p.1 #1 · Make tripod secure in very windy condition
I was trying something out the other day and my light stand blew over (thought I was in less windy area but some gust came nevertheless) and my flash died because of the impact to the ground. So now I'm worried about my tripod also blowing over with my precious Nikon Z8 and some expensive lens. How can I secure my tripod so there's no risk of it blowing over?
With light stand, do you put one leg under the modifier or the other way?
p.1 #3 · Make tripod secure in very windy condition
I don't use my tripod very often but added a Vanguard Tripod Bag. It attaches to the legs with velcro straps and folds when the tripod is collapsed. It can be used to hold gear or sandbags or even rocks.
p.1 #4 · Make tripod secure in very windy condition
Is there a 1/4-20 stud on the bottom end of the center column of your tripod? My two best tripods have these, really intended for mounting the tripod head on them for really low shots, but I added a 1/4-20 eye nut (Search "1/4-20 eye nut" on Amazon) and a D-Ring (carabiner) so I can hook my camera bag and it's contents, or tie a big rock to it using paracord (I always keep a hank of paracord with me) as weight centered and below the tripod to hold it in place, but on very windy days the camera tripod has been tied to big rocks, bushes, etc using this paracord. I buy the paracord that I have, which is bright orange in color, from my local Walmart. The bright orange color keeps me and others from tripping over it when tied to stationary objects that aren't exactly close to the tripod location. You can use sand bags and folding water bottles, but keep them empty until you reach or get near the shoot location and always return your weights to where you found them after the shoot. Don't carry full sand bags any distance. It takes a lot of fun out of the day.
For tripods without this 1/4-20 stud on the bottom of the center column, the rest of this still applies, but you will need weight and paracord to heavy objects with the paracord tied around the neck of the tripod just above the legs and running in 3 directions, kind-of about 120 degrees apart. I have also used magic clamps attached to my tripod legs and used these as attachment points for the paracord when nothing else was working for the location and situation.
I always carry Gaffer Tape on remote shoots too. I couldn't tell you how many times it has saved the day as it has many, many uses.
The fabric shelf in the previous post is a good idea, but it is fairly new on the market and didn't exist when I needed to weight my tripods. It looks like it might work, but I have no experience with it.
p.1 #5 · Make tripod secure in very windy condition
falconbach wrote:
I was trying something out the other day and my light stand blew over (thought I was in less windy area but some gust came nevertheless) and my flash died because of the impact to the ground. So now I'm worried about my tripod also blowing over with my precious Nikon Z8 and some expensive lens. How can I secure my tripod so there's no risk of it blowing over?
With light stand, do you put one leg under the modifier or the other way?
I use fairly sturdy tripods and widen the angles as necessary. At the 2nd position (50°+) most tripods are not going to fall over unless the winds are so high that you would not be photographing anyway. I have also modified cheaper tripods to increase the main stop angle from ~23° to 27+°. 30° is a very solid angle for most purposes, though it is not standard due to losing some height. I avoid the 4-legged tripods as they tend to perform worse at >45° angles due to the flimsier lowest section.
p.1 #6 · Make tripod secure in very windy condition
CharleyL wrote:
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The fabric shelf in the previous post is a good idea, but it is fairly new on the market and didn't exist when I needed to weight my tripods. It looks like it might work, but I have no experience with it.
Charley
The manfortto 166 or similar "rock holder" aprons have been around for decades. Bogen-Manfrto but I just found it too much of a pain. They are less practical if one is moving around frequently, which might not be the case if using lights. Cheap light stands (and lights) are notorious for not holding up well in wind.
p.1 #7 · Make tripod secure in very windy condition
My two super stable tripods are 20+ year old Slik 212 Pro that have many leg angle and length features, hard and soft tips, as well as a center column with a hand crank and lock. I have had several times when I would not trust one of these tripods unless it was well weighted and well tied down. A windy day is one thing, but there are usually invisible gusts mixed into some of these wind storms and they can catch you and your weighted tripod by surprise. ALWAYS secure it better (like 2-3X better) than needed for the wind that you are experiencing when setting up. Take empty sand bags and paracord with you, fill the sand bags with whatever will fit at or near the shoot location, and tie and weight your tripod and light stands so it's next to impossible for the wind to damage them. Use the paracord, and Gaffer Tape to anchor to large rocks, railings, car bumpers, etc when needed. I always have at least one hank of bright orange paracord and some Gaffer Tape with me. I get the paracord from the home hardware section of Walmart.
p.1 #8 · Make tripod secure in very windy condition
Many pods come with a hook at the bottom of the centre column. You can buy a .length of shock cord at any climbing or outdoor outlet and tie a knot in it such that you can slip it into the hook and stand on the loop to get the tension right for your most used tripod height(s). The cord is so light you can fashion a couple of them.
Advantages: no searching for rocks, or bags of whatever; fast to setup; no bag swinging precariously in high winds threatening to topple the entire structure; cheap; easy to carry; light; low bulk; resists gusts; very reliable; settles the tripod on soft ground (set up before fastening the head); you know where your boot is, keep it in place until the shot is taken; renders marginal pods much more solid due to constant and strong downforce; pulls straight down when done right.
Disadvantages: got to keep your boot in place; takes a little trial and error to get the static loop length right. I've never heard anyone but me use this method. I shoot in very windy Australia.
p.1 #9 · Make tripod secure in very windy condition
I wouldn't use any tripod weight bag that would prevent you from quickly spreading your tripod legs for lower angle shots. I've always used the hook on the bottom of the tripod head or column ... I hang my camera bag from it.
p.1 #10 · Make tripod secure in very windy condition
ChicagoJeff wrote... I hang my camera bag from it.
Caveat. OP stated in his subject line "in very windy condition"
In windy conditions if you hang a bag from a weight hook the wind will catch the bag and spin it around like a top, thus introducing massive shake and vibration onto your setup.
The proper way to use a weight hook is to make sure the line (parachute cord) is taut and the bag is lightly resting on the ground. The weight of the bag will pull the apex downward thus making your setup more stable.
p.1 #11 · Make tripod secure in very windy condition
falconbach wrote:
I was trying something out the other day and my light stand blew over (thought I was in less windy area but some gust came nevertheless) and my flash died because of the impact to the ground. So now I'm worried about my tripod also blowing over with my precious Nikon Z8 and some expensive lens. How can I secure my tripod so there's no risk of it blowing over?
With light stand, do you put one leg under the modifier or the other way?
Hello Falconbach,
Typically with light-stands, especially light-weight portable stands, you'd want to use saddle-bag type sandbags draped over the upwind leg of the light-stand,
Camera tripods require a different solution (spikes, and lowering the center of gravity).
What light-stands are you using, and which tripod do you have?
p.1 #12 · Make tripod secure in very windy condition
falconbach wrote:
With light stand, do you put one leg under the modifier or the other way?
You don't mention which light stand you were using, traditional tripod style or C-stand. However, you always position a leg under the modifier. A traditional stand of some substance such as a Manfrotto 1004BAC actually has a larger footprint than a C-stand and therefore is more stable. Any weight added such as a sand bag must be elevated off the ground to maximize its effect. HTH.
p.1 #14 · Make tripod secure in very windy condition
I love the Vanguard piece. Always carry ziplocks and nylon zipped bags to use water as my weight, but any gear/rocks sounds even more convenient. Thanks for the tip, madNbag
So now I'm worried about my tripod also blowing over with my precious Nikon Z8 and some expensive lens. How can I secure my tripod so there's no risk of it blowing over?
