Compact/portable tripod

Astraeus

Astraeus

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Ciaran
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I need a compact and very portable tripod for travelling and excursion use. Usual, everyday tripods are just too heavy and too cumbersome for my requirements. Stability needn't be absolutely fantastic as I will not be doing long exposures and I will adapt the tripod to use an other means as a weight.

Having scoured posts on this forum and across the internet, the following models are the ones which seem to fit the bill. Can anyone advise as to one against another? The maximum height isn't of paramount importance so long as self-portraits don't noticably appear to be "looking up" to me.

Slik Sprint Mini II GM
- £60.28 at Microglobe
- Folded: 360mm, Maximum: 1100mm

Velbon Ultra Luxi L
- £78.97 at Morris Photo
- Folded: 390mm, Maximum: 1610mm

Redsnapper Squat Tripod
- £69.95 at Redsnapper
- Folded: 400mm, Maximum: 910mm

Giottos GB1060
- £28.99 at Amazon
- Folded: 330mm, Maximum: 600mm

Manfrotto Modo 785B
- £42.99 at Warehouse Express
- Folded: 435mm, Maximum: 1505mm

Many thanks for any help that can be provided. :thumbs:
 
I've got a Manfrotto 785B....it's certainly small and light enough to carry around, I just hook it onto my LowePro Slingshot 100.

Unless you put it at full extension it's pretty solid. I have my 5d2 + 24-105 and 430EX on it indoors no problems, was certainly fine with my 30D + sigma 10-20 outdoors even in a stiff breeze.

I'd keep it even if I bought a 'proper' beefy tripod, very easy to carry :)
 
Ok just had a heart-attack moment with the loaded 5D2 and the Manfrotto 785B! Wouldn't recommend it for that much kit......the ball head just gave out and released on me. Time for a tripod upgrade!
 
Not sure how much help this is, but this may help other people - if money is no object, you could try looking into a carbon fibre Benro Travel Angel - the series start from 800g (including head its 1000g), and are almost full size (depending on how tall you are) not little compact ones. They fold to 35-40cm I think from the top of my head, full height inc. head is 160-170cm ish, and can hold 8kg (ball head 12kg). They also come in a cheaper (and slightly heavier) aluminium variety. Quite costly though, but a lot cheaper if you buy from ebay. I've got the C168-M8 with J1 head, and it set me back about £230ish delivered (luckily no custom charge). They are gitzo traveller clones for around 1/3rd of the price!
 
Kanine said:
Not sure how much help this is, but this may help other people - if money is no object, you could try looking into a carbon fibre Benro Travel Angel - the series start from 800g (including head its 1000g), and are almost full size (depending on how tall you are) not little compact ones. They fold to 35-40cm I think from the top of my head, full height inc. head is 160-170cm ish, and can hold 8kg (ball head 12kg). They also come in a cheaper (and slightly heavier) aluminium variety. Quite costly though, but a lot cheaper if you buy from ebay. I've got the C168-M8 with J1 head, and it set me back about £230ish delivered (luckily no custom charge). They are gitzo traveller clones for around 1/3rd of the price!
Click to expand...

Unfortunately that'll be just too expensive I'm afraid. I really wouldn't want to break the £100 mark if it could be avoided. Thanks for the recommendation anyway.

mastertrinity said:
if you arent bothered about brand, then there is a jessops carbon fibre tripod thats on special at £99.99!
Click to expand...

That's more expensive than most of the ones on here and doesn't fold down to nearly the same size.
 
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