Thread: Camera Tripod options

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

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

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

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?

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

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

Flagg

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.

Originally Posted by dm_td5

A good read on tripods is: Tripods and Ball Heads by Thom Hogan

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!

Originally Posted by 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

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.

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