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| 12-10-2009, 10:57 PM | #1 |
| First Tripod : some advise please :) | |
| 12-10-2009, 11:07 PM | #2 |
| 12-10-2009, 11:41 PM | #3 |
| 12-13-2009, 12:56 AM | #4 |
| 12-13-2009, 12:40 PM | #5 |
 Originally posted by Furansu  Apparently, Manfrotto makes people unanimous. In looking at them, I also found the brand Induro : does anybody have some feedback about these tripods ? For the Giottos and the Induro don't pay any attention to the minimum height specification. With the center column being able to travel in a 180 arc, you can shoot right off the deck.  This was with an L-bracket. I think I would probably go with a universal L-bracket now, versus a L-bracket for a specific camera. You will see a lot of user reviews talk about the Giotto and Induro being unstable. In some positions with the center post extended this is true and you will need to counter balance the weight of the camera.  A hook on the center column is provided to accomplish this. The twist lock Giottos has spiked feet under rubber bulbs where the Induro has rubber feet that must be replaced with the spikes, spikes included. I found trying to replace the rubber bulbs in the store to be difficult. I would also worry about the bulbs in the long run although I have nothing to base that on. I just would imagine they would get looser with use. I've not seen the new flip lock version so I can't tell you about them. Both the older twist lock Giottos and the Induro come with a bag and a dual use strap. The Induro bag isn't really big enough for the Feisol CB50 ball head I bought. The CB50 is pretty big though. I usually don't carry the bag as the bag adds weight. Bag weight is the reason I went with aluminum. I hike and I have put some deep scratches in my older tripod. I would worry about scratching CF so probably would have to carry a CF tripod in a bag. The bag adds about as much weight as just carrying an aluminum tripod alone, so the only advantage for CF would be its better vibration control. I personally don't think the cost would be warranted for this so went with aluminum. Yeah, that the reason, not that I didn't have the money, yeah, that's it. hmm mmm. The Giottos strap is a better design than the Induro strap. The Goitto has a loop for the legs. The Induro is a cinch strap and it is a pain. Nice price on the AX214 from Keh on ebay, $109 plus $12.95 shipping.
Thank you Russell Last edited by Russell-Evans; 12-13-2009 at 05:51 PM. | |
| 12-13-2009, 12:55 PM | #6 |
| Originally posted by Furansu And here are some questions : - should it be alloy or carbon ? - how do you choose the tripod's extended size in function of your own size ? So, in knowing that, which tripod+ball-head do you think will best fit my needs ? What are the things to look for ? What are the things to avoid ? I thank you in advance for your participation and answers. I think your answer revolves greatly around that of your objectives. That is to say, a stationary tripod in a home studio may rarely ever see the wear or strain of the elements like that of a trekkers. Having said that, I've tried both graphite and alu. solutions and based on my own uses, found the alu. versions to have a slight edge over their graphite counterparts in the durability end of things. However, the material contrasts between graphite and alu. in cold temps can be pretty convincing too! :P By the sounds of it(stability), I'd say you're looking at a heavy duty tripod. And this leads again to recommend some of the alu. models as they usually are heavier and sturdier in certain conditions such as wind etc. As for the size, assuming you meant maximum height, I like to look for a 7' capacity, however, you should also try to factor in your head in the equatoin as well, since it will affects your final node height. A height advantage can be quite useful, in areas where added reach or framing on uneven terrain(hillsides). Having owned several models, my longest lasting tripod has been the lowly Fancier Heavy Duty Alu. series. It's not much to look at, however it's tough, affordable and has exceptional stability, though I did end up tying the rubber feet to the legs because they have a tendency to come off. - I typically keep two on hand at all times. | |
| 12-15-2009, 08:40 AM | #7 |
| Hmmmmmm...?? | |
| 12-15-2009, 09:15 AM | #8 |
| Originally posted by JohnBee As a nature shooter, I can honestly say that I've been through more tripods over the past 5 years than I have lens caps(true story)! I think your answer revolves greatly around that of your objectives. That is to say, a stationary tripod in a home studio may rarely ever see the wear or strain of the elements like that of a trekkers. Having said that, I've tried both graphite and alu. solutions and based on my own uses, found the alu. versions to have a slight edge over their graphite counterparts in the durability end of things. However, the material contrasts between graphite and alu. in cold temps can be pretty convincing too! :P By the sounds of it(stability), I'd say you're looking at a heavy duty tripod. And this leads again to recommend some of the alu. models as they usually are heavier and sturdier in certain conditions such as wind etc. As for the size, assuming you meant maximum height, I like to look for a 7' capacity, however, you should also try to factor in your head in the equatoin as well, since it will affects your final node height. A height advantage can be quite useful, in areas where added reach or framing on uneven terrain(hillsides). Having owned several models, my longest lasting tripod has been the lowly Fancier Heavy Duty Alu. series. It's not much to look at, however it's tough, affordable and has exceptional stability, though I did end up tying the rubber feet to the legs because they have a tendency to come off. - I typically keep two on hand at all times. | |
| 12-15-2009, 10:57 AM | #9 |
| Originally posted by Michaelina2 Check out... https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/field-accessories/45466-tripod-reviews.html and you will find your answer. Enjoy the season... Thank your for the link. I saw already this thread, but I still needed to open this topic. Imagine a guy, who's absolutely unfamiliar with cars, and he is going to an auto dealer. He reads all the brochures from all the models in that garage, but the problem is that he has absolutely no clue of what's important between all this technical parameters. He reads the opinion of the drivers : some are happy, some other aren't. And the best opinion comes from a driver who owns a Ferrari : shall he follow the advise of this happy owner or wait for the salesman who will ask him what are his needs because he'll mostly need to drive off-road ? This guy in front of all of these cars, this is me in front of all these reviews for tripods : if you don't know already what you're looking for, what kind of specifications or features are useful and important for you, then your questions aren't answered in just reading this review. Well at least, that's the way I feel. When I bought my first and actual DSLR, the salesman told me the GX10 was WR, that was the model I needed : six months later, I learned the GX10 was WR, but not with the original kit lens 18-55mm... In that time, I would have appreciate to have the advise of another user who knew my needs, before learning it by myself. By luck, I didn't experience to take pictures under the rain during that lapse of time. That's why I would like to not repeat this mistake on another accessories. Because then, I would have preferred to buy just the body and a different WR lens in spending a little more, instead of being in my actual situation, where I can use my kit lens outdoor depending on the weather conditions. Last edited by Furansu; 12-15-2009 at 02:06 PM. | |
| 12-15-2009, 11:41 AM | #10 |
| @ Russell-Evans | |
| 12-15-2009, 12:00 PM | #11 |
| @ JohnBee and Ahab
Hi, More or less, how much does it weight ? I'm a bit worrying about the "extra heavy duty professional tripod" description  Also, would it suits to rainy west coastal conditions ? | |
| 12-15-2009, 12:46 PM | #12 |
| Originally posted by Furansu Hi Russell, Thank you for taking time giving all these comparisons and pictures. In addition to the tripod, which one of the following would you privilege : the panhead or the ballhead ? The panhead gives me the feeling of being more "stable" ; I mean, it seems easier to control the rotation between all axis compared to the ball head, where just one screw will free the ballhead in all axis. They'll be the general style where the actual ball is more ping-pong-ball-sized than, say, pinball or shooter marble sized. If they have two or three knobs on there, they'll be for most practical purposes as controllable as a 3-way head. (with a 3-way head, you must level the thing to get full benefit of controlling each axis, anyway: once you do that, very nice. On an uneven planet, not so much.  These ballheads that are now popular and made by many were once pricey and exclusive. ) For a first set of legs, I wouldn't be in a hurry to spend on exotic materials (or too many fancy features. Listen to the nature photo guys about what constitutes 'the basics' if you want to get low. ) Otherwise, go for whatever's as solid as you are willing to carry. Solidity is the point of a tripod. If you use any tripod of any kind for an afternoon or two, you'll know a whole lot more about what you'd like in a pricey one than you do now. Spend the big bucks when you know what you want and why. | |
| 12-15-2009, 02:19 PM | #13 |
| Originally posted by Furansu In addition to the tripod, which one of the following would you privilege : the panhead or the ballhead ? The panhead gives me the feeling of being more "stable" ; I mean, it seems easier to control the rotation between all axis compared to the ball head, where just one screw will free the ballhead in all axis. It took me a while to understand the Feisol CB-50 ball head I bought. I ended up taking it completely apart and in doing so realized two things; I shouldn't have taken it apart, and how the tensioner works on the scissor mechanism. The reason I shouldn't have taken it apart is that it was hard to get the scissor mechanism installed and adjust correctly, but it was only in figuring out how to get the scissor mechanism back in, that I finally figured out how to adjust the ball head. It took about fifteen times of putting it all together and taking it apart before I had the scissor mechanism in correctly. I had no experience with a ball head with a tension set up. All my previous ball head have been single knob. This kind of explains why I had no clue. I can now set up the ball head so that the ball is tensioned in place just enough that I can move the camera to any position and it will hold without having to touch the knobs. Some tightening, I'm talking about 1/360 of a turn, on the main knob might be needed if I point the camera/lens down in the slot. I probably wouldn't need that extra twist, but I prefer the tension to be as light as possible when the camera is more on top of the ball. That one degree on the main knob is about it. It takes awhile to set up the ball head for the lens I'm using like this, but once done, the ball head is really easy to use. The issue with this type of set up in that to move the camera around, the tripod has to be pretty solid. That means the ground the tripod is on needs to be pretty solid. The torque of moving the camera and lens is transferred to the ground through the tripod legs. Precision movement on a ball head isn't that great, a pan head probably is better at this. I however, usually only need that type of precision in macro shooting so to work around this, I bought an ebay two rail macro rail. All that said, I think you should go with what you think and get the pan head. I'm just exploring, or experimenting, and my experience doesn't stretch back decades. I am really quite new to all this. Thank you Russell Last edited by Russell-Evans; 12-15-2009 at 10:59 PM. | |
| 12-15-2009, 02:33 PM | #14 |
| Originally posted by Furansu After reading some other topics on the subject, I understand that it is important to not look for the cheapest on this kind of accessory. As I intend to use it the longest time possible, I hope not to make a mistake on this first purchase. So, before going through your requirements, I want to say, that there is not one tripod, that serves all purposes. But wisely chosen, a single tripod can meet app 90% of requirements. Originally posted by Furansu Concerning this tripod here are my needs: - able to carry a complete gear (body+battery grip+lens up to 300mm+flash), - suitable for macro as well as for landscape, - not sensitive to vibration/wind, - no worry in receiving rain or having feet in the mud, - easy to carry. Macro: if that includes macros at ground level, you can have either a moveable center column or simply a reversible one. The first one (like in the Induro pictured above) is certainly more comfortable and makes setting up the camera easier. It is also, much less stable. I speak from experience, because even my app. 8 kgs heavy Uniloc will vibrate at an annoying level with the center column extended down at an angle – and a light weight tripod will be worse. Also, the whole thing can simple topple over as it gets easily unbalanced. If a tripod requires the use of a counterweight, it should be banned to the studio (which is, where I use the UnilOc now...) A reversible center column, where the camera is simply mounted exactly below the tripod shoulder, forces you to keep the camera in the center of gravity. That is inherently the most stable and secure position, even if it is inconvenient at times. It is also my personally prefered method. Vibration/wind: There are only two numbers, that counteract vibrations (wind induced or otherwise): pure weight or stiffness or special absorbing properties (sand is a good vibration absorbent ...). As weight is a problem with carry-around tripods, the logical conclusion is to buy a Carbon Fibre tripod, because CF is much stiffer than Aluminium or any other leightweight metall. Mud/resistance to elements: Some tripods have simply reversed leg tubes (bigger diameter down below and thinner on the shoulder). This allows for a basically closed construction, which does not let water, sand, dust etc. in. (UniLoc) Also some tripods are simply sealed quite effectively (Gitzo). Very cheap tripods often have an open leg construction (U-profiles instead of tubes), which allows for easy cleaning - but this offer inherently less stability, so I wouldn't consider this option. Easy to carry: That cries for CF! It is simply much lighter than any metal tripod. And this requirement, if it is really important to you, excludes wooden tripods. Wooden tripods (Berlebach, Wolf etc.) would otherwise meet all your other requirements, as wood performs excellently i terms of stability, vibration dampening and mud resistants (just clean it after use and it will be fine). But Wooden tripods are not really lightweight and also are quite long, folded down. Originally posted by Furansu And here are some questions : - should it be alloy or carbon ? - how do you choose the tripod's extended size in function of your own size ? For ball heads, it is easier: something from Markins, RRS or a Manfrotto 468 ProBall would fit your bill. One interesting brand might be Acratech for you, as these ball heads are very resistant to mud etc., due to their completely open construction. Seeing your equeipment and your requirements, I would not recvommend anything cheaper. Because 300mm may not sound too long a focal length - but I bet you will add something longer in the futire. Also macro work really requires not only a good load capacity but also considerable precision, because it is a frustrating work anyway and you won't want your equipment to make it even worse... Ben | |
| 12-15-2009, 10:52 PM | #15 |
| Originally posted by Ben_Edict If a tripod requires the use of a counterweight, it should be banned to the studio The rock is surrounded by a elevated walkway that has a railing that is about chest high. The bottom of the railing is glass so that children can look through. The only way to really take photos is over the railing. The light in the building is kept really low which required some really long shutter speeds. To take the photos I wanted, I ended up extending the center column over the railing using the horizontal feature. Camera: Pentax K10D Exposure: 6 seconds Aperture: f/8.0 Focal Length: 120 mm ISO Speed:100 Lens: Sigma AF 75-200mm f3.8  The other really great thing about the horizontal arm feature is that it is a feature that doesn't always have to be used. If the use just requires a regular tripod, well the cross arm tripods are regular tripods. This isn't true with the Benro Trekker and the like, but any other horizontal arm tripod will simply work as a normal tripod as needed. You can increase the stability a lot when using the center column out horizontally just by having one of the legs spread out at next step wider angle and the horizontal column out between the two narrower spread legs. The column can be at any angle and it is stable. If you look at the second photo I posted of the setup, you can kind of see that I'm using it there. It actually is more stable when the legs are extended out than when using the tripod legs collapsed. I don't think you can actually tip over the tripod with the legs extended and one is out at the wider angle with the center column between the two narrow legs. I think the legs would have to bend/break before it would tip. For all the scary, scary, talk, a little care and thought is all that is really needed. It is the same care and thought I use when putting the camera on the ball head quick release, the same care and thought I use when changing lenses, and the same care and thought I use when cleaning my camera. Too much for some, shrug? Thank you Russell | |
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