Looking for a good camera tripod

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

db - 25 Feb 2006 15:15 GMT

I am looking for a camera tripod but know very little about the different
brands. Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

donb

Reply to this Message

Colyn - 25 Feb 2006 21:09 GMT

>I am looking for a camera tripod but know very little about the different
>brands. Any assistance is greatly appreciated.
>
>Thanks in advance.
>
>donb

The Bogen/Manfrotto 3021 with 3047 head is a winner. The head uses hex
quick release plates so you can switch 2 or more cameras.

--
Colyn Goodson

http://www.colyngoodson.com

Reply to this Message

Michael Weinstein - 03 Mar 2006 17:55 GMT

>> I am looking for a camera tripod but know very little about the
>> different brands. Any assistance is greatly appreciated.
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> The Bogen/Manfrotto 3021 with 3047 head is a winner. The head uses hex
> quick release plates so you can switch 2 or more cameras.

Ditto for Bogen/Manfrotto in general.

Signature

Michael Weinstein | "Those who cannot remember the
Nashua, NH | past are condemned to repeat it."
-George Santayana

Reply to this Message

J. Clarke - 18 May 2006 17:11 GMT

> I am looking for a camera tripod but know very little about the different
> brands. Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

Anything from Bogen/Manfrotto. Just check the height, the weight capacity,
and if it's something you're going to be carrying around, the tripod
weight.

If it's your first one for general purpose use a 3021Pro (or 3021BPro--the
"B" just means that it's black, but the "pro" part is important--that is
what gets you the high-versatility center post) would be lovely--it will
handle anything you're likely to throw at it unless you get into large
format, doesn't weigh very much, extends to a good height, can go very low
as well, the reversible center post that also can be arranged horizontally
gives you tremendous versatility, and as good quality tripods go it doesn't
cost horribly much.

If you can afford it the carbon fiber 055MF3 or MF4 is the same thing only
stiffer and lighter--the rapidity with which vibrations damp out on a
carbon fiber tripod has to be seen to be believed.

> Thanks in advance.
>
> donb

Signature

--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

Reply to this Message

Robert Feinman - 19 May 2006 15:17 GMT

> > I am looking for a camera tripod but know very little about the different
> > brands. Any assistance is greatly appreciated.
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
> >
> > donb

Since very little goes wrong with tripods I'd look on ebay and save
some money. Bogen is good, but some of the old brands which are no
longer sold were excellent. I don't see the point in paying for exotic
materials like carbon fiber or titanium unless the weight savings is
really important to you.

Signature

Robert D Feinman
Landscapes, Cityscapes and Panoramic Photographs
http://robertdfeinman.com
mail: robert.feinman@gmail.com

Reply to this Message

Floyd L. Davidson - 19 May 2006 20:38 GMT

>Since very little goes wrong with tripods I'd look on ebay and save
>some money. Bogen is good, but some of the old brands which are no
>longer sold were excellent. I don't see the point in paying for exotic
>materials like carbon fiber or titanium unless the weight savings is
>really important to you.

If weight not important look at used Majestic tripods, made by
either Modern Builders Co. or by Bencher. The full sized
version, however, weighs in at over 17 pounds, with the 6 pound
Majestic gearhead on it. Finding 15-25 year old tripods in good
shape that sell for less than $150 is common. Check eBay, but
be patient and careful.

New versions that are almost identical are available, and *very*
spendy.

http://www.spartanphotocenter.com/Majestic_tripods.htm
http://www.bencher.com/photo/tripod_comparisonchart.php
http://www.bencher.com/photo/gearheads.php

Compare the current model 6500 versions with the older 2500.

Here is a example on eBay, with a lot of good pictures to show
what it is:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7620179772

Signature

Floyd L. Davidson <http://www.apaflo.com/floyd_davidson>
Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska) floyd@apaflo.com

Reply to this Message

J. Clarke - 19 May 2006 22:25 GMT

>>Since very little goes wrong with tripods I'd look on ebay and save
>>some money. Bogen is good, but some of the old brands which are no
>>longer sold were excellent. I don't see the point in paying for exotic
>>materials like carbon fiber or titanium unless the weight savings is
>>really important to you.

Robert's post hasn't appeared on my server, so I'm taking the liberty of
commenting here.

Titanium doesn't gain you anything in a tripod unless you need corrosion
resistance or autoclavability or something--I can't see where it brings
anything to the party for tripods for general use.

Carbon fiber on the other hand does have real benefits. Simplest way to
tell is to put identical cameras on identical tripods, one carbon fiber and
one aluminum, put macro lenses on them, focus on something close, and slap
both of them and see which one jiggles the image in the finder more and
which stops jiggling the image in the finder fastest.

Whether that is important depends on what kind of shooting one does.

> If weight not important look at used Majestic tripods, made by
> either Modern Builders Co. or by Bencher. The full sized
> version, however, weighs in at over 17 pounds, with the 6 pound
> Majestic gearhead on it. Finding 15-25 year old tripods in good
> shape that sell for less than $150 is common. Check eBay, but
> be patient and careful.

This IMO is excellent advice.

> New versions that are almost identical are available, and *very*
> spendy.
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7620179772

Signature

--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

Reply to this Message