New legs and head

[Boosting1Bar]

I've used a ton of different set ups over the past few years. After a lot of different brands, styles, etc. I've finally found the right combination. Markins M10 head and Gitzo G1348 legs. The legs are plenty sturdy to support all my gear up to 500 f/4 + 1.4x with 1dmk2n attached and the head locks right in with no creep at all. Bumping the setup and it doesn't budge at all, even with the camera cocked to odd angles. Borrowing a friend's Wimberley Sidekick in a couple weeks but I expect it should work out great. When I first got into photography a friend tried to tell me to just bite the bullet and buy a nice set of legs and head right off the bat and I wish I would've listened....best advice I could offer someone looking to buy!

http://www.boosting1bar.com/wayot/shiny01.jpg
http://www.boosting1bar.com/wayot/shiny02.jpg
http://www.boosting1bar.com/wayot/shiny03.jpg

[oni0n56]

grats dude!

[Mollym/CA]

Hey, thanks, I've been going round and round over this for months now. Thanks especially for taking the time to downsize and post the pictures. They are very helpful.

[kaitanium]

thats a sweet pod setup dude. got a gitzo myself and they are quality

[Boosting1Bar]

Hey, thanks, I've been going round and round over this for months now. Thanks especially for taking the time to downsize and post the pictures. They are very helpful.

No prob, figured I'd post it and just reiterate the advice I heard over and over but never listened to! If you plan on being serious at all about photography, just bite the bullet up front and lay out for a nice set up because you're going to buy it eventually and you can save a lot of hassle and $$ along the way.

[Mollym/CA]

Did column/ no column enter into this? The minimum height without would be better for me (and the weight without), and the max height seems enough -- does the column add anything to the steadiness or flexibility (how hard is it to shoot portrait without the column? My ball head's not as tall as yours, I don't think...)

m

[Boosting1Bar]

Did column/ no column enter into this? The minimum height without would be better for me (and the weight without), and the max height seems enough -- does the column add anything to the steadiness or flexibility (how hard is it to shoot portrait without the column? My ball head's not as tall as yours, I don't think...)

m

Yeah, I bought one without a column (though has the abillity to add one of their columns) as I never used it on the last setup I had. Flexibilitywise it does add the ability to invert it and hang the camera low to to the ground....but the legs can be tilted out so the column isn't a must to do even that. Weight is great, the whole setup weighs about 5lbs total (4lb legs, 1lb head). Minimum height is 4.5" with the legs angled out, minumum folded height is 24". Maximum height should be plenty unless you're realllly tall. In the pic below the legs are completely extended and as you can see the camera is dropped over into portrait position. The eyepiece is literally exactly at the level of my eye (I'm 6'3").

http://www.boosting1bar.com/wayot/shiny04.jpg

[cskn0125]

Very nice set-up.

congrats!

[TomHuckWa]

Please post a mini review on that markins head after you use it a bit, as I have been torn between that and an rrs head, just cant decide. I envy your setup, it should be great.

[Boosting1Bar]

Please post a mini review on that markins head after you use it a bit, as I have been torn between that and an rrs head, just cant decide. I envy your setup, it should be great.

Used the stuff extensively today on a walking trip around St. Augustine. For starters it was very reasonable to carry around, didn't get tired all day. Head and legs both worked great, very easy to set up and take back down quickly. The head is absolutely fantastic, I'm loving it. So easy to use and operation is so so smooth. I don't think I could recommend it any more highly!

[JohnJ80]

I've used a ton of different set ups over the past few years. After a lot of different brands, styles, etc. I've finally found the right combination. Markins M10 head and Gitzo G1348 legs. The legs are plenty sturdy to support all my gear up to 500 f/4 + 1.4x with 1dmk2n attached and the head locks right in with no creep at all. Bumping the setup and it doesn't budge at all, even with the camera cocked to odd angles. Borrowing a friend's Wimberley Sidekick in a couple weeks but I expect it should work out great. When I first got into photography a friend tried to tell me to just bite the bullet and buy a nice set of legs and head right off the bat and I wish I would've listened....best advice I could offer someone looking to buy!


I feel your pain on this and you speak the truth. I've been there and wished I'd listened - I'd be money a head.

Tom Hogan had it right.
Tripods and Ball Heads by Thom Hogan (http://bythom.com/support.htm)

Your stuff looks great and I'm sure you'll love it.

J.

[Mollym/CA]

Thanks a lot. The picture's a big help. Looks like my camera might clear the tripod even with the shorter ball head (new one not an immediate possibility given the price of the tripod). The legs are heftier than I'd thought from the thumbnails at B&H etc., too.

We're all short --never thought of height of a tripod being an issue, except sometimes the higher the better and we stand on something.

m

[DocFrankenstein]

Droooooool

I didn't take tom hogan's advice. Idiot

Bought: 40$ walmart pod, 40$ metal useless head, 100$ 3047 manfrotto... 130$ benro.

that's 300 already... and I WILL replace all of it.

I love your setup.

[JohnJ80]

I'm with you Doc - done did the same thing. Makes me wonder why I didn't learn this after reading about everyone else doing it. Seems to be a common problem. Funny though, someone puts the Hogan article out there and the next 15 guys ignore it or diss it.

Well, I guess it is still the case that every education has its tuition.

J.

[DocFrankenstein]

I'm with you Doc - done did the same thing. Makes me wonder why I didn't learn this after reading about everyone else doing it. Seems to be a common problem. Funny though, someone puts the Hogan article out there and the next 15 guys ignore it or diss it.

Well, I guess it is still the case that every education has its tuition.

J.

I haven't read anything though. I was just getting into photogrpahy and only had S1 IS to shoot with. Obviously it didn't require much of tripod and I could never envision myself owning one of those huge organ compensating telephotos like 70-200. lol

They satisfied the requirements at the time of purchase, so I guess we can look at it as "insurance" in case the hobby doesn't develop.

[Boosting1Bar]

Thanks a lot. The picture's a big help. Looks like my camera might clear the tripod even with the shorter ball head (new one not an immediate possibility given the price of the tripod). The legs are heftier than I'd thought from the thumbnails at B&H etc., too.

We're all short --never thought of height of a tripod being an issue, except sometimes the higher the better and we stand on something.

m

Yeah it shouldn't be a problem clearing the tripod with a shorter head, you can always drop it into a gap between the legs and be just fine.

[Boosting1Bar]

I feel your pain on this and you speak the truth. I've been there and wished I'd listened - I'd be money a head.

Tom Hogan had it right.
Tripods and Ball Heads by Thom Hogan (http://bythom.com/support.htm)

Your stuff looks great and I'm sure you'll love it.

J.

haha yep, read that article as I was researching what legs to get and decided to stop fooling around and just get what I needed.

[JohnJ80]

You did it right. On top of that, you get to enjoy a great tripod and you saved money too.

j.