- This topic is empty.
Tripods
-
The Manfrotto 055Pro (Now only available in Black) is the best all-rounder. It has some really nice features like being able to split the centre column and mount it horizontaly. It’s also a good balance between Weight / Portability / Stability. However if you are hiking or carrying a tripod long distances the slightly smaller and lighter 190 Pro is the choice. There are also non PRO versions of both that don’t have the facility to mount the centre column horizontaly. The 322 Grip action ball head is really fast to work with and is much more stable under load than the older 222 head, Having used and sold a lot of these combinations I can assure ECP / Thorsten the heads are really strong and stable.
-Regards, Paddy BarkerThe 322 is certainly a vast improvement over the 222 from a design point of view. Whilst I agree with Paddy that there are plenty of satisfied users of the 222 (I’ve seen them in action myself) the problem I’ve always had with it is that it raises the centre of gravity way above the shoulder of the tripod, thereby significantly increasing the likelihood of vibration. The 322 cleverly overcomes this by effectively moving the grip to the side, thereby decreasing the distance between the camera and the shoulder whilst maintaining the fundamental features of this head. In fact the load capacity of the 322 is twice that of the 222! The other reservation I have about this head is the rather thin stem coming from the ball itself. This is much more likely to vibrate than a thicker stem or, preferably, no stem at all.
Having said that, it’s a good head which is extremely fast to use. Personally, I’d prefer to give up some of that speed of use in favour of a higher degree of stability. But that’s just why Manfrotto make such a huge range of heads – there’s something there for everyone. Thankfully Manfrotto have had the vision to different photographers have different requirements and preferences.
Ali – did you get your triod yet? If so, details please!!
i’d like to get one, but don’t have much cash at the moment. Would a cheapy one do the job in the short term, or is it a case of you get what you pay for? I’ve got about ?120 :cry:
I went into the Camera Centre in Blanch but they only had 3 or 4 Manfrotto I think they were, and they were kinda dear. :cry:Hi Paperdoll,
I’ve got a Slik Pro 700DX.
Very solid, but a bit heavy to be carrying around.
Cost about ?120 a year ago.You might find lighter Slik tripods – and at a lighter price too!
http://www.slik.com/pro/4906752105122-e.html
Don’t waste your money on a “cheap” tripod! It’s a false economy and will only cause you grief in the long run. When you’re out testing tripods, extend the legs of each one to their fullest (but leave the centre column down) and then grap the collar where the three legs meet and try and twist it. The less you can twist it, the sturdier it is.
Tripods are all about trade-offs – you don’t want one that’s so heavy that you end up leaving it at home all the time because it’s a pain to carry, yet on the other hand you don’t want one that’s so light that even the lightest of breezes will end up shaking it!
From what I know of the Slik Pro models they are certainly up to the task, as are pretty much all of the Manfrotto range as well as Gitzo. It might be worth looking at Calumet’s “own-brand” tripods. I don’t know who makes them, but they may be a viable and affordable alternative.
One thing’s for sure: once you choose one, you’ll wish it had longer or shorter legs, was lighter or heavier or was more like your mate’s.
Meanwhile your mate is probably looking at yours with envy.
In my case, I like my Manfrotto’s heaviness, but I don’t like the 3 part telescopic legs (2 part legs extend more quickly). My ball head is the older type and moves a bit as I tighten it up.
Adorama have a large selection of tripods.
Even if your not going to purchase from them, read through the different models to see what does what.I will be investing in a new one pretty soon and will be going through them myself.
Rgds
Kevin
Thorsten wrote:
Don’t waste your money on a “cheap” tripod! It’s a false economy and will only cause you grief in the long run. When you’re out testing tripods, extend the legs of each one to their fullest (but leave the centre column down) and then grap the collar where the three legs meet and try and twist it. The less you can twist it, the sturdier it is.
Tripods are all about trade-offs – you don’t want one that’s so heavy that you end up leaving it at home all the time because it’s a pain to carry, yet on the other hand you don’t want one that’s so light that even the lightest of breezes will end up shaking it!
I only partly agree. My tripod is an extremely light piece of plastic poo and wouldn’t hold its own against a light breeze. It’s also easier to adjust it by bending/pulling/shortening the legs than by using the pan/tilt lever. But it only cost me EUR15 or so and on a still night it can hold the camera much steadier than I can for a long exposure shot. I’m not going to say I’m happy with it and it will ultimately be replaced by something stronger/heavier/adjustable, but I am happier than having no tripod. That said, the mini-tripod I spent 99p on was much better value and won’t need replacing until I try to use it with a heavy lens. It’s more steady and also easier to adjust but sometimes you need something longer than 4 inches and that’s when I pull the plastic yoke out.
I’ve have used a Benbo Trekker II over the past year and I’ve found it to be a very good all-rounder. It’s got a sturdy feel to it, but weighing in at just 2Kg it’s light enough to carry all day. It may feel a little awkward to set-up at first as the legs have full 360 degree rotation and initially each seem capable of independent thought, but they do get easier with use with a little time.
The tripod has some cool features, like the 180 deg swivel joint adjustment possible on the centre column, which allows you to set the camera close to ground level for outdoor macro shots. Or the hook attachment at the othe end of the centre column which can be used to attach a rucksack or daypack to help anchor the tripod to the ground. The rubber feet are tapered to rounded tips, so that in tricky or unstable locations e.g. loose rock or seaweed covered shoreline, the feet bite into nooks and crannys effectively. I used to have a cheapo tripod with flat edged feet, which had a tendency to lose it’s footing and send the camera southwards too often for my liking :) At least I had the good sense to hold onto the camera strap at all times.
I went for the compact ball head as it came as part of the Trekker kit (which also includes a useful carry bag), and it’s fine for the kit I’m using, but if I was to add a hefty telephoto lens to my kit, then I would consider switching to the more robust professional head.
Even though our winters have been very mild the last few years, it’s worth considering the material the tripod is composed of if you intend to use it outdoors over the next few months. Uncoated aluminium as used in a lot of the basic level tripods isn’t particularly friendly to your hands and no tripod should make you dread the thoughts of minor frostbite! :)
Peter
This is the minimum height for this tripod-
There’s at least another coupla meters on the double extension ladders-
maybe just over 6m total.I rented it in London a few years ago
Rental charge for the day was about the same as a carbon Gitzo- (not cheap)Just thought you might be interested-
Right now, I’m using a Velbon Sherpa Pro-
favourite carry around tripod- the carbon really helps-
and as +P says, insulated legs this time of year is a real advantage.
Could use a little extra height sometimes, soManfrotto 075B for the big camera, 2.6m max-
big heavy thing though- but solid.Manfrotto 190
Joystick Grip 222 (which is now on my monopod)
Manfrotto 468 BallheadAfter years of neglect my Benbo Trekker (ball head) came out of the bag and sprang into lively support yesterday, as if it were new. Haven’t used it in years but it’s still perhaps the most versatile type of tripod available, and still as slick & smooth as it was back then.
I was taking pictures indoors, of Christmas decorations for someone, which meant squashing up against walls, getting down low, or squeezing into silly places to take the pictures. This included a tight space behind a couch just in front of a piano, where I placed one Benbo leg on the couch, the other two spread suitably between couch and piano – not possible with a fixed tripod; similarly had to squeeze in low between 2 armchairs (glad I’m thin!), spread the Benbo legs wide & low, one placed between the armchairs. There was no question of moving furniture around. Glad I broke it in all those years ago, so I can just pick it up & work it’s magic without getting all tangled up in a melee of loose metal poles dangling everywhere.
My Velbon Victory 450 couldn’t do that, neither could my Gitzo with Manfrotto 029mk2 head. The head I bought new, but the Gitzo was a bargain find (came with a pretty much spent ball head), even after an overhaul at the Gitzo office in London. I checked out prices after I got it back, and couldnt believe that my tripod alone would cost 3 times more than what I paid for it plus the cost of overhaul. It’s a huge beast, so doesn’t see the light of day much at all nowadays. Can’t give you the exact model (it’s pretty dated) but I believe it’s in the Classic Studex range. Stands up some 2m fully extended.
I bought a Benro c-228 n6 tripod a few months ago and I’m still very happy with my decision. It’s the chinese copy of a Gitzo lightweight tripod (don’t know which exactly). It’s true that there is no customer support, but the price is the half, it was a bit more than ?200 on ebay. Weighs 1.4kg, max height around 155 (I never expand it to full height). I think it worth considering when you’re using the tripod on hiking trails or you want to walk around with it in the hand (I can hold it for a few hours without problem). I was so stupid that I bought a Giottos ballhead with it, which is able to hold stable my Nikon D200 with a wide angle lens. With my 300mm Nikkor it wobbles in a strong wind. I can’t justify a new ballhead at the moment, but I already know, that this time I will not choose the cheaper option.
I bought a Manfrotto 190XB (standard 3 section with center column, aluminum, black) with a 390RC2 three way head – 165 euro – thats all I could afford, and its heavy-ish to carry it around, but very happy with it – as its sturdy for my needs, and the head is pretty smooth too.
There’s a Benbo Trecker MKII for sale over at adverts.ie if anyone is looking for one.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
