Dampening Tripods

[Peter De Smidt]

I've recently been experimenting with telescopes and panoramic heads, both of which ruthlessly reveal vibration problems in the support system.

My main tripod is a Gitzo tele studex, a standard hollow aluminum tube model. Luckily, I also have a 1970s version, which would make a good test mule. I've been thinking about trying a couple of things.

Idea 1: use a two part expanding polyurethane foam in the bottom leg sections and the center column. Something like what is shown at: http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=79 This would put a light, moisture resistant foam inside the lowest tubes and center column, which should help dampen vibrations without adding much weight.

Idea 2. Paint the upper tube sections with a vibration dampening paint, such as Spectrum, which you can see at: http://www.secondskinaudio.com/store.php?category=121 Not only would this dampen some vibrations, but it'd be a nice insulator from the cold metal.

Thoughts?

[Frank Petronio]

What about good old-fashioned sandbags? Hollywood uses them.

It seems to me that ultimately you need to modify the surface the tripod is on. If it's on a hard rock surface, you may need a rubber mat. Or moist soil.

You could of course, bury the lower legs of the tripod into the ground!

[Archphoto]

I just wonder if some kind of dampening material on top of your head would even work better.

Look at NORAD how they solved the dampening problems in parts of it.
You would put an inch thick rubber spacer between head and camera and you will need a longer camera screw with rubber washer, so you isolate the camera from the tripod.
Having a large quick release plate on top of the head would help, I am looking at my Manfrotto 410 geared head right now, the plate of the 804RCII would be too small for it.

Dampening the bottom legs of the old Gitzo (I have one and love it) would help to dampen the vibration of the legs or at least change it's frequency.
The same with the dampening paint on the top sections.

How usefull it will be greatly depends on where the vibrations are comming from: the wind or the ground.
Soft soil tends to have more vibrations than rock, esp if you have heavy trafic closeby.

Peter

[Jim C.]

I'm not too sure that filling your tripod legs with the rigid urethane foam would do
I build large sculptured pieces for film & television using that foam and that stuff
definitely wont dampen vibrations, unless its a foot or more thick. If anything I think
it will attenuate the vibrations.

Not sure about the paint, but it it might be worth a try.

There is a material called Sorbothane, it's a polyurethane sheet that dampens vibrations
I've seen it used as audiophile turntable feet and it's available from McMaster Carr
it may work sandwiched between aluminum plates as isolator for your camera from your tripod.

[PenGun]

I got into photography from telescopes. I wanted to take astro photos and ended up just doing the photography.

I built a telescope mount out of a 8' length of 4" steel tube and sunk it into a meter square of concrete with random steel tubing, pipes and angle iron driven through that, before it set, into the ground.

Hung my Astrophysics 130mm f6 StarFire on that. Lovely thing, a full apo refractor. Waited 8 months and coughed up many grand.

No movement at all. You could smack the pipe with a hammer and she was sharp in just a second or so. Now for a telescope you don't have to move the mount if you find a good place. I have on occasion wished my photographic mounts were that solid.

[Vaughn]

A wood tripod? (ducking and running away)...

Vaughn

[BrianShaw]

Less caffeine???

[evan clarke]

I have 3 Gitzos of the same size, one aluminum and two carbon, my user is the newest, a 3540 XLS. The dimensions on this are identical to the aluminum one I have but the carbon one is much more rigid and subject to way less vibration. I do lots of 3 minute exposures for slow water and the subject is always sharp...Evan Clarke

[Frank Petronio]

I always thought the heavier aluminum Gitzos would be better than the CF too but I was wrong. Save your nickels and get a big CF beast to start with...

[Preston]

To dampen your tripod, use the following procedure:

1. Set up tripod and ensure the legs are locked tightly.
2. Use any available liquid to lightly coat your tripod.
3. Install camera on tripod.
4. Repeat the coating process in step 3 to ensure the tripod is dampened adequately.

Notes: Do not use your favorite alcoholic beverage, since you will need it after reading this post. If you have consumed too much caffeine, a sufficient quantity of wetting agent is readily available; just be sure you apply this agent from up-hill and up-wind.

:-)

-Preston