Or using a ladder with camera on top or a scaffold.
The GetDPI Photography Forum
Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!
looking for tripod/ballhead for tech camera
- Thread starter Massive Si
- Start date
mike gannon
Member
look into FIELD OPTICS TRIPODS
And reason why?
But RRS's Hunting tripod, https://tinyurl.com/2juhwxdw, may work well for some photographers.
mike gannon
Member
the spec,s are nice i have a field optics FBT5436C BT PRECISION, Tripod extended all the way is 54 inches , with a acratech head it comes to 57.5 inches tall , im short so it fits me , specs say this tripod is 3.6 lbs, load capacity 95 lbs, folded lenght 21 inches, tube dia: 32mm
Massive Si
Active member
Thank you for all the suggestions.
I should add, despite my username, I am only 5'6" so having a tripod which extends 8 foot isnt a huge requirement to me
I should add, despite my username, I am only 5'6" so having a tripod which extends 8 foot isnt a huge requirement to me
MGrayson
Subscriber and Workshop Member
I'm 5'8", and the GT5533 gets too high for me to see the camera controls (depends on the head, of course). On a slope, extra leg length helps a lot, but on level ground, it's plenty tall.Thank you for all the suggestions.
I should add, despite my username, I am only 5'6" so having a tripod which extends 8 foot isnt a huge requirement to me
Last edited:
JeffK
Well-known member
Triopod 75 and cube. Killed me walking up the trail back to the car. Too heavy.
But got some nice long exposures. Always a trade off.
Hey @Steve Hendrix … check out the little CI character traveling with me!
But got some nice long exposures. Always a trade off.
Hey @Steve Hendrix … check out the little CI character traveling with me!
Last edited:
I have been taking long exposure images for a long time and have found that regardless of tripod/head massiveness when times start to get beyond 15 seconds the earth has to stop moving to get the same image as if shot in a much shorter shutter speed. I shot my recently posted image from Cannon Beach which was taken at 25 seconds with extremely calm conditions and yet compared to the subsequent image taken at 1/20s when really pixel peeping there is a difference. Never to be seen in print but there is a difference. This was with a 138mm lens. If the lens were longer and the times were longer the image would have been unusable - at least to me. I would have to see a side by side comparison with convincing visible differences between much heavier tripod/head setups than what I was shooting to make me ever want to carry around more weight. I'm not saying that there couldn't be some difference with a long enough lens and long enough time but a better approach for me is to work with what I want to carry around and adjust lens/times to operate well with that equipment.
YMMV
Victor B.
YMMV
Victor B.
Looks like something might be ever so slight moving! Sandy beach, (differential) tripod leg sinking? Front heavy setup causing something to creep/ sag?
My modus operandi too unless I know that I will need something I normally don't carry.
stngoldberg
Well-known member
I concur with Victor. On multiple occasions I have tried and mostly failed to achieve perfectly sharp images on a sandy beach with even moderate wind using frame averaging on long exposures. Adding extra weight to stabilize the tripod, using my arms to limit vibration were all employed, but shifting sands and wind are challenging obstacles when viewing sharpness at 100%
stanley
stanley
My two cents whatever worth.
What seems to help most: No center column, lowest tripod height composition allowing, camera setup well-balanced (point of gravity above tripod's center point), and making numerous exposures hoping to catch a lull in at last one exposure.
Informed opinion suggests that hanging weight from or holding/grabbing the tripod only exaggerates the issues.
Many astronomers use vibration suppression pads. Some have stated success in tying/strapping down the tripod to a backpack or rock on the ground.
LonnaTucker
Member
I’m a tech camera user now, but spent decades using view cameras in 4x5 and 4x10 formats. For commercial work on location, my assistant would usually set up a wind break with C-stands flying a Matthews 4x4 floppy (4x4 frame opens to a 4x8). Also great to keep hot sun off the camera. On another project in Minnesota during winter, I had a 4x4x8 plywood hut constructed with a hole to shoot through for a night shot of lit aircraft at a very windy airport location. i’ve also utilized production vehicles like the grip truck as a wind break when it was convenient to a location.
But for personal work on the beach or hiking long distance, a large golf umbrella can come in very handy. Prepare the camera and lens, and when you are ready to shoot, open the umbrella. Hold the shaft of the umbrella under your armpit, with the umbrella fabric braced against your back. Move close to the camera, blocking the wind. I watch the tubular levels on my Arca cameras and when I see vibrations settle within the levels, then I’ll trip the shutter.
Wind is not your friend with large format film or with high resolution digital backs. Disclaimer - if you use this umbrella wind block technique, beware of your surroundings - for example don’t work right off the rim in Canyonlands flying an umbrella on your back ; ) But the golf umbrella has saved the day on many windy ( or rainy) shooting days.
But for personal work on the beach or hiking long distance, a large golf umbrella can come in very handy. Prepare the camera and lens, and when you are ready to shoot, open the umbrella. Hold the shaft of the umbrella under your armpit, with the umbrella fabric braced against your back. Move close to the camera, blocking the wind. I watch the tubular levels on my Arca cameras and when I see vibrations settle within the levels, then I’ll trip the shutter.
Wind is not your friend with large format film or with high resolution digital backs. Disclaimer - if you use this umbrella wind block technique, beware of your surroundings - for example don’t work right off the rim in Canyonlands flying an umbrella on your back ; ) But the golf umbrella has saved the day on many windy ( or rainy) shooting days.
Yes, plywood hut and grip truck are great but no vehicles or even temporary structures are allowed here at my beach in Palm Beach.
And getting my assistant out of bed for sunrise is a whole nother challenge!
Or you can try this : https://www.gitzo.com/us-en/snow-shoes-set-of-3-g1586b3/
But then just might use vibration suppression pads which may do both, prevent sinking in sand and suppress vibration.
Celestron Vibration Suppression Pads have a 4.6 out of 5 rating based on over 500 reviewers on Amazon, https://tinyurl.com/44kkvhde (no association or affiliation).
(After reading some of the reviews I will order and try out!)
MGrayson
Subscriber and Workshop Member
I'm curious. While there are a zillion articles out there (many identical) extolling their virtues, I have yet to find a test. Let us know what you think!
Last edited:
kdphotography
Well-known member
I use something like those vibration pads for my front loading Miele washing machine. It seems to work---but they aren't going to find a place in my hiking bag.