sebastian_ochoa

Thanks for all your suggestions. Y guess camera + ballhead would give about 17 cm extra height.

The tripod should be portable, it is not intended for a studio.

I have found there is a very nice Feisol carbon composite tripod, model CT-3401N, 1.3kg, 141cm w/out center column, 4 segment, min. height 17cm, folded 49cm. Sells for $175 + S/H.

There is also a 3 section tripod model CT-3301N, only with 10 cm less height, and 6 cm more folded length.

I think the argument about the simplicity of setting up a 3 segment tripod is pretty good.

On the Berno side it would be Alu, not Carbon due to budget constraints (i would go for one of the 200 series, it would be 4 segments, as the other one is way too long).

Is one of these materials a clear advantage over the other (stability, dampening, etc?). The weight differences are not large, circa 500g., but considerable.

The good thing about the benro is that they are sold in germany, so no problem with customs, they are a little less expensive, and the distributor is shipping them right now for free.

The ballhead is the next thing, my budget is very constrained! How is the small Feisol CB-30? What is a "good" budget 2nd hand ballhead?

I am buying my first real tripod. I am almost set on the brand (Benro/Induro)

due to the good price and good quality, and the material: Alu. I use a D50 with

small lenses: Sigma 10-20, Tamron 17-50/2.8, Nikkor 85/1.8. I?ll be getting

later on a 80-200/2.8 zoom, wich is about 1kg.

My eye level is about 158cm. The ballheads I am considering are about 10cm

high, so a tripod with a max. height of 148 should be enough.

Now: I can get a tripod that reaches that height at its maximum height (i.e.

with center column extended), or one that gets there without the help of the

center column.

Is it better to use the tripod (stability-wise) without the center column extended?

My second question is: not considering the folded height of the tripod, is it

better to get one with 3 or with 4 leg sections? I guess three could give better

stability but I might be wrong.

And the third question: concerning stability, are the tripods with rotating

center column less stable than the normal ones?

I would very much appreciate any help.