Help! Which Tripod?

Hello Tripod users!
I currently have a Velbon Sherpa 200R - a pretty cheap second-hand purchase from eBay. Whilst it serves a purpose, I'm thinking of getting another as:

• the Velbon is limited in how 'low' it can go, as the legs have a maximum opening angle which is not that great
  
• The weight of the tripod is 2kg, and it's max load weight is 2kg. This does not seem enough with my Canon 1D MarkIV and the 100-400 lens, whose combined weight is almost 3kg, and I definitely see some wobble on occasions
  
• it doesn't fold down that well for carrying

• I am brand agnostic - I don't care about the name, just the reliability of the gear
  
• new or second hand - I don't care
  
• any material - I don't care about aluminium or carbon fibre - I just want a good weight to stability ratio. If I the tripod adds 2kg to my bag, then so be it
  
• load capacity should be above 6kg - I'd like to over specify
  
• capability to 'go low' for macro photography outdoors
  
• good head stability when flipping the camera to portrait orientation
  
• budget - up to £200
  

You don't mention what type of photography you do, or how often you shoot macro vs. other distances. However, I would recommend looking at the MeFoto Globetrotter. It is in your price range and a very good all-around player. Small enough to carry while hiking, but large enough to give some confidence for your 1D IV with 100-400. Comes with a good Arca-Swiss compatible ball head that may be all you ever need. You can change it later if you want. Center column inverts as low as you want to go. Has 5-section twist lock legs, allowing it to collapse to just 16". One leg can convert to a monopod. Min height is 16.1". Max height is 64.2". 4.6 lbs. Nice carrying case included. 5-year warranty in the US. Again, this an all-purpose tripod. If you are always shooting macro or always using a 100-400 in portrait, your particular need may be different. Wakarimasu ka?

Personally with both Jessops and Amazon currently having both the Manfrotto 055XPro and the 190XPro at £139 they offer a really good deal at the moment. Yes the 055 is quite heavy, but it is one very solid chunk of metal and rated to support 9 Kg, which having now been and seen one I would believe. OK it is only three section, and it doesn't have any tricks like converting to a monopod, but in my estimation you will still be using the Manfrotto in 40 or 50 years time. You will also need a head but with a £200 budget you should be able to get something useable. I'm looking at getting the 055XPo before the summer to use with my Sigma 150-600 C. I see the MeFoto is £169 on Amazon UK and I don't see any real difference to the other Chinese tripods of essentially identical design that are £100 less.

Oh and you can get the Manfrotto down so that the head is about 10cm/4" above the ground. The legs go out almost flat.

Alan

BigAl007 wrote in post #18256179
I see the MeFoto is £169 on Amazon UK and I don't see any real difference to the other Chinese tripods of essentially identical design that are £100 less.

My Gitzo, Bogens and Manfrottos all resemble cheaper gear, too. So do my cameras and lenses.

NDAPhoto wrote in post #18255903
You don't mention what type of photography you do, or how often you shoot macro vs. other distances. However, I would recommend looking at the MeFoto Globetrotter. It is in your price range and a very good all-around player. Small enough to carry while hiking, but large enough to give some confidence for your 1D IV with 100-400. Comes with a good Arca-Swiss compatible ball head that may be all you ever need. You can change it later if you want. Center column inverts as low as you want to go. Has 5-section twist lock legs, allowing it to collapse to just 16". One leg can convert to a monopod. Min height is 16.1". Max height is 64.2". 4.6 lbs. Nice carrying case included. 5-year warranty in the US. Again, this an all-purpose tripod. If you are always shooting macro or always using a 100-400 in portrait, your particular need may be different. Wakarimasu ka?

Wakarimasu! I tend to do a bit of everything (poorly!) in terms of photography, and only really found my current tripod a letdown when I tried a few moonshots, with the 100-400 lens plus the 1.4X extender. There was a definite creep! The Tripod you mentioned is £170 here, and looks pretty nice! Thanks for the recommendation

BigAl007 wrote in post #18256179
Personally with both Jessops and Amazon currently having both the Manfrotto 055XPro and the 190XPro at £139 they offer a really good deal at the moment. Yes the 055 is quite heavy, but it is one very solid chunk of metal and rated to support 9 Kg, which having now been and seen one I would believe. OK it is only three section, and it doesn't have any tricks like converting to a monopod, but in my estimation you will still be using the Manfrotto in 40 or 50 years time. You will also need a head but with a £200 budget you should be able to get something useable. I'm looking at getting the 055XPo before the summer to use with my Sigma 150-600 C. I see the MeFoto is £169 on Amazon UK and I don't see any real difference to the other Chinese tripods of essentially identical design that are £100 less.

Oh and you can get the Manfrotto down so that the head is about 10cm/4" above the ground. The legs go out almost flat.

Alan

I've found a local store that I can go and take a look at a few tripods, and (funnily enough) the 190Xpro was one of the models that I considered looking at. Having taken a quick look at the 055X, I can see that they are the same price, with the latter being taller and heavier (only by 500g) and the former has three leg sections to the letters' three. With the BHQ2 head, these are both £209. Any views on the head?

NDAPhoto wrote in post #18256808
My Gitzo, Bogens and Manfrottos all resemble cheaper gear, too. So do my cameras and lenses.

I think this is what makes the choice so difficult!

NDAPhoto wrote in post #18255903
You don't mention what type of photography you do, or how often you shoot macro vs. other distances. However, I would recommend looking at the MeFoto Globetrotter. It is in your price range and a very good all-around player. Small enough to carry while hiking, but large enough to give some confidence for your 1D IV with 100-400. Comes with a good Arca-Swiss compatible ball head that may be all you ever need. You can change it later if you want. Center column inverts as low as you want to go. Has 5-section twist lock legs, allowing it to collapse to just 16". One leg can convert to a monopod. Min height is 16.1". Max height is 64.2". 4.6 lbs. Nice carrying case included. 5-year warranty in the US. Again, this an all-purpose tripod. If you are always shooting macro or always using a 100-400 in portrait, your particular need may be different. Wakarimasu ka?

Wakarimasu. NDA summed it nicely regarding the MeFOTO Globetrotter. I have the Carbon Fibre as I use this tripod for air travel. Small enough to toss in the suitcase without adding too much weight. Can carry it all day in the included carry case. As I use it with my Gripped 5D Mark III's and any lens up to the 100-400, it really does support the weight with confidence. Even off center in portrait mode with smaller lenses like the 16-35 f/4 L IS and the 24-70's. Better yet is the 70-200 and 100-400 spin inside the tripod collar keeping the camera over the middle of the tripod, not off set like the two mentioned earlier. Also another reason for the Carbon Fibre is that extra pound difference in weight, whether walking all day or when packing suitcase with weight restrictions.
Will be going with me to Florida later this week.
My main tripod is a much heavier, longer one with a geared head.
Just like a took kit, there are many different tools for the job.
"The best tripod is the one you have with you"

wakarimasen...first a chuckle from me as to the meaning of your name, wakarimasuka?

The Manfrotto 055 and 190 were long respected among photographers as study, well featured tripods at attractive prices. The 190 was better suited for the 'hiker' whose highest priority was lower weight, while the 055 was better suited if you needed more tripod height, increased sturdiness, and not so sensitive as to weight. In the days before carbon fiber, with so much more visibility to the issue of weight, they set a standard of price-performance for others to meet. I owned the Bogen precursor to the Manfrotto 055, the 3221 and I used it for well over a decade. I changed -- but only after Gitzo re-engineered the legs with G-Lock and ALR -- because I was dissatisfied with the 3221 resistance to AXIAL motion when a wind might gust and push against a telephoto lens! That axial rigidity is something almost NEVER compared by folks, yet it can be a significant bother when you are not inside a sheltered area.

Notice that my beef with the 3221 was NOT about weight, and NOT about 'load capacity'...load capacity is a very amorphous claimed specification that has little meaning in a directly comparative way! There are ZERO test standards to this spec, so what does it really mean if Mfgr.A claims 25 lbs. vs. Mfgr. B claims 12 lbs?! I use this illustration taken from a Bogen ad a very long time ago to show how meaningless a claim can be...what do you think is the claim for the illustrated tripod (about 25 lbs, IIRC)?! I have no idea what Lester Bogen weighed, but he has about 50 lbs. (or more) of tripods on him!

• How much does it weigh
  
• How long is it when collapsed, so it fits inside my luggage?
  
• How many leg sections does it have (more sections, greater time for setup and collapse)
  
• How low does it get to the ground, how high up?
  

I got a Jusino TK-254 Carbon Fiber tripod - very compact, light, very inexpensive and had a 15kg limit...
I haven't had it very long, but seems to be well made and quite sturdy - just not sure if they are available anymore.
http://www.fotogenic.c​om.au …ofessional-ball-head.html

Nick5 wrote in post #18258579
Wakarimasu. NDA summed it nicely regarding the MeFOTO Globetrotter. I have the Carbon Fibre as I use this tripod for air travel. Small enough to toss in the suitcase without adding too much weight. Can carry it all day in the included carry case. As I use it with my Gripped 5D Mark III's and any lens up to the 100-400, it really does support the weight with confidence. Even off center in portrait mode with smaller lenses like the 16-35 f/4 L IS and the 24-70's. Better yet is the 70-200 and 100-400 spin inside the tripod collar keeping the camera over the middle of the tripod, not off set like the two mentioned earlier. Also another reason for the Carbon Fibre is that extra pound difference in weight, whether walking all day or when packing suitcase with weight restrictions.
Will be going with me to Florida later this week.
My main tripod is a much heavier, longer one with a geared head.
Just like a took kit, there are many different tools for the job.
"The best tripod is the one you have with you"

I've been scared away from Carbon fibre, basically because of the cost. I guess I'll take a look when I go to the local place this week. Incidentally, I looked up the UK retailer for MeFOTO, and it's 25 miles from where I live

Wilt wrote in post #18258608
wakarimasen...first a chuckle from me as to the meaning of your name, wakarimasuka?

The Manfrotto 055 and 190 were long respected among photographers as study, well featured tripods at attractive prices. The 190 was better suited for the 'hiker' whose highest priority was lower weight, while the 055 was better suited if you needed more tripod height, increased sturdiness, and not so sensitive as to weight. In the days before carbon fiber, with so much more visibility to the issue of weight, they set a standard of price-performance for others to meet. I owned the Bogen precursor to the Manfrotto 055, the 3221 and I used it for well over a decade. I changed -- but only after Gitzo re-engineered the legs with G-Lock and ALR -- because I was dissatisfied with the 3221 resistance to AXIAL motion when a wind might gust and push against a telephoto lens! That axial rigidity is something almost NEVER compared by my folks, yet it can be a significant bother when you our not inside a sheltered area.

Notice that my beef with the 3221 was NOT about weight, and NOT about 'load capacity'...load capacity is a very amorphous claimed specification that has little meaning in a directly comparative way! There are ZERO test standards to this spec, so what does it really mean if Mfgr.A claims 25 lbs. vs. Mfgr. B claims 12 lbs?! I use this illustration taken from a Bogen ad a very long time ago to show how meaningless a claim can be...what do you think is the claim for the illustrated tripod (about 25 lbs, IIRC)?! I have no idea what Lester Bogen weighed, but he has about 50 lbs. (or more) of tripods on him!

We have the ability of the tripod to dampen vibration, again another spec that few tripod buyers can compare. Yet it marks the difference between a mediocre tripod and a good one. Generally, wood is best, carbon fiber is next best, and metal is the worst for vibration dampening.

What is left are the 'more visible' but superficial aspects (from the standpoint of shooting)

• How much does it weigh
  
• How long is it when collapsed, so it fits inside my luggage?
  
• How many leg sections does it have (more sections, greater time for setup and collapse)
  
• How low does it get to the ground, how high up?
  

A good list for making the decision - thanks!

DrMitch wrote in post #18258610
I got a Jusino TK-254 Carbon Fiber tripod - very compact, light, very inexpensive and had a 15kg limit...
I haven't had it very long, but seems to be well made and quite sturdy - just not sure if they are available anymore.
http://www.fotogenic.c​om.au …ofessional-ball-head.html

Oh no - another make! Only joking - thanks for the recommendation, I'll take a look.

Well, I've decided on this one

Ordered today, so I should have it in a day or two.

Thanks for the advice!

Trying to make this decision and came to the last post where wakarimasen says decided on this one.....but the link is broken. Would like to know what you finally decided on and your thoughts about it....

Thanks!

The link works for me, and points to a page at cvp.com for this tripod package:
Manfrotto MK055XPRO3-BHQ2 (MK055XPRO3BHQ2) 055 3-Section Aluminium Tripod with XPRO Ball Head and 200PL Plate

The tripod is very sturdy, and I've used it a few times to make long exposure photographs (like the one below) with no problems whatsoever.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/24L8​S5D