[Leica] Wooden tripods

[octabod at gmail.com (Luis Miguel Castañeda Navas)]

On 28/10/2007, at 18:23, Sonny Carter wrote:

>> Actually, I was curious about the vibration and damping  
>> characteristics of
>> wood tripods as compared to similarly sized Carbon Fiber or Aluminium
>> models.
>>
>> I can't compare them, but one point Luis brought out is  
>> important.  My
> wooden tripod is very stable at full extension, and that's  
> important to
> me,as I'm 6' 4" tall.


Wood is usually the most stable and vibration-free of similar sized  
tripods unless you're going to ultra heavy and big aluminium tripods  
made for TV cameras. Is not a casuality that they're used for  
theodolites in field measurement where those characteristics are  
critical  (mind you those only have 1 extension key if any).

Once the wood is correctly treated (even all the holes) and the  
metals used are well thought there is no problem with water or mud  
and there is no tubes which are going to be filled of water if you  
shoot into a stream, for example. Indeed, you'll have to care the  
wood from time to time.

Vibrations and other similar stuff depends on the unit / head /  
camera combo more than on a specific model, so you won't know until  
you can test it for yourself. The harmonic vibrations might depend of  
many factors, sometimes they could be easily removed with a little  
piece of cork, or might be a nightmare, but said this, I won't care  
unless I can notice them.

On the other hand, a well designed tripod will deliver strong  
performance no matter what they used to build it, but carbon is very  
rigid for its weight, so theoretically you can make a taller tripod  
with the same stability than another one made out aluminium for  
example, but they are a magnet for lightning if you need to care  
about this. This problem is avoided with basalt which is on pair to  
carbon in its characteristics.


Any day above ground is a good one.
----------------------------------------------
http://luis.imaginarymagnitude.net