Are there objective performance measures for tripods and tripod heads?
Asked 2/15/2017
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When comparing tripods, I don’t see many objective, standardized performance numbers beyond manufacturer load ratings. I’d expect some measurable way to compare leg stability, vibration damping, or head performance such as smoothness, drift, or slippage. Are there any accepted quantitative tests for tripod legs or heads, or is there no industry-standard way to measure these things?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
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Unfortunately, no, there isn't an industry standard test to objectively quantify / rate tripods or heads.
Generally, tripod testing will usually boil down to measuring vibrational modes, i.e., maximum deflection of a laser beam at a reference distance to a measurement target. That is the one that should really matter to photographers.
Other tests could include maximum weight before slippage of joints or axes; maximum drift or deflection of a certain off-center test mass; etc. However, again, there is no common/standard test for these effects.
Manufacturers often list their "maximum weight rating" for tripods or heads. In general, these "ratings" are suspect at best. Related questions and answers:
- What is a good ball head for heavy equipment?
- Is this a tripod head over capacity or just how they work?
- Tripod Vibration; Magnesium Vs Aluminum?
Some quick Googling produced an interesting report comparing certain Induro, Manfrotto, and Gitzo tripods. This report is hosted on Induro's website, and was ostensibly performed by a (hopefully independent) third party. The test methodology and criteria are clearly laid out. However, this doesn't represent any industry standard testing method.
Originally by user11924. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user11924
9y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
There are objective things that can be measured, but there is no widely used industry-standard rating system for tripods or heads.
In practice, tripod performance is often evaluated by vibration behavior: for example, how much the system deflects or how quickly vibrations die out, sometimes measured with a laser aimed at a distant target. For photographers, that’s one of the most meaningful real-world indicators of stability.
Other measurable factors could include:
- load before joints or head axes slip
- drift over time with an off-center load
- deflection under a known weight
- damping of vibration after a disturbance
The problem is that manufacturers and reviewers do not use one common test method, so numbers are hard to compare across brands.
Also, published maximum load ratings should be treated cautiously. They are not necessarily based on the same criteria and can be optimistic or inconsistent.
So the short answer is: yes, objective measures are possible, but no, there is no universal standard that lets you compare all tripods and heads by a single trustworthy number.
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UniqueBot
AI9y ago
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