[tcom]

Hi

I am going in September on a safari to Zambia and would need a tripod, especially for the evenings and early mornings. My luggage will be limited to 12kg, so I need a light tripod with ballhead, but steady enough to hold a K10D/K20D with Tokina 80-400 ATX-II.

Any advice, what are you using on travel?

[Marc Langille]

Hi

I am going in September on a safari to Zambia and would need a tripod, especially for the evenings and early mornings. My luggage will be limited to 12kg, so I need a light tripod with ballhead, but steady enough to hold a K10D/K20D with Tokina 80-400 ATX-II.

Any advice, what are you using on travel?

Hi Dominique,

You're back to Africa again?! I do like my Giottos MT9360 - light enough and small, comes with a high quality carry bag.

Best of luck and have fun! Look forward to the images.

Cheers,
Marc

[tcom]

Hi Marc

Yes, Africa once again, I am addicted to Africa. A few of the hotels shoud be overlooking a river, which hopefully will give plenty of photographing opportunities especially early morning and evening. I would have a sturdy tripod, but it is definitely too large for travelling, and too heavy given the luggage limit of 12kg...

[simonkit]

I use one of the Velbon range - ultra-luxi-F & find it a great tripod for travel. Lightweight, pretty sturdy & easy to setup

simon

[Fl_Gulfer]

Bogen / Manfrotto | 725B Digi Black Tripod with Ballhead | 725B

[tcom]

Thank you for all your answers.

Most of the light travel tripod I have seen so far can either not hold enough or are already too heavy, when one has a luggage weight limit of 12kg (all in all).

A unstable tripod or one I leave at home because it is too heavy is too expensive. So at the moment, I am considering the following tripods: Gitzo GT1540T and GT1540.

Does anyone have compared these two tripods?

[creampuff]

Thank you for all your answers.

Most of the light travel tripod I have seen so far can either not hold enough or are already too heavy, when one has a luggage weight limit of 12kg (all in all).

A unstable tripod or one I leave at home because it is too heavy is too expensive. So at the moment, I am considering the following tripods: Gitzo GT1540T and GT1540.

Does anyone have compared these two tripods?

You can't go wrong with a Gitzo CF tripod. Buy once and you don't have to worry about it. I'm using a G1157 and very pleased with the it in every way. Obviously the Traveller tripod is a little more compact but I would personally go with the GT1540. There is a link on Clubsnap where my friend posted a picture of the GT1540 with the Markins Q3 Emile ballhead. The Markins Q3 is a fantastic ballhead with a tremendous load capacity and it weighs very little, very smooth and locks firm with no creep. GT1540 + Markins Q3 is easily just under 1.5kg.

small tripod choice... - ClubSNAP Photography Forums

[bymy141]

Hi

I am going in September on a safari to Zambia and would need a tripod, especially for the evenings and early mornings. My luggage will be limited to 12kg, so I need a light tripod with ballhead, but steady enough to hold a K10D/K20D with Tokina 80-400 ATX-II.

Any advice, what are you using on travel?

From my first trip to Africa in 1978 (RSA, Mozambique and (then) Rodesia) till the one last year to Tanzania and several trips in between: you will be too late with a tripot.
Take FAST lenses with you. A monopod will do best.
And (of course) a high ISO camera (K20D??)

Have fun there, and share us your photos when you are back!

- Bert

[tcom]

From my first trip to Africa in 1978 (RSA, Mozambique and (then) Rodesia) till the one last year to Tanzania and several trips in between: you will be too late with a tripot.
Take FAST lenses with you. A monopod will do best.
And (of course) a high ISO camera (K20D??)

Have fun there, and share us your photos when you are back!

- Bert

Thank you for your advice Bert.

I do not want the tripod to use during the day, I would be too late to capture the wildlife.

I have done quite a few safaris in RSA, Namibia and Botswana. I never had a problem taking photos handheld during the day, but in the evenings, when spending the time near waterholes, I always missed a tripod to capture the wildlife.

During the trip, I should stay in lodges just above the Luangwa River. I hope to have plenty of opportunities to capture the wildlife from there in late afternoon or early morning. This is where I expect a tripod to be very useful.

I will probably take two cameras, a K20D and a K10D. Two cameras reduce changing the lenses in dusty conditions and give some backup.

Of course I will be sharing the photos.

[tcom]

You can't go wrong with a Gitzo CF tripod. Buy once and you don't have to worry about it. I'm using a G1157 and very pleased with the it in every way. Obviously the Traveller tripod is a little more compact but I would personally go with the GT1540. There is a link on Clubsnap where my friend posted a picture of the GT1540 with the Markins Q3 Emile ballhead. The Markins Q3 is a fantastic ballhead with a tremendous load capacity and it weighs very little, very smooth and locks firm with no creep. GT1540 + Markins Q3 is easily just under 1.5kg.

small tripod choice... - ClubSNAP Photography Forums

I think I will try to have my usual shop to get me a GT1540 and GT1540T to compare and hope being able to decide when handling both.

Thank you also for your recommendation about the ballhead. This Markins Q3 looks really great.

[bymy141]

Thank you for your advice Bert.

I do not want the tripod to use during the day, I would be too late to capture the wildlife.

I have done quite a few safaris in RSA, Namibia and Botswana. I never had a problem taking photos handheld during the day, but in the evenings, when spending the time near waterholes, I always missed a tripod to capture the wildlife.

During the trip, I should stay in lodges just above the Luangwa River. I hope to have plenty of opportunities to capture the wildlife from there in late afternoon or early morning. This is where I expect a tripod to be very useful.

I will probably take two cameras, a K20D and a K10D. Two cameras reduce changing the lenses in dusty conditions and give some backup.

Of course I will be sharing the photos.

Sounds like you are well equiped.
Perhaps a remote control is a good additional item to take with you.

- Bert

[tcom]

Thank you for your help.

Finally, as I could not make my mind, I have ordered in my usual store, the Gitzo GT1540T and GT1540 for testing and comparing, that will be the best way to see if the GT1540T is stable enough.

[rmtagg]

I really know nothing about this but is there any way you could ship the tripod to the hotel instead of carrying it on the plan with you?

[Paul]

I would recommend looking at the Feisol 3301 or Feisol Tournament Series 3342+Markins Q3. It's a great combo.

[Canada_Rockies]

Hi

I am going in September on a safari to Zambia and would need a tripod, especially for the evenings and early mornings. My luggage will be limited to 12kg, so I need a light tripod with ballhead, but steady enough to hold a K10D/K20D with Tokina 80-400 ATX-II.

Any advice, what are you using on travel?

My light duty/flexible tripod is a Benbo Trekker. Try one out, and give yourself enough time to weary the salesperson, as the way they work is unlike any other tripod out there. All three legs and the "column" swivel on a common axle which is released by a single handle. Each leg can be adjusted for length; the column slides. There is a bag hook on the column to steady things up for heavier setups. Just hang your camera bag, overstuffed purse, shopping bag full of rocks from the hook. The trick is not having the whole mess collapse while you have the thing unlocked. I have found (and I am still working on it!) that leaving some friction in the center area helps a lot.

Pros:

1. Quite light
2. Extremely flexible
3. Bag hook to add stability
4. Legs collapse in reverse: the big part is on the bottom where it sticks into the mud
5. No fixed shape

Cons:

1. Need to use a weight on the hook for my 400
2. Like a bunch of spaghetti when the lock is undone