Which tripod?

<p>Hi all,<br>

I'm looking for a new tripod, primarily for architecture and real estate photography but also for landscapes. It obviously needs to be pretty sturdy (comfortably hold a 5Dmark II and 24-70) but also as light as possible for travel and hiking. I also walk to many of my architecture jobs so something small enough to comfortably strap to a backpack.</p>

<p>Any advice appreciated, Cheers, Tom</p>

<p>try a Gitzo 25xx or Feisol 3 series w/ a Markins Q3 head, RRS lever clamp and RRS L-bracket.<br>

Total weight about 4lbs, probably less</p>

<p>I'm not familiar with that camera, but my general advice is to weigh the load the tripod will have to bear, and then check that against the manufacturer's specs for tripod and head. When you get into the lighter weight tripods, you'll get closer to cutting weight-bearing capacity. A simple check on the load can help you avoid some disappointment. </p>

<p>It seems like a simple check, but a lot of people apparently don't do it; in my last tripod purchase, I was glad I did. It turned out I had been overloading my equipment for a while.</p>

<p>Beware, it is my experience that both head and legset manufacturers tend to be, shall we say, optimistic in their ratings. Subtract 50% to be sure.</p>