http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-102 ... subj=CraveWe've always known that when taking long-exposure pictures, we're supposed to use a tripod that will keep the camera steady and prevent blurry shots. But now, Japanese scientists at the Nishi Lab of the University of Electrocommunications say they are debunking that fact somewhat.
They developed a tool that measures the amount and direction of camera shake, and the results appear to show that when an SLR is mounted on a tripod, the setup may actually contribute to the vibration caused by the shooter's mirror and shutter movement.
One consolation from this study is that the researchers used a relatively light tripod for the tests (about 3.3 pounds).
So the gist of it is to invest in a sturdy (and maybe heavy) support device for your snapper. Check out companies like Manfrotto and Slik because these companies produce pretty good tripods that professional photographers trust.
I invested in a carbon fiber tripod a while back and in the past month or so, shooting in windy weather, I'm beginning to have second thoughts about the lightweight carbon fiber pods. They do seem less stable and the wind does tend to vibrate them a bit. Still better than those cheap ones though.
