Help me get sharper 400mm long exposure landscape shots!

[Ellis Vener]

"the 400 f5.6 is really not that big and shouldn't require an extra support and it's not really big enough to use a second tripod."

I agree my recommendation of using a second tripod is overkill for this lens but the idea of supporting the camera body as well as the lens isn't,  especially for long exposures, even with a lighter weight tripod.

This Manfrotto item http://www.manfrotto.com/long-lens-support was recommended in http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/accessories/359.shtml

Before I even knew Luminous-landscape existed, maybe even before it existed, I'd used one with a Nikon F5 and 600mm f/4 AI-S  combination, I had just forgotten what the catalog number was.  For additional stability a small sandbag over where the lens connects to the tripod head  remains a good idea. It doesn't have to be that heavy all it's doing is dampening vibration.

[stever]

liveview mode 1 is equivalent to mirror lockup but more convenient - i think mode 2 may have even less vibration than mirror lockup but I've never seen conclusive examples.  using 10x liveview to manual focus will be more consistent and accurate than autofocus

[Petrus]

"the 400 f5.6 is really not that big and shouldn't require an extra support and it's not really big enough to use a second tripod."

I agree my recommendation of using a second tripod is overkill for this lens

If everything else (reasonable) fails, but adding second tripod helps, it is not an overkill, is it?

The weak spot in the normal tripod assembly is the ballhead with sometimes quite a long stem. Using a low video head might be better, and adding another tripod for the front part of the lens (other one on the camera body, not lens foot) is the most solid solution, even if clumsy one.

[muntanela]

Gitzo series 2 is recommended for "DSLRs with 200mm lenses, up to a 300mm maximum" .

[Rand47]

Rather than sandbag on the lens, try a slab of medical gel pad.
There's always some air moving, often enough to move long lenses. I use a large "golf umbrella" to put the entire tripod head / camera-lens & hood in a large parabolic wind shadow & use wireless remote to trip MLU & then shutter after about 5 sec.  

Rand

Rock face, Yosemite, @400 mm, shot from the valley floor (A900 w/70-400 G SSM & RRS TV-33 w/ BH-55):

[Ray]

From the original poster, Quintin Lake, we have the following statement/question.

Therefore I'm guessing my series 2 gitzo ( GT2541 with RRS BH-40) isn't sturdy enough or perhaps there are are other long lens techniques I'm getting wrong???

At the end of page 2, we have the answer from Ben Rubinstein.

Neither the tripod nor the head were designed for that kind of focal length. I have a 2542 and the BH-40 and would not begin to use them for lenses over 300mm and their manufacturers do not recommend over 200mm. Add long exposures to that and you're just asking for trouble I'm afraid.

The problem is solved, and as is often the case with many problems, the simplest solution can be the best. Buy a sturdier tripod.