Lightweight compact tripod .. any recommendations.

[Keith]

When my DP2M gets here I intend taking it bushwalking into the local rainforest. Light in this environment on a good day is usually around EV 6 or 7 ... so a tripod will be needed.

The cheap and nasties that the local retail camera stores sell are light and flimsy by nature but they don't seem to fold down very small.

Recommendations?

 

[david.elliott]

Gitzo Traveler is my go-to choice for travel tripod. Quite compact and sturdy. Rather expensive though...

I use a markins ballhead with it that the legs can fold around.

 

[fast14riot]

Have you considered a reverse tripod, i.e. a length of cord with a 1/4-20 eye bolt attached? Simply make a loop big enough to put both feet through it at shouler width apart and pull up to steady it. Ultimate in light weight and portability.

Also, maybe check out the Joby Gorillapod, light weight, extremely versitile, and strong. Reasonable price too.


-Xander

 

[Roger Hicks]

Have you considered a reverse tripod, i.e. a length of cord with a 1/4-20 eye bolt attached? Simply make a loop big enough to put both feet through it at shouler width apart and pull up to steady it. Ultimate in light weight and portability.

Also, maybe check out the Joby Gorillapod, light weight, extremely versitile, and strong. Reasonable price too.


-Xander

Dear Xander,

These are great if they work for you -- they do for some -- but I know that I am not the only person to find that they actually reduce sharpness.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Murchu]

Tripods I've found are the classic case where the poor man buys twice, or even more. My needs don't make any sort of a case for a lightweight travel tripod these days, but when they did, I considered something like a carbon fibre, 4 section gitzo (traveller range?).

I believe some of the companies producing knock-offs such as Benro, come quite highly recommended too, in case the price of one of those gitzo's makes you baulk. If you have the cash, buying the right tripod first time round, will see you likely not having to make another tripod decision for a long time to come. There's plenty of tripod to be had for less price too, but the trade-off will be in size and weight.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

 

[t.s.k.]

Keith, I don't think I can add anything that you already know.
High quality light and small = $$$
High quality uber light and uber small = $$$$$
Pick your poison 🙂

It's tough to compete against the size/weight of a 5+section carbon fiber if money is no object. A 4-section is a slightly cheaper alternative.
Two other possible options are a monopod or table-top tripod (Ultrapod II) used as a chest pod. The latter is quite effective.

 

[fast14riot]

Roger, I agree that they are not a perfect replacement for a good tripod, but like any other camera gadget, they have a place. If extreme portability is the goal, andyou have reasonable lighting, they can be a good piece of kit to have. I have found that in some situations it truely isn't enough. I can use them most of the time, but I have spent a long time working on minimizing my body movement while standing still due to shooting competitive Air Pistol and know my limits in such positions. Also, if you keep it at waist level and pull the camera against your body, that can help as well.

Cheers!

-X

 

[Murchu]

By the way, not sure what shutter speed & aperture combinations EV 6 & 7 entail, something around 1/15th sec @ f2.8, I suspect. If your chosen choice of shutter speeds allows a monopod rather than a tripod, something like one of those manfrotto neotec (b?) monopods might suit your needs, and be more amenable to hiking in rainforest..

 

[Roger Hicks]

Roger, I agree that they are not a perfect replacement for a good tripod, but like any other camera gadget, they have a place. If extreme portability is the goal, andyou have reasonable lighting, they can be a good piece of kit to have. I have found that in some situations it truely isn't enough. I can use them most of the time, but I have spent a long time working on minimizing my body movement while standing still due to shooting competitive Air Pistol and know my limits in such positions. Also, if you keep it at waist level and pull the camera against your body, that can help as well.

Cheers!

-X

Dear Xander,

They only have their place for some people. For those for whom they reduce stability, they have no place at all. For years I was the only person saying in print that they don't work for me, though I'd anecdotal evidence I wasn't alone, but a few months ago one of the people at Amateur Photographer in the UK experimented and found that they made his pics less sharp too.

I have no idea whether they are (literally) worse than useless for 1% of the population, or 10%, or 50%; but I do know that they are literally worse than useless for me, and that I am not alone.

Like you, I'm a pretty good pistol shot (everything from .22 air pistol to .44 magnum, probably with .45 National Match Colt as my favourite), and I completely agree that pistol shooting and photography can feed off one another. But I'd be even less happy, now I think about it, tying a piece of string to the bottom of any of my guns...

Cheers,

R.

 

[FA Limited]

DP3M

i thought you were getting the DP2M 😛

this is always the most classic tripod article. it helps you SAVE money by spending money! 😎
http://bythom.com/support.htm

anyways lightweight tripod = Gitzo Traveller, it's really the most standard choice. there may be knockoffs or even monopods but they might not be as light or sturdy or annoyingly may not have Anti-Rotation Legs. my Traveller and Markins Ballhead weigh in at an astonishing 1.5kg, usually i will carry the tripod around when i travel now because it's that light and gives so much more flexibility.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Quote from Redged: Our tripods are only about 90% as good as Gitzo, but they're 50% of the price...

Yes, Gitzo Traveller is undoubtedly the way to go if you can afford it, though even they aren't perfect (the foot fell off my wife's Traveller monopod) but calling Benro, Redged, 3-Legged Thing, Sirui, etc., 'knock-offs' is not really accurate, any more than a Mercedes is a 'knock-off' of a Rolls Royce.

Cheers,

R.

 

[doolittle]

Gitzo Traveler is my go-to choice for travel tripod. Quite compact and sturdy. Rather expensive though...

I use a markins ballhead with it that the legs can fold around.

Exact same set up I use.

Rather expensive is an understatement. However I have probably spent about the same all together on the collection of tripods and monopods I have tried before that.

It's immensely sturdy, especially using hook to attach bag etc to. (can take the weight of a dSLR and long lens if needed, so a compact or similar is no problem for it), eminently light and portable (fits into carry on luggage with ballhead not attached).

It has become my go-to tripod not just for travel now.

 

[zauhar]

I recently got an Oben monopod with 'legs'. It was not too expensive ($100). I have been happy with it so far, it is sturdy and compact.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/687349-REG/Oben_ACM_2400L_ACM_2400L_4_Section_Aluminum_Monopod.html

 

[fast14riot]

Dear Xander,

They only have their place for some people. For those for whom they reduce stability, they have no place at all. For years I was the only person saying in print that they don't work for me, though I'd anecdotal evidence I wasn't alone, but a few months ago one of the people at Amateur Photographer in the UK experimented and found that they made his pics less sharp too.

I have no idea whether they are (literally) worse than useless for 1% of the population, or 10%, or 50%; but I do know that they are literally worse than useless for me, and that I am not alone.

Like you, I'm a pretty good pistol shot (everything from .22 air pistol to .44 magnum, probably with .45 National Match Colt as my favourite), and I completely agree that pistol shooting and photography can feed off one another. But I'd be even less happy, now I think about it, tying a piece of string to the bottom of any of my guns...

Cheers,

R.

I in no way doubt that I am in the overwhelming minority by being able to use such piece of equipment (if you can call it that, lol!) to an advantage on occasion. I find that I cannot use it at all with a heavier set up like my D200 and a long lens, but for a small light weight or even my pocket digital they can work, for me.. I do, however, own a manfrotto 3221 with a manfrotto joystick ball head which is my favorite.

I was simply offering up a non-conventional method that does work for some (few?) people. Either way, its best to have tried and decided it isn't for you, than to not have tried at all and say they don't work, because after all the bad things I have heard about the method it infact did work for me in certain situations.

Anyways, I think there are some great recommendations in this thread.


Keep it in the 10 ring, Roger!😀

Cheers!

-X

 

[Roger Hicks]

I in no way doubt that I am in the overwhelming minority by being able to use such piece of equipment (if you can call it that, lol!) to an advantage on occasion. I find that I cannot use it at all with a heavier set up like my D200 and a long lens, but for a small light weight or even my pocket digital they can work, for me.. I do, however, own a manfrotto 3221 with a manfrotto joystick ball head which is my favorite.

I was simply offering up a non-conventional method that does work for some (few?) people. Either way, its best to have tried and decided it isn't for you, than to not have tried at all and say they don't work, because after all the bad things I have heard about the method it infact did work for me in certain situations.

Anyways, I think there are some great recommendations in this thread.


Keep it in the 10 ring, Roger!😀

Cheers!

-X

Dear Xander,

Highlight: absolutely! It's just that I'd heard so many good things about this (it's a VERY old idea) that I was surprised when it didn't work for me. The opposite, perhaps, of your experience. All I was trying to say was, "If it doesn't work for you, don't necessarily assume you're doing something wrong."

My suspicion is that it's a lot better for e.g. a quarter-plate reflex, used at chest height, than for a small camera used at eye level; though I have to admit never having tried it with my Graflex, or even a Rollei TLR.

Cheers,

R.

 

[david.elliott]

Exact same set up I use.

Rather expensive is an understatement. However I have probably spent about the same all together on the collection of tripods and monopods I have tried before that.

It's immensely sturdy, especially using hook to attach bag etc to. (can take the weight of a dSLR and long lens if needed, so a compact or similar is no problem for it), eminently light and portable (fits into carry on luggage with ballhead not attached).

It has become my go-to tripod not just for travel now.

Yeah I need to come up with a shallow, wide, sturdy bag to attach to that hook. Not sure where I will find one (grocery bag did not work well). Open to suggestions if you have any. 🙂

 

[ampguy]

Keith, I use a slik 38T4 which are no longer made, but probably worth finding if you can, also use a slik slim pod monopod. Both are backpack size when collapsed, and in a pinch have held SLR's with long lenses.

 

[bjornkeizers]

I did quite a bit of research about this last year, and eventually I settled on a Manfrotto 190CXPRO4 carbon fiber tripod with a Manfrotto 496RC 2 compact ball head with quick release plates. I got 30 percent off the tripod, but it was still an expensive purchase. But, well worth it!

The tripod with head in folded position is 50 centimeters. Weight is about 1.4 kilograms. Conservative load limits are 6 kilogram for the head, but 5 for the legs. I mostly use it with an EOS SLR with relatively light-weight lenses (Shorty Forty / Nifty Fifty). I'll occasionally pop the Bronica ETRS on there as well. It's a great combination.

The tripod is quite stiff and very versatile. You can go quite low bending out the legs. It has a 90 degree angle option for when you want to hang the camera over a table or something like that. You'll want to add a bit of balast for that though. The head on it is quite solid, but a bit finicky for my taste. The only thing I don't like: fully extended, the camera reaches my eye level, but only just (I'm 1.82 and use the EOS with a battery grip). If you're a really tall fellow, you'll probably need to bend a bit.

 

[bobbyrab]

I too bought a Manfrotto carbon one, after three years of fairly light use one of the legs pops out from it's seating from time to time, and something fell off another and rattles around inside. I might just have been unlucky, but if I was buying again i'd probably stick to Gitzo but probably second hand.

 

[Godfrey]

I did quite a bit of research about this last year, and eventually I settled on a Manfrotto 190CXPRO4 carbon fiber tripod with a Manfrotto 496RC 2 compact ball head with quick release plates. ...

I chose the Manfrotto 190CXpro3 model legs ... the three section legs are a bit longer and a bit sturdier than the 4 section legs, and very slightly lighter. They don't pack down quite as small. I fit them with either an Acratech Ultimate Ball Head or Markins Q3 Emilié head, both very light and very precise. The heads cost more than the legs, but are worth the money. All up, the total package weighs three and a quarter pounds and is my go-to tripod setup for general use. With either head, about $450.

When I need more elevation or load capacity, I have set of Feisol CT-3442 Tournament legs. These are larger section, four segment legs with a large camera support yoke which can be fitted with either a flat mounting plate or an adjustable center column. I fit one of the same two heads to them. With adjustable center column and the Acratech head, they pack down into a light (supplied) carry bag that is 19" long, about 4.5" diameter, and weighs 4.2 lbs. Fully extended legs and fully collapsed center column, with head in place, nets a camera platform at just shy of 72", which is a couple of inches higher than my eye point when I'm standing next to them. The adjustable column and net another 10" upwards. These legs are a bit pricier: $400 for the basic legs, another $60 for the adjustable center column, so by the time you buy a good head you're up to around the $700-750 mark.

The Manfrotto legs are convenient, light, fast operating but a little short.
The Feisol legs are a bit slow operating, very very sturdy, have great elevation, and are very portable for their capabilities.

Advice: don't skimp on a head. I gave up on the Manfrotto heads due to the RC2 plates and clamps—they're simply not very precise. I standardized on heads that use the Arca-Swiss type quick release system of plates and clamps. EXTREMELY precise and solid, they never jiggle around as you lock the camera. And a high-end ball head is similarly very precise and secure. Legs need to be stiff and hold up well, they're pretty simple; heads you have to touch and manipulate constantly so the controls and precision are critical.

G