Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/01/07

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Subject: RE: [Leica] Tripod myth
From: "Jonathan Borden" <jborden@mediaone.net>
Date: Fri, 7 Jan 2000 19:55:05 -0500

This can be studied quite scientifically in the following fashion:

Place the tripod on a road. Mount a laser on the tripod and point it at a
target one mile away. Spot through a scope and measure the oscillation of
the laser on the remote target.

In fact, Wild/Leica Geosystems sells such a device for this experiment.
Wild/Leica also sells a reference tripod made of ash for this experiment :-)


Jonathan Borden

Martin Howard wrote:
>
>
> Mike Johnston wrote:
> >
> > This is one of those "photographic myths" that just won't seem to die.
> > Like "fixer is heavier than water and sinks to the bottom of the
> > washer," etc. It derives from the fact that traditional surveyor's
> > tripods are made from wood. There is no truth to the myth.
> >
>
> Can you point to any studies on the matter?  Intuitively, I feel
> that solid
> wooden tripod legs ought to be less transmissive of vibration than tubular
> steel, but I have yet to see any scientific treatment of the subject.  I
> figure that a few tripods and a few accelerometers should be able to solve
> the issue.
>
> M.
>
> --
> Martin Howard                     | "Very funny Scotty. Now beam down
> Visiting Scholar, CSEL, OSU       |  my clothes..."
> email: howard.390@osu.edu         |
> www: http://mvhoward.i.am/        +---------------------------------------
>