Canon 500mm tele? (tripod question)

[RobertPeterson]

Any experience/recomends on what tripod / head/plate one might use with/for the 500mm telephoto lens? Am looking and trying to decide what might work best. I must consider that my primary use is wth the smaller lenses however. (100-400 f4 zoom, 24-70 f2.8- 85mm 1.2 etc etc.) Use with 40D and 20D bodies with bat packs on each. Also wish to shoot vertical with smaller lenses on tripod at times. So a tripod that will be best for overall use. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[gasrocks]

I'm in the minority here but I only have my EF 500/4 L IS for handholding. I just don't consider it heavy. Therefore, most any good tripod will do. When I do use it on a tripod I use my all-round Bogen 3021 legs and 3047 head. Works just fine. Remember that the IS on the 500 is tripod sensitive so you can leave it on when using a tripod. Oh, and Welcome !

[citrinella]

Any experience/recomends on what tripod / head/plate one might use with/for the 500mm telephoto lens? Am looking and trying to decide what might work best. I must consider that my primary use is wth the smaller lenses however. (100-400 f4 zoom, 24-70 f2.8- 85mm 1.2 etc etc.) Use with 40D and 20D bodies with bat packs on each. Also wish to shoot vertical with smaller lenses on tripod at times. So a tripod that will be best for overall use. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Hi Robert,

It's a real pain that the smaller lenses don't come with a tripod ring. The best head for a 500 seems to be a gimball head, but that relies on the tripod ring on the lens to get portrait format. No good for your 24-70 and perhaps others.

I guess there is no ideal solution.

Mike.

[fishman]

Hi Robert,

I to have a 500 F4 - great lens - I tend to mount mine on a monopod most of the time and use me as the other two legs of the tripod, purely on the ground of ease of mobility. On the occassions when I am tripod based, I use a Manfrotto 055X PRO B setup with an 808RC4 pan and tilit head.

[formula4speed]

If you want the best and money is no object I'd probably go with something like a Gitzo GT3530S and Wimberly II gimbal head. A less expensive option, though still not cheap, would be a Gitzo 1325 with the original Wimberly which are the predecessors to the two items mentioned before. I don't personally recommend the Bogen 3021 for use with the 500, I've tried the combo and the legs just aren't that stable especially at full extension. All that said, I generally use a monopod over a tripod with my 500.

[George Chew]

Greetings,
I mount my on Gitzo GT3540 and Wimberley II for birding. The Gitzo is light enough to carry and the Wimberley II head is excellent for panning and tilting, it is so balanced. But when shooting sports like motor racing, I'll use a monopod. The IS on this 500 works perfectly in this combination. Enjoy...

[CyberDyneSystems]

Bob, as mentioned you will want the 500mm on a good solid but portable tripod like the Gitzo 3540 with a gimble head like the Wimberly, or a solid ballhead like a Markins M20 with the Wimberly sidekick.

If you want a "one tripod for all" then the Gitzo carbon fiber with the Markins M20 then drop the Wimberly sidekick in for the 500mm. This flexible one tripod option works well, even if that Gitzo ends up being overkill for everything else you do, at least it is lightweight.
It was my choice for Africa, and has been my tripod I reach fro since getting this set up. My smaller tripod never gets much anymore.

The other option is to supplement this set up with a more portable smaller lighter weight tripod (and more affordable) for "everything else"

[PacAce]

I'd go with the Gitzo 55x0 tripod if you can spare another hundred bucks or so over the Gtizo 35x0. As for the head, I don't think anything beats the Wimberley HD200 for birds and wildlife. Just my 2cents. :)