Tripod for rangefinder cameras

[stompyq]

I saw a very compact when folded MePhoto lightweight at the shop the other day. It's probably fine for my lighter weight cameras or lenses, and packs down very small. The head looked like junk, though.


G

That is interesting, your thoughts on the mephoto head.

I currently have a sirui c10 head (the one they sell with the legset for ~$100) with my old Gitzo 026 legset. The head is phenomenally good for the price. No slop, solid, locks down perfectly and just as good in my opinion to the more expensive heads that are rated for the same load ie Markin Q ball. It easily holds my epm2 and rolleiflex. I think the heaviest i've tried is my D7000+12-24mm lens.

I always figured that sirui=mephoto in terms of quality. Perhaps I'am mistaken.

 

[bence8810]

Dear Ben,

Highlight: that's a pretty amazing generalization. Usually, carbon fibre is better at absorbing vibration than light alloy. In what way did you find that they were not stable?

I now use Redged carbon fibre more than any other among the 15-20 tripods I've acquired over the last 40+ years. So does my wife.

Cheers,

R.

Hi Roger,

You are right, I generalized. It's just how I felt, I went into the shops and checked them. When I put them up and try to wobble it by shaking the top with small rapid movements from left to right, the legs seemed to move more than they did on the heavy manfrotto alu pods.

But there's nothing scientific behind what I said, it was just my gut feeling, which can obviously be wrong.

Do you suggest I go for a smaller carbon fibre tripod?
I am pretty tall, 190cm (i think it translates to 6'4" if that's what you use) so like it's above mentioned for the RF I think I'll need a tripod that can elevate the camera to my eye level so I can comfortably use it. That'd be 180-185cms I think. I guess I won't get away with a smaller item unless I compromise.

I just wished this problem would have been made easier now that I dont have to worry about the mirror flap but it isn't. I'll need something though so I'll just go into Yodobashi Camera when I am back in Japan and buy something that I like.

Thanks for all the input!
Ben

 

[froyd]

Two things: Roger has a great little (ok not so little) dissertation on tripods that's well worth the read but I cannot find the link on his site, perhaps he can post it in this thread.

Second, consider how you plan to use the tripod. I really needed a wee little thing as an alternative to asking a stranger to take a family photo for me. Anything is better than the dreaded stranger. A ski pole with a screw head would be better.

However, I ended up purchasing a Sirui T005 which is as cheap and small as it gets for a decent quality tripod. Itholds my M4 and Rolleiflex (3.5) with aplomb. However, even at its measly 2.5lbs of weight, it's way more than I care to schlep with me on most occasion...as a results it's spends more time at home than out.

In retrospect a cheaper and lighter crap-pod would have still provided performance superior to the infamous stranger on the street, and have been with me more times than the Sirui is.

For my use, the best tripod is the one you have with you.

 

[Godfrey]

That is interesting, your thoughts on the mephoto head.

I currently have a sirui c10 head (the one they sell with the legset for ~$100) with my old Gitzo 026 legset. The head is phenomenally good for the price. No slop, solid, locks down perfectly and just as good in my opinion to the more expensive heads that are rated for the same load ie Markin Q ball. It easily holds my epm2 and rolleiflex. I think the heaviest i've tried is my D7000+12-24mm lens.

I always figured that sirui=mephoto in terms of quality. Perhaps I'am mistaken.

I'm not familiar with Sirui gear. The local camera shop just started carrying the MePhoto line and I was impressed with the CF model legs they had ... it's something I could easily fit into my carryon rollaway. But the head was pretty crude far as I could see, didn't like the feel of the controls etc.

G

 

[Frank Petronio]

Many people buy really light and too short tripods because they want to minimize weight and expense but... Even the best lightweight tripod is a hassle to bring along compared to not bringing one at all.

So perhaps consider 1. a camera that handles higher ISOs well, or 2. a monopod, which is often far easier and quite useful at moderate speeds... And get a purposefully tall and solid tripod for determinate use.

 

[Range-rover]

Get a Gitzo!

Range

 

[Roger Hicks]

Hi Roger,

You are right, I generalized. It's just how I felt, I went into the shops and checked them. When I put them up and try to wobble it by shaking the top with small rapid movements from left to right, the legs seemed to move more than they did on the heavy manfrotto alu pods.

But there's nothing scientific behind what I said, it was just my gut feeling, which can obviously be wrong.

Do you suggest I go for a smaller carbon fibre tripod?
I am pretty tall, 190cm (i think it translates to 6'4" if that's what you use) so like it's above mentioned for the RF I think I'll need a tripod that can elevate the camera to my eye level so I can comfortably use it. That'd be 180-185cms I think. I guess I won't get away with a smaller item unless I compromise.

I just wished this problem would have been made easier now that I dont have to worry about the mirror flap but it isn't. I'll need something though so I'll just go into Yodobashi Camera when I am back in Japan and buy something that I like.

Thanks for all the input!
Ben

Dear Ben,

First of all, note that tripod heights may or may not include head height, and that the head can add up to about 20 cm (unusual but not impossible) and then you have the camera eyepiece above that --though only about 5-6 cm with an M-series.

Second, I don't mind stooping a little: eyepiece at chin level, rather than eye level.

I would utterly and wholeheartedly recommend NOT buying a tripod by mail order. By all means check basic specifications on-line but then find someone (like Yodobashi) who has the tripods on your shortlist and try them for size.

I'd also recommend carbon fibre, Gitzo if you can find the money, but otherwise I like Redged's "Our tripods are only 90% as good as Gitzo, but then, they're only 50% of the price."

Go to http://www.rogerandfrances.com/taster/Tripods Taster.pdf for a free "taster" of my $2.99 e-book on tripods and camera supports (the full book is 25,000 words with over 100 pictures).

Cheers,

R.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Two things: Roger has a great little (ok not so little) dissertation on tripods that's well worth the read but I cannot find the link on his site, perhaps he can post it in this thread.

Second, consider how you plan to use the tripod. I really needed a wee little thing as an alternative to asking a stranger to take a family photo for me. Anything is better than the dreaded stranger. A ski pole with a screw head would be better.

However, I ended up purchasing a Sirui T005 which is as cheap and small as it gets for a decent quality tripod. Itholds my M4 and Rolleiflex (3.5) with aplomb. However, even at its measly 2.5lbs of weight, it's way more than I care to schlep with me on most occasion...as a results it's spends more time at home than out.

In retrospect a cheaper and lighter crap-pod would have still provided performance superior to the infamous stranger on the street, and have been with me more times than the Sirui is.

For my use, the best tripod is the one you have with you.

Thank'ee kindly for the recommendation. I've posted the link to the "taster" above: the "dissertation" is, as I noted there, a 25,000 word 100-picture e-book. It's based on my 40+ years of photography and my wife Frances's 20+ years covering tripods for Shutterbug. The link to the e-books is on the home page of our site: "Our E-Books".

I really can't agree about getting anything much lighter than the Sirui, though. It's nothing to do with what it can hold or even how steady it is: it's simple fragility. Anything new at less than about 1 Kg and $100-150 is likely to break distressingly soon. Last summer I gave away two tripods to friends whose tripods had broken (and irreparable) leg locks. Siruis, on the other hand, looked like good tripods when we tried them at photokina 2012. Though there are always elderly "wobble-pods" (see link). You can often find 'em for under $10 at a camera fair.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Richard G]

Here's a good review of the Sirui, with that 'stability test' I mentioned. Mine cost $219 AUD which is now under $200 US. It might not be quite tall enough for me at 6' (1.83m) but it packs so small, and has the Gitzo style anti-rotation legs and reversal for packing, and the ballhead that comes with it has a panning lock and I just love everything about it.

http://www.pentaxforums.com/reviews/sirui-t-025x-travel-tripod-review/stability.html