Tripod selection

Hi ... (me again!) ... Have a budget of ?250 to purchase a tripod and head ...

currently using a 30D with a BG-E2 battery grip ... mainly doing product

photography for ebay full time I sell small jewelley items (Omega, Rolex and

similar wristwatches) to large antique furniture items -

wardrobes/tables/chests of drawers etc.) ...

 

Currently all photos are taken outdoors with fill-in flash (580 exII mounted on

the body). Small items are photographed in a light tent with flash ... I

currently use the canon ef 100mm f2.8 macro and the canon EF 50mm 2.5 macro

lenses ... I have not yet purchased a tripod and have been 'putting it off' so

as to acquire enough funds to purchase a good tripod and head ...

 

My eldest son has shown a keen interest in photography, so I will be purchasing

additional lenses and equipment for general photography. I have set my sites on

an EF85 1.2L, a 24-70L, an EF35 1.4 L, and a 300 f2.8L (if I can get a good

secondhand 300 at a fair price!)... I will also upgrade to a canon full frame

towards the end of this year, and will give the 30D to my son.

 

It would be interesting to hear suggestions based on my needs, and I do not

mind buying a used tripod and head in good condition ... regards... Helen

a quick note: should read that I have ?250 (250 UK pounds) for a tripod and head... Helen

I also have a Canon 30D with the vertical grip and use a Tiltall tripod with a pan and tilt head. I use it for portrait photography and really like it as it's very heavy and stable. Even with my 70-200 2.8L on the camera this tripod works very well. I think brand nwe they run about $100 US. Thanks, Chris

If you're not going to be back-packing with it and aren't concerned about a couple of extra pounds, look at the Berlebach wooden tripods from Germany. I have a model 3042, it weighs 7 1/2 lbs.including the ballhead and is extremely stable and very well made. B&H price is 249USD.Good luck.

The Bogen 3001 and 3021 are good standard tripods in your price range, depending on your height. For the type of macro work you're doing and your budget, a 3-way head might be best. It always helps to try them out first though.

If you are willing to drop several thousand dollars on good glass, then I would upgrade your budget for the tripod. I would strongly recommend a higher end tripod, especially considering that you plan to eventaully shoot with the 300mm f/2.8.

 

While the Berlebach wooden tripods have a great reputation, something about a brand new digital SLR sitting on a old fashioned looking wooden tripod just seems, well... unusual.

 

For a cheaper option I would look at a heavy duty aluminum tripod, Bogen 3021 or heavier (not the 3001), or a Gitzo 13xx, 14xx, or 15xx series tripod. Any of these should be capable of handling the larger 300mm f/2.8. You'll find that these are pretty hefty tripods, which is why a lot of photographers look to carbon fiber as a lighter/sturdier option.

 

Personally, I would recommend looking at a used carbon fiber tripod from Gitzo or a new carbon fiber tripod from a manufacturer like Feisol (only their largest model, though). I went with a used Gitzo 1325 and was very pleased.

 

You'll also need a good tripod head, most people around here prefer a ballhead for 35mm. Look at the Really Right Stuff (RRS) BH-55, Markins M20, Kirk BH-1, or Arca Swiss B1 if you need something that is up to the task of the 300mm f/2.8. I found a used Markins M20 and it's a very nice ballhead.

 

Don't make the mistake of buying something "halfway" because you'll just need to upgrade again. I had to go through 4 tripods before I realized that.

 

Good luck!

I have an original Tiltall, made in the 1960s by Marchioni. It's great, even through 30+ years of service. The new ones are HORRIBLE. A bunch of my friends purchased the tiltall after seeing how great it was through me. Well let's just say that they're displeased with their purchases to say the least. The legs fell apart and the tripod head just doesn't feel secure at all.

For 30D with 70-200 f/2.8 I bought a slik pro 700DX. It's tall enough without touching the center column that I don't have to lean over, reasonably priced at ~$150 with the slik head [less without], and it is very stable.

check out Benro or Induro. As good as Gitzo and half the price.

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?shs=benro&ci=0&sb=ps&pn=1&sq=desc&InitialSearch=yes&O=RootPage.jsp&A=search&Q=*&bhs=t

Hi,

 

I suggest you not scrimp on a tripod. A good one will last you a lifetime. I still use a heavy Bogen I bought nearly 30 years ago. Due to its weight, design and accessories such as a dolly, it's now my "studio" tripod and a sturdy carbon fiber Gitzo goes into the field with me.

 

You may not need a particularly heavy duty one with your present camera kit, but are wise to consider what you think will you need in the future. Over the years, my Bogen has served with numerous different cameras and lenses, ranging from 35mm to 4x5 formats. In my younger years I lugged that heavy beast up and down ladders at Mesa Verde, but wouldn't want to do that again today if I could avoid it!

 

Try out various tripods to see what style you like. There are different methods of clamping and adjusting the legs: Some folks like one or the other.

 

Here's the criteria I used when shopping:

 

1. No center extension, legs only. This makes for a much steadier tripod.

2. Maximum of 3-section legs. Also has to do with steadiness.

3. Height, with head, needed to be comfortable for me. Also needed to get close to ground level.

4. Wide range of accessories avail. from the manufacturer and, preferably, third parties.

5. Twist-type leg clamps, not levers or latches. I've had a sleeve or cuff catch on those latch handles and nearly topple the rig in the field.

6. Reasonably light weight.

7. Quality that will last the rest of my lifetime.

8. Adequate support for up to 15-20 lbs. of camera equipment. More than I needed, but I'd rather have a large extra margin.

9. Quick release.

10. Vibration dampening. Carbon fiber is very good at this, as well as a bit lighter weight.

 

I ended up buying a Gitzo 1325 to meet my needs. Having used it for about 5 years, I'd say it's been a very good purchase. But the entire setup cost me about 6X or 8X what you've budgeted. However, you could buy just the basics (legs and head) and add more accessories in the future as needed, for a lower initial outlay.

 

I added a levelling unit (Gitzo, it's very quick to use) and put a Kirk BH-1 ballhead on top of that, with Arca-Swiss style quick release. By the way, I've also converted my older Bogen/Manfrotto tripod and two monopods w/ballheads to use A-S type QR. It's about the most standardized and common type of QR. (Manfrotto/Bogen, on the other hand, has several types of QRs and has changed them over the years, making cross-brand compatibility much more difficult.)

 

In addition, I use an accessory gimbal with longer telephotos (300/2.8 IS and 500/4 IS). The Wimberley Sidekick works very well and also uses the A-S type QR. I know it's not a consiseration for you, but need to mention that the Sidekick is limited to 500mm lenses, won't accommodate a 600 or larger/heavier. For those larger lenses, a full gimbal head is needed, but makes for a largely "dedicated" long-lens tripod. The Sidekick, on the other hand, is easily removable to convert back to a normal ballhead on the tripod. I also find it quite useful holding cameras with short lenses in a vertical orientation.

 

I also use a 30D BG-E2, plus 10D with batt. grip and two EOS3s with PB-E2. All are fitted with Kirk, Really Right Stuff or Wimberley anti-twist A-S type QR plates. So are all my lenses that have tripod rings. In fact, my flash brackets are also compatible with the A-S QR system. And, special extra long A-S lens plates are useful with macro lenses, allowing quick, easy sliding focus adjustments (I use these on 100/2.8 and 180/3.5 macro lenses).

 

Gitzo has been around a long time, as have Bogen/Manfrotto (they are actually all the same company now). So, I'm pretty confident accessories and any needed repair parts will remain available. Not that I've needed any repairs for the Gitzo. I have had to replace parts on the 30 year old Bogen tripod, something loosened, fell off and got lost.

 

There are other very good brands of tripods. I don't rule those out and would encourage you to look at them. Read up on tripods and carefully consider their plusses and minuses. For example, great as they are in most respects, carbon fiber legs can get sticky if they get wet.

 

The above works for me. It might or might not for you. Get a tripod you really enjoy using and you are far less likely to leave it in the closet or in the trunk of the car, where it will do no good!

Manfrotto is not bad at all and they have very sturdy and lightweight carbon fiber tripods at better prices than Gitzo (the considered top of the top). And a little business gossip: Gitzo and Manfrotto have merged...

I think you need to work out exactly what you need in the way of capabilities for your tripod. Start with the positioning flexibility - maximum and minimum height: do you need to have the camera mounted facing the ground as in a copy stand; do you need the sort of flexibility offered by one of the Benbo models. Then consider the type of head you prefer - are you going to want a macro focussing rail; ballhead or incremental control from a 3 way head, etc. Finally, make sure that your choice has a good margin of weight capacity over your heaviest rig that you plan to mount. Do some research on the options - here is a useful guide:

 

https://www.manfrotto.com/page4482.html

 

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

 

Then I'd recommend actually going and trying your short list out if possible - there are good stocks usually to be found e.g. here:

 

http://www.morrisphoto.co.uk/about.html

 

and here:

 

http://www.cameraworld.co.uk/about_us.asp

Hi ... thanks for the responses and advice ... a quick update ... 1/2 an hour ago, managed to buy an old Gitzo Monster tripod with pan swivel head (head measures approx 17 cm X 10 CM wide) and geared centre column ... paid ?125 (125 pounds) ... so still have some cash to spare to purchase a different head, and don't mind increasing my budget to purchase a good head that will match the tripod ... I know its heavy, but have no intention of lugging it around, and will use it mainly for my product photography ... not sure if I bought the right tripod?... but its solid and stable... regards... Helen

"While the Berlebach wooden tripods have a great reputation, something about a brand new digital SLR sitting on a old fashioned looking wooden tripod just seems, well... unusual."

 

LOL. OK, believe me, I'm not taking this personally, but I feel compelled to point out that a wood tripod of the quality Berlebach offers, will outperform a CF pod in almost any category you'd care to name. It doesn't flex or ping, it doesn't carry vibration to the head like the CF and aluminums do and it will resist extremes of heat, cold and moisture better. And it will do this for a half or a third of the price of the equivalent size CF Gitzo while carrying the same amount of weight. Put a ballhead on the same size Gitzo and the Berlebach is only two pounds heavier more or less depending on the head. If that's old fashioned, I'm cool with it. Good luck.

I've found that a ball head with a Arca-Swiss style quick release is a big help for macro. I use a long plate (from Kirk Enterprises) to mount the camera in the head, and slide the camera closer or further from the subject using the long plate. I tried a cheap rack-and-pinion style macro rail, but it was too flimsy. Anyway, I mention all of this to encourage you to consider a head which accepts one of these plates because it will save you from making a second purchase later.

The Slik 700DX is an excellent value, about $130. I've bought about eight of these by now (for use at work.)

 

The only downside is that they're a bit heavy. It's not a tripod you'll want to take hiking, but it is a dependable and high quality workhorse.

I have the Slik with a Manfrotto 486 RC2 ball head and couldn't be happier. I also use a 30d w/grip but usually with a 24-105L.