Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Cameras, Lenses and Shooting gear => Topic started by: Michael Erlewine on November 29, 2017, 05:44:00 pm

Title: Vibration Isolation for Tripods
Post by: Michael Erlewine on November 29, 2017, 05:44:00 pm
I am doing some very long stacks of images, 150 or so, as part of focus-stacking and checking out a new lens that itself is long and heavy. I have my subject isolated so there are no vibrations, but there are some vibrations coming up through the tripod legs, making it difficult.

I am using a Really Right Stuff carbon-fiber tripod, a Series 3.

If anyone has ideas how to dampen the vibrations coming up from the floor, I would appreciate hearing about it. The vibrations are coming from my own movements just standing on the floor, so it’s a little subtle. 
Title: Re: Vibration Isolation for Tripods
Post by: alan_b on November 29, 2017, 06:19:19 pm
Put the tripod feet in buckets of sand plus a sandbag on the tripod.  Won't help if the floor is flexing a lot, but should kill small vibrations.
Title: Re: Vibration Isolation for Tripods
Post by: Michael Erlewine on November 29, 2017, 06:26:40 pm
Put the tripod feet in buckets of sand plus a sandbag on the tripod.  Won't help if the floor is flexing a lot, but should kill small vibrations.

Good idea. I will try that.
Title: Re: Vibration Isolation for Tripods
Post by: NancyP on November 29, 2017, 06:31:36 pm
I haven't tried these, but they are pretty cheap (50 bucks or less for a set)
Made for telescope tripods:
https://astronomics.com/vibration-dampeners_c240.aspx
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/202159-REG/Celestron_93503_Vibration_Suppression_Pads_useful.html#!

Industrial: https://www.grainger.com/category/vibration-isolator-pads/mounts-and-vibration-control/material-handling/ecatalog/N-9tx?s_kwcid=AL!2966!10!2535174311!62025254358&cm_mmc=PPC:+MSN+PPC&ef_id=VEBLJgAABZAGjYUZ:20171129232537:s

good luck
Title: Re: Vibration Isolation for Tripods
Post by: stever on November 29, 2017, 07:26:21 pm
those pads look intended for medium to high frequency, if the problem is low frequency (which is more likely with a wooden floor) then the sand is probably a safer solution.
Title: Re: Vibration Isolation for Tripods
Post by: Michael Erlewine on November 29, 2017, 07:30:49 pm
those pads look intended for medium to high frequency, if the problem is low frequency (which is more likely with a wooden floor) then the sand is probably a safer solution.

I will try these various things. I do have some of those Mead's telescope tripod pads. The problem is that I am hanging a very large and long lens (Printing Nikkor 150mm) of the end of the Cambo Actus Mini, with no support, because I need to use Tilt. That is where the vibration is not being dampened.