Tripod Talk!

[Scott Paddy]

Hey Guys,

I was just wondering what Tripods you guys use and recommend for static shoots. The one I have currenlty is not sturdy enough in high wind conditions. Im looking at a "heavy duty" tripod.

If you guys also have links or prices please share. :)

Thanks inadvance!

[Daniel Buck]

I'm not sure what you consider 'heavy duty', but I know a few companies make a nice tripod that is big and heavy (I had to lug one all around Moab Utah! haha!) but I can't remember what brand it was. It was nice, had levers at the top of the tripod that would extend the legs all at once, and you could hit the lever when they were extended and just collapse the tripod while it was standing up. That feature was very very nice.

My Promaster "System Pro 2" tripod works for my personal stuff though, I hacked off the extension tube so that it can go real low. I have a Kirk BH1 ball head on there, and it's sturdy enough for my Mamiya RB67 and 250 lens. The legs aren't linked together, which is another feature I like, for when I'm cramped up in a bunch of rocks, I can extend on of the legs horizontal (or even higher) to mount it up on a rock or something. It's not the most solid tripod in the world, but it has worked just fine for me, even with medium format.

And when it needs to be more sturdy (or rather, to just keep the bag off the ground if it's muddy) I do this:

http://www.danielbuck.net/wip/tripod_bag_01.jpg

[Jacob Leveton]

I got a dynatran off of ebay, and have been very happy with it. It's a bogen-style tripod, at a less-than-bogen price.

My only suggestion is to make sure to tighten all of the screws when you get it ;)

[Brian Lalor]

I got a cheap Slik U8000 (or something akin to that model number) when I bought my 350D last year. I somehow lost it when I was in Germany, and I was forced to find something new. I ended up getting a Bogen 3021Pro and 488RC2 ball head for about $300. It was more than I wanted to spend, but I'm very happy with the tripod. I'm fairly sure I could also use it as a jack if I have to change a tire on my MINI. It's not light, however. I'm not sure how I'm going to schlep this thing around when I'm walking around on vacation this summer...

[Tomer Feder]

Hi
I use the manfrotto 055 with the 029 head for the past 6 years.
most of my work is "outdoor".
Its not a cheap one but so far It worth the price.

[Mark Scheuern]

I have a Gitzo 1340 aluminum tripod with a Kirk BH-1 ballhead. Rather expensive--I think about $600 for the combo--but it should last forever. Carbon fiber would be very nice but it's of course more money. The trick is to get something that's good and solid but not so heavy that you'll never want to use it.

[John Jovic]

Get 2 tripods, a big Gitzo (aluminium or CF for reduced weight) and a manfrotto 055 for practicality.

The gitzo is rock solid, but a little slow to use, and quite heavy. The Series 5 Tele Studex are the biggest and most stable tripod you can get. You might have to sell a kidney, but it's worth it. I suggest getting a CF tripod because they are lighter but not sure they are any more solid than aluminium. CF can be damaged, it's more brittle, if you clamp on to it, not as likely with aluminium.

Here's the incredibly long link http://www.gitzo.com/Jahia/site/gitzo/pid/4765?gitzoView=flatView&curLevel=1CAT&curFamilyId=NONE&curMarketId=MARKET%3AMKT1&actualPathCategoryKey=1CAT%3AAAA1%3A2CAT%3ABB59%3A 3CAT%3ACC49%3A4CAT%3AD297&productContainer_windowsize=10&ctnscroll_productContainer=&kindOfProductCollectionRequest=productDetail&detailPid=5245

The Manfrotto 055 is quick to use. Not really terribly stably but it's OK for most things.

I use both tripods because it's faster to work that way. the manfrotto for relatively low level stuff and the gitzo for anything tall.

I suggest you get some very good ball heads for any tripod you buy. Don't waste your time with anything pissy and small, get the biggest most expensive you can buy straight away. Manfrotto has some decent ball heads but even their best are not great. This is not a bad manfrotto, especially considering it's not really heavy http://www.manfrotto.com/Jahia/site/manfrotto/cache/off/pid/2307?livid=80|81&idx=83 . Whatever head you get make sure it uses some kind of adapter plates and that each of your cameras have those plates fitted. This makes swapping cameras very quick.

The best heads seem to be the arca swiss but very expensive. I'm getting sick of getting my Manfrotto heads fixed, waiting for a 490 and have had problems with a couple of 268's. Next time I need to replace a ball head it will be the arca swiss.

JJ

[John Waugh]

For stability a Manfrotto/Bogen 3021 with a 410 gear drive head.
Studio and short distance this is a real platform.
It has convertable soft feet for indoor or turn out spikes for outside.
The gear driven head allows for exact composition adjustments with out letting all go loose at once.
Good up to 15 pounds.
For weight saving the Manfrotto/Bogen 3444 carbon fiber with a 3028 dual axis head. The bag hang will make this set up steady unless there is a lot of wind. The dual axis head is so simple its bomb proof in the field.
I use both set ups with Canon Eos, Medium format and 4 x 5 Linhoff.
I use my tripods in some pretty nasty locations. Snow,water, dust, dirt, rocks, sand and I have about given up on ball heads because of contamination and slipping.
Figure out what will cover the most bases and get that first.
Dan mentioned cutting the extention tube off to get real low, With both of these tripods you can invert the extention tube to hang the tripod head and camera below the tripod standard and holding your camera right above grade level. Use a right angle view finder on the camera.
John

[Matt Daniels]

One of the best pieces of advice I got when starting to buy more "pro" gear was to buy a good tri-pod and head. I'm glad I took that advice. I bought a Bogen 3021 and a Bogen ball head (forget the model # at the moment) and both are still going strong, 8 years or so later.

My advice on the 3021 is to get the Pro version, which allows the legs to go nearly parallel to the ground for really low shotss. I also have a smaller Bogen tripod, the 3001 I think. That's lighter weight, and shorter, but I don't trust it as much when I have larger lenses on the camera.

One of these days I'm going to get the 3021PRO, but its a pretty low priority on my equipment wish list. For now, I make due with low angle shots by mounting my tripod head on a super clamp and mounting that low on the legs.

[E. John Thawley III]

Happy Bogen/Manfrotto 3221 owner here.

I may be the only one, but I hate ball heads. The bogen 3039 pro head rocks my world. Problem I have with a ball head is when its loose its loose in every direction. I like the 3-axis head because I can tilt the top of the frame down to the horizon and SET IT. Then I can pan right or left and tilt up and down to taste and not worry about the horizon. Set it and forget it...

[Todd Corzett]

I have the Bogen 3021N and the 3030QR (I think) head. I'm not a big fan of ball heads myself... I'd much rather have a 3-way pan/tilt head. QR plates are nice, but I wish I hadn't bought the head with the QR built-in... you can always add it to a head, but never take it away. There are times that I'd like to not have the QR (like with the 500mm) .

-Todd...