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Let's talk tripods

maddagascar said:
sooo this is the one with the ball head thats a manfrotto

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Manfrott...otto&cp=1&lp=1


but here is the other with the panning head

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Manfrott...otto&cp=1&lp=2

i just don't know which to get..would i need to upgrade the ballhead down the line??

the reason i'm asking is i want to get a tripod as soon as i can. but i don't want to get the wrong one.
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maddagascar, your links don't work. A panning head is better for video. A ballhead is more convenient for still photography. As you've probably noticed from what people have written in this thread, any of the budget options should be viewed as temporary solutions. If you want a tripod and head that won't need to be upgraded "down the line" with regular use, then you're going to end up in the same ballpark as I did: expect to spend well over $500 for the pair. I'm going to end up close to $800, I think.

If you don't mind waiting a while, you can get that amount down a bit with used items, but I'm finding that the good stuff is very hard to find used and still comes at a steep price. I have google alerts and eBay alerts set on a variety of models, and I'm not having much luck so far. The better models just don't wear out, and so people keep on using them and don't sell them.
 
Phrasikleia said:
I'm also very keen to get an R-strap, although I'd like to know what solution they have up their sleeve for a non-tripod-mount version (promised as forthcoming in another thread on this forum).
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R Strap was one of my concerns as well. My Manfrotto plate had a ring and that is where I attached the strap. With my Markins plate I do not have the ring, but it does have a place to screw the R Strap (see pic). My problem with that was there were times when I was walking around the city and needed to use the tripod I had to unscrew it, use it and then screw it back again --- big hassle. So I cut the ends of my Nikon strap and connected the camera and the tripod plate and I attach the strap to that - it woks perfectly (see pic).

I hardly use the ports on that side so its not a big deal for me. But if you do use the ports then you can always unscrew the plate .
 

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schataut said:
R Strap was one of my concerns as well. My Manfrotto plate had a ring and that is where I attached the strap. With my Markins plate I do not have the ring, but it does have a place to screw the R Strap (see pic). My problem with that was there were times when I was walking around the city and needed to use the tripod I had to unscrew it, use it and then screw it back again --- big hassle. So I cut the ends of my Nikon strap and connected the camera and the tripod plate and I attach the strap to that - it woks perfectly (see pic).

I hardly use the ports on that side so its not a big deal for me. But if you do use the ports then you can always unscrew the plate .
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I'm confused. If you're connecting your R-strap to the improvised wrist strap (of sorts), then why is the metal R-strap ring still screwed into the bottom of the quick release plate?
 
Phrasikleia said:
I'm confused. If you're connecting your R-strap to the improvised wrist strap (of sorts), then why is the metal R-strap ring still screwed into the bottom of the quick release plate?
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:D I put the metal ring to take a pic to show you and then I took the second pic without taking the connector out :(
 
FYI I have a RRS L-bracket for my camera and on the bottom of it there is an additional 1/4 inch screw thread that can be used to attach to things like the R strap (I'm pretty sure). Thus you can leave the L-bracket on at all times and just screw the strap on to the bracket when needed.

Ruahrc
 
Ruahrc said:
FYI I have a RRS L-bracket for my camera and on the bottom of it there is an additional 1/4 inch screw thread that can be used to attach to things like the R strap (I'm pretty sure). Thus you can leave the L-bracket on at all times and just screw the strap on to the bracket when needed.

Ruahrc
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Good to know. Are the RRS brackets Arca-Swiss compatible? Would that L-bracket work with a Markins head?
 
So much for the great quality control at Gitzo. I received my new tripod legs just now, and upon trying to extend one of the legs, the lowermost section came out in my hand. Seems to be missing a major piece that holds it into the next section.

Now I have to send it back and wait for the store to send a replacement upon receipt of the defective one. :(
 
Phrasikleia said:
Good to know. Are the RRS brackets Arca-Swiss compatible? Would that L-bracket work with a Markins head?
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The RRS L brackets should be AS compatible. They have the same wedge-design. It does work with the Markins head (using the Markins supplied screw clamp) but you can also order the Markins head sans clamp and add your own. I substituted the Markins clamp for the RRS lever clamp. The RRS lever clamp is supposed to be AS compatible too but I do know that some other stuff doesn't work with them (example: I think some Kirk plates will fit in the RRS screw clamps, but not the lever clamps)

Sad to hear about the Gitzo. Odd that it just fell out. What exactly was the problem? Perhaps i missed it earlier in the thread, but what gitzo legs did you get?
 
Ruahrc said:
The RRS L brackets should be AS compatible. They have the same wedge-design. It does work with the Markins head (using the Markins supplied screw clamp) but you can also order the Markins head sans clamp and add your own. I substituted the Markins clamp for the RRS lever clamp. The RRS lever clamp is supposed to be AS compatible too but I do know that some other stuff doesn't work with them (example: I think some Kirk plates will fit in the RRS screw clamps, but not the lever clamps)

Sad to hear about the Gitzo. Odd that it just fell out. What exactly was the problem? Perhaps i missed it earlier in the thread, but what gitzo legs did you get?
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Thanks for the info about the brackets and clamps. I still haven't purchased a ballhead.

The broken Gitzo legs are the Series 1 basalt fiber legs (3 section). I unscrewed one of the functional leg sections and discovered by comparison that the defective one is missing the two white plastic bushings that fit into the innermost end of the lowest section. They're just completely missing, and perhaps there is some other piece that should be in there too. So the lowest section on that leg slides all the way out instead of stopping like it should.

At least I don't yet have the head, so I wouldn't be up and running with it anyway right now. This gave me a chance to inspect the legs and see what size of head would best pair with it. I measured the top of the center column (where the head attaches) as 2" in diameter, so now I'm leaning towards a Markins Q3T or else the Photo Clam equivalent.

Not a great first Gitzo experience, though. Oh well.
 
It sucks that it happened (strange that those plastic bushings were simply missing), but once the Gitzo gets fixed and you start using it, you won't look back. It just simply performs.

As a Markins owner, I can say that I would definitely recommend it to others. If you've never seen one it is a serious piece of equipment. I have never used the photo clam stuff so can't comment on how it performs, but if it performs like the Markins is must be a great head too.
 
blockburner28 said:
What do yall think about this Tripod?

http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=214530125
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You have a 5D II and you are looking at a $15 tripod? I paid ~$250 for mine and rarely use it because my friends $450 tripod is better in every respect. I would think somewhere around $400+ for legs+head should be the bottom of what you should look at. Obviously you can go much higher and get better, but at the 400+ level you get something that is reasonable and lasts for a while. You will still likely notice some movement in the ballhead at that price level though.
 
I have the 190xprob and 498RC2 ball head. Great combo. Fits your needs well.
 
I am new to photography and do not know which tripod to purchase. I've only gone out a couple of times to the flower conservatory and park to take pictures and can see myself using a tripod for some landscape shots. I saw this Slik Sprint Pro II with Pan Head and the reviews for the ball head version is decent. I think I prefer the pan head to use to shoot smoother video when moving from side to side. The size seems compact enough to strap on to my backpack, but some have said the diameter of the legs make this unstable when the legs are fully extended. I looked at this other Slik Pro 700DX tripod, but think it's too heavy to travel and might be overkill for a beginner.
 
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I know what I am about to do goes against what 99% of of you suggest, but I am going on a 3 month+ photo trip to Maui and I have decided to take my Gorillapod with ballheadX in place of my standard heavy tripod. I'm just tired of lugging that beast around. So far I have adapted quite well to the Gorillapod and I'm pleased with the results. I travel light and make the most of what I have. I fit my camera body, 5 lenes, Gorillapod and a few other accessories in my Domke bag and I'm set to go. Perhaps if I had a sherpa or assistant, I would look at this differently, but pushing 60 years old, I have to be more selective in what I choose to carry. I still like to move about and cover a lot of ground on foot. A small unencumbered bag lets me do that.
 
Carbon fiber was way out of my price range at the time I got a good tripod. I have the Manfrotto 055XB Pro with a ball head. It's aluminum, big, heavy and very sturdy. I don't recommend it for travel. The Manfrotto 190 is quite popular.

Dale
 
Designer Dale said:
Carbon fiber was way out of my price range at the time I got a good tripod. I have the Manfrotto 055XB Pro with a ball head. It's aluminum, big, heavy and very sturdy. I don't recommend it for travel. The Manfrotto 190 is quite popular.

Dale
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Heavy is in the back of the beholder- try shooting 5x7 off a wooden tripod that's appropriately sized and you'll love that small light metal thing! ;)

Paul
 
Just got a Manfrotto 055XPROB w/ a Manfrotto 496RC2 head and have had no problems with it. However, the heaviest glass I have used on it so far is the 17-55 2.8IS, not had a chance to put a 70-200 or any long zooms on it.

Holds up very well with my mid zoom, and absolutely love the legs.
 
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