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From: sasaki@harvard.UUCP (Marty Sasaki)
Newsgroups: net.rec.photo
Subject: Re: Tripods
Message-ID: <574@harvard.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 31-Dec-85 15:21:14 EST
Article-I.D.: harvard.574
Posted: Tue Dec 31 15:21:14 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 1-Jan-86 05:13:49 EST
References: <1742@trwrba.UUCP>
Reply-To: sasaki@harvard.UUCP (Marty sasaki)
Organization: Harvard Science Center
Lines: 28

Tripods are always too heavy, especially if you have to carry them any
distance at all. Unfortunately, I have discovered that they are useful
in all picture taking situations, especially if you aren't using flash
or are using shutter speeds less than 1/125.

An interesting exercise is to take pictures of resolution charts at
various shutter speeds hand-held. Then do the same with a really
sturdy tripod. I think that you will be surprised at how poorly you
do.  I found (when I did this a long time ago) that I needed a speed
of 1/250 to come close to the tripod mounted speeds. If I really
concentrated I could go down to 1/60 with only slight degradation, but
for quick shooting 1/250 was the slowest.

This makes the answer to the question about tripods a difficult one.
I've settled on a Bogen 3040 as my tripod until I finish the one that
I am making. For me, going any lighter isn't worth it once I've
resigned myself to carrying a tripod at all.

I also like ball heads over pan heads for still photography. I don't
do any panorama or multiple shot photo's, but if I did, then a pan
head would make more sense.

-- 
----------------
  Marty Sasaki				net:   sasaki@harvard.{arpa,uucp}
  Havard University Science Center	phone: 617-495-1270
  One Oxford Street
  Cambridge, MA 02138