Camera on tripod with WINDY Conditions (Page 2): Taking pictures of landscapes? Or just outdoors? Try a plastic screw type tent stake, bungied to the tripod. No bags, no fuss.

Harry0 Loc: Gardena, Cal

Taking pictures of landscapes? Or just outdoors? Try a plastic screw type tent stake, bungied to the tripod. No bags, no fuss.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

dcampbell52 wrote:

actually, you don't. You have the bag just touch the ground or put rocks around it.. Actually, unless the wind is really blowing.... the bag won't move at all because it is low and high mass. Yes there are good tripods with good support and many ALSO have a hook on the bottom of the center support and offer a weight bag. Hmmm why purchase it from them when you can make one that does EXACLY the same thing?

Another problem with the weight from hook approach is that many people go cheap on a tripod, ending up with a $100 or $200 "toy" and try to make it work for them by adding the weight of a camera bag or bag of rocks or whatever - when you add the weight of the stabilizer to the weight of the camera and lens they end up being very close to the fail load of these cheap tripods. No solution like the right tool for the job.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

anotherview wrote:

You can suspend a sandbag from the tripod. Some tripods come with a hook for this purpose.

Yes.
My tripod has a hook. No sand bag though, too heavy. I use a plastic grocery bag and pick up local rocks or other heavy objects and put in the suspended bag or just hang my camera backpack which has a loop on top for this purpose.
That way I do NOT carry extra weight around for a "Just in case " moment.

fergmark Loc: norwalk connecticut

What I do is attach a length of light rope to the center hook. There is a loop at the end that I adjust to the height I need. Then I step in the loop to apply my own weight.

anotherview Loc: California

Nice trick.

fergmark wrote:

What I do is attach a length of light rope to the center hook. There is a loop at the end that I adjust to the height I need. Then I step in the loop to apply my own weight.

lowbone

All of the above. If the wind is strong enough nothing will help. On my 500mm f4 I have found that the lens hood is the wind catcher and will sometimes set off a vibration. If conditions are not too bright I sometimes remove it and it helps.

bpulv Loc: Buena Park, CA

Transbuff1985 wrote:

Has anyone ever ventured out for the day to take some photos, only to have the wind come up in the afternoon. Making it hard with a tripod to get any descent shots because the wind was so strong it just kept moving the telephoto lens like a leaf on a tree. The wind was strong enough it almost blew me off balance a couple of times so I am assuming it was over 30mph, with variable gusts. Any suggestions appreciated. Bob

Big and heavy is the answer. When I was in the Air Force in the 1960's, I needed to photograph the exterior of a mountain top radar station in the snow. It was a bright sunny day and the wind was blowing at a steady 45 MPH. I used my personal 4 x 5" view camera on my steel Majestic tripod (about 25-30 pounds) that was fully extended to 12-feet with the optional center column extension. The shutter speed was 1/100th second and the results were outstanding. Unfortunately, Majestic went to aluminum construction, a product that was expensive to begin with became very expensive and with time they went out of business.

The bottom line is that today we are paying a premium for lightweight tripods when we should be shopping for big heavy weight tripods. High technology is not always better; especially when it comes to tripods.

cameraf4 Loc: Delaware

fergmark wrote:

What I do is attach a length of light rope to the center hook. There is a loop at the end that I adjust to the height I need. Then I step in the loop to apply my own weight.

Good tip. Thanx.

linelink

Homemade Sand bag: Cut a 12 in. Piece of PVC. 2 in. In diameter. Glue a 2 in. End cap on one end. Fill with sand. Glue another 2 in end cap on the other end so that both ends are sealed and sand is inside of the plastic pipe. Drill a hole on one end and screw a hook into the hole. It will still seal the sand. If you need a heavier weight, just cut a longer piece of PVC. You now have a weather sealed tripod center weight that only cost a few bucks and will last a life time.

Spirit Vision Photography Loc: Behind a Camera.

Better, sturdier tripod. Suspend a bit of weight from underneath. People always want the lightest tripod available. That lack of weight, comes at a price (Goddess). 😬

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

Many good information all ready given

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

bpulv wrote:

Big and heavy is the answer. When I was in the Air... (show quote)

Yeah try to carry a heavy tripod around and you will leave it and never use it.
Manfroto and others make excellent light and compact folding tripods that easily carry AND you will actually carry around on walks, hikes or stick in your luggage and take with you.
No way will I or most anyone lug a big heavy tripod around. In fact most here are panicked about 2 grams weight difference of one camera system over another to carry. Then buy a big heavy tripod?
Are you joking?

anotherview Loc: California

Tripods still have their uses today, but less so than before, given the innovation of image stabilization.

Higher ISO settings with nominal noise allow faster shutter speeds when hand holding the camera.

In fact, as discussed elsewhere on UHH, a photog can set both aperture and shutter speed with ISO set to Auto now that image noise has dropped dramatically.

bpulv Loc: Buena Park, CA

Architect1776 wrote:

Yeah try to carry a heavy tripod around and you will leave it and never use it.
Manfroto and others make excellent light and compact folding tripods that easily carry AND you will actually carry around on walks, hikes or stick in your luggage and take with you.
No way will I or most anyone lug a big heavy tripod around. In fact most here are panicked about 2 grams weight difference of one camera system over another to carry. Then buy a big heavy tripod?
Are you joking?

The younger generations are pansies!

anotherview Loc: California

The tripod has become obsolescent with the advance and innovation in photographic technology, especially with the introduction of image stabilization and ISO invariance. That said, the tripod still has it uses.