[wadge22]

A tabletop tripod is going to be purchased regardless of a full tripod replacement. It may work in this case?

I do think so, although it will necessitate stooping down to see the screen (absent wifi tethering, or if it's set up on top of a table or rock or the like). They are extremely stable with the legs splayed out wide. You will still want a good full fledged head on it, and for long lenses a gimbal type has definite advantages IMO.

I'm not sure what declination the eclipse will be at; this option may start to be impractical if it's close to straight upwards. In that case even a flippy/articulating screen could be hard to access, and you could run into physical interference of the camera body with the ground, tripod, or head.

Nevertheless, I really like mine. If you can get one with a leveling base, which is under the head and allows for some leveling adjustment without using the legs or head, that is ideal. Those are very useful for gimbal heads, and also for ballheads that have a pan feature. The Berlebach one I linked has it, and the Leofoto one I linked has a counterpart with the leveler, although it's only rated for 11lbs (not sure why, probably just the extra projection upwards of the COG). They can also be bought separately and put on top of any tripod (I've got this one, which I put on top of my Berlebach because I didn't know I wanted it when I bought the tripod), but that will add to the cost compared with getting it built in. It would then be usable on a full size tripod later, though.

If buying one of these, and planning to use it as the base of your monopod setup for your Theta, I would make sure in advance that there's a monopod/extension available that connects to the standard tripod plate. I would guess so, since it's about the most standard attachment there is: a 3/8 thread with a wide flat base. I don't know anything about those, though. I've seen the video monopods with the 3 tiny foldout feet, and those might work for the Theta, but won't do a thing for your 150-450 + DSLR shooting at the sky.


All in all, since you say you want a tabletop tripod anyways, this might be a good way to go. It will let you put more of your budget into getting a top notch head, which should always be something like half of the package (some people overlook that even if they get a nice sturdy tripod).
Just double check that everything is going to be compatible for all the uses you have planned for it. And be ready to be the guy squatting down while you're trying to get your eclipse shots

[PentaxScott]

I'm not sure what declination the eclipse will be at; this option may start to be impractical if it's close to straight upwards. In that case even a flippy/articulating screen could be hard to access, and you could run into physical interference of the camera body with the ground, tripod, or head.

Approximately 68-70 degrees from horizon, so its going to be pretty high.

[wadge22]

Approximately 68-70 degrees from horizon, so its going to be pretty high.

I still think you would be okay, but I'd hate to be wrong and influence you to buy the wrong thing. It's mostly gonna be dependent on the head you use, whether there's any physical interference with the camera body when pointed that high upwards. A lot of the gimbal heads can have the 'floor' adjusted upwards which would help with that (sorry, can't think of a better way to describe it right now), but that makes them less well balanced (which balance is the whole point of the gimbal).
And I would say that, even with the legs splayed out at their widest, the shorty tripods will have a harder time dealing with wildly unbalanced loads than full sized tripods. When I say they're extremely stable, I am sort of assuming that the mass is well centered over the middle of the legs. Things get 'tippy' (even if still not 'shaky') faster the less wide out the legs are spread, and shorter legs inherently mean less wide spread.

I've mostly used mine for wildlife/birds when paired with my long lenses, therefore aiming pretty low to the horizon (at least compared to 70deg). Maybe someone who shoots astro can comment on what challenges aiming high up with long lenses presents, and how to deal with them.

Adding: I can play around tomorrow with my stuff and report back. Probably won't be able to provide pictures (I haven't established a very good workflow for posting pictures up here yet), but I can describe what I've found out. Most everything is in the bedroom where the lady is sleeping right now, so I don't want to rummage around in there to get it out tonight.

[bdery]

The gimbal head was developed just for the sort of use you are describing. And if you get one, get it in advance you you can get it set up and learn to use it.

That is excellent advice.

LOL...I struggled with trying to find a way to say 'I need a tripod that I can travel with...but need something a bit more than a "travel tripod"'.

That's fair

I I dont intend to go "cheap" but I also dont need the Cadillac of tripods.

Logical. If size is more important for you than weight, a good aluminum tripod would make much sense.

Ill definitely keep the gimbal in mind.

Good for you!

[wadge22]

Alright, @PentaxScott, I pulled out the mini tripod. I take back my reservations. I believe a tabletop tripod could work just fine for your situation.

The ball head seemed to allow pointing straight up, and the gimbal allowed about what you would need with the gimbal load still balanced. Could have gone further with adjusting the tripod legs or changing the balance on the gimbal.

I don't have the same lens as you, but im fairly confident you would be alright. I was checking with a Tamron 60b, 200f, and K1.

Both rigs felt pretty rigid, the ballhead probably much moreso (maybe not what I would have guessed). I will say that the leveling base (my non built in to the tripod version) introduced the most loss of rigidity to the setup, and for astro type shooting I would have removed that and just mounted the ball or gimbal directly to the tripod. I still would have preferred the tripod with the leveler built in.

Hope this may help, and please choose whats best for you based on all info and not just my (or any other single) recommendation. Good luck with your decisions.

[AstroDave]

Some friends and I are planning on a trip to Mexico in April of 2024 to photograph the eclipse. I recently obtained the Pentax 150-450mm lens and the 1.4x HD DA teleconverter for the trip (and the fact that Ive been lusting after those things since they were announced), so now Im saving for a new K3 mkIII as a replacement for my K-5.

You might want to rethink the whole tripod bit for eclipse photos.

What is/are your goals?

For other than totality (and perhaps just before and after: Bailey's beads/diamond ring effect), your shutter speeds will probably be pretty fast, unless you have a very dense filter, so tripod shake might not be much of a concern (but you certainly don't want it to collapse!).

During the eclipse, for nice corona shots, your shutter speeds (with NO filter - you want to figure out how to get it on and off in a hurry!) may well be seconds. Solar motion due to the Earth's rotation will be ~15 arcseconds/time second, whereas your camera, near maximum zoom and perhaps even with the TC, will have a scale of just an arcsecond to a few arcseconds per pixel. Your images may well be blurred due to solar motion if the camera is stationary.

Think about a substantial tracking mount!! That's what I took to the 2017 eclipse.

Do a yahoo/google search on photographing a solar eclipse, and pay attention to results for Fred Espenak ("Mr. Eclipse"). For instance, this page of suggested camera settings: http://www.mreclipse.com/SEphoto/image/SE-Exposure1w.GIF

[filmmaster]

This tripod set is just about $400... Both tripod and gimbal are carbon and very sturdy yet lightweight. I needed to find something that was very inexpensive but wanted carbon... I have several other tripods that are so heavy I just don't use them. I really did not expect the quality to be much yet honestly, I havent had any issues yet and have used it extensively
over the last several months .Understand that my mileage maybe different than yours but with your budget contraints..I would consider it. Worth ordering and seeing in person was my thought. ..and I decided to keep it. It handles my 150-450 and my 150-600 tamron well with bodies and grips.

Obviously a more expensive brand name may be the safer route but sometimes you find a gem that doesnt break the bank.. its rare,but so far I am very happy.

Hth,
AL

amazon.com : Carbon Fiber Tripod Monopod Heavy Duty Bowl Tripod with 75mm Bowl and Bowl Adapter ARTCISE HS80C Ultra Stable & Lightweight Professional Camera Tripod Stand Max Load 66 Pounds/30kg : Electronics?tag=pentaxforums-20&

amazon.com : Neewer Professional Heavy Duty Carbon Fiber 360 Degree Panoramic Gimbal Tripod Head with Standard 1/4 inch Quick Release Plate and Bubble Level for DSLR Cameras up to 30pounds/13.6kilogram : Electronics?tag=pentaxforums-20&

though on that head of yours, how well does it really work at attachign to cameras... just a particular brand?

[brewmaster15]

though on that head of yours, how well does it really work at attachign to cameras... just a particular brand?

I haven't used it for camera bodies, but I don't see why it would not work.. On lens, it works fine with the pentax 150-450. It also works fine on my tamron 150-600. I have a couple of different size plates I have that work on it as well, so its been flexible to my needs.

hth,

al

---------- Post added 01-18-22 at 11:20 AM ----------

So I am going to modify my last comment after checking.. If you wanted to use this Gimbal with a k-1 or K3 to the body, no problem but because of the grip design on the K3-3 that will not fit the gimbal so battery grip would not work.. I only use these with long lens.. I use a ball head when mounting to a camera body and using smaller lenses that don't need support, like my DFA 100mm.

[PentaxScott]

Alright, @PentaxScott, I pulled out the mini tripod. I take back my reservations. I believe a tabletop tripod could work just fine for your situation.

THANK YOU for this! After seeing the pics I also believe this setup would work. I already had in mind to pick up a set of tabletop legs, and this has only strengthened that desire. It also looks like a gimbal may be the better option in this case.

Think about a substantial tracking mount!! That's what I took to the 2017 eclipse.

The 2017 eclipse was the event for my close friends and I that spawned the idea to travel to Mexico in 2024 to shoot that one (plus I need a vacation pretty bad). I managed to find quite a bit of success shooting that eclipse (I have a pic in my pentaxforums gallery) shooting on a tripod, but that capture was done with a film era rebranded Sigma 70-300. My only concern with a tracking mount is the size/weight, since we will be flying to the destination. Heck, I even thought about using the astrotracer - but then remembered that while I am generally satisfied with the astrotracer and its results, it can be testy to obtain and hold a solid signal, and solar eclipse totality isnt long enough to waste time fighting with a piece of gear.

[wadge22]

THANK YOU for this! After seeing the pics I also believe this setup would work. I already had in mind to pick up a set of tabletop legs, and this has only strengthened that desire. It also looks like a gimbal may be the better option in this case.

Really glad I could help. Yes, I think the shorty tripod is a great buy.


I might still weigh your options considering heads.

Gimbals are great, but I sort of see their best use case as being tracking moving objects, such as in sports, airplane, or bird in flight photography. They also are more of a pain for any lens that doesn't have it's own tripod foot. Is the 150-450 the main lens you will be using for all of your shooting with the head?

They also just aren't super rigid when tightened (at least mine isn't, altho maybe it's better with a brand new mid to high end gimbal; mine was well used, and a store-brand/knockoff one) the way that a large diameter ballhead or a geared head is. I see gimbals as somewhat specialized for long lenses and high shutter speeds, where they excel, and merely adequate for long exposure rock solid type of shooting like astro or landscape. Is the eclipse and similar use cases your primary need for this purchase, or just the minority use that happens to be prompting you to buy right now?

Not trying to talk you out of it. I think you will be happy either way. Just like to see folks fully consider the options to get the best thing for them.

[PentaxScott]

I might still weigh your options considering heads.

Gimbals are great, but I sort of see their best use case as being tracking moving objects, such as in sports, airplane, or bird in flight photography. They also are more of a pain for any lens that doesn't have it's own tripod foot. Is the 150-450 the main lens you will be using for all of your shooting with the head?

Not trying to talk you out of it. I think you will be happy either way. Just like to see folks fully consider the options to get the best thing for them.

I appreciate that! The 150-450 is the biggest reason for a new tripod. Ive wanted to get a better tripod for a while now, but Im a bit of a practical person - the existing unit worked and supported any bit of kit that was mounted on it, so I held off.

Eventually, I can see getting and using both a gimbal and a ball head depending on what Im shooting (there isnt much I wont try my hand at). Since the eclipse/trip is approximately 2 years out, I have time to explore, do some research, and wait for a good discount/sale on the chosen gear. The feedback so far has given me a lot of good ideas - seeing a tabletop tripod working with a larger lens is very promising. Additionally, I would have never given a gimbal any thought for this, and it looks to be a fantastic idea.

[PentaxScott]

So Ive been continuing research to help narrow down options, and was curious to get any feedback on these:

Sirui AM-284 with K-20X ball head - https://store.sirui.com/collections/tripod-with-heads/products/traveler-seri...ll-head-k-20x?
The legs here are about 48" tall, which is approximately the same height as the legs on the tripod I use now. A center column extension can be purchased for $30 https://store.sirui.com/products/sirui-sl-200-carbon-telescopic-center-colum...sirui-tripods? which would bring the maximum height (if needed) to the same as the unit I have now (which has a center column on a crank). The K-20X ball head seems to be well regarded by the reviews here. The legs + ball head weigh no more than my current kit (with a lot more metal involved) and collapsed down are 3-4" shorter. With the ball head removed, the legs alone for travelling collapse down to <18". This setup also fits right in the aforementioned budget (which is semi-flexible).

Additionally, Sirui makes what looks to be a good set of table top legs as well - https://store.sirui.com/products/sirui-am-223-power-dwarf-tripod-carbon-with...0k-am2-series? This set of legs would also work out well with the same center column attachment, and does come with a second ball head (smaller and lighter - but should be fine when Im not using the 150-450 lens, although it may work well for that lens too).

Both a primary tripod, as well as table top legs are going to be purchased (in some form or another). My thought is if I go with a good carbon fiber set for the main legs, I may as well get a solid similar set for the table top legs.

Thoughts?

[Ian Stuart Forsyth]

So Ive been continuing research to help narrow down options, and was curious to get any feedback on these:

Sirui AM-284 with K-20X ball head - https://store.sirui.com/collections/tripod-with-heads/products/traveler-seri...ll-head-k-20x?
The legs here are about 48" tall, which is approximately the same height as the legs on the tripod I use now. A center column extension can be purchased for $30 https://store.sirui.com/products/sirui-sl-200-carbon-telescopic-center-colum...sirui-tripods? which would bring the maximum height (if needed) to the same as the unit I have now (which has a center column on a crank). The K-20X ball head seems to be well regarded by the reviews here. The legs + ball head weigh no more than my current kit (with a lot more metal involved) and collapsed down are 3-4" shorter. With the ball head removed, the legs alone for travelling collapse down to <18". This setup also fits right in the aforementioned budget (which is semi-flexible).

Additionally, Sirui makes what looks to be a good set of table top legs as well - https://store.sirui.com/products/sirui-am-223-power-dwarf-tripod-carbon-with...0k-am2-series? This set of legs would also work out well with the same center column attachment, and does come with a second ball head (smaller and lighter - but should be fine when Im not using the 150-450 lens, although it may work well for that lens too).

Both a primary tripod, as well as table top legs are going to be purchased (in some form or another). My thought is if I go with a good carbon fiber set for the main legs, I may as well get a solid similar set for the table top legs.

Thoughts?

I love their tripods but their heads I have some mixed feelings.
They function nicely with nice features but I don't think their build quality is not up there as I had their largest K 30X fall apart and separate while using the 50 1.8 G lens

Keep an eye on your Siruir Ball head when using it - PentaxForums.com

I still sometimes use the K 10X but limit the load used on it

[PentaxScott]

I love their tripods but their heads I have some mixed feelings.
They function nicely with nice features but I don't think their build quality is not up there as I had their largest K 30X fall apart and separate while using the 50 1.8 G lens

Keep an eye on your Siruir Ball head when using it - PentaxForums.com

I still sometimes use the K 10X but limit the load used on it

I did order the AM-284 kit (legs and K-20X head) as I got one for $204. Ill definitely keep an eye on mine.

I looked through that post - glad to see that you didnt suffer any camera damage.

[bdery]

with NO filter - you want to figure out how to get it on and off in a hurry!

Magnetic filters. See here:

https://www.lightandmatter.org/2021/equipment-reviews/kf-concept-magnetic-filters/

Testing the new K&F Concept magnetic filters and lens cap - PentaxForums.com