Recommend a lightweight tripod setup for my travels?

[paulhillion]

At present I'm using a Manfrotto 3001BPRO tripod with a Manfrotto 488RC2 head. I find this a bit on the heavy side & as I'm going to be spending 6 months backpacking around Australia & New Zealand I'm thinking of selling it & getting a lighter setup. Theoretically the heaviest setup it would have to hold steady would be my 20D with grip & the 100-400L. I suppose I could keep the head & just purchase a lighter tripod?

I'd be grateful for any recommendations for a setup with similar capabilities to what I'm using at the moment except a fair bit lighter & maybe a bit shorter in length?

Thanks for any help!

[Jon]

I just got the Manfrotto 3444D (carbon fiber) and 486RC2. Actually, it extends more than the 3001, and the combination should be about 3/4 lb. less. You can get shorter center columns for either, which will aso drop the weight. If I was really concerned about the weight and not concerned about max. height, I'd investigate removing the last section of the legs as well. Should be another 0.3-0.4 lb. It would need a custom, or customized, leg cap, though.

[Mark Kemp]

Do you just need light weight, or is small size also important as you are travelling?

[phili1]

At present I'm using a Manfrotto 3001BPRO tripod with a Manfrotto 488RC2 head. I find this a bit on the heavy side & as I'm going to be spending 6 months backpacking around Australia & New Zealand I'm thinking of selling it & getting a lighter setup. Theoretically the heaviest setup it would have to hold steady would be my 20D with grip & the 100-400L. I suppose I could keep the head & just purchase a lighter tripod?

paulhillion: You can't get much lighter then the 3001without giving up stabilty. I have a Tamrac backpack with 1 body and five lenses, and a hard drive and when I add the tripod I do not even know it is there. I bought the same one because of the weight and found that with the Bogen Ball head I got vibration with it with the 100-400 L. What I do now is I take out lenses I might not use, like the macro,normal & 70-200 L. BUt dont go with a small pod you won't like it.

[Anders Östberg]

How much will you actually need a tripod? A monopod is perhaps a good low weight option that will help with some tele and/or low-ish light shots?

[paulhillion]

How much will you actually need a tripod? A monopod is perhaps a good low weight option that will help with some tele and/or low-ish light shots?Very good point and one that funnily enough I was just thinking about! I've only just bought a monopod and so yes I'll probably keep my existing tripod and take along my monopod.

Thanks!

[Tapeman]

Gitzo 1228

Expensive but light weight & quite stable. Packs pretty small too.

A good tripod will last as long as any piece of equipment you can buy for this hobby.