Please recommend a good tripod...

[arseniii]

I currently own 3 crappy ones. Bought them on the garage sale for 5$ and below. Now, I think it's time to get a real thing.
What I am looking for is a BALL head, I never tried one out but theoretically it must be convenient to use. Are there any drawbacks with using the ball head? Also, I want it to be light (I carry it a lot) and stable. I looked at a couple Manfrotto ones in the store the other day and they looked very solidly build. So, keeping in mind what I look for which brand-model could you recommend?

Thanks in advance

 

[David William White]

I've got the Manfrotto 190 pro-b with a 486R2 ball head, and similarly, that was tripod #4 after three crappy ones. I don't feel the need to shop for a better one.

I had a pan-and-tilt, which is only good on level ground, and one of those three-axis heads with three separate knobs to tighten (never again).

Things I like on the 190/486 are:
-legs can be splayed separately at almost any angle
-with center stalk removed, I can get the camera right down to the ground
-center stalk can mount horizontally in collar for overhead macro shots
-quick one-handed adjustment to any angle with the ball head
-quick release plates -- got two of them -- so can swap between 35mm & MF fast

D.

 

[afineman]

bogen and gitzo are 2 great brands, both are actually from the same company - if i remember correctly. bogen's are cheaper and lighter than gitzo's and the gitzo's are more durable. but they both work well. only thing to think about is how you are going to use it - and based on your use is how i would pick a model.
ps. i have 2 gitzo's, one small lighter weight 'reporter' model and one heavy large 'studex' one i use with my small format cameras and the other with my medium and large formats.

 

[murpograph]

have a look on a Berlebach tripod. It's made of wood, light and stable and - when it is cold - very comfortable as it won't freeze your fingers. I use one together with an Arca Swiss Ball-head. Great combo but the head is heavy. I've heard that the Novoflex heads are light and easy to use, but never tried one.

 

[Gerry M]

I have a Manfrotto 3021, with a Kirk ball head. I use it with a D200/80-200 f2.8 (4+ lbs), A Bronica S2/50mm Nikkor (5+ lbs), a (small) Crown Graphic 23 ( 4 lbs +/-) and others. No problems at all. It is not a light weight tho, the t'pod/ b'hd weighs in at about 6lbs.
Gerry

 

[Frank Petronio]

The best are the Gitzo carbon-fiber legsets with a Really Right Stuff ballhead -- these come in a variety of heights and weights.

There are decent Chinese copies for half the price.

Then there are Manfrottos and odd brands, wooden legs, pan-tilt heads, etc... all of which have their proponents. I think the Linhof 3-way head is the best ever tripod head myself, but they are very rare and cost over $800 new. The Gitzo legset I like costs $850. Then there are leveling platforms, spikes, wraps, bags, Arca-plates and more...

And when you get all done, and decide that you don't want to spend $1800 on the best Gitzo and RRS head, you can go to eBay and buy a vintage Leitz Tiltall, in black, for about a $100. They are the best VALUE.

 

[mrisney]

The best, the lightest, best size when it's collapsed
Gitzo 1227.

Ebay - expect to pay around 300

 

[anirbax]

You didn't mention your budget and the load you'd expect your tripod+head to bear. On a tight budget and not-too-heavy a load, Manfrotto (sold by Bogen in the US) 190X with a 484 or 486 ballhead would be a great choice.

 

[FrozenInTime]

Gitzo GT1550T Traveller because it's light and small enough to fit easily in a bag.
It's also stable enough for a RF or Hassy SWC - more so with the bag hanging off the hook on the base of the column ( but getting a bit marginal with a 501c plus 150mm lens)

I've also got a larger 1228 with Acratech leveling base, but that only get carried these days if it's really windy or I'm doing stitched panoramas.

 

[Cron]

I use a Manfrotto 190 SHB with a 460Mg-head. No ballhead but also fast to adjust. Small, not to heavy and up to height of ca. 140cm absolute a recommandation.
Stable enough for a SLR and 200mm-lens or a MF 645 with 135 lens

 

[Roger Hicks]

Don't forget Novoflex heads, both the conventional ball (Frances uses a ClassicBall 3) and the 'inside out' ball which I prefer. Incidentally the disadvantage of a ball head is that you can't level two planes independently (horizon for levelling, 'nodding' up/down for converging verticals). I use both ball heads and 3-way heads (Linhof and Paterson) as well as the now out-of-production NPC ProBall which is a unique design.

Gitzos are nicer than Manfrottos but they're also a lot more expensive.

DON'T buy a tripod that is so big and heavy that you are discouraged from carrying it. The smaller, lighter tripod that you actually use (such as my wife's Slik Snapman Deluxe) is a lot better than the bog, heavy tripod you leave at home.

There's a bit on the site about the ten (!) tripods we use most. One day I'll get around to illustrating it: http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/ps how tripod.html

Cheers,

Roger

 

[Debusti Paolo]

go for a manfrotto

 

[Vobluda]

My vote go as well for Manfrotto 190 pro b.

 

[rxmd]

If you just want a light tripod for travelling and don't want to use heavy cameras on it, I guess one of the best choices is the old Bolex-Paillard "praying mantis" tripod (eBay 330356265284 has one). It's compact, light and very flexible. It does not extend to full height, but it fits in a pocket and it feels as if you can photograph around corners with it.

 

[rbiemer]

I use a Velbon Maxi 343(?) and have been pretty happy with it. Didn't work too well when I tried my Kiev 60+500mm 😱 on it but the TLRs and my 35mm cameras were/are fine.
I wasn't quite sure I'd like using a ball head but it's been fine.
Got it after reading a recommendation from either Roger Hicks or Herbert Keppler--or maybe both?
I am getting another tripod in a couple of weeks--my mother bought one from her retirement building's annual yard sale. She's coming to visit and will be bringing it along.
The odds are it's some cheap POS but it might be something good. Either way I'll have to use it at least once.
Rob

 

[Roger Hicks]

I use a Velbon Maxi 343(?) and have been pretty happy with it. Didn't work too well when I tried my Kiev 60+500mm 😱 on it but the TLRs and my 35mm cameras were/are fine.
I wasn't quite sure I'd like using a ball head but it's been fine.
Got it after reading a recommendation from either Roger Hicks or Herbert Keppler--or maybe both?
I am getting another tripod in a couple of weeks--my mother bought one from her retirement building's annual yard sale. She's coming to visit and will be bringing it along.
The odds are it's some cheap POS but it might be something good. Either way I'll have to use it at least once.
Rob

Both, I think. I certainly recommend it and so as far as I recall did Bert.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Yammerman]

Velbon carbon fibre tripods http://www.velbon.co.uk/newvelbon/pages/procftrpods.html are good value as is there largest ball head (Velbon QHD-71Q) but the plates are expensive.

 

[Ronald M]

Gitzo 1227 carbon fiber Leica ball head.

I spent enough money on cheap pods over the years that I could have bought 3 of these. You will too if you go cheap. They are all either to short, wobbly, force you to extend the center column, heavy, hard to work controls, poor materials. You will not use a cut rate pod so just bite the bullit and get a good one first time around.

 

[arseniii]

You didn't mention your budget and the load you'd expect your tripod+head to bear. On a tight budget and not-too-heavy a load, Manfrotto (sold by Bogen in the US) 190X with a 484 or 486 ballhead would be a great choice.

I was thinking about something in 200$ range. So 190x pro-b with 486 fits my budget nicely. However legs only weigh about 1.80Kg and together with a ball head it's would be around 2.5Kg, which might not be pleasant to carry it around.

I liked Gitzo 1227 very very much, so compact and light, but expensive.

The other options I am considering is http://www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-718SHB-Tripod-Integrated-Carrying/dp/B0001976U2

That's Manfrotto 718 SB it's meant for a small didgicams but I think my Ms would work nicely with it.

So far, the leader is Manfrotto 190x and http://cgi.ebay.com/Minolta-Maxxum-...eras?hash=item3ef8103562&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14 - Not sure how much will sell for though!

Thanks everyone for recommendations, appreciate this!

 

[sebastel]

my choice:
tripod: benro C-169 M8 ("cheap" chinese gitzo lookalike)
head: novoflex ball 30

for rangefinder and (generally) small camera, this is sufficiently stable & lightweight. manfrotto tripods are nice (but either heavy or expensive), but their heads to me seem not stable enough.