Thanks Godfrey - that will help a lot. I looked at the Manfrotto 190Pro series. Very nice and would do what I want. However the cost of even the aluminium version with pan head is probably more than I can justify - unless I can't find anything suitable for less money.
Thanks also for the other responses - much appreciated. I think a pan head is going to be more useful to me than the ball head. Peter - I'd like to look at your Velbon Sherpa - I'll contact you off list. Cheers Brian ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Brian Walters Western Sydney Australia http://members.westnet.com.au/brianwal/SL/ On Thu, 12 Mar 2009 10:37 -0700, "Godfrey DiGiorgi" <[email protected]> wrote: > How I Buy A Tripod: > > - First consider what you want the tripod to support. Add the total > weight of camera and lens assembly to find a maximum. > > - Consider what kind of head suits your uses best. Ball heads are best > for speed and positioning flexibility. 3D heads are best for > positioning precision and cost. Ball heads that support a lot of > weight and operate precisely are expensive. Geared 3D heads are the > most precise, cost a bit less for the weight they carry, but take a > penalty in setup speed. Also consider the options in a quick release > camera mounting ... It's often important to be able to get the camera/ > lens on and off the head quickly for carrying. (I simplify here: I > only buy heads that I can fit an Arca-Swiss type QR clamp onto.) Look > at various heads in the type and price range that suits your needs, > get their weight. Add that to the maximum weight of camera and lens > above. > > - Now you can consider legs. Questions: > > How much elevation do you need? > > How much weight does it need to be able to support? > (Whatever a set of legs is rated, be sure that it's 20-30% more > than > the maximum weight of camera and lens plus head above.) > > How much weight am I willing to carry? > > Does it need to be compact for traveling or will it live in the car? > > Will it spend most of its time in a studio or tabletop setup, or > does it have to be > quick to use in the field? > > How much flexibility in positioning the camera is needed ... swing > column, > leg positioning, low angle etc etc? > > How much can I afford? > > - Caveats: > > We often tend to think of a tripod that addresses ALL our needs, but > then use it for only one or two specific things. That means we tend to > over-buy for elevation, or load carrying capacity, or compactness, or > lightness, etc. Think carefully about what you need/want the tripod > for, and what edge cases you really shouldn't spend disproportionately > on. > --- > > I currently own three tripods. I tend to prefer ball heads for their > speed and positionability, and nowadays my weight needs are such that > if they can hold a 7 lbs camera and lens steadily, position it > precisely, I'm good. That puts me to the middle class of professional > ball head ($300-400)... > > 1: Bogen-Manfrotto 3021BN legs fitted with Kirk Photo BH-1 head, > Really Right Stuff lever-action QR clamp > I bought these legs as a remaindered item from Porters for $80 after > they were discontinued, a heckuva deal. They're three section, alloy > legs with lever clamps, very fast to set up, and capable of supporting > 15-20 lbs easily. Simple tripod with simple column. Maximum elevation > with full column extension is about 72". The Kirk head I bought when I > was shooting with Hasselblad equipment, so it's a bit of overkill for > my current lighter gear, $450. The tripod is not light, around 8 lbs, > so they get used around my apartment for tabletop and to hold lights, > or when I'm going places where I can drive and/or need a lot of > elevation. > > 2: Feisol CT3442 Tournament legs fitted with Acratech Ultimate Ball > Head, Really Right Stuff lever-action QR clamp > These legs are very light CF + aircraft aluminum allow construction. > Four section with twist locks means they fold down very compactly for > their elevation, and the column options are diverse but slow to change > from one to another. They support up to 25lbs, way more than I need, > and can achieve 74 inch elevation with full column extension, while > also allowing camera positions down to about a foot. There are options > for cross tube column support, different feet, etc etc. The Acratech > head is one of the lightest precise heads available that can support a > 20lb load, and is very nice to work with with good ergonomic controls. > $380 for the legs, $340 for the head. Package in its carry case weighs > 4.1 lbs all up, is a bundle 19" long and 5" in diameter. > > 3: Bogen-Manfrotto 190CXpro3 legs fitted with Markins Q3 Emilie head > This is at one and the same time the most compromised of my tripods > and the most used. They're the lightest ... just shy of 3 lbs > complete ... and hold the least ... rated for 11 lbs (still overkill!) > and are in the middle between the other two on collapsed size (about > 4" diameter, 28" long). They achieve about 60" elevation. But the > elevation is what I need 90% of the time, I'm usually using lighter- > than-maximum gear, they are the fastest to set up and take down, and > the cross-tube-column support is the fastest and easiest way to get > low angle and do field macro work setups I've seen. The little Markins > Q3 head is very precise, beautifully made, and has great controls; > supports more than I need easily. Legs cost me $225, head cost me > $269. Since I bought these, I have used them more than 90% of the > time ... They are by default what I grab whenever I'm running out of > the apartment to do a shooting session. > > > Godfrey > > > On Mar 12, 2009, at 5:37 AM, Brian Walters wrote: > > > G'day all > > > > My Velbon CX540 tripod was originally bought as a stop gap measure, a > > gap that has now reached something like 20 years. The tripod is just > > passably steady if I use a camera and short zoom (and hang a bag of > > rocks off the bottom of it) but it's near useless with a telephoto > > lens > > attached. > > > > Clearly, something has to be done and budget limitations > > notwithstanding, the time has come to upgrade. > > > > I'm looking at something like the Slik 500DX which can support about 5 > > kg and sells here for around $A180 with SH-705E Pan head. With the > > head, > > it weighs 2.5 kg, which is about 1 kg more than the Velbon. I've also > > looked at the Slik > > 700DX with PRO 700 DX head at around $A225 - it looks good but seems a > > bit heavy. > > > > Does anyone have any experience with these tripods or can anyone > > suggest > > any alternatives. Anyone familiar with the Velbon Sherpa range? > > > > Also, what are the pros and cons of ball heads versus pan heads? > > > > -- -- http://www.fastmail.fm - mmm... 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