Digital SLR Photography

HOWWEDIDTHETESTSWind is the tripod's main enemy. It buffetsaround the camera and head, setting up tinyvibrations that cause blurringof fi ne detail inthe image. These vibrations then createasecondaryresonance as the vibration travelsdown the legs and back up again in anoscillating cycle.You can even see thishappening if you have a very long lens (toexaggerate the effect) and set up onablustery day, using Live View with maximummagnification.Tap oneof the legs and theimage will dance around alarmingly! Raisethe centre-column and it will dance somemore. The best tripods are strong and rigid,minimising primary vibration and absorbingsecondaryresonance. Other potentialproblems include vibration coming upthrough the legs, near a busyroad perhaps,and there is also shutter-shock and mirror-slap to consider. Again, solid tripodconstructionreduces this, though it isobviously better to waitfor a break in thetraffi c, and to use mirror lock-up. Last but notleast, there's potential movement just frompressing the shutterrelease button, so usearemoterelease, or the camera's self-timer.To test the effectof wind buffeting,acarefully controlled studio rig was set up toreplicate a moderate breeze.Test pictureswere analysed with Imatest MTF software,employing the same procedure normallyusedfor lens sharpness testing. Imatest issensitive and accurate, and proved veryrevealing, too. Theresults are shown in the``````ratingsfor Stability in the individualreviews.The basic physical checks can be donequite easily in-store, and are especiallyrevealing when comparing different modelsside by side. So, set up the tripod to normalworking height, and holding two legs, gentlypush-pull back andforth, one against theother. There will always be somefl exing,even with the best tripods. While doing this,``````look down the lengthof one leg and you maynotice more movement around the joints. Ifso, slide a coupleof inchesof each legsection back up, and this willreducefl exingand improve stability.While you'reat it, try out all movementsand locks by raising the tripod to maximumheight. Check it then lower to its normallevel, and check how all functions operate.``````TRIPOD:ANATOMYHeight:Optimallyputsthecameraatshoulderlevel,soyoucanseeallthecontrols.130cm-ish,plushead.Minimumheight:Optionsincludeclosingthelegsdown,orsettingawiderleganglewithashortcentre column.1)Legsections:Moresectionsdeliverextraheightand/orshorterclosedlength,butmorejointscanreducerigidity.2)Legangle:Standardlegangleisaround22°.Wideranglesincreasestabilitywithabiggerfootprint,narroweranglesincreaseheight.3)Legangleadjusters:Usuallytwoextraangleoptions,plusstandardangle,togetdownlow,orlevellingthetripodonunevenground.4)Carbon-fibre:Strongandlight.Carbon-fibremodelsareabout30%lighterthanaluminium,buttwicetheprice.5)Monopodconversion:Unscrewoneleg,boltittothecentre column,andvoilà– youha veanicetallmonopod.6)Foamrubbergrip:Forcomfortablecarrying,eitherinthehandorrestingonyourshoulder.7)Centre-column:Veryconvenientforextraheight,butreducesstability.Bestavoidedwithaheavyrig.Usuallyreversible tousecameraupside-down.8)Articulatingcolumn:Great forawkwardangles,suchasmacro,butatfullstretchcanunbalancethetripod.9)Leglocks:Leversare fastandeasy,buttwist-collarsare``````Build qualityFeaturesStabilityValueOverall``````more robustandlesslikel ytocatchonthings.10)Universalheadfi tting:Standard3/8inthreadmeansheadscanbefreelyinterchanged.11)Ballasthook:Forhangingextraweight,likeacamerabag,forincreasedstability.12)Spiritlevel:Forkeepingyourhorizonslevel.13)Feet:Standardrubberfeetcanofte nbeexchangedforspikes.Somefeetincorporatebothoptionsinone.``````VERDICTYou either love the look and feelofwood, or you don't, and theclaimed performance advantagesproved elusive.Fast andaffordableshipping direct from Germany.BERLEBACH IN GERMANY hasbeen making tripods fromwood since 1898. Despitethe dominanceof modernmaterials, wood is claimed to besuperiorat absorbing vibration,with Ash being the favourite.The Berlebach catalogue is vast.While the basic tripod design is much the samethroughout the range, there are dozens ofpermutations. The standardfi nish is natural, thoughthere's a rangeof darker stained colours and a rathercool camo option.Operation is entirely familiar. Thefi t andfi nish isgood and the grooved leg sections slide smoothly,locked by clamping side-knobs, and with a choiceof fi ve leg angles. On top, the furniture is totallymodern CNC machined aluminium, and theReport 843 model has a tall 50cm centre-column and levelling bowl that tilts a generous30° with smooth precision. There's almost noneedfor a tripod head.It's an appealing combinationof old andnew, and it's easy to get drawn into thenostalgia, but being purely objective, thewood doesn't have any obvious practicalbenefits. It's heavyat 2.88kg and very longfor carryingat 71cm. There's somefl ex inthe legs, though nothing serious, and inthe stability and vibration tests,performance was middleof the road.``````BerlebachReport843 SPECIFICATIONSStreetprice:£300Normalheight:139cmExtendedheight:180cmMinimumheight:53cmLengthclosed:71cmLegsections/angles:3/5Standardlegangle:20°Legwidths:67,40,18mmLeglocks:ScrewknobsCentre column:Adds41cmheightMonopodoption:NoAccessories:NoWeight:2.88kgLoadrating:9kg (claimed)Warranty:TenyearsWebsite:www.berlebach.de110 Digital SLR PhotographyNove mber2016Gear/Premiu mtripodsBESTFEATUREBeautifulashwood–withmodernmetalfi ttings``````12``````26(^87)19410311135