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Why use a tripod?Thom posted:The bottom line is simple: if the camera is moving when you shoot, you'll never resolve what the lens is capable of. Thom has a lot of maxims that should be followed, let's take a gander at all two of them: Thom posted:Thom's Maxim #1: You're wasting money on expensive optics if you fail to give your camera and lens a stable platform. Seriously, why should I use a tripod? A tripod only takes seconds to setup and adjust, and it can support your camera in the perfect position for however long you wish, which in turn helps you to take great images. Ever wanted to try your hand at night photography? How about macro photography? I'll tell you right away, you will fail at night photography without a stable/unwavering support base, and if you are doing high precision macro work, you will undoubtedly fail at that too without a good sturdy tripod. Besides those two sub-fields of photography, every other field will at some point or another require a tripod of some sort. Perhaps you are into sports – well it's going to suck to be you when the perfect shot comes around and you screw up panning. You like nature photography, taking pictures of animals and landscapes? Nothing will give you the precision a tripod/monopod can. Telephoto lenses that have huge focal lengths are pretty much guaranteed to need a support system of some sort. Granted, for many things a support system is not mandatory; but drat will you wish you had a good one when the time comes. The simple fact is that such support systems can increase your accuracy and hasten your ability to shoot in complex situations; literally, there is no reason not to own some sort of tripod. What about monopods? Chris Nicholson posted:If you're trying to avoid camera-shake, a monopod will save you between two and four stops versus hand-holding, depending on how you use it and how still you can hold the pod. Aside from the above information, monopods are a great alternative to tripods when you do not want to lug around a larger support system, or if you will find yourself in a situation where using a tripod would just be an unfeasible idea. Do I have to spend Ten-Bajillion dollars? No, like all things in photography you should buy according to your need. Certainly there are plenty of great tripods out there that have too-good-to-be-true prices. But honestly, it seems that the bare minimum for a good tripod from a respected company ranges between $100-$200. That being said, use Ebay and search camera shops – there is nothing wrong with second-hand gear. Also, not all tripods come with heads. Some might view this as a “what the hell, I don't even get a whole tripod for that much money? Highway robbery I say!” type of business scenario, but that's not really the case. Because heads and legs can be sold separately, and because (typically) any head can be put on any set of legs, you – as a consumer – have a myriad of options to choose from. You might actually be able to save money by picking and choosing your parts, just keep your eyes open for opportunity. Sagacious Dorkroom Advice: Interrupting Moss posted:The best tripod is the one that you will have with you. PARTS: This section was shamelessly stolen from here. Heads: Ball head: Ball heads are the fastest to use and adjust. They allow for quick locking and unlocking of the head. Ball heads are smooth and stable and do not “creep” when used with heavy cameras and lenses. However, ball heads can be less precise than other heads (unless you go for broke and get the best of the best). These heads allow a full range of motion across all axes.
Pan-tilt head: A pan-tilt head can be moved to pan and tilt to either side. This enables a camera to be held in horizontal and vertical positions. To control movement, pan-tilt heads have a trigger mounted on a handle that are tightened or loosened to alter the camera position. There a two-, three- and four-way heads. Geared head: Geared heads, often used in studios and for certain types of field work, offer precise control and great stability for heavy photographic equipment. Capable of fine adjusting and control, a geared head allows the photographer to obtain very exact framing. These are also known as Micro-focus plates or Focus Rails. They are necessary for macro work when your DOF is shallower than a Hilton. Dials typically allow the entire camera body to be moved towards/away your subject mm's at a time.[/list] Fluid head: Fluid heads contain a lubricating fluid around moving parts that enables very smooth movement of a camera. Fluid heads are particularly useful for panning. Gimbal heads: Specialized tripod heads for telephoto lenses. These allow you to rotate your lens around its center of gravity, which makes them very attractive when concerning very large lenses. Note: Quick release plates: Not all Tripods/monopods come with the ability to release your camera from your temporary & portable base of operations. Quick release plates however allow quick and fluid transitions from hand-held photography to supported photography. I highly recommend investing in heads that have quick-plates built in. Types of Quick Release plates: Coming soon Legs: Carbon Fiber – is it for me? Many people argue about material construction. So far it's typically agreed that the sole reason to get something made out of carbon fiber is because carbon fiber is fantastic at eating vibrations. It is also has that sexy combination of being both light and extremely strong. BUT, some people don't actually think that carbon fiber is actually lighter than any other material; in the end, before you purchase any tripod, be sure to test it out. Get a feel for it; after all, if you move a lot you may eventually get tired of carrying around something that is heavier than it needs to be. And to put this to rest: no, aluminum is not a bad material for a tripod. Another thing to look for in legs are the types of locks that are used, the rigidity of the legs when locked, and the amount of weight they can hold, the minimum/maximum height of the tripod, how well they dampen vibrations, and how heavy they are. Types of Leg Locks Twist Lock: As the name implies, these mechanisms need to be twisted in clockwise/counterclockwise to lock the leg into place. Some complain that these types of mechanisms take too long when compared with flip locks – really it a preference thing. With enough practice it is probably exactly as fast as a flip lock. Lever/Flip/every-other-name-imaginable Lock: These look like little latches. Typically when you set up a tripod with these you unlatch the legs, drop them out, and re-latch everything. They're very fast and very easy. Some say that these types of locks are usually far below the quality of twist locks – frankly I think that's bunk. Like all parts, the quality depends on the manufacturer. Gitzo G-locks: Combine the supposed speed of a flip lock within the style of a twist lock – that is exactly what a G-lock is. These are the fastest twist locks (20% faster on average) currently in production by Gitzo. Most recommended brands (no particular order): Arca-Swiss Kirk Markins Really Right Stuff Gitzo Cullmann Manfrotto Slik Velbon Acratech Bogen Dynatron Combo/Singular Recommendations: (aka the land of Manfrotto) Manfrotto 055XPro and 488RC2 head Cullmann Magnesit 35Nm head Manfrotto 190XDB Tripod Legs Manfrotto 494 Mini Ball Head w/RC2 QR Plate Best options for the best prices: $0-$99: Heads: Manfrotto 496 w/RC2 Manfrotto 494 w/RC2 QR Plate Legs: Manfrotto 190XDB Tripod Legs Bogen 3001 Monopod: Manfrotto 679B $100-$199: Heads: Manfrotto 322RC2 Manfrotto 498RC4 Midi Ball Head with 410PL QR Plate Giottos MH-1000-652 Large Ballhead with MH-652 Quick Release System Legs: Manfrotto 190XPROB 3 Section Aluminum Pro Tripod $200-$299: Legs: Manfrotto 190XB Aluminum Tripod $300-399: $400-$499: $500+: Please feel free to contribute anything to the O.P.; hell, feel free to correct me if I have made any glaringly obvious mistakes that I might have parsed over! Also, feel free to recommend more gear with prices, I'll throw it right up into the proper sections.
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Feb 17, 2011 02:48
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Reserved.
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Feb 17, 2011 02:48
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Abnegatus posted:BUT, some people don't actually think that carbon fiber is actually lighter than any other material I just thought id point out that a carbon fiber epoxy composite has roughly a 5x higher specific strength than the next best common material used for tripods. Also im not sure why we dont see more magnesium tripods. Its a fantastic material for that sort of purpose, about the same specific strength at aluminum and it has very good vibration dampening properties.
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Feb 17, 2011 03:14
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I had a 190X prob and switched to a CF induro set of legs a few things I have noticed: -new setup is about the same weight as my old one but can hold ~50lbs -legs are much thicker so is much more stable - one of the best things about CF for me is that my aluminum legs got REALLY cold in the winter, my CF ones have been miles better in this regard and was never something I really thought of but is so much nicer
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Feb 17, 2011 18:33
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What was up with the 190x?
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Feb 17, 2011 18:36
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I have a Manfrotto 715SHB and I'm really happy with it for travel photography when I don't want to carry heavy stuff. It's small (folded under 14"), light (2.2 pounds), and cheap (I paid 70 euros). It's not going to work for you if you want to use it with a heavy camera and/or heavy lens (it's only rated to 5.5 pounds), but I only use it for wide-angle night shots with a Sigma 10-20 which is not a big lens and it works great.
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Feb 17, 2011 18:50
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Last week, I finally upgraded from a lovely $28 Dynex tripod that felt like it was made out of cast iron and behaved like it was made of plastic to a Manfrotto 498RC2 ballhead with a set of Promaster T325P carbon fiber legs. It's wonderful to be able to let go of my camera without it flopping over and the tripod falling down (and to have a quick-release plate that doesn't dig into my hands/chest). Also, I can attach it to my backpack without those lovely loving leg/column brace things getting in the way, and the twist-lock is way faster than the flip locks (just grab it with both hands and give it a short turn and it opens). I recommend the T325P legs; they're a Gitzo design knockoff, but they seem really sturdy and are only ~$240. Questions:
atomicthumbs fucked around with this message at 18:57 on Feb 17, 2011 |
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Feb 17, 2011 18:55
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I had a bad rear end fluid head tripod from when I was in film school that my dad got me, I let a friend borrow it, then moved away from Chicago...now I'm getting into photography a lot, and wish I had it. Might've been overkill for still photography, since the main point was the fluid head for panning shots, but it would be nice to still have  Can someone do a write up or recommendation on tripod cases/bags. I need something to hold my light tripods, and preferably my camera tripod, that I could sling around my shoulder or something. (edit...maybe this question should go in the gear/bag thread?)
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Feb 17, 2011 18:55
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RizieN posted:Can someone do a write up or recommendation on tripod cases/bags. I need something to hold my light tripods, and preferably my camera tripod, that I could sling around my shoulder or something. (edit...maybe this question should go in the gear/bag thread?) I'm planning to build a sling or something similar out of paracord for mine, but I just keep it stuck into the straps on my backpack for now. It's got this neat elastic strap on the shoulder strap that I can just shove the tripod into 
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Feb 17, 2011 18:59
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A5H posted:What was up with the 190x? I am going to assume this was directed at me. A few things really. Was my first tripod and it was decent. There where a few things that always bothered me though: - it was pretty much useless fully extended as the legs are pretty thin and was not that stable, this was not the end of the world since I rarely ever wanted to extend them At the time I got it I had pretty standard lenses, wide angle, a macro and a 80-200 2.8. I then started to get more into wildlife and got a 300f4, this is was still ok but then I got a super tele which I did use on these for a bit but there was no change of extending the legs at all. The final thing that got me to replace them was that I fell while carrying it over my shoulder (with me camera attached) and broke one of the leg locks which was already slightly broken. I think it was a decent tripod if you don't want to use it full extended and don't have heavy gear.
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Feb 17, 2011 19:07
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atomicthumbs posted:I'm planning to build a sling or something similar out of paracord for mine, but I just keep it stuck into the straps on my backpack for now. It's got this neat elastic strap on the shoulder strap that I can just shove the tripod into I think people have used guitar straps, my tripod came with a carrying case, I never use it but I bet you could find someone selling one.
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Feb 17, 2011 19:09
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Dread Head posted:I think people have used guitar straps, my tripod came with a carrying case, I never use it but I bet you could find someone selling one. Ditto, someone wanna buy mine? My tripod is small but I think Manfrotto only has one size of carrying bag so my bag is huge. :P e: actually someone can have it for free if they pay shipping from Belgium
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Feb 17, 2011 19:12
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atomicthumbs posted:Last week, I finally upgraded from a lovely $28 Dynex tripod that felt like it was made out of cast iron and behaved like it was made of plastic to a Manfrotto 498RC2 ballhead with a set of Promaster T325P carbon fiber legs. Nothing like a triple post! Your legs should be fine in the rain, I often submerge mine in river (up to the head at times)/the ocean (to a more limited extent) and has not been an issue assuming that dry/clean it. Most tripod legs should separate into each section (at least all mine have) and you can clean them that way. You do not want to submerge your head but it should be ok in the rain. As for your head it depends on the head the one I am using now you are not supposed to grease but I know my old one was greasy. I have a friend who said he ruined a head by greasing it so I would look at what you head manufacturer says. I would try to remove as much debris as I could by hand and leave it at that, I would guess your manual or the manufacturer has something outlining this. I think basalt is a cheaper alternative to CF but is heavier, not entirely sure.
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Feb 17, 2011 19:17
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Dread Head posted:Nothing like a triple post! 
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Feb 17, 2011 19:20
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I've got a quick question. What's the best way to stop a lens from "drooping"? More specifically I've got a Giottos MH1301 ball head with a Giottos Quick Release Plate MH601. When the ball head position is positioned on it's side for a portrait composition my camera will dip slightly, more so with a telephoto lens. I've tried using the camera without a battery grip to lose some weight and making sure the quick release plate is on extra tight, though I'm always worried that I'll ruin the thread and damage my equipment. Is there anything else I can do?
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Feb 17, 2011 21:48
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Tincans posted:I've got a quick question. What's the best way to stop a lens from "drooping"? Do you have a tripod ring around the longer lens? Balancing it better may help. Also how tight are you cranking down on the ballhead tension?
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Feb 17, 2011 22:20
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Dread Head posted:I had a 190X prob and switched to a CF induro set of legs a few things I have noticed: Which set of Induro legs did you pick up? I've been looking into the 190cxpro3 since it's CF, light, and will allow the center post to go horizontal. I don't know that I really need the center post to rotate to horizontal, but it sure would be handy at times. If it is really that bad in terms of stability I'm more than willing to entertain other brands, but cost is going to become an issue. I'd like to stick around the $200-$220 mark for legs if at all possible. I'm trying to stay light in order to pack a tripod while hiking.
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Feb 17, 2011 22:35
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Falco posted:Which set of Induro legs did you pick up? I've been looking into the 190cxpro3 since it's CF, light, and will allow the center post to go horizontal. I don't know that I really need the center post to rotate to horizontal, but it sure would be handy at times. If it is really that bad in terms of stability I'm more than willing to entertain other brands, but cost is going to become an issue. I'd like to stick around the $200-$220 mark for legs if at all possible. I got these (CT414) http://www.indurogear.com/products_details_CT414.html which are both more than 220 and overkill for hiking. In fact I am looking at getting a 2nd tripod for hiking since I dont always take my super tele with me. Overall I have been happy with the legs, my one issue is that I never use the center column and I would like to get the short one but the legs them selves have been good.
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Feb 17, 2011 23:27
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I'm contemplating a ball head for the Manfrotto 3021BPRO I hope to buy in the buy/sell thread. It looks like I can get the Manfrotto 498RC2 for about $120, or the 488RC2 for $10 less. Two questions: 1. The RC2 part of the names refers to the quick-release plate, right? Is there any reason to seek out the RC4 (which I gather is larger)? 2. What changed when they upgraded from the 488 to the 498?
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Feb 19, 2011 00:09
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ExecuDork posted:1. The RC2 part of the names refers to the quick-release plate, right? Is there any reason to seek out the RC4 (which I gather is larger)? YES! (My opinion) I actually came here to suggest it be added to the OP, but the RC4 has a level built in, which is really useful (unless you have one of those devil cameras with a built in level). Abnegatus: I know everyone will want to add their 2c, but I think a head with a level like the RC4's is worth mentioning. I'm not knowledgeable enough to add any others to the list
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Feb 19, 2011 10:15
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The problem with built in level is that heat is very bad for them. My 'pod with a 322RC2 head lives in the trunk of my car and the level dried up after the first time the car sat in 90 degree weather.
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Feb 19, 2011 13:31
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Also on the topic of the 322RC2. If you have a nice big camera like an RZ67, it is quite difficult to see the level. Speaking of, is the 322RC2 an appropriate head to be using with a camera as heavy at the RZ67? It seems to be in spec, but the head likes to tilt if I get too of centre.
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Feb 19, 2011 16:02
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http://www.swansontoolco.com/ccl001.cfm Under $5 and a couple of ounces in your camera bag. My legs and ball head have levels on them and I use this.
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Feb 19, 2011 18:19
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I have a Manfrotto 3021Pro with a 486RC2 ball head that I'm a big fan of. I bought it quite a while ago for somewhere around $300-ish and it has taken a lot of abuse going out on location, jammed into stand bags. It hits the sweet spot of just heavy enough to do the job but not heavy enough to feel like you are lugging around bricks. The ball head is pretty good quality - the only time I have to crank down on it to get it not slip is with a 5D + long lens + heavy ring light. Works fine with heavy cameras like a Hassy though no problem. The ultra-light tripods make no sense to me, what's the point of a tripod that will be top heavy every time you use it and shake every time the wind blows? Also the heavier the tripod the less you have to worry about brushing up against it and knocking it out of position (important if you are doing some kind of bracketing or table top work). You can sand bag them but now you're carrying around 20lbs of beach which defeats the point. I prefer the twist locks over the flip locks (have pinched fingers in flip locks more times than I can count). I like geared heads for studio and ball heads for everything else. The pistol grip ball heads are a nice compromise.
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Feb 19, 2011 20:13
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brad industry posted:The ultra-light tripods make no sense to me, what's the point of a tripod that will be top heavy every time you use it and shake every time the wind blows? Also the heavier the tripod the less you have to worry about brushing up against it and knocking it out of position (important if you are doing some kind of bracketing or table top work). You can sand bag them but now you're carrying around 20lbs of beach which defeats the point. I have a Gitzo GT-1541T, which I use with a Markins Q3T ballhead. The whole thing weighs less than three pounds. The point is that I can take it with me when weight is an issue; I hike and travel with it (fits in my carry-ons). A tripod isn't going to do me any good if it's too heavy or bulky to take with me to the places I'd use it. It's also plenty solid for my uses - I don't own any lenses longer than 200mm or do studio work.
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Feb 19, 2011 20:51
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8th-samurai posted:The problem with built in level is that heat is very bad for them. My 'pod with a 322RC2 head lives in the trunk of my car and the level dried up after the first time the car sat in 90 degree weather. I've got the 498RC4 and never had a problem. It's probably the same level installed, but mine isn't kept in a car (shame on you). And for perspective, your car was probably hotter than 150-160 if you park it in the sun on a day like that. MediumWellDone posted:Also on the topic of the 322RC2. If you have a nice big camera like an RZ67, it is quite difficult to see the level. Most cameras are smaller than my 1-series, and I can see the level fine with that (498RC4 though). I'll give you that the RZ67 is a big bastard, but if you've got a head with a level you can still use it with any FF or APS-C slr. Better to have it than not to, I say.
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Feb 19, 2011 21:29
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MrBlandAverage posted:I have a Gitzo GT-1541T, which I use with a Markins Q3T ballhead. The whole thing weighs less than three pounds. The point is that I can take it with me when weight is an issue; I hike and travel with it (fits in my carry-ons). A tripod isn't going to do me any good if it's too heavy or bulky to take with me to the places I'd use it. It's also plenty solid for my uses - I don't own any lenses longer than 200mm or do studio work. Yeah definitely, I just prefer heavier tripods most of the time. I've never had a problem with the level in my Manfrotto, and I've left it in my trunk in 100+ degree Georgia heat.
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Feb 19, 2011 21:31
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Has anyone had any experiance with the Benro Travel Angel series of tripods? http://www.benrousa.com/products_catalog_AluminumTravelAngelTripodKits.html Seems to be garnering some positive reviews online, although I've heard some variable things about Benro's ball heads.
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Feb 23, 2011 10:18
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Regarding pistol grips, I've had one of these for a couple of years now, and my biggest gripe with it is that when you let up off the trigger it doesn't stay there. It sags just a little. This is not because I'm putting too much weight on it, it's because it's not 100% precise. It is annoying if you are shooting something that requires a precise position. For example, let's say I'm photographing a page in a book and I want the whole page to be in the frame, close to the edges. I line everything up in the viewfinder and release the grip and then it sags just a tiny bit, enough so that I have to re-compose and overcompensate for the grip. That type of thing is annoying. I would think this is probably true of standard ball heads, though, but I have never owned one so I don't know. Also, range of motion is partially limited and there are some positions that are just not possible. Edit: I disagree with Thom Hogan when he says "buy the right tripod once" ($1,000 vs. $1,700) because it's impossible to know what the right tripod will be. Some of the $300 setups from Manfrotto are suitable for the majority of photographers, only a small percentage need hardcore setups. So it would be silly to spend $1,000 right out of the gate. Mannequin fucked around with this message at 12:31 on Feb 23, 2011 |
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Feb 23, 2011 12:21
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I've never used a non-garbage pistol gripped head.
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Feb 23, 2011 15:05
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Are ball heads more precise than pan tilt heads?
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Feb 23, 2011 16:19
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AIIAZNSK8ER posted:Are ball heads more precise than pan tilt heads? No, just more convenient. Pan-tilts can do everything a ball head can do (and I'm sure in some cases better, depending on head/situation), but take more effort to get them in position.
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Feb 23, 2011 16:21
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Atalante01 posted:Has anyone had any experiance with the Benro Travel Angel series of tripods? I had a play with one when looking for a tripod. ended up getting a C2000 series because I had a manfrotto head. The benro head is ok, but I think the manfrotto is better. They are rather small tripods, and you will always get better results with the centre column down so that makes them smaller again. Build quality wise they're fine. But they are too short for me and I already had a better head. Also, if you're buying light, buy carbon. The difference is significant after a few hours hiking.
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Feb 23, 2011 21:24
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evil_bunnY posted:I've never used a non-garbage pistol gripped head. I'm talking about pretty tight restrictions. Under normal use you wouldn't see it, but if you wanted to -- like I said, line up the page of a book in your viewfinder so that it completely filled the frame -- I have problems having it stay where I let off the grip. It drops just a very tiny bit, but sometimes that's enough so that you have to re-compose.
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Feb 23, 2011 23:53
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I've got the same pistol grip head as mannequin - I like it overall. The advantage of the pistol grip is being able to do quick and one-handed adjustments. Its pretty sturdy - not so much so as a similarly priced ballhead - but good enough. The heaviest thing I've put on it was a 70-200 2.8 and a 5D mk2, and it managed fine.
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Feb 24, 2011 00:21
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Atalante01 posted:Has anyone had any experiance with the Benro Travel Angel series of tripods? Yes. I have one as my travel tripod (I leave it at my second office for when I travel there). I like it, but wouldn't have it as my go to tripod. Not as stable, not as versatile.
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Feb 24, 2011 01:02
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Someone I work for has a pistol grip that works really well, and she uses it with a really heavy Mamiya. Not sure which one it is but I will see if I can find out.
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Feb 24, 2011 04:22
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torgeaux posted:Yes. I have one as my travel tripod (I leave it at my second office for when I travel there). I like it, but wouldn't have it as my go to tripod. Not as stable, not as versatile. Just looking for a decent travel tripod that is actually affordable really. The stable-compact-affordable tripod seems to be a fiction however. Of those three I'd probably compromise compact first, has anyone got any other recommendations?
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Feb 24, 2011 06:39
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I'm looking at the Manfrotto 190XPROB tripod kit with 496 RC2 ball head on B & H Photo Video for my first tripod and a hahnel remote. Is this a good buy and why is it $184 US as opposed to the (slightly) less pro 190XB, unless I'm mistaken?
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Feb 24, 2011 09:34
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Auditore posted:I'm looking at the Manfrotto 190XPROB tripod kit with 496 RC2 ball head on B & H Photo Video for my first tripod and a hahnel remote. Is this a good buy and why is it $184 US as opposed to the (slightly) less pro 190XB, unless I'm mistaken? I use this exact setup and I love it. A little heavy (but unless you go carbon fibre you dont have much of an option) but no other complaints.
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Feb 24, 2011 10:00
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