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Photo Forum / Digital Photography / DSLR Cameras / November 2005tripod for 20D
I have a 20D with 420EX flash and 17-85 IS lens. I'll be adding the NEW 70-300 IS. I need to upgrade my tripod. I want to stay in the $300 range for the legs, so about $400 with head. I want the best combination of light weight, strength, ease of use. What's the best value? Recommendations appreciated. How about gripaction heads? They sure look convenient. Do they work?  SignatureTerry Remove the rodent from my email address to reply directly. Hi Terry, I have a 20D that I use on a tripod with a couple of long lenses. I went through the trial and error tripod stuff before finally settling on my current combo which I really like. The tripod is a Manfrotto 3011BN and the head is a grip Manfrotto 322RC2. It is their newer grip action style head. I like it because it is fast, versitile and easy. I had tried both a gear head and ball head before this and didn't like them as much because of the adjustments you have to mess with. The grip is a little different but once you get used to it I feel it would be hard to go to anything else. The setup was recommended to me by a pro that I know and I am glad did. Here is a link for the tripod http://www.adorama.com/BG3011BN.html Here is a link for the head http://www.manfrotto.com/page2319.html I only used the adorama link to show you the pod. I couldn't find them on the Manfrotto site. Hope this helps, Brian > Hi Terry, > [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > Brian I'm using the identical setup. Prior to selling the business I used a much heavier tripod, because I was using them for Hasselblads, but I still used the grip type heads. I really like the new style grip heads, and with the smaller, lighter tripod it works well with the 20D. Signature"Free enterprise has done more to reduce poverty than all the government programs dreamed up by Democrats." --Ronald Reagan http://www.bobhatch.com http://www.tdsrvresort.com Terry asks: >> How about gripaction heads? They sure look convenient. Do they work? Bob Hatch replies: >> I really like the new style grip heads, and with the smaller, lighter tripod it works well with the 20D. << Jeremy Nixon responds: >>Grip heads are fast to use, but not anywhere near as stable as a regular head. << I agree with Jeremy. Many years ago Bogen started to offer the grip head, and I examined it at several stores. 'Several stores' simply because when I tried to deflect the head on the first sample without squeezing, it deflected much too easily. I tried to tighten the grip, but it still deflected. So I tried examples at other stores. Same problem. Later I happened across a trigger grip unit by Slik, found that it did not deflect and bought it. Ultimately I sold the Slik and bought myself a ballhead which would well support my medium format camera as well as serve my 35mm outfit, but the Slik was entirely satisfactory for 35mm alone and had a quick release which could not permit the camera to fall onto the ground if the release lever was accidentally bumped -- a problem with quick releases that do not have safety retainer like some Bogen heads did. The new model RC2 that I have pretty much solved that problem. I use it with a 70-200mm 2.8 IS and the 100-400 5.6 IS and a 20D sometimes even with a 580EX flash using the 70-200 on birds within 50 feet or so. It has never flinched on me yet. I agree that the older grips were loose but the lastest are much better. Brian > I have a 20D with 420EX flash and 17-85 IS lens. I'll be adding the NEW > 70-300 IS. I need to upgrade my tripod. I want to stay in the $300 range > for the legs, so about $400 with head. I want the best combination of light > weight, strength, ease of use. What's the best value? Recommendations > appreciated. How about gripaction heads? They sure look convenient. Do > they work? Take a look at www.reallyrightstuff.com Looks great and I have tremendous respect for Luminous Landscape. The BH-55 is more than my total budget for tripod and head combined. SignatureTerry Remove the rodent from my email address to reply directly. > >> I have a 20D with 420EX flash and 17-85 IS lens. I'll be adding the NEW [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Take a look at www.reallyrightstuff.com > Looks great and I have tremendous respect for Luminous Landscape. The > BH-55 is more than my total budget for tripod and head combined. Off memory I think they recommend the BH-40 for the 20D (although I use a BH-55), I must apologise - I misread your original post, and thought you meant $300 for the tripod and $400 for the head. Having said that, I've always "bought first" and "justified later" (somehow it always seems easier to justify investing in a quality product once you already have it ) - keeping in mind also that - looked after - it should outlast many cameras over the coming years. For what it's worth, I eventually went for the BH-55 attached to a Gitzo 1548 - I think it redefines the meaning of "solid platform" for the 20D. Nice set up. You don't have to worry about upgrading later. SignatureTerry Remove the rodent from my email address to reply directly. > >> Looks great and I have tremendous respect for Luminous Landscape. The [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > eventually went for the BH-55 attached to a Gitzo 1548 - I think it > redefines the meaning of "solid platform" for the 20D. > Having said that, I've always "bought first" and "justified later" (somehow > it always seems easier to justify investing in a quality product once you > already have it ) - keeping in mind also that - looked after - it should > outlast many... Bravo! [jumping to my feet] <g> I have NEVER regretted the purchase of my Bogen 3040a YEARS ago. It still serves me well to this day. Bogen himself was seen in a small print ad sitting ATOP this very tripod touting the quality of the product. It's no lightweight by ANY definition, probably far from it. So, taking it on a three-mile hike is no fun. But it's a GREAT, solid platform for which I paid DEARLY. <$igh> :) JR I remember those old Bogen ads! Seeing him (Bogen) sitting atop a tripod seemed like a very effective way of conveying their strength. I've had a Manfrotto ART 055B (same as a Bogen 3021 in the U.S.?) for twenty years, and wouldn't dream of replacing it. I'd love a better ballhead, but the legs are still fine. Rob -------------------- > I have NEVER regretted the purchase of my Bogen 3040a YEARS ago. It still > serves me well to this day. Bogen himself was seen in a small print ad > sitting ATOP this very tripod touting the quality of the product. > I have a 20D with 420EX flash and 17-85 IS lens. I'll be adding the NEW > 70-300 IS. I need to upgrade my tripod. I want to stay in the $300 range > for the legs, so about $400 with head. I want the best combination of light > weight, strength, ease of use. What's the best value? Recommendations > appreciated. How about gripaction heads? They sure look convenient. Do > they work? Grip heads are fast to use, but not anywhere near as stable as a regular head. I wouldn't use one for normal work. I use one on a monopod sometimes, though, where the extra stability isn't necessary. Within your budget I'd go the Bogen/Manfrotto route; they seem to have the best "don't want to spend crazy money" stuff. The 3021BN legs aren't the lightest or smallest things around, but it's worth noting that you can reduce the weight by removing the center column if you make use of that as little as I do (which is to say, never). It's also worth noting that you will probably end up wanting something better (and smaller and lighter) in the future, and it might make more sense from a financial perspective to just spend the crazy money now and be done with it, as opposed to going through the incremental-upgrade cycle and ending up spending twice as much to end up with the same thing. I wish I'd done that, actually. SignatureJeremy | jeremy@exit109.com what did you end up with? CJ above ended up with good stuff that's pricey. I was thinking of the Manfrotto 055 Magfiber legs. They run $300. Still confused as to which head to go with. SignatureTerry Remove the rodent from my email address to reply directly. > >> I have a 20D with 420EX flash and 17-85 IS lens. I'll be adding the NEW [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > cycle and ending up spending twice as much to end up with the same thing. > I wish I'd done that, actually. > what did you end up with? After looking for something that offered the right compromise between "small and light" and "solid", I decided that compromises suck and that two sets of legs would be necessary to satisfy all situations. I went with the Gitzo 1128 Mk2 carbon fiber model, which is small and light and even fits in my backpack, though just barely. Then, I decided on the Gitzo 1348 for big and solid. As it turns out, I still haven't bought that second one; it's sitting semi-neglected in my B&H "Wishlist". > Still confused as to which head to go with. Ara-Swiss Monoball B1. Or the Really Right Stuff stuff. SignatureJeremy | jeremy@exit109.com I got Bogen/Manfrotto 3001 with 3030 head. > I have a 20D with 420EX flash and 17-85 IS lens. I'll be adding the NEW > 70-300 IS. I need to upgrade my tripod. I want to stay in the $300 range [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > Terry > Remove the rodent from my email address to reply directly. |
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