the road, local material (a rock) can be used in a deadman tent anchor device:
http://www.campmor.com/campmors-snow-sand-deadman-anchors-3.shtml?source=CI&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=24444WC
for a more portable approach to stabilization.
Dale B. Dalrymple
http://dbdimages.com
...with apology to Archimedies
I personally don't think testing a tripod alone is the best method to find how strong or stable it is, since many lower priced ballheads will not stand up to heavier cameras.
I just googled Acratech ... they're in Pomona ... didn't think anything was in Pomona anymore. Man, the GP seems to do it all. So when are you gonna snap your first serious shot?
Gary
Unsharp at any Speed
It most certainly does ... lol ... I get the same look when I get stuffed also. I've never hiked Echo, is it worth a drive and effort?
Gary
Unsharp at any Speed
Once my tripod arrives I will be able to do nicer panos! So much fun! Which reminds me should I get some spikes for the legs? I looked on gitzo and they don't sell any.
Does anyone know which ones go with the 2531?
Thank you.
Nahhh ... not yet ... try out the pod, your pod will tell you if you need spikes or not. Gotta tell you Trojan, i think you have a bad case of GAS, (gear acquisition syndrome) lol. Concentrate of getting your monies out of the tripod. The worse the pod looks the greater the return you're getting on the dollar.
My best friend and fellow photog lives in Pasadena, maybe we'll check it out.
Gary
Unsharp at any Speed
Dude, I'm selling that tripod in the Flea Market!
Oh, well.
Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
There is an involved, long scientific article measuring stability of those tripods tested, and the ballheads, sponsored by the Markins ballhead Co. in Korea. It may be still availble at their website. It measured rigidity, damping, etc. and is the kind of testing that would reveal strengths ( and weaknesses) of different models. As I recall, thicker walls and fewer segments generally made more rigid tripods, carbon fiber legs damped vibration better, and the better the connection of the ballhead to the tripod, the less motion of any kind from camera mirror action. Of course, remote release cord or self timer shutter release is needed to eliminate motion fronm hand pressing the shutter release. I use flip locks on my aluminum and CF tripods because I can be certain the lock is tight, which is not easy to tell with the twist locks. There are other tricks with long lenses such as stabilizing the lens with your hand. when it is windy, I attach my camera bag to the hook below my tripod, since I do not carry dumb bells. I do not think any publication will do any real testing since the results would offend the losing companies who might not advertise again.