Why do people use tripod legs with spreaders?

[Jon Fairhurst]

Originally Posted by David Heath

I don't think the spreader made any difference there, surely? All it does is stop the legs splaying apart - any vibration would be transmitted straight up the legs, and a mid level would be just as bad?

The instability on carpet was due to the inherent flat bottom on that particular floor spreader. With a mid-level spreader, I would have been able to use either pads or spikes as needed. I really needed spikes on that bouncy carpet.

So that's something to consider with a floor level spreader. Does it preclude the use of spikes?

[David Payne]

got my manfrotto 535 and velbon dv7000 next to eachother yesterday and i'm still none the wiser! Might start just wasting some money on all of the mid level spreader legs I can find until I get one I like. I've been doing that for 10 years anyway!