On Sat, 18 Jul 1998 03:23:00 +0800, Jack wrote:

>If I use a 35mm with probably the heaviest lense being a 105/2.8 Micro,
>do I really need a heavy tripod?

It isn't the weight that's important, but the "buz-resistence".
Tripods vibrate, the best vibrate the least - and what can look
like the least stable type (loose joints, no cross-bracing,
wooden parts) can be the best. Try this with tripods: place
a finger lightly on top of the tripod set at the desired height,
then tap a leg. See how long the resulting "buz" lasts. It can
last a very surprisingly long time (especially with a semi-heavy
popular model with a name that starts with a "B"...;-). You can
use a light tripod if you do not extend the center column, do
not extend the legs, and weigh it down with a camera bag or
other item hung from it. Preflipping the mirror (if possible)
is also desireable. At some shutter speeds you may get better
sharpness with light tripods by holding onto the camera during
the exposure (to damp vibration).