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Thread: Long exposure with light camera

  1. #11

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    Re: Long exposure with light camera

    Depends lots on the center column design, not just how much the center column is raised/extended.

    Typically, Foto tripods have flimsy center column designs (have a geared Gitzo center column, it is NOT as rigid/stable as believed) that are not stable/rigid. The better Foto tripods do tend to have improved center column designs yet they are still prone to instability and all that.

    In the world of surveyor (Transit) , serious film making (Panavision, Arri, Red and...), Video tripods do NOT have a center column. More often they have a ball-bowl or very stable tilt mechanism. Adjust the legs as needed, level the tripod as needed, that variable center column was intended as a convenience feature, not a rigidity_stability feature. If the bag-O-stone to stabilize the tripod is applied, the tripod must be sufficient to support camera and bag-O-stones.. or not so lightweight tripod.

    In all cases, mass = stability and that mass must come from some where, be it the camera, tripod or a bag or stones hanging from the tripod center or similar. Again, this is where focusing as the camera must be "lightweight" often ignores the overall demands of good image making.


    Bernice

    Quote Originally Posted by RandyB View Post
    It depends on how high you raise the camera, 1,2,3 inches won't create much vibration but fully expending the post will act like a flag in the wind. To me, it is much better to have an oversized heavyish tripod that allows for the height needed without using the center column. Using a weight, e.i. bag-o-rocks, gear bag on the bottom of the column is great unless it starts swinging in the wind. Needless to say if the wind is strong enough to swing the weight it might be very difficult to get a sharp exposure.

  2. #12
    Tin Can's Avatar
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    Dec 2011
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    Re: Long exposure with light camera

    I like to carry a Manfrotto 209 Tabletop Tripod to use on rocks, picnic tables...

    My tiny point and shoot 4X5, I have 4

    Entire kit, tripod, camera, film holders fit in a lunch bag

    with lunch
    Tin Can

  3. #13

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    Re: Long exposure with light camera

    Ha! Years ago I conducted a number of artist residencies in Vermont, under the auspices of the NEA and Vermont Arts Council. Most of these involved 35mm film cameras and darkroom work - but at one point I'd offered a one-day pinhole camera workshop for a class of fifth graders, during a blizzard! Yep...everyone freezing, teeth chattering - while doing their best to hold their little cardboard cameras still. A few of these cameras actually blew away! Oh...the horror!

  4. #14
    Tin Can's Avatar
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    Re: Long exposure with light camera

    not LOL

    Quote Originally Posted by John Layton View Post
    Ha! Years ago I conducted a number of artist residencies in Vermont, under the auspices of the NEA and Vermont Arts Council. Most of these involved 35mm film cameras and darkroom work - but at one point I'd offered a one-day pinhole camera workshop for a class of fifth graders, during a blizzard! Yep...everyone freezing, teeth chattering - while doing their best to hold their little cardboard cameras still. A few of these cameras actually blew away! Oh...the horror!
    Tin Can

  5. #15

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    Re: Long exposure with light camera

    If you lower the tripods working height and spread the legs further apart it becomes more stable, instead of shooting at standing eye level. Corran often shoots a foot or two above water level when shooting the Georgia rivers and waterfalls. This also gives a different perspective on foreground objects and can make your shot different from others.
    The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
    http://www.searing.photography

  6. #16
    Jim Jones's Avatar
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    Re: Long exposure with light camera

    Weight of camera and tripod is not as important as good engineering and construction. 150 years ago, with big cameras and slow plates, the problems with long outdoors exposures were fairly well solved, but eventually often neglected. A surveyor's tripod with the halves of the upper section widely splayed and firmly anchored, top and bottom, can be more stable than the more convenient multi-section tubular legs. The mating surface between camera and tripod should be large and solid. Anything interposed between them may introduce instability. When I first considered buying a Tiltall tripod 50 years ago, it seemed to violate some good engineering principals, but the Marchioni brothers compensated for that with fine construction. My half century experience using Tiltall has confirmed this. Even more important than the engineering and construction of cameras and tripods is how they are used. Previous posts have covered this well.

  7. #17

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    Re: Long exposure with light camera

    [QUOTE=When I first considered buying a Tiltall tripod 50 years ago, it seemed to violate some good engineering principals, but the Marchioni brothers compensated for that with fine construction. My half century experience using Tiltall has confirmed this. Even more important than the engineering and construction of cameras and tripods is how they are used. Previous posts have covered this well.[/QUOTE]

    Another vote here for an old Tiltall... Have been using them with heavier (Linhof Tek III) and ultralight folders for decades, and they are rigid without being ringy/springy and work well with center column fully extended... They work well in a breeze, but everything is off the table (even the table) in 50mph winds... ;-)

    Steve K

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