Choosing the right tripod

[Eldar]

I have a siste who has become a really enthusiastic photographer. And, a consequence of that is that, she´s asking me for advice. And I realize that I have different thresholds in almost any department compared to most others.

At the moment she has a 6D, with a 24-105 f4L IS. She is looking for a portrait lens and she will (probably) get a 70-300L. Then she asked me, what tripod should I buy. And I thought of the very nice Gitzo, RRS and so forth alternatives out there. But in all fairness, that is overkill. So the question I´d like some help with is, what is a good tripod/head package for a newbie, which may last (!)

Benro, Manfrotto, Slik ... I know there are lots of alternatives, but I would like some good tip.

 

[Loswr]

Personally, I think Manfrotto offers the best compromise between quality and value. Even more so now that they have some Arca-Swiss compatible clamps, meaning a good (RRS/Kirk) L-bracket is feasible.

I had a Manfrotto 190CXPRO4 with 488RC2, very good legs, the RC2 plate/clamp is a weak point. Replaced the head with a 468MG with a Wimberley C-12 clamp (AS-type), that setup was great up to a gripped body with white zoom (70-200/2.8, 100-400, 28-300). Likewise, I had a Manfrotto 694CX monopod with 234 tilt head and C-12 clamp, easily supported the same gear.

I'm all RRS now, though. When I got the 600 II, I added a TVC-33, BH-55 and PG-02 LLR gimbal, and replaced the monopod and head, both to deal with the heavier load. But the main reason I replaced the Manfrotto 190CXPRO4 + 468MG with the RRS TQC-14 + BH-30 was the former was too long to fit in my carry-on hard case.

Bottom line, I'd recommend Manfrotto CF legs and one of their new AS-compatible heads.

 

[Don Haines]

Personally, I think Manfrotto offers the best compromise between quality and value. Even more so now that they have some Arca-Swiss compatible clamps, meaning a good (RRS/Kirk) L-bracket is feasible.

I had a Manfrotto 190CXPRO4 with 488RC2, very good legs, the RC2 plate/clamp is a weak point. Replaced the head with a 468MG with a Wimberley C-12 clamp (AS-type), that setup was great up to a gripped body with white zoom (70-200/2.8, 100-400, 28-300). Likewise, I had a Manfrotto 694CX monopod with 234 tilt head and C-12 clamp, easily supported the same gear.

I'm all RRS now, though. When I got the 600 II, I added a TVC-33, BH-55 and PG-02 LLR gimbal, and replaced the monopod and head, both to deal with the heavier load. But the main reason I replaced the Manfrotto 190CXPRO4 + 468MG with the RRS TQC-14 + BH-30 was the former was too long to fit in my carry-on hard case.

Bottom line, I'd recommend Manfrotto CF legs and one of their new AS-compatible heads.

I agree, but would like to add a comment about weight....

If you are going to be carrying the tripod a lot, the lighter weight of carbon fibre tripods is nice. Many of them seem to be as sturdy or sturdier than their aluminum counterparts, but beware the light weight in windy conditions.. sometimes you need weight to be stable. You can increase the stability of lightweight tripods by tensioning the center column to a weight (camera bag... backpack...) with a small piece of rope.

 

[Twostones]

After buying several tripods priced from the $200 to $800 range I find my go-to tripod is the Manfrotto 055CXPRO3 Carbon Fiber Tripod Legs. They are light weight very ridged and very versatile. I recommend you look at its features.

 

[dave]

After buying several tripods priced from the $200 to $800 range I find my go-to tripod is the Manfrotto 055CXPRO3 Carbon Fiber Tripod Legs. They are light weight very ridged and very versatile. I recommend you look at its features.

+1 for the price the 055CXPRO3 is just about perfect. They do a four section version CXPRO4which is shorter when closed but is a little less stable due to the thinner leg section at the bottom.

I really like the Acratech GP ballhead. it is really nifty and much lighter than most of the alternative manfrotto heads at only 450 grams or so. This combo should last years and be easy to lug around.

 

[dickgrafixstop]

Any tripod that will support the weight is fine - and various manufacturers make dozens of models that are
adequate. I'd recommend the Leitz Tilt-all - mine's 40+ years old and works like a champ. It's a little heavier
and a lot cheaper that some of the high tech carbon/graphite models available today.

 

[Halfrack]

Since it's price sensitive, I'm pretty happy with my Sirui (I think it's the M-3004). The catch is that a tripod is an easy place to go cheap and works, while at the same time paying for it every time you take it out (added weight). How tall or short will determine a lot of it, as will pack size.

Spending the money on a carbon fiber one may sound like a bad idea, but it's my next upgrade. Honestly, a used set of legs works great as a starting point - that way she can decide what direction from there to go (taller, shorter, lighter, etc).

So ask yourself, do you need an upgrade?

 

[Jim O]

I believe that carbon fiber tripods pay for themselves in convenience, unless you're not carrying them more than a very short distance at a time.

For her needs, as photographer but with plans to grow, I would consider Sirui. They offer short, lightweight legs and also legs/head combos that are (I think) A-S compatible.

Induro is another brand that comes to mind as a cheaper alternative to Gitzo and the the other "name brands". There are pro and con reviews on them all over the internet, probably even here.

 

[wsheldon]

I believe that carbon fiber tripods pay for themselves in convenience, unless you're not carrying them more than a very short distance at a time.

For her needs, as photographer but with plans to grow, I would consider Sirui. They offer short, lightweight legs and also legs/head combos that are (I think) A-S compatible.

Induro is another brand that comes to mind as a cheaper alternative to Gitzo and the the other "name brands". There are pro and con reviews on them all over the internet, probably even here.

+1

Although I have (and really like) Gitzo 2531 legs, I recently bought a light weight aluminum Induro for a M43 system and a nice CF monopod for my 100-400L. The quality of the legs, grip and twist locks on the monopod definitely rival Gitzo for less money, and you get really nice cases with Induro as a side benefit. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to save a few $$.

 

[tron]

I moved from a Manfrotto 055PROB + 410 Junior Gear Head (total ~3.7Kg) to a Gitzo 3541LS + Markins M20 head (total ~ 2.3Kg)

This proved to be a night and day difference in weight for me. It cost a lot but now I am able to take it with me more often.

I believe this is overkill for you. You should try to focus on a Carbon Fiber solution though. A rather expensive but light tripod that you take with you is better than a cheaper heavy tripod that stays at home.

Keep in mind that for tripods you can have only 2 out of the following 3 characteristics: Cheap, Light and Stable.

 

[Rockets95]

After buying several tripods priced from the $200 to $800 range I find my go-to tripod is the Manfrotto 055CXPRO3 Carbon Fiber Tripod Legs. They are light weight very ridged and very versatile. I recommend you look at its features.

Agree on the 055CXPRO3 Carbon Fiber Tripod Legs. Also had the non-CF (055XPRO3) version for a while - both very sturdy and durable for a reasonable (relatively speeking) price. The drawback for me is it's too short (I'm almost 6'-2) and it's hard to justify buying a Gitzo being a hobbiest.

 

[cayenne]

A thought occured to me, do ya'll have separate tripod/head combos for stills vs video?

I've gotten my manfrotto sticks that came with a cheaper video head that I updated with another manfrotto video head, but now that and my manfroto monopod and slider all have the same QR system (509 I think?).

Anyway, that brings me to my next question...this is all good for video and swapping around quickly, but what about for shooting stills and the need for a different head that can shot portrait as well as landscapes...do y'all get 2 separate systems for stills vs video?

Does this girl want to shoot both stills and video? Is there a head that can be used well for both?


Thanks in advance,

cayenne

 

[Eldar]

Thanks for the tips guys, I´ll check out the Manfrottos.

She is just doing stills and is probably not even aware that her 6D can do video, so a ball head would be preferred. An alternative I´ve been looking at is Benro. Seems to be good value for money and she can get a carbon fiber tripod combo, with a seemingly decent ball head to fit her budget. Their heads are arcs-swiss compatible, which I think is an advantage and it is fairly light and compact. You can also remove one of the legs, combine it with the center pin and voila, you have a monopod.

 

[JPAZ]

Agree that CF lightens the load. I've been happy with my Redged legs. They are very light (pros and cons as mentioned above) but sturdy and the twist locks are a pleasure. I used a Redged ball head (RT-3) that was adequate but the weak spot in my system. It works with my 5Diii and 100-400 but I don't trust it with that weight load. It has a QR system that is not standardized and does not pan well. So, I am keeping the legs but just ordered the Sirui K20x with Arca-Swiss type QR plates.

 

[mackguyver]

I am really rough on my tripods (carbon fiber does shatter - don't ask) and highly recommend the aluminum Manfrotto 055XPROB if she's looking for a "final" tripod to do it all, assuming the weight and size aren't too high. It's the best value out there for a set of legs. I replaced the center column with the compact center column which works better. As for heads, Neuro is spot on with his recommendations.

 

[Drizzt321]

I've got a pretty nice Benro carbon fiber that wasn't too much. Specced for 17 pounds, and boy am I glad I went for a bit higher weight as I end up using it mostly for my Mamiya RB67, and that's one heavy camera! Add 10 pounds above her expected weight for future accessories/lens/camera growth.

Definitely get a head that's Acra-Swiss compatible. Probably the most popular, and works quite well. With screw clamp you can use it with anyone's version, while really RRS and someone else only puts to extremely fine tolerance that the quick release lever will work well for.

Oh, and the 70-200 is great, but if she's focusing on portraits the 135L is a great buy for that, and she can use the 24-105 for 50 & 85mm if she doesn't want to get those primes (85 f/1.8 is a great deal too). Not saying she shouldn't get the 70-300L, but she can probably save some money by not getting it if she doesn't actually need the telephoto end right now.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

One thing to look out for is the height of the tripod. No matter how good a tripod is built, if its not tall enough to use without cranking up the center column, it will not be stable enough for long exposures, and it will be susceptible to blowing over in the wind. Hanging a camera bag of gear on the under hook (get one with a underhook) can prevent blowing over.

Also consider uneven surfaces, and the need to collapse one leg to level the tripod. This means that extra height is needed. The head plus distance to the camera eyepiece can add 6-8 inches, so if her eye level is 5'6 inches above the ground, I'd start with a tripod that is no less than 60 inches high with center colum down, and no head. A few more inches will help handle uneven surfaces.

Unfortunately, many tripods are only 48 inches high and you must raise the center column to use them. They are a waste of money IMHO.
I have a Redged Monopod, and I think their tripod would be good. Don't get their head though. Manfroto makes good quality tripods as well as cheapies.
Here is a example of a tripod that is too short for me, but costs a ton. Its 55.1 inches high, so raise the center column or bend over a lot. If they don't give height with column down, pass it up! None of the Manfroto 055 series are tall enough for me (5 ft min) without extending the center column. I can't recommend them, that's midget territory.

http://www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-055CXPRO3-Section-Magnesium-Castings/dp/B001GIPR5S/ref=sr_1_2?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1380136584&sr=1-2&keywords=tripod+carbon


The Manfrotto 057 series has one that is tall enough, but $$$

http://www.manfrotto.us/057-carbon-fiber-4-section-tripod


The Redged TSC 531 is there only model they have that goes barely tall enough for me with center column down. its a lot less expensive than the Manfrotto, but I can't find them in the USA.

http://redged.com/tsc-531.html

Induro makes tripods plenty tall enough.

http://www.amazon.com/Induro-CT-313-Carbon-Section-73-Inch/dp/B002SXMRQW/ref=sr_1_5?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1380137699&sr=1-5&keywords=tripod+carbon

Feisol has one that's close to 5 ft tall
http://www.amazon.com/Feisol-CT-3472-4-Section-Carbon-Tripod/dp/B00573NCDW/ref=sr_1_9?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1380137866&sr=1-9&keywords=tripod+carbon

 

[waving_odd]

...Even more so now that they have some Arca-Swiss compatible clamps, meaning a good (RRS/Kirk) L-bracket is feasible... Bottom line, I'd recommend Manfrotto CF legs and one of their new AS-compatible heads...

When they announced this 2 months ago, I was excited and looking for review.

Finally, there was this - http://www.scvphotoideas.com/2013/08/manfrotto-q6-top-lock-qr-adaptor.html

"...Therefore, I may come to the conclusion that Manfrotto has succeeded once again in introducing a proprietary "Arca-compatible" system..."

I guess we can hope Manfrotto to come up with improved models/versions later. But I will pass this one.

 

[Loswr]

...Even more so now that they have some Arca-Swiss compatible clamps, meaning a good (RRS/Kirk) L-bracket is feasible... Bottom line, I'd recommend Manfrotto CF legs and one of their new AS-compatible heads...

When they announced this 2 months ago, I was excited and looking for review.

Finally, there was this - http://www.scvphotoideas.com/2013/08/manfrotto-q6-top-lock-qr-adaptor.html

"...Therefore, I may come to the conclusion that Manfrotto has succeeded once again in introducing a proprietary "Arca-compatible" system..."

I guess we can hope Manfrotto to come up with improved models/versions later. But I will pass this one.

Thanks for posting that link. Good demonstration that while their new Arca plate may be compatible with other clamps, their clamp is (again) basically proprietary - and since their L-brackets leave much to be desired, that's not a viable solution. All I can say is, WTF Manfrotto?!?

As for a new version, they'll likely rename the plate with one or two successive alpha/numerical designations...and leave the flawed design just the way it is. Bummer.

 

[ahab1372]

One thing to look out for is the height of the tripod. No matter how good a tripod is built, if its not tall enough to use without cranking up the center column, it will not be stable enough for long exposures, and it will be susceptible to blowing over in the wind. Hanging a camera bag of gear on the under hook (get one with a underhook) can prevent blowing over.
[...]

Good point on the height. The aforementioned Sirui M-3004 and M-3204 (the latter is the CF version) are tall enough for me (191cm or 6'2'') without center column extended