Tripod for Landscape Use! Recomendations please and weight not really an issue!

captures.in.time

captures.in.time

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Hi

Im looking for a tripod for use on Landscapes to replace a Velbon 600 sherpa.

I have a great travel and lightweight tripod I use for that kind of stuff but when i'm home and shooting landscapes I want something solid... the velbon is not it! I was thinking of a manfrotto 055 type tripod... but not really too sure!

What are peoples recomendations... I want it to have great build quality and be heavy to stand up to high winds as they are often an issue living in Scotland! Weight is not really too much of an issue as i'm a strong fit lad... and would never be that far away from the car with this tripod...

As for budget... i'd like to spend no more than about £200 really... and i'd def want whatever model to be able to be fitted with spiked feet as i'm often in long grass or muddy situations and these would def help stability!

All ideas welcome!
 
meant to say... already have a ball and socket manfrotto head and a silk pan and tilt one which are fine... and would just intend on using them rather than buy another head!
 
Anything other than a red snapper?

And what model of theirs would you suggest?
 
I'd recommend the 055 xprob, well within budget. I've just received a 190 xprob today and my friend has the 055. Excellent pieces of kit, well made and sturdy. Not used a redsnapper, but heard they're pretty good too though.
 
I sold my 055b, it was hopeless. Lots of people seem to like them, they seem "sturdy" true, but their legs transmit vibrations like nobody's business and that renders all the sturdiness in the world moot.

I replaced it with a Benro C257 (No typo) from a store in Europe, ordered online. However I absolutely should have bought the C358 instead, which although being 500g heavier is MUCH sturdier.

The Benro C257 is OK when bagged down, but without extra weight is too flighty. I wish I'd got the C358 instead :( If you don't care about weight, look into products by Berlebach, their tripods are reported to be very very good, but relatively inexpensive.

When it comes to heads, I got a Markins M20, though the M10 is also incredibly good.
 
This one might be overkill but I've got a Tre-d Mid pro up for sale if you're interested. This one... LINK

and another LINK2 to the Tre-D home page

Italian (of course). Construction and finish is every bit as good as Gitzo, but they must have a useless marketing setup because they're virtually unheard of over here. Terrible website to navigate around too.

Absolutely rock solid but also VERY heavy at 5.5 Kg without a head. Suitable for medium and large format professional kit up to 15kg load (I think the manfrotto 055 takes up to 6kg ).
You'd have to be pretty fit to think of lugging it around for miles though. Other than the sheer weight of it the only drawback I can see for what you were asking for is that it doesn't have spiky feet. They're probably available from Tre-D but I've never found it needed them.

I'm looking for half your budget + carriage (£120 total) and the condition is excellent. If your interested drop me a pm and I'll email you some pics.

cheers
 
markelliot said:
That is too expensive... thinking of the manfrotto 055 Pro x

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

Manfrotto 055XPROB
Had this for a year now and it has proved a great workhorse.
easy to use,
vertical horizontal centre column proved handy getting shots from v low.
about £100 - 120 for the legs only ....

gets my rec at least.
 
http://markins.com/charlie/report4e6.pdf

http://ogiroux.blogspot.com/2008/08/tripod-testing-results.html

http://www.bythom.com/support.htm


Read these, then counterintuitively save money by spending more. (Sounds just like Flash Gordon's economic plan!)

Whilst you're saving up for something that works properly, buy a camera bean bag from the fella that sells them here on the forum, http://www.camerabeanbags.co.uk/
He's a nice chap, and the product works like a charm, weighs nothing and is dirt cheap.
 
Denyerec said:
http://markins.com/charlie/report4e6.pdf

http://ogiroux.blogspot.com/2008/08/tripod-testing-results.html

http://www.bythom.com/support.htm


Read these, then counterintuitively save money by spending more. (Sounds just like Flash Gordon's economic plan!)

Whilst you're saving up for something that works properly, buy a camera bean bag from the fella that sells them here on the forum, http://www.camerabeanbags.co.uk/
He's a nice chap, and the product works like a charm, weighs nothing and is dirt cheap.
Click to expand...


Thanks for your help... but I gave up after reading about 5 mins of those articles... just a bit too scientific for my liking ... and just dont have the cash for a £400 tripod... So its looking like the manfrotto 055 it will be... unless anyone has any other ideas...
 
6 months ago, Dad was trying to get rid of a Gandolfi tripod. Wooden construction and built like a brick outhouse - for an 8x10 camera IIRC! I think it ended up going to Camerex in Exeter.

Only problem with it is weight but you did say that wasn't an issue. Oh, it's quite bulky too!
 
Manfrotto 075. You could mount a fridge on it. I got mine secondhand and I don't know if they're still made or what replaced them. It holds my industrial weight LF camera.
 
Manfrotto 055 is the obvious choice. Bigger and a bit heavier than the biggest Redsnapper. Most dealers stock them so you can have a look see. There are plenty bigger still, but I doubt you'd want to lug them around.

My next tripod is probably going to be a Benro carbon fibre - very good Chinese Gitzo copies, but still quite expensive. You might have to buy blind mail order though. Microglobe sell them http://www.microglobe.co.uk/catalog/index.php?cPath=815
 
I am very happy with my 055. It feels very secure. The 190 would probably do, but the extra heft of the 055 is welcome. I reason that a tripod is only for keeping the camera secure, so it's not about convenience although I rarely take it outside. I can see no reason to go stronger though.

Graham
 
Thanks Everyone...

Just went with the Manfrotto 055 Pro ... Just got the legs as already have two nice heads... manfrotto ball and socket and silk pan and tilt... Got the spiked feet with it too... then really went for it and ordered a ten stop ND as now got the legs to support such a long shutter speed!

All from WE! And reasonably priced.

Thanks for all the suggestions... but it seemed the Manfrotto was the only real contender to me in my budget!

Just waiting for the postman!
 
markelliot said:
Just waiting for the postman!
Click to expand...

Bit big for a Posties bag! Wait for the PARCELman instead!
Yes, I have a Manfrotto 190cl but with a Benro head. Bit heavy carting it around the hills, but rock steady. I'm sure you will be happy with it!
 
I have a gitzo 1325 for sale if you're interested, you wont get a better tripod.
 
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