Dynatran Tripods and Ball Heads

[ron42838]

For the Dynatran fans:
Looking for a good tripod base and ball head.
I will have to shoot a lot in vertical as my subjects are full length coats. Most shooting will be indoors, some outside. Weight is not important. Using my new 30D with 50mm 1.4 lens.
I thought of a couple ways and would appreciate your opinion and suggestions on the following:
Dynatran tripod legs only (no need for carbon fiber)
Dynatran legs with a Bogen head
Dynatran full combo, legs and head
Thank you,
Ron42838

[upsracingfan]

A friend of mine bought a dynatran and it was pretty much toast after 3 weeks of normal use. I went with slik legs and a bogen ball head and love the combo, although it is a little heavy.

[Sloany]

Most of the . Dynatran / Amvona products are nothing more than cheap, cheaply made asian imports! You will get what you pay fpr !

[speedracersong]

i have a dynatran 994 and it hasnt failed me yet.

[kwsanders]

I believe it depends on what you get from Amvona. I have had a Dynatran AT-858 for several months. It is not the lightest tripod in the world, because it is not carbon fiber, but it is a very sturdy and solid tripod. It is a good tripod.

[ron42838]

Thank all of you for your reply. I am still on the fence and will let you know which way I will go.
Ron

[davidk]

I believe it depends on what you get from Amvona. I have had a Dynatran AT-858 for several months. It is not the lightest tripod in the world, because it is not carbon fiber, but it is a very sturdy and solid tripod. It is a good tripod.

Same here. Its an excellent setup. Sloany, careful what you say unless you have proof or a personal experience. Who cares if it may be an asian import, its still made in the world. Ive seen lots and lots of crap come from USA and Europe.

[awad]

my at-858bl has seen a ton of abuse and i havent had a problem with it in the 8 months that i've owned it.

[2005GLI]

i have the 858 legs and a dynatran ball head. Good combo, but heavy.

[cfcRebel]

So far i have used 4 different Dynatran tripods. From their AT-663S to AT-CF994. I enjoy every one of them. It is definitely 100000X better than the $30 Wal-mart tripod that i got. The only reason i upgraded from their aluminum product to the CF994 carbon fiber is the weight because i hike alot.

If the price is not much different, get the combo (ballhead + legs). You can always sell the ballhead should you decide to upgrade it in the future. Do a search in the Accessories forum and you will see many happy Dynatran users.

[bladeguy]

they are crap, the metal part on mine cracked when tigthening the legs, you do get what you pay for.

[condyk]

I have the 994 CF tripod and magnesium ballhead. No problems. The CF models seem pretty well made to me and light enough to use rather than leave at home. Best I've had to date. Recommended. Take note of the people who own the stuff and draw your own conclusions. There are plenty of cheap Alu tripods from big brands so I'd go to a store and try them if you don't want a Dynatran.

[queenbee288]

My Dynatran is built like a tank and rock solid.There is no way it is going to fall apart any time soon. But, it is a bit heavy.

[badams]

I've got the AT-828 tripod as well and I like it, but I'm not a heavy tripod user either. No problems as of yet.

[DrPablo]

The 858 is a really good tripod -- it even holds up my view camera, which with lens weighs over 15 pounds. And compared with my huge Bogen tripod it actually feels somewhat light. The prices at Amvona are great, though their service is a bit disorganized.

[keefyboy]

Sloany, are you speaking from personal experience, or are you just flaming / trolling? You come across as a bit inflammatory.

I have a 994 tripod and a 902 monopod. Both seem to be built fairly solid.

The tripod is light and stable, and I've been a bit ham-fisted with it. Doing (very bad) astrophotography I wanted to make darn sure the 'pod wasn't going to move, and it's held up. Maybe the friction drag isn't as silky as an Arca-Swiss, but as I've never used one, the Dynatran works well enough for me.

The monpod, in all honesty, could double for a Louisville Slugger in a pinch! Carbon Fiber, but still heavy. :eek: With 4 of 5 leg sections extended, I can't really make it wiggle. 5 of 5 sections extended and you better be Manute Bol, it's TALL! The quick-release leaves alot to be desired - you have to be careful when tightening it, or the camera will wiggle even when locked down. I *REALLY* wish it had the same quick-release as the 994. I'll probably buy a 3rd party quick-release for both pods if I ever get a big lens with a pod mount.

I can lean on both pods HARD and they don't collapse. I think if they were junk they wouldn't hold up. I think I got what I paid "fpr".

-Keith (who is very happy with his "cheaply made asian imports")

[davidk]

I think I got what I paid "fpr".

LOL i just noticed that myself. It just goes to show how much effort and thought he put in his reply.

[4x4rock]

My "cheap" Dynatran works fine. I don't see how it could fail with my normal usage.

[davidk]

I take my dynatran hiking and exploring old abandonments such as hospitals, military bunkers, refineries, etc. The poor tripod is always being smacked on corners, doorways....falling from platforms, etc. Its sitting strapped on the side of my backpack ready for the next adventure.

[rick j]

i only got mine last week but am very pleased with it a bit heavy but I didnt buy it to carry round

[ron42838]

Hi,
I thank all of you for comments on the tripod. It is nice to see the various responses to the question. After much consideration , I have limited it to two choices:
Dynatran AT-858BL which is the combo of tripod and head. Using ebay listings will make my bids and take my chances.
2ND choice will be Dynatran 858 legs and spring for the Bogen 488RC4 head.
Using ebay for the legs and B&H, Amazon for the head. Combined cost is more but may be better in the longer run.:)

[JNunn]

I'd go with the Dynatran combo (994 in carbon fiber). You can get it very reasonably in the auction section.

Try the Dynatran ball head before you decide to switch to something else. It is basically "on par" with the Bogen head you mentioned (I actually like the Dynatran's quiock release plate much better then the Bogen's). I don't have that particular leg set (I have a smaller Carbon fiber set), but I do have the same ball head on my Dynatran CF902 Monopod, which is extremely sturdy and well made.