Camera shake on tripod?

[Alex_B]

I would have absolutely no problem putting my $5000 camera on my father's old wooden tripod he purchased for less than a $100 bucks.

heavy wooden tripod = excellent and damping vibrations extremely well!

 

[Chode]

In those cases I use 2 seconds delay.

 

[gmarquez]

What Chode said...put your camera in timer mode, compose the picture, hit the shutter release, step back, and wait...your camera will do the rest. (That's how I make use of my cheap tripod).

 

[RL168]

All,

Thanks for the feedback. I felt better knowing the problem is with the tripod. After reading the feedback I went back and use the timer and it works like a charm.

I am going to my local camera store tomorrow to look for a better tripod. Thanks again!

 

[olya]

I use a remote control and it helps mostly. Though on a windy day, i still have some problems when use too long shutter speed. Hope one day to splash out on a high-end tripod.

 

[table1349]

I think some people misunderstood the meaning of my origonal post. [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Thom Hogan has a good point about not trying to skimp, finding out it doesn't work so step up as little as possible, finding out it does better but still does not work etc. etc. etc. until you have spent more than you would if you had just done it right in the first place.

I have $350 in my tripod, 3021B Pro legs, 322RC2 head and a panning plate between the base and head. It is more than my equipment needs without being overkill and works fine. I'm not dropping 600mm + lenses on it. If I was I would be spending more for stronger legs and some kind of gimble mount, probably a Wembly.

What I was trying to point out is that the tripod is just as important as the camera body or lens when one is needed. Spend what needs to be done to match the equipment you have the first time. It will last a long time. As long ago at T[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]hom Hogan wrote that article, I doubt that he would have to spend as much now as he did then. Big glass is lighter, tripods are stonger, but he would still buy what he needs the first time instead of working his way into it by trial and error. [/FONT]

 

[gmarquez]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"Thom Hogan has a good point about not trying to skimp"

I'd like to make the point, that when you are on budget, and someone gives you a (relatively) cheap tripod as a gift, or you buy one as a 'stop gap', you can still make use of it if you give it a little thought (using the timer to get a crisp shot when you don't have the money for a cable release/remote+good tripod.

As a matter of fact, I'll probably pick up a beanbag as a versatile table top "tripod" before I can afford a REAL tripod.
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[Iron Flatline]

So a Leica M8 with a Noctilux is about $10k but weighs less than half the weight of a 5D with 70-200mm lens. Is it still necessary to carry a tripod almost as heavy as the camera/lens itself? Is a $900 tripod expensive enough to support it?

I think what Alex and I are sayin is purchase a tripod that are spec'd to support the weight and provide a stabile base.... cost has nothing to do with it....

I would have absolutely no problem putting my $5000 camera on my father's old wooden tripod he purchased for less than a $100 bucks.

I would have a major problem putting a $5000 camera on a carbon fibre lightweight tripod (Unweighted) on a very windy day that costs $900.

Just make sure the tripod strikes you as sturdy. Common sense does not go out the window. If the M8 + Nocti has a basic weight, the tri-pod needs to be able to hold that without a slight breeze vibrating everything, or a gust pushing it over. Carbon fiber is nice because it absorbs ground vibrations, but it is very light - too light at a windy beach-front shoot, for example.

 

[mjsneddon]

I do not recommend spending more than one should for anything. However, it has been my experience that, when I can afford it, I have never regretted buying something of quality over something cheap.

 

[ironsidephoto]

yep, shutter release. (or 2s timer, not 10!)