Camera vibrations

[leif_goodwin8]

I have recently been having problems with vibration with a 70-210 F4

zoom mounted on a Nikon F80 attached to a Slik 800 Pro ball head and

a Uniloc tripod. Although the head and tripod are quite large for the

modest lens, the lens acts as a cantilever and vibration is

noticeable.

 

Following some recent helpful suggestions I may try resting the lens

on a bean bag strapped to a plate. However this is somewhat

inconvenient.

 

I have been examining the system and the weakest link is the junction

between the base of the camera and the ball head quick release plate.

The camera base is plastic and flexes. The quick release plate

surface is coated with a layer of plastic. Anyone had the same

problem and found a simple and cheap solution?

 

It strikes me that mounting a 20cm by 8cm by 0.5cm flat aluminium

plate on the quick release disk might do the trick?

 

I guess a better body, such as an F100, would not flex? (There's

alays a good reason something costs more.) Not that I want to pay

that much.

 

Does the Manfrotto 293 lens support work? (Looks like it will move

the centre of gravity to a better position above the ball head, but

still has room for flex at the ball head junction.)

[al_kaplan1]

Best bet would be a lens with it's own tripod mounting collar at the center of balance, second best would be a metal camera that has some guts. Plenty of used ones out there, abandoned by folks looking for the easy way out. Unfortunately the cheap easy way oft times costs far more in the long run.

[leif_goodwin8]

NB: The Manfrotto 293 Lens Support is the same as the Bogen 3420 Lens Support. I have just found some tests which show that it does significantly reduce vibrations. Guess I'll give it a go.

[patrick_umlauf2]

I had the same problem with an F90X. The base flexed visibly and it got worse with an MB-10 attached. The vibration blurr in the slides was obvious. Now I have an F100 and the junction between camera base and quick release is rock solid. You might try two cheap and very effective solutions. For long lenses put a beanbag ON the lens which reduces the vibrations due to the initial tension. A second useful approach is to hang your photo bag over the top cover of your Nikon.

[leif_goodwin8]

Thanks Patrick. I always wondered what the advantages of a metal camera body were. Yes I tried a beanbag on the lens but I don't think I dare do it anymore having seen the camera base flex.

 

In the end I bought a Manfrotto 293 gadget and am sure it will do the job.