Need advice for a sturdy tripod and head

CvH

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Nov 19, 2014
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Chz will just shower it with praise, I know I would!

As promised, I would like to report back on my feedback.

After having the tripod for early 2 months, what a joy to use it! I just love to touch and play with it. Such a well engineered and built. I have been out and shooting just because I want use it. lol

By the way, I still have not order the RRS BH-40 ball head. The exchange rate is terrible at the moment. Does B&H have annual sales/discount?
 
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Acratech heads area available from a retailer in Canberra.
I have one and it's fabulous and not too dear.
I've tried various Gitzos, but they often seem to lose a leg, so I'm now using Benro tripods and I find their qualityand useability to be excellent and cheap too.
Easy to find in Oz too and they have a huge range to choose from.
 
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CvH

CR Pro
Nov 19, 2014
199
96
Glad to hear you are happy with your tripod. I knew you would be because I use it's siblings. They are great kit and I have, yet, to do any worthwhile m maintenance on any of mine.

Cracking tripod - enjoy!

I am so impressed with it’s quality I just a preloved GM2452 monopod last week for a good price.

Now I need to get bullheads for both tripod and monopod. :)
 
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CvH

CR Pro
Nov 19, 2014
199
96
Acratech heads area available from a retailer in Canberra.
I have one and it's fabulous and not too dear.
I've tried various Gitzos, but they often seem to lose a leg, so I'm now using Benro tripods and I find their qualityand useability to be excellent and cheap too.
Easy to find in Oz too and they have a huge range to choose from.

Hey Benny, what is the name of the retail store in Canberra? Do they have a website?

What do you mean they often lose a leg? I hope mine will last for a long time lol.
 
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stevelee

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Jul 6, 2017
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Davidson, NC
After I got a 100-400mm L for my 6D2, I found that my tripod is a shade too flimsy for it. The IS is so good that I don't use the tripod that much anyway. But I did buy a new ball head as recommended on this board, and that took care of almost all situations.

Back when there was a total lunar eclipse, I set up the tripod on the deck and would go out every once in a while and shoot the moon. The tripod did fine with the heavy zoomed-in lens until the eclipse reached totality. The moon was nearly overhead, and I became frustrated trying to get the camera aimed at the moon via live view, even with the flippy tilty screen. I finally gave up and brought everything inside.

After a few minutes, I decided for grins to take out my G7X II and give it a shot with everything just set to manual. Of course at 100mm equivalent, the moon didn't appear very large, but it was nice and sharp and red. I could even make out some of the brightest stars.

I wish I could have finished the shoot with the 6D2, of course, and I wonder what sort of head (perhaps with a more robust tripod) would have done the trick. But it wouldn't be worth my spending hundreds of dollars just for the rare total lunar eclipse where totality comes with the moon right overhead. (Not even "once in a blue moon." I think this was a blue moon, in addition to be a red one, if I recall correctly.)
 
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CvH

CR Pro
Nov 19, 2014
199
96
After I got a 100-400mm L for my 6D2, I found that my tripod is a shade too flimsy for it. The IS is so good that I don't use the tripod that much anyway. But I did buy a new ball head as recommended on this board, and that took care of almost all situations.

Back when there was a total lunar eclipse, I set up the tripod on the deck and would go out every once in a while and shoot the moon. The tripod did fine with the heavy zoomed-in lens until the eclipse reached totality. The moon was nearly overhead, and I became frustrated trying to get the camera aimed at the moon via live view, even with the flippy tilty screen. I finally gave up and brought everything inside.

After a few minutes, I decided for grins to take out my G7X II and give it a shot with everything just set to manual. Of course at 100mm equivalent, the moon didn't appear very large, but it was nice and sharp and red. I could even make out some of the brightest stars.

I wish I could have finished the shoot with the 6D2, of course, and I wonder what sort of head (perhaps with a more robust tripod) would have done the trick. But it wouldn't be worth my spending hundreds of dollars just for the rare total lunar eclipse where totality comes with the moon right overhead. (Not even "once in a blue moon." I think this was a blue moon, in addition to be a red one, if I recall correctly.)

Which ball head did you get?

I have the GITZO GT3542L for 2 months and have found my Manfrotto XPRO ball head is the weakest link. I do a lot of long exposure with lens range from 16mm to 400mm so a very strong ball head is essential. I think the RRS BH-55 is the best ball head but I think I will get the lighter BH-40 for portability.
 
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stevelee

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Jul 6, 2017
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Davidson, NC
Which ball head did you get?

I have the GITZO GT3542L for 2 months and have found my Manfrotto XPRO ball head is the weakest link. I do a lot of long exposure with lens range from 16mm to 400mm so a very strong ball head is essential. I think the RRS BH-55 is the best ball head but I think I will get the lighter BH-40 for portability.
The Sirui K-20X. So far it has seemed more than adequate for everything but that one picture. I don't know how often a lunar eclipse occurs when totality is almost directly overhead at my location. My guess is that it is not often enough to spend a lot of money on gear for it. In theory I should buy a heavier-duty tripod and a few styles of heads for different circumstances. But the reality is that I haven't used the tripod since the eclipse, so I'm not too motivated to buy stuff. I do plan to rent a TS lens next month for a week when it is a little cooler and play around with it. I'll use the tripod a lot on those shoots. My current gear should do fine for that.

Thanks for the comment, though. I've saved it on my computer for further reference.
 
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Deleted member 91053

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Which ball head did you get?

I have the GITZO GT3542L for 2 months and have found my Manfrotto XPRO ball head is the weakest link. I do a lot of long exposure with lens range from 16mm to 400mm so a very strong ball head is essential. I think the RRS BH-55 is the best ball head but I think I will get the lighter BH-40 for portability.

For longer exposures with long (ish) lenses then the Sirui K40X is well worth a look. Mine happily supports any lens I have (up to my Canon 800mm F5.6 L IS) though at silly focal lengths you need a remote and let things settle down for a second or two - even Gitzo/RRS tripods are not THAT good.

If you are not worried about quick composing - have you considered a "Geared Head"?
 
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CvH

CR Pro
Nov 19, 2014
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For longer exposures with long (ish) lenses then the Sirui K40X is well worth a look. Mine happily supports any lens I have (up to my Canon 800mm F5.6 L IS) though at silly focal lengths you need a remote and let things settle down for a second or two - even Gitzo/RRS tripods are not THAT good.

If you are not worried about quick composing - have you considered a "Geared Head"?

I always use a wireless trigger for long exposure photography.

I wonder if it is significantly better than my Manfrotto XPRO?
 
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cayenne

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Mar 28, 2012
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For longer exposures with long (ish) lenses then the Sirui K40X is well worth a look. Mine happily supports any lens I have (up to my Canon 800mm F5.6 L IS) though at silly focal lengths you need a remote and let things settle down for a second or two - even Gitzo/RRS tripods are not THAT good.

If you are not worried about quick composing - have you considered a "Geared Head"?


Do you have any recommendations for geared heads? Brands/models? Links?

Thanks in advance!!

C
 
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Deleted member 91053

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I use the Manrotto 410 which I find pretty good though it is not light! I have tried the Manfrotto 405 which is better IMO but more expensive. Note I normally use my 410 head with shorter lenses than my 100-400 but (with my 1DX attached) it does a decent job.

Geared heads are slow but they do aid very accurate composition - like most thing they have their place but are not everyone's cup of tea. Try one or three first.
 
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