Support our Sponsors, they keep FADU free:   AG Photographic   The Imaging Warehouse   Process Supplies   RH Designs   Second-hand Darkroom Supplies  

Notices

Go Back   Film and Darkroom User > Equipment > Equipment miscellaneous

  ***   Click here for the FADU 2015/2014 Yearbooks   ***

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #11  
Old 13th May 2019, 11:20 PM
Svend Svend is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,193
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brock View Post
So there’s all this information about torsional rigidity, oscillations, stability, damping, etc, with tripods rated against each other but no proof that any of it matters from a practical viewpoint. Do the measurable differences in testing make any difference to the sharpness of a print?

If there are little to no demonstrable real-life differences between tripods then it’s all just geekery as far as I can see.
Agreed! This reminds me of a ballhead test I read years ago in a German magazine which displayed highly-enlarged crops of a studio test target using the same camera, lens, support, etc.. It was very well done, and showed a lot about the damping properties of the various heads. Another test they conducted was also useful -- holding capacity using a tensioned boom, which illustrated how much weight the head might hold with, say, a long heavy lens before it slipped. If I recall, the same magazine did a tripod test using similar methods. All very helpful and practical in helping one decide what to buy for real world use.
__________________
Regards,
Svend
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 14th May 2019, 06:13 AM
Brock's Avatar
Brock Brock is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: St Andrews
Posts: 698
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob Archer View Post
Having read and reread the article I still can't work out whether the centre column was fully extended or not. I always prefer to have the centre column as low as possible and use the tripod legs to get the height.


The one useful thing I took away from the site, Rob, was his finding that, with cheap tripods, it’s better to raise the centre column than fully extend the legs - if the legs at the bottom are on the slender side. With expensive tripods you’re better extending the legs. It’s all down to the diameter of the bottom legs. Again, though, I don’t know if the advantages are theoretical or practical.

I’m not quite sure why I spent so much time reading about tripod tests as I hate the bloody things.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
__________________
The Online Darkroom
www.onlinedarkroom.blogspot.com
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 14th May 2019, 08:29 AM
alexmuir alexmuir is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Glasgow, Scotland.
Posts: 2,668
Default

I tend to agree with Neil’s comment above. If your images depend on tripod use, however, it makes sense to buy a good one. I would prefer carbon fibre for a good combination of strength, damping and low weight. Whether extending the centre column, or using the slimmest lower legs is sensible can probably be assessed by a practical examination of the particular tripod. I tend to avoid using the lower legs, or raising the column, unless it’s absolutely necessary to secure a particular viewpoint. Sometimes it is necessary to do one, or both, and you take your chances. I’ve never attached a bag, or other weight, for stability. I wish I had, however, when my tripod recently blew over on a windy day.
Alex


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 14th May 2019, 08:46 AM
B&W Neil's Avatar
B&W Neil B&W Neil is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: West Cornwall
Posts: 4,264
Default

An interesting thought:

Were these tests conducted in a studio (with no wind), in a slight breeze, a stiff breeze or in gale force conditions ?

Wind anybody !


Neil.
__________________
"The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance." Aristotle

Neil Souch
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 14th May 2019, 08:57 AM
GoodOldNorm's Avatar
GoodOldNorm GoodOldNorm is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Lincolnshire UK
Posts: 1,227
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by alexmuir View Post
I tend to agree with Neil’s comment above. If your images depend on tripod use, however, it makes sense to buy a good one. I would prefer carbon fibre for a good combination of strength, damping and low weight. Whether extending the centre column, or using the slimmest lower legs is sensible can probably be assessed by a practical examination of the particular tripod. I tend to avoid using the lower legs, or raising the column, unless it’s absolutely necessary to secure a particular viewpoint. Sometimes it is necessary to do one, or both, and you take your chances. I’ve never attached a bag, or other weight, for stability. I wish I had, however, when my tripod recently blew over on a windy day.
Alex


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Those wind gods do like their bit of fun don,t they.? The Greeks even gave them names: Boreas God of the North wind, Eurus God of the unlucky east or South east wind,Notus God of the South wind and Zephyrus God of the West wind. I am guessing that it was Zephyrus that blew your tripod and camera over.
__________________
"Tea is surely the king of all drinks. It helps against the cold, it helps against the heat,against discomfort and sickness, against weariness and weakness". Heinrich Harrer.
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 14th May 2019, 09:02 AM
alexmuir alexmuir is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Glasgow, Scotland.
Posts: 2,668
Default

It happened because a companion distracted me with a well-intentioned suggestion that we move the car a bit closer to where I was working. I turned my back on the camera for a moment, and one of those Godly winds caught it. Fortunately, the only damage was the loss of some black paint, leaving the Nikon with a pleasant worn look...
Alex


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 14th May 2019, 09:33 AM
B&W Neil's Avatar
B&W Neil B&W Neil is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: West Cornwall
Posts: 4,264
Default

Many moons ago when I used to frequent CCs I can remember an old hand saying to me; 'a good tripod is the best lens you can buy.'

In those days a good tripod was considered to be anything that was a move up from the entry-level Jessop or Dixons. And I have to admit the old hand was right!

Neil.
__________________
"The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance." Aristotle

Neil Souch
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 14th May 2019, 09:55 AM
GoodOldNorm's Avatar
GoodOldNorm GoodOldNorm is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Lincolnshire UK
Posts: 1,227
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by alexmuir View Post
It happened because a companion distracted me with a well-intentioned suggestion that we move the car a bit closer to where I was working. I turned my back on the camera for a moment, and one of those Godly winds caught it. Fortunately, the only damage was the loss of some black paint, leaving the Nikon with a pleasant worn look...
Alex


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Pleased to hear that there was no substantial damage.
__________________
"Tea is surely the king of all drinks. It helps against the cold, it helps against the heat,against discomfort and sickness, against weariness and weakness". Heinrich Harrer.
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 14th May 2019, 10:23 AM
Lostlabours Lostlabours is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: West Midlands/Aegean
Posts: 1,988
Default

I have a cheap tripod I bought quite a few years ago in Turkey, it was under £10 the head is plastic but it'll happily carry my 5x4 camera and has a hook at the bottom of the column to hang something for greater stability. It works surprisingly well.

I also have a small Slick Sprint Pro II that fit's inside my small backpack with my light weight 5x4 kit. Now I wouldn't use either on a windy fday here in the UK but they are ideal when shooting in Greece & Turkey. We have to decide when the stability of a larger heavier may hinder us in other ways, portability, discretion (I can sneak the Slik into areas were tripods aren't really allowed.

Ian
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 14th May 2019, 10:26 AM
alexmuir alexmuir is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Glasgow, Scotland.
Posts: 2,668
Default

I also have that Slik model. It’s ideal for travelling, and easily handles a traditional SLR.
Alex


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Reply With Quote
Reply
Support our Sponsors, they keep FADU free:   AG Photographic   The Imaging Warehouse   Process Supplies   RH Designs   Second-hand Darkroom Supplies  

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Legal responsibility for hanging pictures? jeztastic Photography in general 15 25th March 2018 07:24 PM
Best pegs for hanging FB prints to dry? Adrian Holmes Monochrome printing techniques 2 22nd February 2011 06:49 PM
Light weight 6x6 davkt Cameras - medium format 63 9th December 2010 11:56 AM
Fomatone paper base weight Miha Monochrome printing techniques 4 4th June 2010 07:25 PM
hanging wet prints Peter Hogan Darkroom 2 7th May 2009 07:57 PM


All times are GMT. The time now is 10:23 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.