Camera Tripod options

[Cap]

I am now looking forward to the next purchase and that is of Tripod/head. I have been looking around at different models, prices vary substantially, not surprising really. Also damn confusing with all the choices!

One tripod I found that seems to be well priced is the Manfrotto. The Manfrotto 190XPROB + 804RC2 Tripod & head SET can be purchased for $249.

So what are your thoughts and what tripod do you have? What would you recommend for the price range of $200-300?

The other issue is that of tripod height. Im 6'3, but im thinking that I dont want my photos at eye level... so maybe a smaller tripod is sufficient (need a small chair to sit tho!). But having said this, what would be the optimal height for landscape photography, for example.

Cheers,

[dmdigital]

The best advice on a tripod and head set up is don't buy anything cheap. If you can't afford it wait until you can. Otherwise you'll end up buying something else down the track.

That said, the 190XPROB is a descent enough tripod, but I think you would find spending the extra on the 055XPROB would give you a better tripod again. Go with a 3 section leg setup for better stability.

As for heads I would recommend a ballhead and quick release plate over the style you are looking at for still photography. Again look at good quality.

A good read on tripods is: Tripods and Ball Heads by Thom Hogan (http://www.bythom.com/support.htm)

Also this site has some good information (as well as some excellent, but expensive, equipment): Really Right Stuff ... Tripod 101 (http://reallyrightstuff.com/tripods/index.html)
Their ballheads are some of the best on the market, the BH-30 is a good basic unit. The BH-55 is fantastic.

[5teve]

What are you planting on top of it.. look at the capacity of the head... and dont go too close to it.

i was looking (and still am) for something to take my k20d + grip + sigma 28-70 f2.8 and any future lenses (such as a sigma 70-200f2.8) so weight is a huge consideration...

Ebay has some good CF tripods with reasonable copy head so its worth looking at them too i will get round to it one day... other things keep getting in the way....

Thanks

Steve

[Cap]

thanks... there def seems to be a trend agreeing with what you are saying dm, so will look at the options.

My problem is that legs tend to be cheap enough (manfrotto), but the head is the expense. Also, what about height? Should I go for tallest (as in the 055X) or just go for the lower height?

[flagg]

If you are 6'3 definatly go the 055 over the 190. I have a 455 (old version of the 055) and it is great.

I got mine second hand on ebay for many hundreds off new price - it was definitely used but has plenty of life left in it.

Also - keep in mind that the pro versions (usually? always?) allow you to mount the centre column sideways. I have found this to be useful.. but it depends on what you need.

Only thing to keep an eye on is weight. I have a huge head for big medium format lenses and it comes in at over 5kgs... fine unless you want to hike or carry it up trees. (as odd as that sounds, I find myself doing that a lot:( )

That said, this will be my next tripod:

explorer (http://www.gitzo.com/cms/site/gitzo/cache/offonce/home/products/tripods/explorer)

om nom nom. Carbon Fibre means I can carry more glass! :D

Flagg

[dmdigital]

I would go with the taller option. If you have to raise the centre pillar you loose stability, but you can always make it lower by not extending the legs.

Also for a good head don't be surprised to see it costing as much as the tripod.

[flagg]

A good read on tripods is: Tripods and Ball Heads by Thom Hogan (http://www.bythom.com/support.htm)

haha yes. *cough* that is *exaclty* what I and many others have done. Now I'm saving for the carbon fibre version. However, the cheap & crap velbon that I got first makes for a fantastic flash support, and the 'frotto 455 will do a great job to hold reflectors! :angel:

[dmdigital]

What are you planting on top of it.. look at the capacity of the head... and dont go too close to it.

i was looking (and still am) for something to take my k20d + grip + sigma 28-70 f2.8 and any future lenses (such as a sigma 70-200f2.8) so weight is a huge consideration...

Ebay has some good CF tripods with reasonable copy head so its worth looking at them too i will get round to it one day... other things keep getting in the way....

Thanks

Steve
Steve,

K20D + Grip + 28-70 f/2.8 doesn't weight that much relative to some kit, even the 70-200 lens won't put it past 4kg.

I use a Manfrotto 055MF3 and RRS BH-55 with a variety of rails and an L-bracket on the camera. After seeing one of the BH-30's I'm now thinking of getting either a BH-30 or BH-40 for when I'm out and about as the BH-55 weighs almost 1kg. But all these setups are more than capable of taking the 7kg the tripod will handle. The ballheads can take between 6.8kg and 23kg.

[5teve]

Correct DM... but the leverage etc on the ball with a 70-200 or the 50-135 is still pretty large not and issue on high quality kit but an issue in the more affordble range... plus (the main reason) i always go overkill :)

I guess i know that some manufacturers over rate their kit.. (ok mainly chinese copies etc etc) but i would rather not sail too close the the rating...

different for MF i know ;)

will have a look at the ball heads you mention... just justifying costs at the moment (new business started etc) is hard... so its more of a long term thing... as now are my plans for lenses.. i desperately wated teh 16-50 and 50-135... but thats going to have to wait.. the sigma is ok and produces some nice shots but some just seem wrong... and hurt my head!

Steve

[Cap]

That said, this will be my next tripod:

explorer (http://www.gitzo.com/cms/site/gitzo/cache/offonce/home/products/tripods/explorer)

CRAP :eek: :eek: That looks like one cool :cool: piece of kit. I may have to mortgage the house tho :eek:

So the MF 055 (if $$ permit) is a strong contender then... but you all mention ball heads, not pan-tilt ones. Any reason why? I know that there are 1 handled types so you can loosen and move either way. What are the advantages? I would of thought pan-tilt gives you more control over pitch etc, ball ones being to free.

[dmdigital]

The ballheads allow full freedom of movement so you can easily orient the camera and lock in position. The RRS BH-55 has the added bonus of a tension adjustment so you can maintain the ball in an adjustable state that can be still moved to a different position without loosening anything (hmmm, I hope that makes sense).

A pan/tilt head lets you move in one plan at a time, lock position and then move in the other plan.

Quality and (as Steve mentioned) load capacity is very important with a ballhead.

The other item that is well worth using with a tripod clamp is an L-bracket on the camera as this makes shifting the camera from portrait to landscape mode very simple.

The Really Right Stuff (http://reallyrightstuff.com/ballheads/index.html) site has a lot of useful information. Naturally they reference their products but a lot of it is applicable to much more when selecting and using photographic equipment.

[flagg]

I would of thought pan-tilt gives you more control over pitch etc, ball ones being to free.

I have a pan-tilt head at the moment, and I don't really have a problem with it. Bang for buck, its very very good. It takes a little longer to compose a shot, and there are some limitations about how you can position it, but it works very well.

The ball heads are faster and easier to set, and a lot lighter. I will buy an Arca Swiss one day when i find a good one second hand, but for me it isn't worth it now.

[Cap]

Had a bit of a walk around camera shops today, and frankly im still confused. I have looked at the 'cheaper' Velbon Sherpa series, the 600r and 750r actually look very good and solid. The only draw back is that the legs/head are a single unit. But for $240ish, why would I spend another $160 for a 'frotto' equivalent?

I also gotta consider that I have limitted budget, so prefer the spend the extra on filters, for example. Thoughts?

[dmdigital]

That one drawback is the key to the whole thing. Being able to replace the head means you can update the equipment if required.

There's nothing wrong with Velbon tripods and you can find the equivalent in Manfrotto's range to what you looked at. The 600R would be the better as a geared centre column isn't going to offer anything except a handle to get in the road. You should try and avoid using the centre column to gain extra height anyway.

At the end of the day though the best advice is still: If you can't afford a suitable tripod, don't buy one. You'll only end up buying something to replace it later on.

Early on I made the mistake of buying a tripod with a geared column and fixed head and it was a pain. I replaced this with a bargain priced Manfrotto without considering that it too had a fixed head. The 055MF3 that I now have has been fantastic and I really can't see me buying something to replace it for a long while, my only regret is I should have bought this in the first place and not wasted the other money on two cheap options.

Another good brand which are pretty much a Chinese clone of the Gitzo range are the Benro tripods.

[flagg]

Had a bit of a walk around camera shops today, and frankly im still confused. I have looked at the 'cheaper' Velbon Sherpa series, the 600r and 750r actually look very good and solid. The only draw back is that the legs/head are a single unit. But for $240ish, why would I spend another $160 for a 'frotto' equivalent?

I also gotta consider that I have limitted budget, so prefer the spend the extra on filters, for example. Thoughts?

I bought a cheaper tripod when I first got my D70.. I thought that there was something wrong with it as the pictures were never sharp. It wasn't until I got my 455 that I realised there was so much more clarity the camera!

Go the shop and ask for a big DSLR with a nice long heavy lens (don't cheat and use a tripod collar ;) set it up on the tripod.. look through the eye piece and tap the end of the lens.

If you have movement in the image, the tripod won't work properly. You would be really surprised how many tripods will smudge the image just by the pressure of your finger on the shutter. (even my 455proB and monster 029 head does this a little when its not mounted on firm ground). A remote / 2 sec timer will allow you to minimize this - but the shutter movement will blur it a little too.

For $240ish you should be able to pick up a good second hand frotto 055 or 455 (that is what I paid for mine) second hand on ebay or in the photographic trader.

[greg-g]

On Ball Heads, check out the Markins Q3. Direct import from Korea for just over $300. Its so incredibility smooth and will take almost any lens. I have it on a Gitzo GM5561 Monopod also purchased directly from Korea. They were excellent to deal with.
Its often rated better than all other ball heads available, but no so common in Australia. Have a look if your up this end of the state.
Greg

[Cap]

Thanks again... I agree with the fixed head not being a good idea. Ill check for the second hand market too. Damn its so tricky, I certainly DONT want to be buying twice!

So what is the Berno equivalent to the 055?

Would it be an A-650EX+BH-2 for example? They look the goods for the price.