Looking for a Tripod

[sparkie1263]

How is this tripod. I seen it on ebay for $130.00 including shipping.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/602430-REG/Manfrotto_by_Bogen_Imaging_7302YB_4_SECTION_TRIPOD _w_BALL_HEAD.html

Frank

[seanhoxx]

Frank, I don't know enough about heads and tripods to really say, but I know you have to watch out with lots of ball heads if you have big heavy glass on the camera you can pinch your fingers. I have thought about a monopod myself instead of a tripod, something you may want to consider also? I know you shoot lots of wildlife and birds it may be quicker to handle a monopod?

[Peekayoh]

How is this tripod. I seen it on ebay for $130.00 including shipping.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/602430-REG/Manfrotto_by_Bogen_Imaging_7302YB_4_SECTION_TRIPOD _w_BALL_HEAD.html

Frank

Manfrotto make pretty good tripods; I've got a 20 year old #55 series.
I'd say this one's a bit of a lightweight, not very tall but OK for hiking and the like. It depends what you are going to do, generally the sturdier the better, but any tripod is probably better than none at all.

[SONYNUT]

i have 4 of the manfrotto 3221wn
with 488rc2 head
or 322rc2 head

and others

[jekostas]

I like the legs there, but if you're going to get a ballhead, get one with:
1. A separate tension adjustment knob
2. A separate panning lock knob

Believe me - having them separate will be a godsend, especially if you start getting in to heavy glass.

I also think the ballhead on that tripod is going to be too small for even the setup listed in your signature. It looks like a 484RC2, which really isn't rated for much weight at all.

[sparkie1263]

I am going to go to a local store and check them out. I don't think I want to order one online.

Thanks for all the help

Frank

[SONYNUT]

The 488 holds like a rock..lets go smoothly too...unlike most others that i have owned...as for two knobs...i preffer one..

If you will be doing lots of position changes the 322rc2 is the way to go

[dr4gon]

Doesn't look like a very heavy duty tripod, but it looks like it may suit your needs Frank.

[jekostas]

The 488 holds like a rock..lets go smoothly too...unlike most others that i have owned...as for two knobs...i preffer one..

If you will be doing lots of position changes the 322rc2 is the way to go

That's great, but the ball on that tripod is either a 484 or a 482 (or something similar) with an RC2 system strapped on to it, not a 488.

[erikvlie]

If you want to use a heavy system like the Alpha 700 or 900 with the latest Zeiss lens and the vertical grip, you'll have a camera weighing approx. 4 kilos (I know, I have that setup on my tripod-with-ballhead). I don't know about the ball head in the photo there, but expect to pay in the range of 500 to 700 USd for a good ball head that can handle up to 12 kilos and more.

I have just written a review of one that is available in Europe and which is comparable to a http://reallyrightstuff.com/ one --if you're in the US, you should consider these; they're among the best.

The one I've reviewed is the German made Novoflex ClassicBall 5 (I've actually purchased that one as it is a great system by itself). The review of that ball head can be found here: Novoflex Ball Head Review (http://www.it-enquirer.com/main/ite/more/novoflex_gear/).

A whole bunch of images of it can be found on their web site: http://www.novoflex.com(all in German, that's why the review isn't a bad idea --until they have their English site back up).

[sparkie1263]

Great site it has a lot of information. I am going to read through it again.

Thanks

Frank

[SONYNUT]

that's great, but the ball on that tripod is either a 484 or a 482 (or something similar) with an rc2 system strapped on to it, not a 488.

484-482 are useless for dslr

[sparkie1263]

484-482 are useless for dslr


Thanks I will make a note of that.

Frank

[jekostas]

Thanks I will make a note of that.

Frank

Alright, considering you're looking for information on choosing a tripod, perhaps I should expand just a bit.

1. Take your cameras. Put your heaviest set up (biggest body, glass, flash) on the tripod, and see how well it handles. Not only how well does the tripod tighten up, but how easy is the head to loosen and move with your heaviest setup on it. Some lower-end heads will either seize up completely or you have to tighten the knobs down so much it's impossible to deal with in the field. Tension adjustment knobs are very nice - when you unlock the main holding knob on a ball head, it keeps just enough tension on the body and lens to prevent it from flopping over, so your tripod doesn't suddenly end up on the ground with some very expensive glass ruined.

2. Forget the weight ratings on tripod and head combinations. A good rule of thumb I heard was expect 1/3-1/2 of the manufacturer's stated weight rating as useful, because manufacturers generally only test for direct load bearing (ie. weight over the centre of rotation on the tripod). This is mostly useless as 99% of the time you're going to have weight hanging off to one side because of a lens, and torsional and direct load bearing are very, very different beasts. Stick your camera on top. Flip it into the vertical slot on a ball head and see how stable the legs are with the camera weight off of the centre of gravity.

3. The "leg braces/no leg braces" thing is hardly set in stone. Normally people who travel with tripods don't like leg braces as it makes the legs harder to set up and get the tripod level on uneven ground. This is hardly universal, however, as I use a 25-year old set of Cullmann 2503 legs that have braces and are pretty simple to deal with on uneven ground. Be aware that you generally can't set the legs for low-angle shooting with braces, though. If you expect to be shooting outdoors you DO need foot spikes of some type, though.

4. Try and look for arca-swiss type clamps. Manfrotto is nearly ubiquitous in the lower-end of the market in terms of ball heads and camera clamping systems with the RC0 and RC2 systems, but to be perfectly honest, they're not that good. These plates rely on friction to prevent rotation in the plate for cameras and lenses and that will only go so far. Every high-end (or even semi high-end) ball head manufacturer with the exception of Novoflex uses an Arca-Swiss type connector, and you can get camera plates custom-machined for you camera that have an anti-twist flange to prevent the camera from rotating. These plates are 99% cross compatible with higher-end Giottos ballheads, as well as Benro, Benbo, Wimberely, Really Right Stuff, Arca-Swiss, Markins, Photo Clam, Feisol, Nodal Ninja, and a few others that I can't think of off the top of my head.

And, of course, the big one is "buy quality once". Don't cheap out or you're going to have to replace your setup rather quickly, and you run the risk of breakage on a vacation, etc, when it's important. This doesn't mean you have to run out and get a set of $900 Gitzo Explorer legs straight out, but don't go super cheap either. Giottos, Manfrotto, Benro, Feisol and Velbon all make extremely highly regarded setups in the 200-300 range that as long as you don't put the heaviest equipment on it, should last you for years.

Hope that helps

[sparkie1263]

Thanks again for all the information.

Frank