tripod help needed

Mark-Anthony

Mark-Anthony

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Hi all

I'm on the lookout for a tripod (again)

Last November I put up a thread about tripods, which ended in me buying a 3LT carbon one.

I took it to Thailand with me for a two week trip where it proved triumphant. However, back in the UK, I've noticed that it's quite wobbly with wind. I think that is due to it being a 3 leg extender withe the single pole support for the cam...

are there any tripods out there which are solid in these conditions? What am I looking for?
 
I'm trying to find one that's the right balance of weight and stability.....I think I've decided on a Manfrotto 055cx
 
Good point, forgot about the head aswell.

Ideally, ill need it for my 70-200 and I'm looking at buying a 150-600. It'll be purely for owl spotting mainly. Then used to landscape shots with a 10-20 fitted (nice and light)
 
A friend of mine just bought this from Amazon......http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00ICFIV...47&sr=8-2&keywords=manfrotto+x+pro+3+way+head

It's rock solid with good build quality and a bargain for that money. I would go for this but a little too heavy for me. With his D800 with grip and Lens attached it's a fair amount of weight to move. I think the legs are 2.1kgs + another 1kg for the head. Add the 1kg body, grip & lens.....

The carbon version feels feather light in comparison.....the carbon legs are 600g lighter and I will go for the Xpro ball head which is another 0.5kgs saving. I'm not a big fan of battery grips so this will also save me a bit.

Weight saving when chatting about tripods is often argued a bad thing, but mist of my photography is out walking and hiking and hefty kit is a killer for me. I have no choice but to take advantage of weight saving where I can.
 
Sadly you cannot beat physics completely, the more stable ones will inevitably be the heavier options......one that takes a ballast weight bag under the column then use rocks local to your shoot perhaps?
 
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Neil Pho said:
Tournament class? Are we supposed to be jousting with them?
Click to expand...
Maybe ... but it is an utterly superb tripod and incredibly light too. I've used mine for nearly a year now and in every case it has proven to be better than the 'frotto 055 it replaced. Just be aware that any centre column is extra, not an issue for me but some macro shooters may want/need a centre column.
 
I have just written below on another thread strumstrum (David).

I have paired it with a Sunwayfoto DB44 Ballhead and IMO it solid but comes with the weight of 3.9kgs, fine for me as its for home use only, not sure if you would feel happy lugging this over a few miles. The main reason for me getting this over the 055 was the geared center column and the disc feet. It also comes with a very nice carry bag. I paid £134 for mine six weeks or so ago and £120 for the ballhead and another £30 on some Arca plates. It's a very solid set-up but at a weight.


from Davids thread >

"I recently bought a Vanguard tripod and I had to drop the lower legs by two inches after fitting camera and head with center column completely down. I'm six foot and bought the tripod as it has disc type feet, great for me leaving it set-up on tiled kitchen floor, along with normal and spikes. The center column is geared and easy to operate one handed. Wish I bought one sooner for ease of use, this is also rated to 18kgs and rock solid."

Some pics at link and photo of disc feet, which IMO are excellent and not something I have seen on a tripod before. The tripods are currently £99 at Wex and had a RRP of £399 and are still at $599 on Amazon .

http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-vanguard-auctus-plus-323at-aluminium-tripod/p1577605

http://www.amazon.com/VANGUARD-Auctus-Plus-323AT-Tripod/dp/B005DD6W2O

https://www.google.com/search?q=Vanguard+Auctus+Plus+323AT&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CEUQsARqFQoTCOPKw8uHksgCFQhvFAodH6YEnA&biw=1536&bih=828#imgrc=ZR1tRbvw79NdeM:

Vanguard-Auctus-Plus-323CT-7.jpg
 
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Sorry Lionel, I ended up buying a Gitzo systematic, but Paul a few posts above has one and will probably be able to answer your questions.

Looks to be an excellent tripod only reason I didn't buy was the four week wait as they were out of stock.

Seem to remember they are only available online, but they did answer my questions promptly, no duty to pay if bought from the UK or EU site

You need this site http://www.feisoleurope.com, only used the US one to show the model I was referring to

Cheers
Rich
 
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Maver!ck said:
Rich, I take it you have one of these. Did you buy it from this site or is there a UK seller, and if you did purchase it from the site was there any duty to pay?
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This is where I got mine from, based near Southampton so no duty to pay http://www.globaltechcommerce.co.uk/feisoluk/ - I've spoken with John via 'phone and he couldn't be more helpful.
 
Swanseajack said:
I have just written below on another thread strumstrum (David).

I have paired it with a Sunwayfoto DB44 Ballhead and IMO it solid but comes with the weight of 3.9kgs, fine for me as its for home use only, not sure if you would feel happy lugging this over a few miles. The main reason for me getting this over the 055 was the geared center column and the disc feet. It also comes with a very nice carry bag. I paid £134 for mine six weeks or so ago and £120 for the ballhead and another £30 on some Arca plates. It's a very solid set-up but at a weight.


from Davids thread >

"I recently bought a Vanguard tripod and I had to drop the lower legs by two inches after fitting camera and head with center column completely down. I'm six foot and bought the tripod as it has disc type feet, great for me leaving it set-up on tiled kitchen floor, along with normal and spikes. The center column is geared and easy to operate one handed. Wish I bought one sooner for ease of use, this is also rated to 18kgs and rock solid."

Some pics at link and photo of disc feet, which IMO are excellent and not something I have seen on a tripod before. The tripods are currently £99 at Wex and had a RRP of £399 and are still at $599 on Amazon .

http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-vanguard-auctus-plus-323at-aluminium-tripod/p1577605

http://www.amazon.com/VANGUARD-Auctus-Plus-323AT-Tripod/dp/B005DD6W2O

https://www.google.com/search?q=Vanguard+Auctus+Plus+323AT&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CEUQsARqFQoTCOPKw8uHksgCFQhvFAodH6YEnA&biw=1536&bih=828#imgrc=ZR1tRbvw79NdeM:

Vanguard-Auctus-Plus-323CT-7.jpg
Click to expand...
3.9kg :eek:
 
snerkler said:
3.9kg :eek:
Click to expand...

I know, although it doesn't feel to bad. I will never take this out of my property so no problems for me.

As for ease of use, for me I dont think I could have got any better. The disc feet are excellent on the tiled floor and offer more stability over conventional feet and the geared column is so easy to use for fine adjustment. I'm truly impressed with it.

I looked and tried a 055 but this is better for my use and like I said above, if I was fit and more able I wouldn't like to carry this any distance.
 
I bought one Manfrotto tripod and something 3rd party look like a videography tripod and i wasn't happy with both, then started to spend too muh or expensive money, so after that Manfrotto i immediately bought Gitzo series 1 as traveler, but it was so lightweight and not sturdy enough, then some recommended me to buy series 2 for travel, and it was really great, but i wasted even more and bought series 5 first then series 3, now i wish if i bought series 5 and 3 from beginning without all previous one, for travel i always carry series 3 which is perfect as weight and sturdy or load capacity and folding, while series 5 i always use in my country locally as i put it in my car and cary it for hiking short distances only and all my best outdoor shots with tripod are with Gitzo with all pleasure.
 
I've tried a few tripods over the years but for hiking/all day walks etc. weight is definitely a negative, I'm not getting any younger either. I now almost permanently use a Benro Travel Angel 2 CF, it's pretty light and compact so fits on the back of my rucksac for carrying and as Jerry hang the rucksac from it when the wind picks up. There's been a handful of occasions when still moved around but thinking of the conditions I'm not sure any tripod would have been sufficiently robust

Simon
 
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