jcolton wrote:
I have a small tripod that is good for travel but need a tripod that is stable enough for serious macro or low-light photography. I probably would go with carbon fiber. I know little about ball heads. Years ago I had a tripod that had a longer handle that was easier to make fine adjustments than the ball head I have on my travel tripod. Any suggestions?
Do you carry your tripod long distances?
Be aware that the main advantage of carbon fiber is light weight.
Therefore, it is usd in aircraft; but is not used in skyscrapers or suspension
bridges.
If you are not going to carry your tripod long distances, what really
matters is stability. The most stable tripods in existance are used
by surveyor with laser transits. They are made of fiberglass (the
older ones were made of wood).
In a wind, mass is an advantge. Not only will the tripod not blow over,
but it will do a good job of damping vibration. Inertia is liike gravity:
it's something you can count on.
My most stable tripod -- the one I use for long exposures or heavy
cameras--- is a hardwood and brass urveyor's tripod.
That's an extreme--but there are many options: steel, wood, aluminum
alloy, and carbon fiber--depending on your requirements.
I own about two dozen tripods--from a Servco Surveyor's tripod to a
Stitz CV1000Q pro video to a very light Gitzo Travelerwith a Markin's head.
Each has its uses. I think my favorite at the moment is a Silk U-21 Deluxe--
Japanese9made aluminum alloy.
I suggest you think about how you are going to use the tripod: whether you
will be carrying it long distances, or packing it in luggage, or requring it
to work in windstorms. or to be very stable.
The very best tripod is an optical bench.