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Tripod - How to select?
#1

How to choose tripod legs?
There's so many, which do, basically, the same thing;
So far, the factors involved:

-weight: seems quite important, if you're going to be carrying it around all day, so something heavy enough to be stable, but light enough to carry around. This leads to the next few factors

-features: wasn't sure what to call this, but I'll call it features; includes things such as height seems important, I don't want another tripod where I have to bend low to look through the viewfinder. maximum load capacity,want something that won't break under the load of camera and lens, but don't want to get one that would JUST meet my camera weight needs, just incase I get a heavier lens in the future, don't want to go tripod shopping again, but at the moment, looks like the heaviest lens I'll have is the 70-200 f/2.8L IS, and most tripod legs seem to be able to support something of that weight. operatability is this even a real word? maybe should have called this "ease of use". haha, want something easy to operate, like, the legs easy to extend. I think lever leg locks are nice, don't really like the screw ones, where you have to twist and twist Smile carry-ability a handle on the tripod looks useful! but don't know if I'll require one if I'm going to attach it to my bag Smile

-cost: the light ones seem to be carbon fibre, but these seem to be a lot more expensive than the others.

Conclusion: I want something light, sturdy, tall enough for me, but the carbon fibre tripods seem out of my budget. I don't know actually how much to budget for the tripod legs; If I put aside AUD$300, would that be sufficient? Any recommendations? I want to go for something with good quality, so that I'd never have to buy another tripod again Smile haha. Are there any other factors I must consider?
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#2

I don't think you'll find a decent carbon fiber 'pod in your price range. And you'll definitely want something very sturdy to support your camera/lens combo.

I narrowed my search down to three: Bogen / Manfrotto 3021 Pro, Gitzo G2220, and the Giottos 9170.

You can read about the three in THIS THREAD.

I eventually got the Manfrotto 3021 Pro. They have improved it since I started that thread, and it now comes with leg warmers and a more functional center column. In that price range, it is the very best, in my opinion.

Plus they have a great assortment of affordable yet sturdy heads for well under US$100. I found a 486RC2 for about US$50 on ebay.

_______________________________________
Everybody got to elevate from the norm!
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#3

I have the same tripod as Mitch and LOVE it. I had a Slik Carbon Fibre and was not that impressed with it. Light and what not, bit I like the solid feel of the manfrotto. I have the newer model with the leg warmers (3021 pro b). I use it with the new 322 RC side mounted grip handle ball head.

Nos an modica tantum nostri somnium
"We are limited only by our imagination"
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#4

ooo!!! the 322RC grip handle ball head was the head I was planning to get!! (that's why I only asked about tripod legs! Tongue hehehe!!)
I realised that carbon fibre way out of my range Big Grin hehe

So the 3021 Pro?
I'll look into it Smile
Thanks a lot for the suggestion!!! Big Grin
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#5

I went to the Manfrotto web page but can not find the 3021 pro b; Where would I be able to find out more about it? I'm going to the shop this weekend if I'm not working Smile
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#6

User reviews:
http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/showp...all&page=1

Note that the "B" is for black; there is also a 3021Pro in unpainted aluminum that is $10-15 less expensive.

Also, 3021 is the code when it's sold in the US by Bogen. In the rest of the world, apparently it is the Manfrotto 055 Pro and 055 Pro B, which you can see here:

http://db.manfrotto.com/product/template...itemid=766

and here:

http://db.manfrotto.com/product/template...itemid=812

_______________________________________
Everybody got to elevate from the norm!
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#7

Oh!!!!!!!! the 055!!!! that's the same as Long's! (Lak)
Big Grin wonderful

Thankyou Big Grin
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#8

I've got a mixed bag of tripods, bit like most of my odd assortment.

I have a general use Manfrotto 190 + 141 head which goes down nice and low. A Velbon Sherpa Pro 740, Velbon Maxi 343 which weighs under a kg which stays permanently attached to the bottom of one of my camera bags. And a big old sturdy studio tripod which I have no idea who makes it but it goes upto around 2.5m and weighs a good 25kgs complete with gas legs for that extra bouncy fun!
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#9

wowowow! do you enjoy bouncing around on your studio tripod? Smile
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#10

a bt off topic, but.... HELLO STUDIOWILLY! Big Grin
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#11

I don't think it would hold my weight somehow Adam, of course I could always weld three pogo sticks together and use them for a tripod.. my name might have to be Willy Wonka though!
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#12

I have a suggestion that makes tripods more user friendly for me and isn't that far off topic in this thread. I often put an angled viewfinder on my camera when I use a tripod. That way I can look through it comfortably when it is at chest or waist height. Setting it up high, at eye level looks a litte wobbly to me, so I set the camera lower down unless I need the extra height to get the correct perspective.
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#13

Great idea Buddha, although it would take some getting used to, for taking shots at waist level.
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#14

I have a 190D Manfrotto leg set and an RC141camera head and RC 128 fluid head set that I really like. There are lots of accessories available for the Bogen/Manfrotto's. As far as the weight is concerned I figure that to get the results that you have to carry the weight, the light tripods are not good enough.

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm
not sure about the former.

Albert Einstein
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