New tripod

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Mark_C

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Hello all,
This is my first post here so would just like to say a quick Hi to everybody, hope you've had a fantastic Christmas and new year.

I am in the budget for a decent, solid tripod. I would prefer it to be of carbon fibre construction as I will be carrying it amongst some rugged conditions here in rainy Wales and possibly Scotland in the summer, so weight is a big issue.

I was looking at some of the Manfrotto and Giottos offerings but I've noticed Red Snapper tripods are highly regarded here and seem to be sold at very competitive prices compared to their counterparts. I've been looking on their site and have noticed they sell their popular 263 tripod in a carbon fibre, just wondering what people's experiences are with this particular tripod? I know it's quite a price hike from the aluminium version but weight is really in issue for me, especially when carrying other stuff around over long distances too.

Also, looking at the tripod heads, the RSH-12 Ball head looks a desirable choice and very well made, what are people's experiences with these? Does anyone have both of these together? If so would you recommend them?

My equipment comprises of a Canon EOS 5D Mk II with a 24-105 L lens, so nothing immensely heavy, I may possibly consider a 70-200mm f/2.8 at some point as my current lens doesn't have great reach, I don't fancy going bankrupt straight away though! :-)

Any input on this would be great. :)

Mark.
 
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Budget?

For a very high quality tripod at half the price of Gitzo, have a look at Benro. Loads of choice, recommended supplier http://stores.ebay.com/DCs-Photogra...03154018&_sid=896782438&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322 C-257 or 258 should suit, v light and strong. Their B-series and J-series ball heads are quality, also look at their Travel Angels.

RSH-12 is a very nice ball head, bargain £50. Red Snapper legs are a bit wobbly, but what do you expect for fifty quid. I've not tried the carbon version.
 
Thanks for the reply.

Oops, sorry I forgot to mention one of the most crucial things! the price limit!! :bonk:

My limit would be about £200 for the tripod. I guess 'budget' is the wrong word to use if I'll be spending this much. :-)

I've just taken a look of those Benro tripods, they look fantastic, my choice is even harder to make now! :D

Have you had any experience with these tripods? The C-198 M8 looks a desirable purchase for me as it folds up to a small space, is very light and can hold 8kg of weight! The bigger models look tempting though.

The only thing that concerns me is the possibility of customs charges from China. :-(
 
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I use Manfrotto myself but on a recent visit to a Jessops store I was quite impressed with the Giottos low end range. This little fella comes in at just under 2kg and features a Quick release plate as well.

http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/76434/show.html?cm_vc=PPZ1

The Jessops major carbon fire looked and felt nice too but I felt the head let it down a little as it had no QR plate, but an excellent price(on special at the mo) for a pretty big and lightweight Carbon Fibre.You could always get it at that excellent price and if (and only if) you didn't like the head you could replace it and still have an good value kit.

http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/76932/show.html

Oops posting crossover! I just read your "Budget" so forget what I said.:naughty:
 
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i have just bought one of these

http://www.jessops.com/online.store...ine.store/products/76434/show.html?cm_vc=PPZ1

enter code TRIPODS15 at checkout and it comes in at £70.55 too which is a bargain.

i am more than impressed with it.

built quality, weight, style, function .. its perfect.

cost less than half of some of the manfrottos and cheaper than redsnapper .. i couldnt see the point in spending more in the shop as it just wasnt worth it ..

but this is one decent tripod
 
There you go that's a thumbs up for my first suggestion and from a satisfied owner too. :clap: I really liked the feel of it in the shop and it looked substantial.
 
Hi guys,
Thank you for all of your input, I appreciate it! I've considered all options mentioned here but upon further research I have decided to take the plunge and go for a Benro Travel Angel 268/269 + B-1 Ball head kit. These come in at £245, not cheap I know but it looks a quality piece of kit and going by reviews online it looks a solid choice. The B-1 ball head looks sturdy and at the same time light weight, suiting the tripod it goes with.

This package looks like it offers the best of both worlds for me, it's extremely compact when packed up, very strong and quick to set up and includes a nice carry bag, just what I need when I'm out in the open. It can handle loads of up to 12kg which is way more than what I require, but a generous surplus on top of what's needed is never a bad thing.

There are probably cheaper options out there that can perform a similar job but I know I would only end up wanting something more substantial later on down the line if I went for the cheaper route. For me personally, that would be false economy.

Here it is:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BENRO-C-269-M...304?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cacbfa038

The only dilemma now is to choose between the 268 and the 269 model. The latter has 5 leg sections whereas the former has 4. Difference of course being that former is slightly longer folded up (423mm vs 371mm.) I've been told that having less sections increases sturdiness but will it make such a difference as to warrant having a longer tripod do you reckon?

There is also a version which being identical to the above, allows for it to be dismantled and used as a monopod at no extra cost. While the idea of this sounds good, I can't help but think that having additional removable parts on the tripod aids instability, what do you think?

I hate having to make so many choices!! :(
 
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£200 is a modest budget for a quality tripod. You can pay much more than that just for the head!

I have never paid a penny extra from DC's Store in three purchases, and neither has anyone else on here that I know of. This may be just luck though ;)

I was going to say get a 2-series model, the extra size/weight is small compared to the extra strength. Weight loadings are completely random and virtually meaningless as far as I can tell.

Your camera and lens are quite heavy, and the 70-200L 2.8 is undoubtedly a lump. I would suggest a 2-series head as well, B-2 or J-2, though I don't think the Travel Angel's legs will fold flush with one of these on board. You can get heads with smaller bases specifically for this, eg Markins Q3T I think it is called - v good head, but that will put you well over budget.

How many leg sections is a tough one. The best tripods are not seriously impaired by an extra leg joint (cheap ones certainly are) but if you want short folding length then more joints are inevitable. Less joints are also quicker to set up.
 
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