Light Tripods: The Weak Link?

[Peter De Smidt]

Michael makes some great points. Another way is to test is to rubber band a small laser pointer to the lens. The movement of the dot will show vibration.

[Robert Opheim]

Jac tapping the camera and waiting to me is similar to the time it takes to: pull the slide out, cock the shutter and release it etc.

[Jim Noel]

I have never heard a good reason for metal tripod legs. Wood is superior because it does not vibrate, be uncomfortably hot to carry in the sun, or the reverse in cold weather.

[Bob Salomon]

I have never heard a good reason for metal tripod legs. Wood is superior because it does not vibrate, be uncomfortably hot to carry in the sun, or the reverse in cold weather.

Wood guitars, violins, violas, etc. wood certainly does vibrate. Properly constructed metal tripods will not vibrate any more then many wood tripods.

I forgot, piano soundboards are also primarily wood, usually spruce.

[Tin Can]

Of course Linhof offers both. Prices have come down.

Wood

Not Wood

I have both and the wood one is heavier, but I cannot detect any working difference.

I bought used and you need a few accessories to use either. Special camera to tripod head interface.

Linhof also made extensions and a very nice Dolly.

Wood guitars, violins, violas, etc. wood certainly does vibrate. Properly constructed metal tripods will not vibrate any more then many wood tripods.

[Daniel Casper Lohenstein]

Wood guitars, violins, violas, etc. wood certainly does vibrate. Properly constructed metal tripods will not vibrate any more then many wood tripods.

I forgot, piano soundboards are also primarily wood, usually spruce.

I agree completely with Bob Salomon.

I want to add, with a smaller bit of personal experience, that wooden legs cannot be "telescoped" together because they have to be massive. That means that you will have to double or triple the volume and weight to get an extensible leg. This is also a reason why wooden tripods cannot fold very little, IMHO.

I owned a Berlebach 8032 (?), for a long time, with three sections, that means 5 leg parts railed together. I didn't use it in the end. It was too "precious". And too heavy. It wasn't very stable because of the three sections. I made some tests with a laser pen. It's weight was about 2,8 kg.

Then I looked for a two-section tripod. But the 8022 wasn't small at all. And not very high. So I changed the Berlebach against a complete Bronica EC-TL2 with three lenses and three film holders and a new Sekonic L308s. The swiss vendor had glowing eyes, because of the brand "Berlebach". - I stay with Gitzo. I was in France, last weekend. The tiny Gitzo Gilux Sport Performance (Alu) from the flea market, with its Gitzo GH2730 head (Hejnar Arca mod) was sturdy enough to hold the 4x5.

Regards

[Vaughn]

One advantage of a wood tripod has over metal and carbon fiber, is that wood tends to bend and take blows, then return to its original shape...it takes more to permanently deform wood (it breaks, of course, at that point).

Not a big deal for studio and car-based photographers, but I spend more time off-trail than on the trail (if there are trails), and have taken many falls where the pod hits the rocks, with me on top of it. I use the tripod as a climbing assist to get to and return from places that otherwise I could not have gotten to. And my Ries just keeps working...rock-steady...amazing.

PS -- for my small cameras (4x5 and 5x7) I do use a metal tripod -- an old Gitzo Reporter Performance.

[Pere Casals]

To get rid about urban legends on tripods, just place a cheap toy laser pointer in the front standard and see what the spot does far away.

This will teach is the tripod is weak, when wind moves the thing and the time we should wait before we shot after we insert the holder.

It also will tell if the camera points to the same direction after inserting the holder, this is important if we make a tilt/swing it makes move the plane of focus in the scene, a tripod can be "elastic", but it has to return to the same position after inserting the holder.

[mdarnton]

Wood guitars, violins, violas, etc. wood certainly does vibrate. Properly constructed metal tripods will not vibrate any more then many wood tripods.

I forgot, piano soundboards are also primarily wood, usually spruce.

All wood is not the same and it's a serious mistake to believe that they are. You will not find any ash violins, guitars, violas, pianos, etc., and there's a reason for that. You will, however find, I believe, that wood tripods are almost exclusively made of woods that no violin maker in his right mind would touch with a ten-foot pole.

[Kiwi7475]

Of course Linhof offers both. Prices have come down.

Wood

Not Wood

I have both and the wood one is heavier, but I cannot detect any working difference.

I bought used and you need a few accessories to use either. Special camera to tripod head interface.

Linhof also made extensions and a very nice Dolly.

Wow those prices are ridiculous! (Or maybe I’m a cheapo ;-)