Tried shooting the Milky Way last month with my old tripod and realized it wobbled too much for 20-second exposures

I was out near Big Bend at 2am and every single shot came out blurry because the legs kept shifting in the wind - has anyone switched to a sturdier travel tripod that actually holds still for long exposures?

2 comments

2 Comments

henrygrant1mo ago

Have you tried hanging something heavy from the center column hook to weigh it down? I mean, I solved my wobble issues with a $5 carabiner and my backpack.

morgan3161mo ago

The hook on most center column tripods isn't really meant for that much weight. It's more for stability in wind, not for fixing a wobbly base. If your tripod is wobbling, hanging a heavy backpack from the center column might actually make things worse by putting stress on the column itself. The wobble usually comes from the legs or the connection between the legs and the head. I'd check the leg locks first, make sure they're all tight and not slipping. Also, the ground could be uneven, so a cheap bubble level on the baseplate helps more than anything hanging from the hook. That hook is really only useful if you're shooting in really windy conditions and need a little extra ballast, not for everyday wobble.