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DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> Bogen Manfrotto 3001 tripod and 3025 head
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 01/20/2011 12:30:26 PM · #1
I'm desperately looking to pick up a tripod for night photography and time-lapse photography, and saw a few people selling this combo on Ebay.

Seems the 3001 tripod is pretty good, but I don't know much about the 3025 head. From what I read its a full 360 degree 3D pan-head.

For my purposes, I just have a canon 550D/T2i with my longest lens a 85mm (also looking to buy)...so not much weight required to be kept stable by the tripod.

Does anybody have any experience (good or bad) with either the tripod or the head?

Message edited by author 2011-01-20 12:37:42.
 01/20/2011 12:36:30 PM · #2
I have both, good setup, can't go wrong with that. Assuming the price is right.

I upgraded the 3025 head to the 808RC4 head, which is the same thing but a little more robust, with 3-way levels, clickable indents at TDC, and the larger, RC4, quick release plate. I also now have a geared head, the Manfrotto 410, but that's just me...

You'll be great with the setup you have described.

R.
 01/20/2011 12:41:01 PM · #3
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
I have both, good setup, can't go wrong with that. Assuming the price is right.

I upgraded the 3025 head to the 808RC4 head, which is the same thing but a little more robust, with 3-way levels, clickable indents at TDC, and the larger, RC4, quick release plate. I also now have a geared head, the Manfrotto 410, but that's just me...

You'll be great with the setup you have described.

R.

That's encouraging. They're going on Ebay from $50-$90 used, depending on how the auction plays out and condition. I'd ideally like the 498rc2 ball head, but that will have to be another day.

Robert, with the 3025, I believe it's pretty stable once locked into position -- ie. no creep. Would you agree with this. The other side of the coin is that it is not easy/quick to change camera position (ie. if you want to do a panorama or follow a moving subject)? What has your experience been?
 01/20/2011 12:56:15 PM · #4
Originally posted by gcoulson:
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
I have both, good setup, can't go wrong with that. Assuming the price is right.

I upgraded the 3025 head to the 808RC4 head, which is the same thing but a little more robust, with 3-way levels, clickable indents at TDC, and the larger, RC4, quick release plate. I also now have a geared head, the Manfrotto 410, but that's just me...

You'll be great with the setup you have described.

R.

That's encouraging. They're going on Ebay from $50-$90 used, depending on how the auction plays out and condition. I'd ideally like the 498rc2 ball head, but that will have to be another day.

Robert, with the 3025, I believe it's pretty stable once locked into position -- ie. no creep. Would you agree with this. The other side of the coin is that it is not easy/quick to change camera position (ie. if you want to do a panorama or follow a moving subject)? What has your experience been?


I mis-spoke: I do not have that head, I thought that one was the RC3 plate version of the 3-way pan/tilt head I have now. I don't have the model number to hand because someone else is using it at the moment, but it's just like 808RC4 except a little smaller and the smaller QR plate.

I have never used the 3025, and it looks awkward to me, to be honest. Sorry...

R.

ETA: mine was a newer version of this one:

//www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/959508/0

The one I have now is just like that but bigger and with levels all around and clickable indents.

Message edited by author 2011-01-20 12:57:38.
 01/20/2011 01:18:50 PM · #5
Thanks Robert,

There is actually a Bogen 3001 tripod and 141rc going on Ebay as well. All the heads I'm looking at are pan heads, but when I hit the forums, everyone says "Get a Ball Head..pan heads are terrible!"

I'm guessing you would not subscribe to this viewpoint?
 01/20/2011 01:28:08 PM · #6
Originally posted by gcoulson:
Thanks Robert,

There is actually a Bogen 3001 tripod and 141rc going on Ebay as well. All the heads I'm looking at are pan heads, but when I hit the forums, everyone says "Get a Ball Head..pan heads are terrible!"

I'm guessing you would not subscribe to this viewpoint?


Totally not. I do not like ballheads at all. Or at least, not consumer ballheads. The only ballheads I'd consider owning would be ones that have vernier tightening capabilities and a separate panning base.

I have two issues with (cheap) ballheads:

1. When I am setting up for landscape or architectural work, I go to a lot of trouble to establish each plane of alignment precisely: that is, I want the camera at true horizontal and at true vertical, "all squared up". I'll then tilt vertically as needed for framing. But I want to know where my zero point is, and be able to come back to it with clickable TDC marks. For me, the geared head is especially good for this kind of work, but it is slow. The larger pan/tilt head I have is a better all purpose head, because any individual plane (or all of them) can be slackened to the point of no resistance and the camera can "float" in a way roughly analogous to a ballhead. So I can, for example, square the tripod up and establish and lock in a true vertical AND horizontal axis, but leave the pan axis open, and pan with action whilst knowing my verticals and horizontals will remain locked in.

2. Inexpensive ballheads creep, they are hard to lock precisely. Even if they don't creep whilst locked (and some of them do, over time), you have to overcompensate when adjusting because locking them down is itself a cause of creep as things tighten up.

Really high-end ballheads are a different story. Google Arca-Swiss or Really Right Stuff ballheads to see what I mean; these are wonderful.

R.
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