Need a new tripod

[AlexBG]

My last one was a benro IT25 that was my first ever tripod. I was taking a shot in a river, stood up and my A7 came with me on the neck strap, the tripod sank into the very deep it turned out, river.

What I learned from my old tripod is:

I need a ball head
Max weight is my bronica etrsi, the benro IT15 my friend has wasn't up to the job. My main camera is a sony rx100 now.
Lightness/compactness is important.
I don't need a high tripod, max height I ever used was 4 feet.

I'm open to second hand options, just need something that works well and won't break the bank.

 

[Roger Hicks]

PM me with your e-mail address and I'll send you an e-book on tripods: the full version of http://www.rogerandfrances.com/taster/Tripods Taster.pdf -- free to a fellow RFF member.

Cheers,

R.

 

[mfogiel]

It sounds like Gitzo traveller is for you.

 

[Trius]

I have a Velbon carbon fibre that holds everything from a point-and-shoot to my Chamonix 4x5, and could hold more. I have had cheap and crappy tripods in the past. I will never buy one of those again.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Did you get the e-book?

Cheers,

R.

 

[Nokton48]

How about a Manfrotto type? Lots and lots of options with those.
I bought a copy of lightweight legs (Fancier) from China and I use it all the time.
Not expensive. Put any Manfrotto Ball head on it and you are set.

But only you really know what you will be comfortable with.
I have close to a dozen tripods and use them all at one time or another.

 

[AlexBG]

Trius I get what you mean about cheaper tripods, my friends have velbons and as nice as they are I can't justify the cost. I just lost a £100 benro in a river! I read a review on the best under £100 tripods in amateur photographer and went for the Benro and apart from the bottom two sections of the legs being unstable it was great for the money. Plus I never fully extended it so it was great for me, just want something a bit lighter.

Hi Roger, yes I did thank you, 177 pages!

Nokton48 that's what I've been looking at. Carbon fibre legs on a frame that is short and a good head.

The 3 legged thing evolution rick looks ideal to me but I need to try out the system for the legs extending. My old Benro had click locks that I liked so need to test out the twist lock.

 

[fer_fdi]

a couple of years ago I was searching for the lightest tripod of practical height
and got a SLIK Sprint Pro II for $95, incl. ball head as in attached image.
Tripod 810gr, ball head 130gr, total 940gr. Folded 47cm.
I'm very happy with it. It has to be very compact and very light otherwise I won't use it.
Good for an X-E1 with assorted Fuji and vintage M lenses.
See attechment, or look at their website.

There was another candidate from a different brand, same size and weight but more expensive.

I see I also have specs for the Sirui T1204X, carbon fiber, 800gr. Take a look.

 

[Capt. E]

Tripods can be a confusing subject. Most people seem to want something very strong yet very light weight...won't happen. You need something that is strong enough to hold your equipment securely with as little vibration and other movement as possible. Usually that results in something heavier than you might feel is ideal. I have been a Gitzo fan for many years and my favorite has been model 1226 (226). It is strong enough to handle a light 4x5 field camera and anything 35mm short of giant telephotos and has served me well for around 20 years. The head is as important (more?) as the legs. There are many preferences between ball head and pan head styles. Right now I am using a Giotto which I like very much. The Mafrotto line is very good and I recommend them. A heavy model with 3047 head was my favorite for 8x10 work at one time.

 

[marcr1230]

I went with a Benro C2680T and and Acratech GP-SS head
I am very satisfied with these the tripod is light and stable, and the ball head
accepts standard Arca plates, it's a ball head, and can be reverse mounted for easy level panning if you need it:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2183573&postcount=30

 

[Trius]

Acratech rocks

 

[x-ray]

Another vote for Gitzo. I used one of the aluminum series 4 for decades and finally replaced it with a 3 series carbon fiber about 15 years ago. I use it almost daily on location and dropped it onto concrete from scaffolds (without the camera) a couple of times and broken the latch on the quick release head. The tripod survived without a problem and the part to repair the head was readily available each time. I was able to repair the head myself in ten minutes. I also own three more Gitzo carbon fiber, a 1, 2 and 5 series. Sorry I don't remember the exact models but they're all superb.

 

[Rob-F]

I have four tripods, and the one I mostly use now is my Promaster carbon fiber 525t. It is high enough, small enough, and light enough. I use an Acratech ball head, the one with the 45 degree angle gimbal. It seems sturdy enough even for the Hasselblad with most of its lenses. My Bogen/manfrotto 3001 and 3021 mostly stay home now, keeping the Gitzo "Gilux Totolux" company. Though the latter is really a small enough tall enough light enough tripod in its own right.

 

[blue4130]

I just picked up a Sirui w2204 carbon fiber and benro ballhead for use with my 4x5. I opted for it because it has o-rings in the leg locks to make it waterproof. Not sure how big of a deal it is, but why not. It's not the lightest, but it was affordable and seems solid.

 

[Canyongazer]

"You need something that is strong enough to hold your equipment securely with as little vibration and other movement as possible. "

The Captain is correct.
Everything else is secondary, at best.

If a given tripod doesn't render the camera immovable there's little point in using it.
Convenience of the user in terms of size and weight ought to be way down the priority list.

 

[css9450]

I'm using an Induro carbon fiber tripod now, after more than 20 years with aluminum Bogen 3001 and 3011 models.

The old Bogens were OK but of the two I had, the 3001 was a little spindly and not tall enough, whereas the 3011 didn't have the splayed-legs feature like the 3001. Obviously I needed to move up to the 3021. But I eventually retired both of them after cracking several of the cast-aluminum leg clamps. Seems they don't like extreme-cold use! I'd break one every year or two it seemed.

So far so good with the Induro. I like the leg's twist locks. This is after almost pulling the trigger on an RSS tripod, but they burned me on an out-of-stock re-stocking fee for another item (can't figure that one out!) so I looked elsewhere. I'm happy.

 

[peter_n]

I went with a Benro C2680T and and Acratech GP-SS head

I'm in my 6th year with a Benro C2680T, mine has an Acratech GP-Ultimate head. The tripod was bought as a backup for a Gitzo travel tripod and ended up replacing it as it's a better tripod. Good value can also be had from the Feisol and Induro models, although Induro is a Benro company and the models share components. Benro/Induro are Gitzo copies and sometimes parts are interchangeable. I have Benro parts on a Gitzo tripod and Gitzo parts on a Benro tripod.