Getting DOWN! Which tripod > Bogen or Gitzo ?

I'm buying a 20D and then a 400 lense (either 400 primse or 100-

400). Also a Kirk BH-3 head or an arcatech.

 

I want a tripod that will get me down on the ground (by having the

legs go flat on the ground) and a center post that can be adjusted

so that when i place my camera on it i'm only a few inches above the

ground.

 

Yet I want a tripod that's sturdy. Now I've read about the Gitzo

2220... seems the great way to go. But then i've read how there are

certain plastic pieces near the leg (adjustments?) that i've noticed

people state have broken. Doesn't make it 100% with me.

 

Then the bogen 3221 i've read is great but i couldn't find any specs

to say that it gets flat down to the ground like the gitzo 2220

(since it's legs can go 90 degrees)

 

I'd appreciate any advice and experience with either of these 2

tripods as well as any info on the 3221 line for gettin' down! ;)

 

- Paul

the reason i want to "get down" is for both macro and closeup photography. And for the pure versatility of it as well.

The Benbo seems like the best tripod for your needs. I have both a Benbo and

its poor relation, the Uniloc. With the right head either of them can get down to

ground level (or as near as dammit) and you don't even need to flatten the

legs, depending on what exactly you're doing.

 

Take a look here...

 

http://www.patersonphotographic.com/tripods/benbo.html

The minimum height on the 3221 is 3.2 inches. This is without a head of course, and with the standard column swapped out for the low angle adapter.

how do you swap out the column for a low angle adapter, do you know this from experience?

sorry about that, my ignorance..i just researched and saw the column has this built in adapter.

 

how does that work? you can take the column apart ?

Can the bogen get down flat on the ground like the 2220 ?

I have the Bogen 3021BPro. Not only can the legs go flat when you take out the center column and use the adapter, but you can also slide the center column in horizontally for more flexibility. I bought this tripod a year or two ago, and I have zero regrets.

 

By the way, I also have an Acratech head, and I highly recommend it. It's not only drop-dead gorgeous, it's also light-weight and works superbly.

You won't need to get down to ground level with a 100-400mm or a 400mm lens. Even with extension tubes your close focus distance will dictate your range.

No one has mentioned the Gitzo G1325 carbon fiber tripod. It has no center column and can get right down to the ground, minimum height is 4.3". This is a much more stable platform than the 2220 for a variety of shooting situations. Of course it is considerably more expensive than the 2220. IMHO the Gitzo carbon fiber tripods are simply the best available; it's just a matter if the price you have to pay for them is worth it to you. For me it's a no-brainer.

D N - i understand i won't need to go down to ground level with a 400mm lense, what i meant is that i want a tripod that's great for macro work down ground level AND the ability to get up and hold my 400 lense for birding.

 

Rachel - how does that adapter work? can you still put the arcatech ballhead on it? and then you can put the center column back in, but horizontally ?

 

jeffrey - thanks for the info on the 1300+ series but i dont want to go too $ overboard with a tripod... i'll check out the prices tho

I think most, if not all of these tripods have a removeable center column that can be reversed to have the camera positioned underneath the tripod legs. I know that my Bogen 3001BPro and 3021BPro do this. When you combine this with the tripod collar on the 100-400mm or 400mm lens (which rotates freely), you can position the camera as close to the ground as you would like by having the camera hang from the center column while still remaining right side up (the collar turns upside down). You can email me if you'd like a picture of what this looks like.

 

Of course, when you get this close to the ground, you're going to get dirty!

 

Hope this helps!

 

Sheldon

I'm not Rachel, but the center column, with head_of_choice attached, can be removed from the legset, and replaced either horizontally, or upside down vertically. The centre column has three flat sides to ensure torsional security when clamped horizontally. Quite a versatile rig. Actually I write from the perspective of the Manfrotto 055PRO, but I believe they're the same, at least in principle.

I am using a Bogen 3021PRO with Acratech head. The tripod is adequate, maybe one of the best you can get for the price, but it has drawbacks. It's my main tripod, at least until I can afford a CF Gitzo. In addition to general use, I use the 3021PRO for outdoor macro shots and flat copy work--both employing the column mounted horizontally.

 

The 3021PRO is springy--it flexes a lot for its size and weight and I presume it doesn't damp vibrations as well as carbon fiber. It's a bit more stable if the legs sections are not fully extended to their stops. I've read that some of this is due to the design of the lever locks and that the older locks result in a more stable tripod. My vintage little 3001 gives the impression of being less flexy, but I haven't really compared the two.

 

The lever locks will bite you. They can snap upon opening and closing. Expect a few blood blisters before it properly trains you.

 

The ability to mount the center column horizontally makes it versatile. The trick is to try to set up the tripod in a stable configuration while keeping the legs out of the picture. This isn't a problem with the Bogen, just something that needs to worked with. Anything is better than reverse-mounting the column, IMHO.

 

When the center column is mounted horizontally and extended, things can get very springy--there is a lot of flex. This causes some extra work in composing and framing. A remote release definitely is required, although I expect you'd be using one anyhow for this type of work.

I also have the 3021PRO. I didn't like the low angle adapter (it can unlock if you are not careful) and I found using the horizontal column somewhat awkward, but still useful.

 

I ended up cutting my center column to about 7 inches below the column mounting plate (the round plate where you attach the head).

 

This lets me spread the legs to their third position (almost 90 degrees) with the column all the way down. While the tripod collar doesn't quite touch the ground it just keeps it out of the mud, and makes the setup very stable. I find it much quicker to set up than using either the low angle adapter or horizontal position for low angle shots, and it gets me as close to the ground as I ever want to go.

 

By keeping the column at 7-inches long, I still can raise it for fine adjustments, and can still use it in the horiziontal position.

 

I did buy a second column from Bogen (for $15) in case I ever need a long column, but in 3 years I haven't needed it.

 

Tom

With the Bogen 3021 Pro, by mounting the column horizontally and adjusting the legs appropriately, you can actually get the head and camera down to or BELOW ground level. I've done it. Had to dig a hole. You'll need a sandbag or your camera bag to counterweight the leg opposite the head when you do this.

I'm not familiar with the Bogen tripods. I am familiar with the Gitzo models. The Gitzo's are great. The explorer will work superbly but it's only drawback is that it's only 50" tall w/out the column extended, w/out head of course. If you are taller than 5'8", this could be a problem. If you are working close to the ground then it should be a great tripod for you. I used to own a Giottos tripod and it was extremely versatile and great for macro use. Again, this is a short tripod w/out column extended so it will be the same issues as with the gitzo mentioned. I traded the Giottos for a Gitzo 1320 but loved the Giotto's. Had it just been taller, I would have kept it. It can support more weight (20+ lbs.) than the Gitzo 2220 (13 lbs). It's a sold tripod, just short. It gets low to the ground but you'll have to check the specks on giottos website. I think it was down around 4-5". It's about $50+ dollars cheaper than the Gitzo.