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09/05/2005 05:36:28 AM · #1 |
If money is not an issue, what would be the best tripod and head out there (and why), if my important factors are:
- should be light
- small enough for travel
- must be able to hold my 20D + grip + 70-200L
- must be as quick as possible to set up / break down (this is what has kept me from buying a tripod so far, so it's relatively important to me)
Any advice would be appreciated :)
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09/05/2005 05:39:44 AM · #2 |
What kind of photography will you be doing? Are you looking for something with quick panning for birds? Do you shoot macros?
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09/05/2005 05:42:04 AM · #3 |
Originally posted by nsbca7:
What kind of photography will you be doing? Are you looking for something with quick panning for birds? Do you shoot macros? |
Mostly Landscapes and night photography. Maybe some macros too. I don't do much action shots, so quick panning isn't the most important thing to me.
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09/05/2005 05:43:34 AM · #4 |
If it is "light" and "small enough for travel" it won't do a proper job of supporting the camera with the 70-200 mounted, probably. Ihave a real nice, fairly light Slik that I've used for years. Worked fine with the Coolpix 5700, or so I thought. But it's on the short side, and I have to extend the center column to get it to eye level. When I got the 20D I found out very soon that in the least breeze the tripod with column extended was showing a lot of vibration with the 70-200 mounted. So I just got a Manfrotto 3021 Pro. That's a much taller and heftier piece of equipment, but it's in NO way light and portable, it weighs quite a bit and even folded up it's pretty long.
The only tripods of decent height that collapse to a small size have 4-piece legs, and they tend to be pretty spindly. So I'm not sure what to say. You'll have less of a vibration problem if you have the collar mount for the 70-200, though... That balances the load better.
R.
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09/05/2005 05:48:59 AM · #5 |
If it is "light" and "small enough for travel" it won't do a proper job of supporting the camera with the 70-200 mounted, probably
Yeah, that's kind of my dilemma. It's funny, because I'm willing to spend significant amount of money, and you'd think with all that Formula-1 technology out there they would have figured out how to build a really light-weight, but sturdy tripod...but so far, no luck. That's why I was hoping one of the many experts here may have any idea :)
Message edited by author 2005-09-05 05:55:56.
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09/05/2005 05:49:32 AM · #6 |
Same here. Light Slik for carrying on the backpack with F828 mounted is fine. Light slik with 20D and 70-300 extended bends like a reed in the whisteling wind in the slightest breeze. Not even trying the 170-500. Got beanbags for that. One thing I have noticed is Light + Sturdy = Pricey.
Good Luck. |
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09/05/2005 05:55:17 AM · #7 |
A google search for Carbon Fiber Tripods shows professional-looking versions from Hakuba and Velbon that have 4-part legs and look like they'd fill the bill. The Velbon has a magnesium head, and weighs in at 3.7 lbs. Check 'em out.
R.
//www.hakubausa.com/csite/c_products2.asp?c=10
Message edited by author 2005-09-05 05:57:12.
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09/05/2005 05:57:10 AM · #8 |
This is the most versatile tripod I have ever owned. Tough, rugged and it will go litterally to the ground for macros.
The head I chose to go on this tripod fits it well and is equally versatile. It is great for macros and for panning landscapes, with dual levels. For fast panning as in birds in flight this is not the ideal head. A ball or gimbal head is better suited for such photography.
 
Message edited by author 2005-09-05 06:02:03.
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09/05/2005 05:57:59 AM · #9 |
Page cannot be found, nsbca...
R.
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09/05/2005 07:47:16 AM · #10 |
Here is an excellent Ball head and leg combo, it holds up to 17.6 pounds. And the entire package only weighs about 8 pounds
//www.adorama.com/BG488RC0.html
//www.adorama.com/GTMT8160.html |
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09/05/2005 08:09:37 PM · #11 |
Gitzo 1227 CF w/ arca swiss BM-1 head. Ditch the center column for a case hardened bolt to mount the head directly. Less than eight lbs total and strong enough to hold a LF camera.
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09/05/2005 08:27:45 PM · #12 |
The best tripods have three legs
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09/05/2005 08:33:28 PM · #13 |
Digital Photo Magazine this month have a review of dSLR tripods. Their Star buy is the Manfrotto 190 Pro tripod (£90), beating 5 others ranging from £160 to £330. They came to this conclusion by testing them in the field, timing them up and down, and hosing them down and putting in the freezer at -20C for 17 hours to see what happened. Thats for the legs.
They are recommending either a Manfrotto 486RC2 ball head or Manfrotto 470 Magnesium 3 way head, both around £50.
This info is copied straight out of the mag and I am not endorsing it, as I don't have any of the equipment tested. |
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09/05/2005 08:42:26 PM · #14 |
Originally posted by marklovell:
Digital Photo Magazine this month have a review of dSLR tripods. Their Star buy is the Manfrotto 190 Pro tripod (£90), beating 5 others ranging from £160 to £330. They came to this conclusion by testing them in the field, timing them up and down, and hosing them down and putting in the freezer at -20C for 17 hours to see what happened. Thats for the legs.
They are recommending either a Manfrotto 486RC2 ball head or Manfrotto 470 Magnesium 3 way head, both around £50.
This info is copied straight out of the mag and I am not endorsing it, as I don't have any of the equipment tested. |
A good tripod will work equally well on a film or a digital camera. I don't see the distinction.
And always take magazine reviews with a grain of salt. The writers are well aware of who butters their bread.
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09/05/2005 08:50:17 PM · #15 |
| The distinction, I would imagine, comes from the fact that they are a magazine dedicated to digital photography, and the SLR reference because there would be little need for a tripod this size for a Fuji Finepix Z1, for example. |
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