Wanting more stability (1 Viewer)

[Evan Atkinson]

Hi all, I currently own a Viking Swallow tripod with the fluid head and it's a really nice tripod for what it costs but I find that even in quite weak winds (10mph or more) it's quite difficult to have a nice view through the scope as it is a little shaky. It won't be any time soon that I change tripods but I would like some opinions on what I should look at moving to next that gives me better stability. Budget would be £500-£1000.

Kind regards

Evan

 

[dwatsonbirder]

Any Gitzo 3/5 series CF tripod with a suitably robust fluid head!

 

[DMW]

Is your current tripod loose or flimsy anywhere (ie is there any play)? Wind will cause some vibration with just about any tripod, and if you find it's decently stable in calm conditions, a more expensive tripod might not cure the issue.

 

[4 The Birds1]

a more expensive tripod might not cure the issue.

I concur - even if you buy "the best" (i.e. spend a chunk of money), it will still be a compromise between weight and stability.

I have a Gitzo 3 series and a Berlebach Report, and they are well made and all, but in a decent breeze, both will vibrate.
My Berlebach Uni is solid, but it weighs 6.7 kg: you wouldn't want to carry that very far on a regular basis
I cannot speak for the Gitzo 5 series. They do weigh close to 3 kg (without head), and are possibly the most "lightweight" heavy duty tripod on the market.

I would suggest you keep your eyes open, and when you encounter other birders with nice (tripod) legs in a breeze, ask them if you can have a look through their scope to get an idea what you can expect / how it compares to your current kit.

You may already be aware of the following trick which you can implement with your current tripod: hang a bag or some such over the legs in order to dampen vibrations and weigh the tripod down a bit more.

 

[Hermann]

Some general remarks because you didn't supply enough details to suggest any specific tripods/heads, such as the weight and size of your scope, your own height and so on:

Yes, any tripod will vibrate in a breeze - to some extent. How much it will vibrate depends on its weight, the diameter of its legs, the materials used and, crucially, the quality of the tripod. A well-made tripod will always vibrate less than a tripod of similar weight and size that's not well-made. Essential website about tripods: The Center Column

Note a couple of common mistakes people make when using tripods: If you've got some flaps or straps hanging off your scope, for instance a stay-on-case, your whole setup will vibrate more on windy days. And if you extend the middle column buy more than 10-15cm, you'll get quite a lot more vibrations. The best way to keep the vibrations down is to sit behind the scope. The lower the scope is, the less problems you'll have on windy days. Works even better than hanging a bag or whatever over the legs.

Hermann

 

[The BulbMogul]

The Gitzo 5540 LS Legs with a Wimberly MK2 head really has no shake at all that i can detect with extremely windy conditions here in VANKALAI Sri Lanka