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10/19/2002 09:06:01 AM · #1 |
I've decided its about time that I bought myself probably one of the most important accessories for a camera - a decent tripod. However, the only one I've ever used before is an ancient Velbon thing, which weighs a ton, so I've not really got any ideas as to what to look for!
Brands?
Material - Aluminium? Carbon Fibre? Titanium?
Head - Ball? Floating? Other?
Prices? I'm thinking of the low/medium budget areas, but I might stretch to a more expensive model if highly recommended...
Any links to related websites would be useful too :o)
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10/19/2002 09:36:17 AM · #2 |
Originally posted by manic:
I've decided its about time that I bought myself probably one of the most important accessories for a camera - a decent tripod. However, the only one I've ever used before is an ancient Velbon thing, which weighs a ton, so I've not really got any ideas as to what to look for!
Brands?
Material - Aluminium? Carbon Fibre? Titanium?
Head - Ball? Floating? Other?
Prices? I'm thinking of the low/medium budget areas, but I might stretch to a more expensive model if highly recommended...
Any links to related websites would be useful too :o)
Weighs a ton is a good thing! You def want something that is not
going to flop around - with pretty sturdy legs so that it won't
shake in the breeze.
Something with a head that lets you easily rotate and shot sideways
etc is good. Either a ball or flip.
I have a Velbon Maxi 343E which works pretty well for me.
Not so big as to look stupid with a Canon G2 on it, but not so cheap
that I think it is going to fall over in a strong gust of wind.
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10/19/2002 11:14:54 AM · #3 |
This is a coincidental post. Last weekend I found an early (1940’s or so) Leitz tripod with a ball mount on it. It is the most versatile mount that I have ever used.
I recommend a ball mount on a sturdy tripod. Remember you are using a tripod to hold everything still, and it should function well even in windy conditions. This is one department where you should spend a little more to get the quality that you can depend on.
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10/19/2002 12:03:20 PM · #4 |
I looked for a tripod and found a few things out that might be useful to you
Bogen makes REALLY GOOD tripods, but you pay a lot of them. I'm not sure what material they're made out of but they are nice and sturdy.
It's definitely worth getting a tripod that has interchangeable heads since this will allow you to swap heads for different occasions.
Ball heads are nice if you're doing sports or things that move fast. They're not good for panoramas because it's easy to lose the axis of rotation with them and your panoramas won't be smooth. They're easy to swing around in all different directions & angles.
Pan & Tilt heads are probably the most common since they go in all directions but you have to follow the axis to get the camera pointed in the right direction.
Geared heads are nice because you get pin point accuracy with them but I found the one I tried to be slow. They're also very expensive.
The combo I priced out for myself was
Bogen 3021 Pro Tripod Legs for 150$
Bogen 3410 Head for 100$
Bogen 3018 Monopod for 50$
That should keep me happy & satisfied and if I need I can always upgrade to a different head for different occasions.
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10/19/2002 02:12:47 PM · #5 |
Between my sons interest in video and my interest in still cameras, we have at least 5 tripods floating around the house.
Several are the really cheap ones, but I do have a nice old Slik (also weighs a ton) that originally came with a feature that has always been a favorite of mine, and I intend to get a replacement one day. It's a little removable peg thingy that screws into the camera first, and then locks into the tripod. It's the easiest attach and detach system I have ever used. Sadly, the thingy got lost, so at present the tripod is useless. I would definitely look at the actual "camera meets tripod" connection, and the ease at which it can be installed/removed when considering any new purchase.
I also have a nice lightweight Cullman with a ball-head, weighs only about a pound and is not terribly sturdy, (and extending the legs is a pain in the arse) but it works well with the little digital and is not a chore to tote around.
Ultimately your purchase should depend on what you plan to use it for. You would think with so many tripods I'd have it all covered, but I have been thinking of doing some panoramics, and for this you need a tripod with levels built in. I have one with a level--levels the legs but not the head... What good is that?
I would also suggest sticking with "cheaper" tripods. As long as you can find one with features that appeal to you for its intended use, I don't think dropping a lot of dough on a tripod is necessary for the average user.
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10/19/2002 02:16:37 PM · #6 |
I bought a Bogen/Manfrotto 3030G (green!) tripod, which weighs 7 pounds, but I love it, even for dragging up mountains and such. It's a dream to use, very solid and stable, and easy to adjust. It's one of their models that they sell as a tripod/pan & tilt head combo, the legs have latches so you can change their length very easily then snap them down to lock them into place. Like the rest of their tripod legs, you can swap the head if you ever want/need to.
I think I paid about $200 for it, it was considerably less than buying the pieces individually. I've taken it right up the side of a rocky volcano and into caves, and banged it up a little, but it has taken everything in stride and is as smooth as the day I bought it.
The only thing it doesn't have are little bubble levels on the head, which are useful for setting up a panorama, but Manfrotto/Bogen sells heads like this if that's what you're looking for.
A friend bought a larger black version, I'm not sure the model number, maybe 3 inches longer collapsed, but it's *huge* when fully extended. He loves it as well.
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10/19/2002 02:20:07 PM · #7 |
mcmurma has an excellent point, the camera/tripod connection!
Manfrotto/Bogen heads have this great little plate that you can screw into the bottom of your camera, then your camera clicks onto the tripod simply by presing it to the head. You can then pull a latch to pop the camera off. It's *amazingly* easy to use and makes setting up almost instantaneous.
They also sell cheap replacements, so you can get one for each camera, and you won't be out of luck if you lose it.
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10/19/2002 06:24:46 PM · #8 |
Thanks for the info folks, anyone else got tripod-related advice?
Bump! :o)
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10/19/2002 07:07:53 PM · #9 |
The most important elements are: that it is light enough that you will use it, and cheap enough that you will by it.
In the end, having one heavy, sturdy tripod, and a light tripod or monopod for travel is the best solution. |
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10/20/2002 10:29:47 AM · #10 |
Nice timing on the post - I'm just back from a week in Scotland where the "excellent" light gave me a chance to try out slow exposures with my new tripod head.
I used to have a cheap tripod which was ok for light cameras but when I started using a D1 it just gave up. I got a Uniloc 1700S. This is very similar to (but a bit cheaper than) a Benbo. These are very popular in the UK - a cunning design lets you use them in all kinds of weird situations that a "normal" tripod jkust couldn't manage. They take a bit of getting used to but once you work them out they are unbeatable. The "S" means I have the "system" version which means I can convert it from a tripod to a monopod or to a table top tripod (using a different set of legs).
As for the head, I wasted money on a Manfrotto pan and tilt (not a bad head - just not suitable for this kind of tripod). This kind of tripod needs a ball head and a heavy camera needs a good ball head. After a lot of reading of reviews and consideration I took a deep breath and bough an Arca Monoball. (Don't ask me how much it cost - I'm trying to forget.) The combination is fantastic - the ball head even has a panorama plate so I can lock it in one plane and rotate in the other (just like a pan and tilt but much better).
Like somebody else said, buy one that's heavy enough to work and light enough to carry but also don't skimp on quality - you'll only end up replacing it later.
This comnbination worked fine with no obvious shake for exposures of 3 seconds - like this
* This message has been edited by the author on 10/20/2002 10:31:02 AM. |
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