Changed my mind about that cheap tripod for astro shots

I dropped about $80 on a lightweight aluminum tripod thinking it was fine for my camera, but it wobbled like crazy during a 30-second exposure of Orion last night and ruined the whole shot. Upgrading to a solid carbon fiber one for over $200 felt like a lot, but the difference in stability is insane and my star trails are actually sharp now. Anyone have a good mid-range tripod recommendation that won't break the bank but actually holds steady?

4 comments

4 Comments

brianreed2mo ago

Yeah, my cheap tripod once blew over like a drunk uncle.

shane_clark2mo ago

Remember watching my old one take a dive off a pier. Legs just folded up like a cheap lawn chair in a stiff breeze. Camera went straight into the salt water. That was a bad day.

fiona_kim1mo ago

Ngl, isn't a cheap tripod kinda your own fault though? You were taking a risky shot near water with gear that cost you like 40 bucks. I've got this beat up aluminum one from Target that's been through rain, sand, and a tumble down some stairs and it's still kicking. Maybe the real problem isn't the tripod, it's that people expect pro-grade stability from stuff that's basically a toy. A real tripod with a proper hook to hang your bag from would have stayed put no problem. Honestly, sounds like you got exactly what you paid for.

maxf332mo ago

My Manfrotto survived a 40mph gust on a cliff last year.