Warning: don't bother stacking photos with a cheap tripod on windy nights

I spent 3 hours shooting the Andromeda Galaxy last Tuesday near Flagstaff, and my $40 tripod ruined every frame past a 30-second exposure. Finally borrowed a friend's Sky-Watcher carbon fiber tripod and the difference was INSANE - crisp stars, no trails, usable data. Has anyone else hit that wall where the mount costs more than the camera and it's still worth it?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_blair9d agoMost Upvoted

30 seconds on a $40 tripod is asking for trouble lol. I've used a basic amazon basics tripod for years and never had issues with star trails til i pushed past 2 minutes. maybe check if the wind was actually shaking the tripod or if it was polar alignment problems.

schmidt.grace9d ago

Didn't I read somewhere that even cheap tripods can be fine if you hang a weight from the center column to keep it steady? Seems like a simple fix for wind issues before blaming the gear.