$1500 to spend.. Tripod or D300s body?

[SwissJon]

Ok, So we've seen a lot of tripod threads recently, but most of them have been aimed at people wanting to spend about $300 or less.. Certainly I spent $300 on the tripod I have at the moment, a Manfrotto 190XProB with a 322RC2 Ball head.

Now I like my tripod, in general it's not bad, but I have found, more and more, that I take photos of 10 seconds or more and I have noticed that when I have a zoom on board, I get camera shake, just a tiny bit, but enough to annoy me.

And today I sold one of the old motorbikes I buy and do up, and I made a tidy profit out of it, so I've got $1500 in my pocket to spend.

So I thought I'd throw some money into a new tripod and see if this is going to improve life for me.. I have a D7000 and the heaviest lens I use is a 70-300, I mainly shoot landscapes in the golden and blue hours.

Or should I put my money into a D300s body, or save it and get a D700 or an even more expensive tripod after I sell the next bike?

Suggestions for a serious tripod/head combination are appreciated.. I prefer ball heads.

[dakwegmo]

I prefer to buy gear that will help solve the problems I actually have, so if I were in your situation, I would certainly go for a more stable tripod first. If you upgrade your camera body (and you could argue about whether the D300s is actually an improvement over the D7000) you will still have the same problem with camera shake as you have now, and it'll probably be worse since the D300s in heavier.

[kirbinster]

Part of the problem is your lens, don't get me wrong its a nice lens but, it does not have a tripod collar. Thus, there is a lot of lens sticking out from where the tripod mounts to the camera. Bigger lenses have tripod mounts on the collar so the weight is more evenly dispersed which reduces movement on the tripod.

[SwissJon]

Originally Posted by dakwegmo

I prefer to buy gear that will help solve the problems I actually have, so if I were in your situation, I would certainly go for a more stable tripod first. If you upgrade your camera body (and you could argue about whether the D300s is actually an improvement over the D7000) you will still have the same problem with camera shake as you have now, and it'll probably be worse since the D300s in heavier.

I was just reading rumours of a D400 to be announced soon, so the D300s is nearly defunct.. I just saw a comparison of the high ISO abilities and it's a no brainer, at 6400 ISO, six stops higher than my usual 100 ISO, the images on the D300s are much more useable than the D7000's.. But I take your point, I'm not taking High ISO shots, I've got a wobble at low speeds..

Originally Posted by kirbinster

Part of the problem is your lens, don't get me wrong its a nice lens but, it does not have a tripod collar. Thus, there is a lot of lens sticking out from where the tripod mounts to the camera. Bigger lenses have tripod mounts on the collar so the weight is more evenly dispersed which reduces movement on the tripod.

Would it help if I bought a collar for my lens? It would be nice to get this problem solved for $100 or so and have $1400 left for a decent bit of glass!

tripod collar - Google Search

[BuddhaPi]

I'm glad you posted this, as I need a sturdier tripod as well, yes I think the collar will help. I was actually looking at the same tripod you currently have, but now I'm wondering if it's going to be stout enough for the d7000 and the 150-500 ( probably close to 5 lbs)..another issue I see myself having, is if I get a sturdy enought tri-pod, will it be light enough to carry around. I do mostly landscape / wildlife which entail alot of walking...last wekend I probably walked 5 miles..so I need sturdy and lightweight if there is such a beast..

[SwissJon]

Originally Posted by BuddhaPi

I'm glad you posted this, as I need a sturdier tripod as well, yes I think the collar will help. I was actually looking at the same tripod you currently have, but now I'm wondering if it's going to be stout enough for the d7000 and the 150-500 ( probably close to 5 lbs)..another issue I see myself having, is if I get a sturdy enought tri-pod, will it be light enough to carry around. I do mostly landscape / wildlife which entail alot of walking...last wekend I probably walked 5 miles..so I need sturdy and lightweight if there is such a beast..

No, I dont think it will be.. Not for that lens, the head is prone to vibration, even though the legs are stable. I'll probably keep this tripod as a secondary one, its reasonably light for a 2 hour hike but I've been looking at carbon Gitzo Mountaineer's and the Arca Swiss ball heads this evening.. I think I might go and find a friendly shop owner to demo them, maybe change the head first. Like anything in the photography world, you can spend silly money on this stuff, I saw some retailling at $5000!!!

[sk66]

I don't think a tripod collar will really help. OEM collars "can be" less than perfect, but it is usually a strength issue, not a source of "wobble".

Are you doing everything to get the maximum from your current tripod? Weights, center column full down and locked, legs not fully extended if not needed, etc? If not, I would try that first.

If you are, and still have issues you need a better tripod. I would suggest one without a center column. I would not suggest CF unless you REALLY need the weight savings.

If weight is not an issue you could use a surveyor's tripod with a little bit of work or an adapter. You won't get sturdier than that!

[SwissJon]

Thanks Steve

Weight is definitely an issue.. I climb mountains with my tripod..

The problem with my tripod, I think, is the head, not the legs.. If I don't extend the centre column, the tripod is pretty stable, but the head part has a thin neck from the ball joint upward and a heavy area where the quick release handle etc is, which seems to introduce the potential for wobble.. Now I don't think this would make much difference in normal circumstances, but for long exposure photography I get ever so slight lens shake at the longer ends of my lenses. Also, the tripod relaxes slightly when I let go of the grip, so I think I might see what alternatives there are to the ball joint.

[sk66]

I've got a Gitzo 1548 and with my long lenses I can STILL get a bit of camera shake out of the tripod. Much of it comes from the shutter actuation itself.

You could try removing your tripod head and mounting directly to the center column to determine if it's the head.... I use Acratech heads and they are rock solid once locked down. If it is in your head you might consider one of Acratechs "long lens" heads. It's basically just a very sturdy pan/tilt. (I use the GV2)

Generally, long exposures would eliminate any evident blur from camera shake unless it's due to wind. If it's due to wind it is almost certainly the legs/ column flexing.

Many center columns have a hook for adding weight but yours doesn't. Try getting a medium sized nylon or mesh drawstring bag. Fill the bag w/ rocks etc on site and loop the drawstrings over the center column so that it hangs below the tripod. Depending upon how heavy the rest of your kit is you carry, you could just use a couple straps and use that as your weight. The weight will keep the tripod from "relaxing" and help prevent flex in the wind.