Too Many Tripods!

[KrazyPete]

I hate to bring this up again but I've been looking at tripods for days. There's just too many of them. Honestly, it was easier choosing my camera than it is picking a tripod and head combo. Maybe you guys can help me narrow the field a bit.

Budget: Around $200 for the head and legs
Strength: Needs to support a D80 with a 70-200mm f/2.8
Height: I'm 5' 10". I'd like to get the camera to eye level.
Head: I'd like a ball head with a quick release plate and panning base.

I like the Bogen-Manfrotto 3021BPRO legs. It seems to be very versatile and It's always well reviewed. It just doesn't leave me with much money to buy a head.

The Dynatran CF994 combo is tempting. I think I can get it under $200 on eBay. It does everything I need and it's carbon fiber. I just don't know if I trust the brand. The reviews I've found have been very mixed.

So, I know you get a thread like this every other week but any fresh recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

 

[KrazyPete]

It's the budget isn't it? The heads that I like are usually pushing $80. I think that's where I'm going to have to compromise for now. No one has any suggestions?

 

[SharonLowe]

A tripod is one of the most important investments you can make and you will save money in the long run if you save up and get something much better than you can get for $200. You will want something lightweight, so you are looking at carbon fiber legs which are expensive. Giotto has a decent set that are on special at B&H for $230 but the maximum height is only 63". Ohterwise you are talking well over $300 just for the legs. For a good ballhead with panning ability you are talking over $300. So, you need to decide what is most important to you and then save up for it.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

My advice is to get cheap, solid legs and the best ball head you can afford. Good steel legs and good CF legs perform about the same. The difference is the weight. If you someday decide that you're willing to drop a lot of extra money to save a little weight, you can upgrade the legs later and either resell the old ones or repurpose them for use with a video camera, flash, etc.

 

[KrazyPete]

Thanks for the advice. I'm not so much concerned about weight. Maybe I should be but I don't do any hiking or other outdoorsy activities. Even at Disney I would probably lock the tripod up until time for the fireworks. The only reason I was considering the Dynatran carbon fiber tripod was because I could get it, with a head, for less than a decent pair of legs in any other brand.

I'm upgrading from a Velbon plastic and aluminum tripod that I got free with a video camera. I brought it out a few days ago to do some "urban landscape" stuff around town and I discovered that it just wasn't going to work. I had to set my shutter delay to 10 seconds. At 2 seconds the thing was still swaying from the button press. Also, I would tighten the head and it would sag under the weight of the camera and lens. It didn't slip, the plastic was flexing causing the lens to drop a bit. I don't want to even go into trying get the camera into a vertical orientation on the thing.

I would like to get a new tripod before we head off to the outer banks in two weeks. I know that my budget is not going to absorb $500 for legs and a head right now. If I have to lose a feature like panning and go little heavier then I'm ok with that. I just really want something with a ball head that will be steady.

I'll look at the Giotto line again. It's really difficult to shop for these online. I haven't found a really good comparison site (I need a DPReview for tripods). I tried my local camera stores but most have a limited selection (mostly sub $100 tripod and head combos). That's why I was looking here for a little guidance.

 

[Groucho]

I've heard some good and bad things about the Dynatran/Amvona stuff. I have one of their pocket tripods (junk as you'd expect, but they all are and it's no worse than I expected) and a holster bag - which was a mistake as after two days of use, the straps holding it to my belt ripped off and sent the bag (with DSLR inside!) to the ground! Fortunately, no damage was done. But I'm hesitant to go with them again.

I was in a similar boat not long ago. I had more or less settled on the 3021BPro also, but it was a bit heavier than I wanted. I ended up with a Slik Pro 713 CF2, which is a perfect-sized carbon fiber tripod, with plenty of bells and whistles - only thing lacking vs the 3021BPro was the ability to mount the column horizontally. I got it for just over $200 from a well-rated seller on eBay and added a Bogen 484RC2 head for just over $50.

If you're not concerned about weight, the 3021BPro + head are a good choice for $250, and I would definitely rather spend the extra $50 for those rather than gamble with the Dynatran gear. If you are concerned about weight, the Slik Pro is a nice choice IMHO - all the other company's CF tripods were either too heavy or too lightweight, the 713 was right in the "sweet spot" I was after.

And I'm biting my tongue to not make a snide comment about DPReview, too.

 

[jann1033]

Thanks for the advice. I'm not so much concerned about weight. Maybe I should be but I don't do any hiking or other outdoorsy activities. Even at Disney I would probably lock the tripod up until time for the fireworks. The only reason I was considering the Dynatran carbon fiber tripod was because I could get it, with a head, for less than a decent pair of legs in any other brand.

I'm upgrading from a Velbon plastic and aluminum tripod that I got free with a video camera. I brought it out a few days ago to do some "urban landscape" stuff around town and I discovered that it just wasn't going to work. I had to set my shutter delay to 10 seconds. At 2 seconds the thing was still swaying from the button press. Also, I would tighten the head and it would sag under the weight of the camera and lens. It didn't slip, the plastic was flexing causing the lens to drop a bit. I don't want to even go into trying get the camera into a vertical orientation on the thing.

I would like to get a new tripod before we head off to the outer banks in two weeks. I know that my budget is not going to absorb $500 for legs and a head right now. If I have to lose a feature like panning and go little heavier then I'm ok with that. I just really want something with a ball head that will be steady.

I'll look at the Giotto line again. It's really difficult to shop for these online. I haven't found a really good comparison site (I need a DPReview for tripods). I tried my local camera stores but most have a limited selection (mostly sub $100 tripod and head combos). That's why I was looking here for a little guidance.

i have the giotto mt aluminum one and love it. with that series at least you don't need the panning head cause the tripod top can be used like a panning head, it's great for macro work as the center shaft can be used a bunch of ways( which was what i was looking for mostly) it's not very light but they do have lighter ones ( i just have as usual a limited $$$$). not that it is reason to buy one but everytime i take it out someone drools over it and asks me where i got it so evidently they consider it nice looking ( since they never tell me anything else i have is nice looking, it can't be my dazzling charm that they are drooling over so it must really be the tripod)i also got a giotto ball head, only thing i would do differently is just get the regular quick release plate instead of the macro qr plate and pick up a separate macro plate( I think i can now pick up a smaller regular plate, the macro just is kind of big, but i haven't checked yet) http://www.hpmarketingcorp.com/giottos_tripods.html
the mt series won a few rewards and imo after checking and rechecking till i wanted to spit nails, it had the most features i wanted for the best price. i got mine through amazon, i think i got it from adorama ( at the time, they had best price)
i'm 5'7" and have plenty of left over height adjustment and it is rock steady, hold something like 30 lbs. the only time i would add some weight is when i use the center shaft horizontally with the camera way out or really low diagonally, then i hang a bag or something from the clip cause i'm chicken
also i might be dense but i had a hard time remembering how to get the legs at different angles( you have to unlock then turn the dial then open the legs and i kept messing up the steps, trying to turn the dial which would not budge then panicking i broke it but it was cause i opened the legs already)

 

[KrazyPete]

This has been extremely helpful. I can't thank you all enough. I think I've got it down to two tripods. My thinking on the Bogen 3021BPRO has been confirmed. It seems to be loved by everyone. It has 36 ratings at Adorama and holds a 4.5 out 5. That Slik tripod looked very nice and it's a great price for CF. However, I think I'm going to take Mark's advice and save a little on the legs so I can spend a little more on the head. I can get the Bogen for $168 shipped.

The dark horse is the Giottos MT-9371 with it's crazy versatile center column and "sand proof" locking system (outer banks, here I come). It's a pound heavier but it claims to support more weight than the Bogen. The Giottos is just $20 more with the shipping factored in. It has no reviews on the Adorama site but I've heard really good things about the brand in general. Jann, can you explain how panning works without a panning head. It's not readily apparent from the description on the Giottos product page. It describes a "built-in 3-way head." Does the entire center column spin?

Any last minute recommendations or feature considerations before I pull the trigger on one of these? Thanks again everyone!

 

[Groucho]

This has been extremely helpful. I can't thank you all enough. I think I've got it down to two tripods. My thinking on the Bogen 3021BPRO has been confirmed. It seems to be loved by everyone. It has 36 ratings at Adorama and holds a 4.5 out 5. That Slik tripod looked very nice and it's a great price for CF. However, I think I'm going to take Mark's advice and save a little on the legs so I can spend a little more on the head. I can get the Bogen for $168 shipped.

Not a bad thought at all, and almost certainly where I would have gone if I weren't more concerned about weight. Since that's not a top priority, it's hard to go wrong with the Bogen.

 

[SharonLowe]

(outer banks, here I come)

No extra tripod advice but a hint if you park yourself in sand. Your tripod will sink/move unless it is sitting on something - some people use tennis balls cut open to fit around their legs. You could also use the curved bits at the end of snowshoe trekking poles if you have them. I've used large shells too. The tennis ball trick helps keep the legs cleaner too.

 

[tinksdad]

I have the Bogan 3021BPro and it's a very capable tripod. Depending on your shooting style and camera and lens weight it will be fine for awhile.

FWIW, I just upgraded to a Gitzo due to some movement that spoiled shots and the weight of the Bogan. Since I do quit a bit of hiking and carrying my gear, that extra 2-3 pounds makes a big difference after a few hours.

Since you aren't concerned about weight then go for it!! Make sure that your head will hold the heaviest lens/camera combo with at least 100% overage. It DOES make a difference!!

 

[jann1033]

hope this helps
Normal way you can use the center column

way you use the head without the column for panning

only one screw to remove head so you can change it ( the wrench is in the tool kit that clips on the tripod) here it's attached to the center column

the hole ( bottom center)is where the center column normally would be, the head tilts and locks 180 degrees( you can lock it where ever you want it vertically) and 360 horizontally

for what it's worth the bag with shoulder strap that comes with it and the separate tripod strap are really nice( bag holds my tripod with ball head and monopod with room to spare) and if they aren't included with the other one would make up the price difference easily.
i;'ll stop now since i'm starting to sound like Groucho with Pentax

 

[KrazyPete]

Thanks for the photos Jann.

If I understand correctly, the tripod has a rotating section in the center (I pointed to it in the photo below). That rotating section is locked by twisting the piece below it as highlighted in the lower part of the picture. The only other question I have is; does the center part of the tripod rotate regardless of the position of the center column. From what you said, I gathered that it only worked when the column was removed. But I can't see any physical reason why it wouldn't.

Thanks, It would be so much easier if I could find this stuff locally.

 

[jann1033]

you could use the panning head attached to the column and the column inserted into the ring but then you'd have the whole column sticking out...it would be like the top photo i posted in the first batch of photos. the only thing about that is you would not be able to have as much vertical tilt, it looks to me like you could only get about a 90-45 degree angle with the column attached.. . (sorry i didn't have my tripod to take a photo of my tripod so it's blurry) the panning head connects to the ring you insert the column into make it multidirectional as well as where you attach the panning head,(See the photos here, both of the same ring, one with column, one without) not the hole for the column in the vertical aspect( which is the flash flare hole)

the panning ring actually tilts 180 degrees so you have more range with the panning head just attached to the ring......column in panning head ring=90-45 degrees vertically but just the panning head in that ring= 180 degrees vertically. so you can see how attaching the column limits the range of the panning head. you could still turn it 360 degrees around horizontally which is what the lock you pointed to controls whether the center column is in or out,(btw the lock is not the actual column, it's more like a collar the column can fit through when it's in the vertical position but it's empty when you have the panning head on the panning ring like they tell you.)the vertical angle is controlled with the tilt knob in the first batch of photos and locks with that knob.

if you had the column in the hole( where the flash flare is in the first batch, to the right of your arrrow),
the head is horizontal only( ie lens pointed straight ahead) this is the column in that hole.

( screw hole you see is the same one with the wrench in it in photo batch #1) the panning ring would be where you see the rise knob, you can turn the whole head 360 horizontally still
the dial that you can not move when the legs are locked and open is slightly outside the ring you pointed to ( where the level is in the last photo) but that has nothing to due with rotating the head or column, just changing the leg angle.
sorry i hope i am not being more confusing yet.

 

[Groucho]

i;'ll stop now since i'm starting to sound like Groucho with Pentax

Ouch!

A "real" tripod strap would be nice. I made my own out of my original camera bag strap and while it works, it's hardly ideal. One of these days, I'll probably pick up an Op/Tech tripod strap.

 

[jann1033]

Ouch!

A "real" tripod strap would be nice. I made my own out of my original camera bag strap and while it works, it's hardly ideal. One of these days, I'll probably pick up an Op/Tech tripod strap.

that was totally a joke since i knew you were following this thread

 

[Groucho]

that was totally a joke since i knew you were following this thread

That's a relief, I've been pretty quiet lately, maybe it's more like "Groucho from a few months ago". Lately I've been pounding the Fuji drum a lot harder, anyway, even though their newest announcements aren't impressing me. Oh well...

 

[jann1033]

sorry Groucho, my bad judgement...not trying to be offensive ( guess maybe that is part of my natural personality)

 

[JR6ooo4]

The problem is that the balance is not in your favor. You see.... you need to have too many tripods.

I have about 5 (rough count). A table top or two, my first cheezy walmart $60 tripod, an antique one that is about 50 inches tall and collapses to 8 inches. It is stable enough to hold a compact flash card securely and without wobbleing. THen I have the lightweight but strong version and then the heavy but real strong version.

Oh, I guess I could use one of the work survey transit tripods. They will hold an 18 pound instrument sturdy enough to measure the difference of two inches at a point 2 miles away!

Mikeeee

 

[Groucho]

sorry Groucho, my bad judgement...not trying to be offensive ( guess maybe that is part of my natural personality)

No problem, you're still one of my favorite Disboarders.