Tripod recommendations

[mountainpete]

Hi all,

I'm looking for some recommendations for a new tripod. Currently I use a very lightweight Silk tripod with a Manfrotto 484RC2 ball head. The ball head is solid, but the overall setup isn't strong enough for the D300. It's more suited to a light DSLR or point/shoot.

I may keep that ball head or upgrade to a bigger one - not sure.

Anyone very satisified or unsatisified with their current setup?

I would love to keep the price under $200 if possible so carbon is right out...

Thanks,

Pete

 

[targa88]

Pete,
Why not go for a full Manfrotto set-up.
That what I have used for the last 25 years - very satisfied.

 

[ThomD]

I'd spring for a nice one - this is one of those things that (if you buy a good one) can last decades. Carbon fiber legs are expensive, but they don't get cold and they don't get hot.

 

[spressomon]

One thing to be aware of regardless which tri-pod you select: The D300 (I have a D300 and learned about this 1/2 way around the world when I needed I needed it most!) has rubber panels on the bottom of its body (whereas all the other DSLR's I looked at outside of Nikon's have a hard aluminum body bottom surface) that doesn't get along very well with a rubber high friction thread-on type of mount.

I bought the carbon Manfrotto mono-pod and had problems with the high friction rubber surfaces wanting to tear each other apart when tightening/loosening. The dealer that sold it too me, even though they have sold 100's of D200/D300 systems, wasn't aware of the problem and ended up giving me a hard plastic "washer" that fits atop my mono-pod and has relieved the problem.

The Manfrotto rep was in the store when I took my D300 replete with the torqued rubber panels on the bottom of the body (ergh!!!) and had not been down this proverbial road to date. They were supposed to get back to me on the permanent fix for Nikon owners...but I guess a D300 customer just isn't important enough to bother with these days

Sorry for the partial rant: Just an FYI.

 

[tdesanto]

Bogen/ Manfrotto

I use the Wilderness Tripod. I like it due to it's height, adjustable feet for sand/dirt/etc. and the rubber-padding on the legs for those really cold mornings. Placing your hand on an aluminum tripod when it's at or below freezing in the early morning before sunrise is no fun at all. The rubber padding is a nice feature.

You can find the latest version here.

For a tripod head; I use this one. The Bogen compact ball head. If you have more than one camera, may I suggest getting another quick-release plate for it.

This is a very sturdy and fairly lightwieght setup without having to sell one of your kidneys to pay for it.

Also, I use the Nikon D200 with it and have not had any issues with it.

 

[mountainpete]

One thing to be aware of regardless which tri-pod you select: The D300 (I have a D300 and learned about this 1/2 way around the world when I needed I needed it most!) has rubber panels on the bottom of its body (whereas all the other DSLR's I looked at outside of Nikon's have a hard aluminum body bottom surface) that doesn't get along very well with a rubber high friction thread-on type of mount.

I bought the carbon Manfrotto mono-pod and had problems with the high friction rubber surfaces wanting to tear each other apart when tightening/loosening. The dealer that sold it too me, even though they have sold 100's of D200/D300 systems, wasn't aware of the problem and ended up giving me a hard plastic "washer" that fits atop my mono-pod and has relieved the problem.

The Manfrotto rep was in the store when I took my D300 replete with the torqued rubber panels on the bottom of the body (ergh!!!) and had not been down this proverbial road to date. They were supposed to get back to me on the permanent fix for Nikon owners...but I guess a D300 customer just isn't important enough to bother with these days

Sorry for the partial rant: Just an FYI.

Good information - thanks.

 

[mountainpete]

Pete,
Why not go for a full Manfrotto set-up.
That what I have used for the last 25 years - very satisfied.

I think that's what I will go with eventually.

Pete

 

[sinuhexavier]

I bought one of these in a pinch two years ago and it still hasn't broken, and because it was so cheap I just abuse it. I leave my larger Manfrotto at home and save for cleaner environments and just bring this along in the truck.

Best tripod going for the money...

 

[Lost Canadian]

I went with a carbon 3 section Gitzo Mountaineer, Arca-Swiss ballhead, and RRS plates. I figured spend the money once and have it last me a life. I could stand on the Gitzo and it wouldn't move, it's solid as a rock. Of course this setup cost me way more than $200 bones but in the grand scheme of things, next to good glass a tripod is next most important piece of equipment you'll buy, far more important than the camera body IMO.

 

[nwoods]

For my recent trip to Utah, i wanted to upgrade my cheap flexowonder tripod for something much more stout, durable, yet transportable and versatile for field conditions. My budget was also about $200, which did not prove to be accomplishable. I spent a bit over $300, but I have a set up that works well for me and I'm happy with the quality level. I have the benefit of a good camera shop in my area, and over the period of a week or two of experimentation, resolved my choice to this set up:

Tripod: Manfrotto 055XPROB

I like the fact that the legs are independent, and can articulate a full 90 degrees horizontal to vertical, great for propping up against a large rock for example. The construction quality is pretty darn good, and it does not feel too heavy. I hiked a few miles through some slot canyons with it, and it was okay. It has a padded grip on two of the legs, and all the gears are quick release. It sets up fast and tears down equally quickly. I rigged mine with a left over camera shoulder strap and it adds to the portability.

In the image above, it took me a minute to understand the angle of the legs. I was bracing the tripod against the righthand wall as a monopod


Head: Giottos MH 1000-652

I wanted the head to be as compact as possible (no levers or wand/grips sticking out). This one is very solid and compact, but I do struggle a bit to find level. It has two small bubble levels built in, but they are small and hard to see (dark). A stick on circular bubble level would improve things. I think one of the varients of this head has a bubble level if I recall correctly. There were so many options, it's a bit hard to remember.

Good luck, and buy the best you can.

 

[Photog]

We were looking for a lightweight system that was very rigid, and easy to handle. The leg locks are the flip-type, instead of the twist type. The locking tension can be maintained, they don't pinch your hand and it doesn't take much hand strength, like the twist locks. If you get a good set of legs and ball head, it will last you through many cameras.

We went with the carbon fiber Velbon Carmagne 630A. $290
The Acratech ball head. $290
Bogen QR plates - 322RA & 3157ANR $40

You could use your existing head on this tripod. I agree about the padded upper tubes. Very comfortable to handle in hot/cold weather.

The Acratech ballhead is super strong and light weight. Use LocTite when attaching the QR base to the ballhead.

Bogen Quick release base and plates.

For a small, inexpensive plate, this anti-twist works very well.

 

[bigreen505]

I'll refrain from making specific recommendations as tripods are a personal and applications specific piece of equipment, but figure out the best you are likely to need and go one level higher. The only thing more expensive than buying a tripod is buying two because you out grew the one you bought.

Thomas Knoll wrote a great article called something like the $5,000 tripod that basically adds up the cost of the average photographer's route to a high end tripod and concludes (as is often a mantra here) buy the best and only cry once, rather than buying what you think is good enough for now and continually upgrading.

Go read some articles and peruse the forums at the Luminous Landscape. There is some great discussion there.

 

[Photog]

I'll refrain from making specific recommendations as tripods are a personal and applications specific piece of equipment, but figure out the best you are likely to need and go one level higher. The only thing more expensive than buying a tripod is buying two because you out grew the one you bought.

Thomas Knoll wrote a great article called something like the $5,000 tripod that basically adds up the cost of the average photographer's route to a high end tripod and concludes (as is often a mantra here) buy the best and only cry once, rather than buying what you think is good enough for now and continually upgrading.

Go read some articles and peruse the forums at the Luminous Landscape. There is some great discussion there.

:iagree: :iagree:

1) Write down your needs. (height w/o extension, collapsed length, weight it will need to support, leg lock style, tripod & ballhead weight, etc..)
2) Look at the specs of the tripods and ball heads.
3) Modify your needs list. (as you go, you will find more ways to define what you need).
4) Find all the equipment that can meet your needs.
5) Modify your needs list again.
6) Down-select to the top 3 choices for tripod and top three ball heads.
7) Read a few reviews on these pieces of equipment.
8) Purchase the best choice - no matter the price.

You will save money by only doing this once.


I should probably qualify the posting of my gear in previous post. We needed light weight, rigid, easy to operate, very durable, specific height, specific collapsed length, and strong enough to hold the weight of professional gear.

The gear list I posted above, is definitely not what I use in the studio, or a big location shoot; but it is backup for those uses.

And, I don't use any of this gear for backpacking; but it does get used for day hikes.