dmdejoy
Newbie
I am interested in getting a lightweight tripod for use for travel with m4/3 cameras. Recommendations welcome. Thanks as always.
aizan
Veteran
What's your budget? Any collapsed size requirements? Or height?
One of those RRS, Gitzo, or Sirui tripods will be good.
One of those RRS, Gitzo, or Sirui tripods will be good.
peter_n
Veteran
I've mainly used four brands of tripod over the last 20 years; Benro, Gitzo, Leofoto and Really Right Stuff (RRS). I have bought & sold many other brands and currently use just RRS and Leofoto tripods. If you have the budget, RRS and Gitzo (in that order) are the best tripods you can buy. If you live in the US avoid Gitzo as spare parts are the achilles heel of Manfrotto Distribution. Gitzo make good tripods but depend on their foreign distributors for service. The quality of customer service varies widely throughout the world with the US and Oz having it bad but if you live in Europe you'll be OK with a Gitzo. RRS has excellent customer service but if you live outside the US it will be very expensive as the tripod would have to be returned to their facility in Utah for repair/replacement.
The better low budget brands are copies of the two leading brands. Benro make Gitzo copies and Leofoto make RRS copies. Benro has a long track record and is an OEM for a number of brands. Their own two major brands (apart from Benro) are MeFoto and Induro. MeFoto are cost-reduced Benros, and the Induro tripods are essentially gussied-up Benros for the US and European markets. Leofoto is a newcomer but they offer very good value and quality materials; the hardware is CNC machined from billet aluminum and the leg tubes are high grade Toray carbon fiber.
Along with the tripod you will need a ballhead, and not every tripod maker also makes good ballheads and vice versa, so try to avoid kits. Arca-Swiss, Acratech, FLM, RRS and Sirui make good ballheads. Arca-Swiss, Acratech, FLM and RRS ballheads are expensive, Sirui heads are not, but they will not last as long as the first four. If you shoot in what are described as "extreme conditions" - like high dust and seashore locations at least one Acratech ballhead is mandatory - they require no maintenance and are apparently indestructible. I've not personally owned Sirui heads but I'm impressed with their durability except for the rubber on their knobs.
You should check out David Berryrieser's Center Column site where he ranks tripods for stability. This site only came on line earlier this year and it's a breath of fresh air. Dave uses repeatable tests, explains his methodology, and engages with posters to his blog.
The better low budget brands are copies of the two leading brands. Benro make Gitzo copies and Leofoto make RRS copies. Benro has a long track record and is an OEM for a number of brands. Their own two major brands (apart from Benro) are MeFoto and Induro. MeFoto are cost-reduced Benros, and the Induro tripods are essentially gussied-up Benros for the US and European markets. Leofoto is a newcomer but they offer very good value and quality materials; the hardware is CNC machined from billet aluminum and the leg tubes are high grade Toray carbon fiber.
Along with the tripod you will need a ballhead, and not every tripod maker also makes good ballheads and vice versa, so try to avoid kits. Arca-Swiss, Acratech, FLM, RRS and Sirui make good ballheads. Arca-Swiss, Acratech, FLM and RRS ballheads are expensive, Sirui heads are not, but they will not last as long as the first four. If you shoot in what are described as "extreme conditions" - like high dust and seashore locations at least one Acratech ballhead is mandatory - they require no maintenance and are apparently indestructible. I've not personally owned Sirui heads but I'm impressed with their durability except for the rubber on their knobs.
You should check out David Berryrieser's Center Column site where he ranks tripods for stability. This site only came on line earlier this year and it's a breath of fresh air. Dave uses repeatable tests, explains his methodology, and engages with posters to his blog.
narsuitus
Well-known
When I travel with a micro 4/3 camera, I carry a tabletop tripod.
Tabletop Tripods by Narsuitus, on Flickr
Tabletop Tripods by Narsuitus, on Flickr