Camera shake on Tripod

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RichEmerson

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Rich
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I've got a Manfroto carbon fibre tripod MH293A3-RC1. I've only started using it recently and I don't seem to get consistently sharp images, even though I'm using a remote trigger. Sometimes they are sharp but often there is camera movement. Anyone have the same issues? Is it due to it being a very light tripod?
Thanks
 
I'm using a canon D5 Mark 2 with either 24-105 or 70-300mm lens

I haven't been switching IS off - can you tell me why I should switch it off? Shooting landscapes day and night.
 
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RichEmerson said:
I'm using a canon D5 Mark 2 with either 24-105 or 70-300mm lens

I haven't been switching IS off - can you tell me why I should switch it off?
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IS can try to compensate for movement that isn’t there and therefore introduce its own blur. Not all lenses but some.

A couple of other things.

Wind. Where you stand in relation to the tripod can help a lot here. Try to protect it as best as possible.

Using live view or mirror up for certain shutter speeds to avoid mirror slap causing vibration.

A lightweight tripod has its limitations but you can help your chances by keeping legs low and as wide as practical and don’t use a centre column.
 
gad-westy said:
IS can try to compensate for movement that isn’t there and therefore introduce its own blur. Not all lenses but some.

A couple of other things.

Wind. Where you stand in relation to the tripod can help a lot here. Try to protect it as best as possible.

Using live view or mirror up for certain shutter speeds to avoid mirror slap causing vibration.

A lightweight tripod has its limitations but you can help your chances by keeping legs low and as wide as practical and don’t use a centre column.
Click to expand...

Plus and bearing in mind the two lenses you mention (here I am surmising the 70-300mm is not the L version white lens) do not have tripod mount rings. When you attach a heavier weight camera body & lens combo attached to a tripod by the tripod socket on the camera body you IMO should ideally orientate the tripod so that one leg is aligned "under" the protruding lens. This is to ensure that the tripod is in (best) balance with the weight you are expecting it to hold.

The model number you give is only for the head not the tripod, so which tripod is it that you have?
 
You can try and switch IS off it can cause problems it can confuse the system when on a tripod. You can try mirror lock up too
 
I suspect that IS may be the main culprit here - I found out the hard way. As others have suggested, if it is breezy then set the tripod as low as possible/practical.

The tripod/head that you use will make a difference too. The head that you have is really for small loads, is your tripod the same? For your stated uses I would be looking for something better - just me.
 
All good advice here and likely the IS causing the issue.

The only other thing to consider is wind and the environment. Depending what your shutter speed is it could be simply the eniviroment moving in the wind I.e trees etc as a result you’d need a faster shutter speed
 
If you're using long lenses without tripod collars on a light tripod then a slight gust of wind can set off a long slow oscillation which can takes ages to die away. The weight of camera plus lens should be supported from under the centre of gravity, i.e., when it is as likely to tip backwards as forwards when you slacken off the head. If your tripod head has a release plate which can slide backwards and forwards in its clip a cheap fix is to get a very long release plate which will allow you to slide the camera backwards until the camera & lens combo is evenly balanced.

If your tripod has a hook under the centre column for carrying a stabilising weight then hang something heavy on it. That will reduce the size and duration of these unbalanced slow oscillations.

Check out the stability of your setup by tying a laser pointer or lightweight torch with a bright narrow beam to your lens set up on the tripod. Aim it along the longest lens to wall distance in your house so the movement of the light beam magnifies the shake of the camera. Tap the camera and observe the wobbling! Then try out various ways of reducing it.
 
And remove whatever wrist strap/neck strap you might be using as well. :)
 
Another option is to use the mirror lock function to remove shake. It’s only a small thing but may work
 
Box Brownie said:
Re centre column ~ post #5 by @gad-westy ;)
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That seems to suggest it's only for lightweight tripods. I avoid using the central column on ANY tripod is at all possible.
For my heavyweight tripod (Manfrotto 058B) I don't think I've ever needed it or even the third section of the legs!
 
Petrochemist said:
That seems to suggest it's only for lightweight tripods. I avoid using the central column on ANY tripod is at all possible.
For my heavyweight tripod (Manfrotto 058B) I don't think I've ever needed it or even the third section of the legs!
Click to expand...

Point taken as @gad-westy said light weight tripod.

I agree with you in context of, use the tripod as needed & appropriate to the situation..........but above all be aware of its limitations especially any occasion when extra height is needed ;)
 
What shutter times are you using?
Sometimes i find there is a notion that a very low iso and a small aparture say f11 and a very long shutter is the way to go but can mean the camera is has more time to wobble.
 
Watch this video from Thomas Heaton, start at 11min in, he talks about the problems he had using a lightweight travel tripod and why he used the 10 second timer to allow the camera to settle before the shot was taken. He also demonstrates the difference between the lightweight tripod and a more sturdy one.
View: https://youtu.be/KVgpX0a4OkI?t=663


I have to say, I was noticing wobble on my lightweight Manfrotto travel tripod once I got a 6D with a 24-105, so I upgraded to something bigger. But it's also about technique, I do turn off IS on long exposures and I try not to extend the tripod more than needed.
 
What sort of shutter speed and at what focal length ? this is where problems can occur.
Rob.
 
As handy as lightweight tripods are they also don't have the same "damping" effect as a heavy one. Back in my early days many of the lads used beanbags rather than light tripods, maybe not as good if your doing 30 second exposures but supprisingly good for the odd 1 or 2 second shots.
Light tripods also have a nasty habit of blowing over in the slighest breeze, had two friends had lens smashed that way.
 
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