Tripods

[Dagless]

Just doing a spot of research for some coursework.

What do you say is the best tripod for you're line of work/hobby? I mean for stop motion people, landscape people, wedding photographers etc...

AND I'm doing a stop-motion photography project and need a really solid, heavy tripod. what's a good recommendation say you?

[mkrishnan]

I've been thinking about this a lot recently too... On FredMiranda, a lot of people recommend the Bogen-Manfrotto 3001... But I don't have a tripod, and I'd like to think about getting one too, primarily for use with my Rebel.

[iGary]

Manfrotto - 055WNB

[Mr. Anderson]

I have a Manfrotto tripod and the pistol grip head, I love it. I can use it for both video and still and it travels well.

D

[mkrishnan]

What's the most affordable Manfrotto that is more or less usable? :o

[virividox]

are you doing your photography indoors or outdoors
how heavy is your camera
how heavy are your lenses
will there be lots of wind where you shoot or is it generally still
do you need to travel a lot (like hiking with your tripod) or do you want to be able to keep it in a static position in your studio
what is your price range

people can recommend tripods left and right, based on their shooting needs, but until you identify specifically what you want, a tripod that may work for X, Y, Z , may not work for you

[simie]

I have a Manfrotto 190PROB with mini joystick head 322RC2 and mini video fluid head 128RC- great for macro work and for use with my camcorder.

[Emerson]

I would recommend either

Gitzo 1325 (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=145131&is=REG&addedTroughType=search) - Carbon fiber, expensive, very nice, sturdy as hell

or Gitzo 1340 (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=170791&is=REG&addedTroughType=search) - Basically a 1325 made of aluminum, around $200 less than 1325, still sturdy as hell

They are both expensive, but you will never have to buy another one, and are the perfect height if you are on the tall side at all.

Just my $.02

[jared_kipe]

I have a Sunpak 7500pro that is one big honking tripod. One of the reasons I like it is that with the legs completely spread there is a gear thing that will extend the neck. Which rocks because it gets to be like 6'5" or more up there. Thus you can use a remote and shoot over people's heads. Its also very sturdy and probably cheaper than the other ones listed here.

[mkrishnan]

Which rocks because it gets to be like 6'5" or more up there.

:eek: Do you stand on top of something in order to align the camera once it's up there? :o

[jared_kipe]

:eek: Do you stand on top of something in order to align the camera once it's up there? :o
Nah, and I can make it about 7' safely if I just bring the legs in a little bit.

Anyway, its useful for taking pictures of something when people are crowded around, you set it at the angle you want then ratchet it up there. If necessary take a picture bring it back down and make the necessary adjustments and put it back up.

With the big screen on the 30D you can do it pretty easily without even taking it back down, just using the stick that comes off the back.

[jlcharles]

I use dynatran tripod legs with a bogen 3030 head. I had a big beefy metal one, but it was too heavy for walking around, so I sold it and got a carbon fiber one. I think I paid $70 shipped or so. And it more than acceptably holds my hasselblad, which is not the lightest camera out there.

You can get them on amvona.com but I would recommend going on ebay and buying them for a lot cheaper from seller amvona.com.

As for the center column, you shouldn't be using it to raise up your camera. The steadiness of the tripod is lost when extending it. It's more or less for minor adjustments.

[jared_kipe]

I use dynatran tripod legs with a bogen 3030 head. I had a big beefy metal one, but it was too heavy for walking around, so I sold it and got a carbon fiber one. I think I paid $70 shipped or so. And it more than acceptably holds my hasselblad, which is not the lightest camera out there.

You can get them on amvona.com but I would recommend going on ebay and buying them for a lot cheaper from seller amvona.com.

As for the center column, you shouldn't be using it to raise up your camera. The steadiness of the tripod is lost when extending it. It's more or less for minor adjustments.
I presume you're talking to me, let me say my tripod at over 6' is very stable, it just about comes up to my eyes without the center extended and I'm 6'3".

[virividox]

while using the center column should be the last resort - sometimes it is necessary - that said it only becomes unstable when couples with longer lenses and a windy environment, or floors that vibrate. you could also weigh down the center colum witha bag to increase the stability

[ChrisA]

AND I'm doing a stop-motion photography project and need a really solid, heavy tripod. what's a good recommendation say you?

What you really want is called a "camera stand". It is used in studio photography in place of a tripod. It's basically a cast iron base on wheels with a tall 6 inch diameter post attached. there is a platform that you crank up and down the pole They are massive and expensive but in a studio you would have a nice flat floor and wheels work well so you don't mind that the stand weights 200 pounds. I've seen this used with lead shoot bags too. Lay then over the legs the it keep stands from moving around. Shoot bags are used quite a bit in the motion picture biz too. If you can't afford the weights you can use water in plastic jugs to weight down tripods, light stands the the like or maybe sandbags but lead in black mesh bags is the industry standadrd.

See here for stands
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=4985&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation

[Mike Teezie]

Manfrotto 3021B Pro legs, and Manfrotto 303 Pan/Tilt Head.

Built like a tank, these things.

[virividox]

What you really want is called a "camera stand". It is used in studio photography in place of a tripod. It's basically a cast iron base on wheels with a tall 6 inch diameter post attached. there is a platform that you crank up and down the pole They are massive and expensive but in a studio you would have a nice flat floor and wheels work well so you don't mind that the stand weights 200 pounds. I've seen this used with lead shoot bags too. Lay then over the legs the it keep stands from moving around. Shoot bags are used quite a bit in the motion picture biz too. If you can't afford the weights you can use water in plastic jugs to weight down tripods, light stands the the like or maybe sandbags but lead in black mesh bags is the industry standadrd.

See here for stands
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=4985&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation


i agree with this post. if your doing stop motion photography, you will most likely be working with strobes (that can fire multiple times in a short time period) to capture the action (assuming what your trying to do is like showing a bullet pop a baloon or that sort of thing). your camera stand is damn sturdy, and basically you hang the ball head of the stand, which u then hang your camera on. must more sturdy than a tripod, and easier to move around as most stands have locking wheels. etc. of course if you want to get a tripod instead of a stand to use it in the future then that would be best. but if this kinda of work is going to be constant, best to get the stand

[ChrisA]

...(assuming what your trying to do is like showing a bullet pop a baloon or that sort of thing).

I think "Stop Motion" means a kind of animation done with models. You move them and then take one frames, move them again, take another frame. For this kind of work you need a very masive and studry camera support. If the camera moves even the slightest because it is bumped or someone kicks the stand you can loos hours of work.

For "Stopping motion" like the bullet. Heck you can hand hold the camera. The exposure is so short that motion is stopped. But for that you need some exotic stobes.

The Tim Buton film "corpse Bride" was done with Canon DSLR cameras and models. They shot the whole feature film one frame at a time with a still camera. They call it "stop motion" because the motion is "stopped" when the exposure is taken. With a normal movie camera the actors are in motion while the shutter is open and you always get slight motion blur.

Stop Motion can bedone with live actors too. We did a short that way once. You have the actor move an inch, take a frame, move an inch, take a frame and so on for hours. When you are done you can have some "impossable" footage like someone sliding face first over rough ground and leaving a plowed rut in his wake. Or maybe "surfing" up a flight of stairs.

[Grimace]

How much more weight capacity do you all usually allow??

Example: camera + lens = 4.5 pounds ---> tripod capacity 6.0 pounds?

[YS2003]

For tripod, which retailer do you go to? Since the tripod can be a little bulky, I would like to see it before I buy. I heard B&H has large selection; but, it is located in Manhattan (I don't want to go to the city even though I am less than 15 miles). I don't think BestBuy/Circuit City are the good place for higher quality tripod. It seems like the high end tripod are mainly sold online.

[YS2003]

I've been thinking about this a lot recently too... On FredMiranda, a lot of people recommend the Bogen-Manfrotto 3001... But I don't have a tripod, and I'd like to think about getting one too, primarily for use with my Rebel.
I have just placed an order for Bogen-Manfrotto 3001 and Bogen-Manfrotto Compact Ball Head for my Canon 30D. I would be receiving this in a few days from Amazon.com. It seems this model is sturdy enough while being light (about 4 lbs).