[rfortson]

I wonder how many people actually use weight suspended under a tripod to reduce vibrations, and whether it works well enough to justify the effort? After all, I have enough weight to carry around without worrying about more for the tripod (few loose rocks or sand laying around city streets).

stewart

I've used my backpack before. I agree, carrying extra weight is crazy, though.

[Canada_Rockies]

I've used my backpack before. I agree, carrying extra weight is crazy, though.

Another thought is to make a fabric bag out of something close to canvas, and fill it with rocks when you need the weight. No weight or space loss while carrying it. I've got my 30-40 pound backpack, so I never bother.

[stewart_photo]

Well on specs i may seem in the overkill department... My main and daily used tripod is a pair of Velbon Sherpa Pro CF 740 tripod legs with a Graf Studioball head. total setup weight approx 4.5 kg. Will litterally do a long exposure during a blizzard with gusts at +100 km/h.

Looked it up. Specs are very similar to my Davis & Sanford CarbonLite X10 tripod described earlier. Yours is rated to support slightly more weight (18lbs yours versus 14lbs mine) and weighs slightly less (5.1lbs v. 5.4lbs). However, mine is slightly taller (68" v. 70") and folds slightly smaller (22" v. 17.5"). Flip-locks versus twist-locks on yours. Prefer the fatter feet on mine. Either is a good tripod.

Your ballhead has the nice pan feature while mine has the sliding quick release. Fairly similar otherwise.

My citypod is a pair of Induro A114 tripod legs with short center column and an acratech ultimate ball head. under 2kg and sturdy enough to do what I need it to, when on a city stroll or travelling ultralight. (snip)

We differ greatly here. You were obviously still seeking robust performance while I wanted a very compact and ultra lightweight travel tripod. I purchased the Velbon Ultra MAXiF tripod and replaced the head with the Velbon PH-353 ballhead. The result is a super compact (14" folded) tripod that easily straps to my walkabout/travel backpack and weighs only 2 pounds (0.9kg).

With the legs spread only about a foot apart (not fully spread), this setup is handled more like a monopod than a tripod. And it works fairly well when used in this manner. If more is likely needed, I'll drag along the Davis & Sanford tripod mentioned above or simply make do (with any available suppport, a higher ISO for faster shutter speeds, or whatever).

(snip) Another important part of it, is the Kirk L-bracket attached to my camera.. I would not be without it. (snip)

I use a Stroboframe Vertaflip in the studio, but only in the studio. The tripod is used alone elsewhere.

stewart

[Duplo]

Looked it up. Specs are very similar to my Davis & Sanford CarbonLite X10 tripod described earlier. Yours is rated to support slightly more weight (18lbs yours versus 14lbs mine) and weighs slightly less (5.1lbs v. 5.4lbs). However, mine is slightly taller (68" v. 70") and folds slightly smaller (22" v. 17.5"). Flip-locks versus twist-locks on yours. Prefer the fatter feet on mine. Either is a good tripod.

Similar in specs, but not in price it seems and IIRC not in stability either, but I am not going to argue with oyu on it, I just disagree.

Your ballhead has the nice pan feature while mine has the sliding quick release. Fairly similar otherwise.

You are calling this:
Giottos | M7001 Ballhead with Sliding Plate | MH7001-621 | B&H
and this:
Studioball | SB-QR Studioball with Quick Release | GRSBQR | B&H
Fairly similar? Sorry but they are not.

We differ greatly here. You were obviously still seeking robust performance while I wanted a very compact and ultra lightweight travel tripod. I purchased the Velbon Ultra MAXiF tripod and replaced the head with the Velbon PH-353 ballhead. The result is a super compact (14" folded) tripod that easily straps to my walkabout/travel backpack and weighs only 2 pounds (0.9kg).

With the legs spread only about a foot apart (not fully spread), this setup is handled more like a monopod than a tripod. And it works fairly well when used in this manner. If more is likely needed, I'll drag along the Davis & Sanford tripod mentioned above or simply make do (with any available suppport, a higher ISO for faster shutter speeds, or whatever).

Yep stability was what i went for, but I would still call <2 kg for light

[stewart_photo]

Similar in specs, but not in price it seems and IIRC not in stability either, but I am not going to argue with oyu on it, I just disagree.

No argument, just variations in opinion. Since I haven't actually used your tripod system, I'll not make any claims about it's stability or lack thereof. But, since the specs (weight, height, load capacity, etc) are fairly close, and the basic designs (canopy, leg mounts, etc) and materials are nearly identical, I doubt my tripod is all that much less stable. As I said before, both are good tripods. You're obviously satisfied with yours and I'm satisfied with mine, and that's what really matters.

You are calling this:
Giottos | M7001 Ballhead with Sliding Plate | MH7001-621 | B&H
and this:
Studioball | SB-QR Studioball with Quick Release | GRSBQR | B&H
Fairly similar? Sorry but they are not.

In terms of actual use, yes. Your ballhead supports more weight, but the tripod legs won't support even half that. That pretty much negates the ballhead's weight advantage. Either will support far more weight then the K10D with 300mm lens, grip, and flash (roughly 5lbs/2.3kg), so again a wash. Finally, both are substantial ballheads with a substantial ball and locking mechanism, so no great differences there. All things considered, I still say they're fairly similar - or, if you prefer, not that different with all things considered.

stewart

[kenyee]

I have the 3021pro (aka Manfrotto 055) as well. To lighten the load, yank out the center column...most people don't need it. It'll then feel much lighter (almost as light as the 3010 you were considering. Also, get a good strap for it like the optech strap. It'll distribute the load much better and it'll feel comfortable (though it won't work w/ a backpack all that well if you use a strap).

[dmadden]

I have the 190xbpro, its light enough to carry everywhere. I'm only 5ft 9" so the height works for me, but its still a little short at times. If your taller go for the 055XPROB, i would'nt get the older 3021pro because the 055 is the newer version in that line. I also use the swing around boom a lot, for macro.

[Canada_Rockies]

I have the 190xbpro, its light enough to carry everywhere. I'm only 5ft 9" so the height works for me, but its still a little short at times. If your taller go for the 055XPROB, i would'nt get the older 3021pro because the 055 is the newer version in that line. I also use the swing around boom a lot, for macro.

For macro work, I carry a Benbo Trekker. It has to be the most awkward tripod in the world to set up. There is a single locking lever that releases the sliding boom and all three legs at the same time. Everything flops when you unlock it.

On the other hand, there are no restrictions as to where the legs are or at what angle they are set, and this is independent of the boom. I have set this thing up on the side of a hill with legs in all (well, three) different angles and heights, and the boom slid out sideways.

The other thing the Benbo has that I have not seen on other tripods is that the largest leg sections are on the bottom of the legs, and slide up over the top sections. Whoopee! no mud in the leg slides!

Except when you step into a big hole in the swamp, of course. And don't expect any sympathy from SWMBO - she will be laughing her head off at you, helplessly, and not helpfully, while you try to get your shoe out of the sticky mud after it came off your foot while holding the tripod and trying not to soak your non-weatherprood MZ-S and 400/5.6 and 1.4x and still get out of the swamp. Whaddaya mean, I'm speaking of personal experience? I didn't get the shot of the heron either. Expletive deleted.

[Buddha Jones]

My tripod setup will be here tomorrow... just in time for the weekend. After several hours of coding, i know that I am going to be jonesing to get out of the house.

[creampuff]

Used to be a long time Manfrotto user but have happily switched to Gitzo CF. Worth every cent.

[stewart_photo]

For macro work, I carry a Benbo Trekker. It has to be the most awkward tripod in the world to set up. There is a single locking lever that releases the sliding boom and all three legs at the same time. Everything flops when you unlock it. (snip)

Was actually considering a Benbo Trekker at one time and finally found one set up in a local store to physically see and study. Even though I had read about the famous flop, I turned that knob anyway while playing with it. The whole thing turned into spaghetti at that point, made worse by me picking it up while trying to restore it to the previous condition.

During my brief struggles afterwards, one leg just barely missed a passing female customer while another hit the bottom of a nearby metal shelf with enough noise to cause all in the area, including a store employee, to notice my predicament. That employee immediately came over and in two or three quick movements had the entire thing under control. At that point, however, I was too afraid to even touch it.

I eventually purchased another tripod, but that store experience had nothing at all to do with that decision.

stewart

[Buddha Jones]

Well tomorrow turned into almost a week. As those of you who remember, I decided to buy a tripod a little bit ago and it came in today. The first thing that I notice is OMG this sucker is heavy. It is build like a tank (I most definitely will be buying the lighter one eventually) and I like it. Compared to my first tripod, the Wolf Camera special, which is all plastic and some aluminum, this thing is an absolute beast. I love the legs, I love the ball head, I can't wait to try it out!

[kenyee]

buddha: try taking off the center column. And tank = more stability ;-)

[Canada_Rockies]

Well tomorrow turned into almost a week. As those of you who remember, I decided to buy a tripod a little bit ago and it came in today. The first thing that I notice is OMG this sucker is heavy. It is build like a tank (I most definitely will be buying the lighter one eventually) and I like it. Compared to my first tripod, the Wolf Camera special, which is all plastic and some aluminum, this thing is an absolute beast. I love the legs, I love the ball head, I can't wait to try it out!

Here are a few ideas for you.

• To carry this thing over the shoulder, pad the upper leg sections with water pipe insulation
• Strip down to the short section of the column only. Any column extension turns the tripod into a monopod with a three legged base
• Practice with the camera and head for a while before you try to use it for real. You should not have to look at the tripod to do anything.

I'm very happy with my 055B - despite the weight.

[Tingchaleun]

Well, i didn't want to start a whole new thread, but i do have the 180xp - the one without the "cool" center-column-arm. and i combined that with a giottos pan head (5001). I'll give a short review here: Manfrottoa AWESOME PRODUCT - great quality - that's all i gotta say bout that.

The Giottos head, i thought was built really solid and tight, but after about 3-4 months of use (indoor, outdoor), the thing broke, but still operable. I noticed that the hinges or axis-pivot point had a plastic washer between the joints and this plastic was lubricated in some sort of grease or oil. The problem is, the lubrication became more like a glue when i took it outside in the Canadian weather (0- (-5) degree celsius) - which i don't think is that cold. BUt anyways, how i broke it was when the lubrication became stiff, i forced the movement of the pan head and the plastic was pinched between a static and moving part, so it snapped off... Another less minor detail is the paint is coming off.... Also, if you mount your camera on the head, with the quick release between you and the plate, vertical shots are taken with the hand grip on the bottom. The quick release also becomes an obstruction (hits my cheek) if i go too closely to the viewfinder...Should have bought the manfrotto head as well.