Tripod help

[arkansasbowhunter]

okay I know you guys are tripod questioned to death. I have searched the forums and try to read daily on these animals. I have a xit, 70-200. I love to do macro work with my 100 also. I am in the market for a tripod that will allow me to do both macro and animal photography. I am looking for one that has a gear driven center pole as I kinda liked that feature. Can you guys/gals help me find one. I finally found one that I liked and they d/c it before I could purchase. It was the slik 883 pro carbon. I am wanting to spend around 500.00 for my head and tripod if possible. thanks for your help.

[arkansasbowhunter]

Well I found the bogen 055x pro b tripod. doesn't have the geared center but looks like a nice tripod that will get small enough to do macro work.

I was also looking at the giotto MH 1000 head.

Any thoughts on a head or this tripod.

[Jon]

The Manfrotto 055 XProB (and its predecessor 3021B) is probably the single most universally recommended product on the site, in any category. Most people put the Manfrotto 488RC2 head on it.

[number six]

Well I found the bogen 055x pro b tripod. doesn't have the geared center but looks like a nice tripod that will get small enough to do macro work.

I was also looking at the giotto MH 1000 head.

Any thoughts on a head or this tripod.

Funny. I just received my MH-1000 head today and ordered the 055XPROB today. For the time being I put the head on my 40 year old tripod. I chose it for its high weight rating and its calibrated panning scale.

The MH-1000 is very solid and the movement is smooth. The ball lock will lock anything you might put on it, I'm sure.

The adjustable friction control works well with shorter lenses on my 30D, but if I tighten it enough so the Sigma 70-300 fully extended doesn't droop, the movement isn't smooth when adjusting. That's to be expected, I think, with such an unbalanced load. The head is very solid with the lens extended when the lock is tightened.

Finish of the head is excellent. Cute little levels, too.

I got the version with the MH-652 mount. It works very nicely.

-js

[tmcman]

A couple of things that my Velbon Carmagne 630 does are not unique
but I mention them here because they would be helpful
in whatever tripod you end up getting.
The legs are long enough so a six foot tall guy can work
without extending the center post, thus limiting vibration for critical shots.
The bottom 90% of the center post screws off
and the legs have a release mechanism that allows them to splay out and lock
so you can get the camera very low to the ground for macro shots.
I used the heavy 3-way pan head that comes with it
with a Kirk quick release for a couple of years.
Now I'm ready to spring for a Kirk or Markins ballhead.
The 630 is $330 and the Markins M10 is $340.

[RPCrowe]

IMO, a gear driven center column is not as precise as a non-gear driven center column. Additionally, for macro work, it is nice to have a center column which can be reversed so that the camera is hanging under the apex of the tripod. This allows you to get the camera/lens much closer to the ground.

Additionally, a tripod such as the one of the Giotto's models will allow you to use the center column offset in several ways in order to get your camera/lens closer to your subject which can be advantageous in macro shooting. I have and really like the Giottos MT-8180 which is a carbon fiber model no longer produced.

Here is a link to a Giottos aluminum tripod which will show you what I mean about using the center column in a offset manner.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Giottos-MT3-9360-Prof-Aluminum-Tripod-Best-in-Class-NEW_W0QQitemZ160236647432QQihZ006QQcategoryZ30094Q QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Note: I use a Giottos ball head with a MT-657 Quick Release which is advertised as being Arca Swiss compatible. The specs should read Arca Swiss Semi-Compatible since it will only work with selected Arca swiss Compatible plates from other manufacturers such as RRS and Kirk.

After all is said, I do much of my macro shooting hand held using a Siegelite flash bracket. A tripod is great for inanimate objects but is just to slow to capture crawly little critters. Here is the setup I use. It is mounted on the tripod only for display purposes.

Oh yes, the Siegelite bracket can be found often on eBay for under twenty bucks.

[arkansasbowhunter]

thanks for the many responses and picture. that is worth a lot there. I am a very visual person. good tips and ideas too. I am gonna have to think on this some more. Is ther any advantage using a ball head with a tension spring versus one without. I.e the bogen 488 midi vs the giotto mh 1000 head.

[Tareq]

really i feel sad that i have 190XPROB with 804RC2 attached while many recommend 055XPROB + 488RC2 as the best Manfrotto combo, but whats making me happy is that i have GT5540 which is my best tripod i ordered and i feel it is lighter than 190, even if it not lighter than 190 but it is lighter than 055 but it is more sturdy than 190 and 055, so all what i need is a proper ballhead and i am all done.

[Wilt]

really i feel sad that i have 190XPROB with 804RC2 attached while many recommend 055XPROB + 488RC2 as the best Manfrotto combo, but whats making me happy is that i have GT5540 which is my best tripod i ordered and i feel it is lighter than 190, even if it not lighter than 190 but it is lighter than 055 but it is more sturdy than 190 and 055, so all what i need is a proper ballhead and i am all done.

if you hike a lot and need lighter weight, the 190 is certainly a terrific tripod, but if you do not hike a lot the 055 is sturdier and taller. But the 190 (and its precursor the 3001) are very well respected tripods for the hiker, which do not cost a small fortune.

as for a proper ballhead, the Markins Q3 is the one for lightest weight and high quality.

[Tareq]

if you hike a lot and need lighter weight, the 190 is certainly a terrific tripod, but if you do not hike a lot the 055 is sturdier and taller. But the 190 (and its precursor the 3001) are very well respected tripods for the hiker, which do not cost a small fortune.

as for a proper ballhead, the Markins Q3 is the one for lightest weight and high quality.

I will not hike that much in my country but i will hike a lot out of UAE.
I had 190XPro before i travelled to Scotland but i didn't carry it, so i think i will not use that Manfrotto much.
Q3 is one good ballhead as i heard and i may end purchasing it for my 1-series Gitzo, but i don't feel it is nice for 5-series even using same light gear on Q3 on 1-series.