tripods

[back alley]

tomorrow, i'm gonna go looking for a good used tripod.

i have a borrowed but light weight one that works fine indoors with a tiny digital on it but i'm wondering about outdoors for some rock steady shots.

and there is that 300mm zuiko on the way as well 🙂

joe

 

[kbg32]

I recommend a Manfrotto. Great tripods.

 

[roundg]

I use a Slik sprint pro GM with a Manfrotto 488 ballhead, quite light weighted set,

 

[peter_n]

I'm a Gitzo fan (G-1228: US$320 used). Here's a link to a 4 year old survey, but then tripods don't change that much:

http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze2gkrc/Tripod-Test.html

 

[ChrisN]

Yep, a Manfrotto 190 Pro with a ball head and a quick-release plate.

 

[Wayne R. Scott]

Guess what I bought at a garage sale on the way home from work today.

Yep, it was a tripod. It has a 4"x6" mounting base plate, lockable wheels, a hydraulic center column and weighs more than both of my kids together did when they were born. It came from a local high school that closed about 40 years ago. It is perfect for holding my C-1 8x10 camera or hoisting out engine blocks from pick-up trucks.

The best part is Joe paid for most of it when he bought my 50mm OM lens 🙂.

Wayne

 

[ChrisN]

Yep, it was a tripod. It has a 4"x6" mounting base plate, lockable wheels, a hydraulic center column and weighs more than both of my kids together did when they were born. It came from a local high school that closed about 40 years ago. It is perfect for holding my C-1 8x10 camera or hoisting out engine blocks from pick-up trucks.
Wayne

Wow! We need a pic of that!

 

[Wayne R. Scott]

Wow! We need a pic of that!

I'll see what I can do, but that means I would have to actually use a camera 🙂.

Wayne

 

[Bryce]

Tripods are like boots- the specs just don't say whether they'll fit your needs. Go try them on in person, check for rigidity, tolerable size, etc.
For what it's worth I've been very happy with my Manfrotto with basic 3 axis head, non quick release. When I go bushwhacking, I switch to a very compact ballhead (Giottos) to keep weight down and to avoid getting caught on passing bushes. I don't care for the ballhead in use, its just easier to carry for an all day hike.

 

[back alley]

Guess what I bought at a garage sale on the way home from work today.

Yep, it was a tripod. It has a 4"x6" mounting base plate, lockable wheels, a hydraulic center column and weighs more than both of my kids together did when they were born. It came from a local high school that closed about 40 years ago. It is perfect for holding my C-1 8x10 camera or hoisting out engine blocks from pick-up trucks.

The best part is Joe paid for most of it when he bought my 50mm OM lens 🙂.

Wayne

glad i could pitch in!

😉

 

[Nikon Bob]

Tripods are like camera bags, you never have enough. A Manfrotto 055 has been my workhorse tripod for years coupled with a Slik ball head.

Bob

 

[richard_l]

I like a monopod. It's only half as good as a tripod, but it's twice as good as nothing.

Richard

 

[back alley]

i have a pretty good monopod with a leica ballhead on it.

 

[richard_l]

i have a pretty good monopod with a leica ballhead on it.

Nice!

Richard

 

[reub2000]

I have a Bogen 3001BPro w/ 486 ballhead. A good tripod is essential in many situations.

 

[Nachkebia]

Tripods are for girls, we use rangefinders here 🙂 in reality gitzo is the best, I have 1325 and its great 🙂

 

[sebastel]

manfrotto 055 is a nice one (i own this) but it's on the bulky and heavy side. if you do not need to support heavy gear, the manfrotto 190 might be the better choice. and then there are the carbon fiber thingies (at a higher price, of course).
all in all: a light, but less stable tripod you have with you is still better than a heavy and stable one that waits at home while you need it ...

cheers,
sebastian

 

[jmi]

I currently use a Manfrotto 055 with 488 ballhead, but if I had to do it again, I think it'll have to be carbon fibre - the '55 is rather bulky and heavy, and tends not to get carried around as much as it should. Also I get round on a bike, and carrying this thing is very awkward indeed. I suspect the motorists think I'm insane!

Best suggestion is to make sure you handle the things before buying to see if you think it's too heavy. Like many first-time tripod buyers I was seriously put off by the extremely high cost of many carbon tripods, but now regret it...

 

[Bryce]

As an avid hiker, I went to look at carbon fiber tripods. So I took the head off of mine (Manfrotto 3001N, aluminum) and compared it side by side with similar sized carbon models from Manfrotto, Slik, and Gitzo. I wasn't impressed at all; the difference in weight isn't that great, and all but the Gitzo were much more flexible than mine.
I spent $100 on a Giottos ballhead that day and have felt since that I have the best tripod available for my purposes, at any cost.
Again I say- try before you buy.

 

[Ash]

First thing I bought myself 2 years ago, was a monopod.

Then I splashed out and ever since I've been using a Lander tripod. Cost me about £50. That's my budget for a 'fully functional' lightweight tripod. Everything moves, everything sits tight when I want it to. In Fact, I'm 6' and I need to be on tip-toes when I want to use my TLR's at full tripod leg extension!

I got myself a 99p tripod off of evilbay - its a classic thin-legged Excelsior. It even has a non-removable head with the larger tripod mount on the underside. Perfect for FSU cams 😀

I've only ever handled one ManFrotto, back last year in the second-hand shop. I can't remember the model number, but it was a £130, which I stupidly let go to a customer. I'd bought it in for £5 in brand new condition and the ridiculous profit margin meant the boss wouldn't let me have it myself.