Tripods

I am trying to build up my photo equiptment and I was hoping to get some help from you all. I recently purchased a canon 10d and now I need a tripod. I'm sitting here with the B & H catalog wondering what would be the best tripod for my camera. I need one for general use and hiking. Also, which do you like better, the ball head or the pan & tilt head? I currently have an old pan & tilt, but it's just about seen its day.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Sunshine

Hi Sunshine

Well, try to be more specific in your questions so that others can offer their help. What's your budget? How much weight do you wish to carry? What lens do you intend to put on the tripod? Or it'd be better to ask xxx tripod vs xxx tripod so that any one here can share their experience.

If you do not specify the above, the best tripod is generally the heaviest one, isn't it?

Well, I don't find much difference for using ball head and pan & tilt head for my small lenses.

I use the Bogen Manfrotto 3021 and the 3030 pan tilt head and they work great. I was on a budget and after looking around and asking questions this seemed like the best solution for being on a budget and it has worked great. It may be a bit more heavy than a carbon fiber but it is sturdy and works great. I have never used a ball head but am interested, I just didn't have the cash to go with a ball head yet.

This whole tripod/head business has the potential of being a real can of worms. I've been generally unhappy with lighter weight tripods, and have found them quite unsuitable for much of the landscape work I do here in the desert. Between high winds and the occasional earthquake, a marginal tripod does not give me the stability I need for a 10D, BG-ED3, and a longer lens (like my 100-400L).

Over the last several months, I worked my way through a succession of tripods until finally in pure desperation, I bought a Bogen 3051 to use with a 486RC2 quick-release ball head that I already owned. After playing with that combination for a while, I still wasn't totally satisfied with the stability of the setup, so I replaced the ball head with a 3047 pan/tilt head. I now have a very rigid tripod/head combination that unfortunately weighs something just slightly less than a fully loaded school bus. (nearly 20 lbs.)

Looking back, I’m more and more convinced that my biggest mistake was not my choice of tripods, but the 486RC2 ball head which seems to have more flex to it than you might expect. I suppose I’m saying that you’re mistaken if you assume the tripod legs do all the work when it comes to holding the camera motionless.

I'm back in the market for something that will be a lot more transportable, and hopefully come close to my current combination for rigidity. I’ve looked at carbon fiber units, and have not been horribly impressed with them, especially considering their price. I will buy another ball head, but it will have to be a very stout unit. It will also have to have pan capabilities.

I will be tracking this thread to see what recommendations other people come up with.

Tom,

have you checked the BG-ED3's influence on overall stability?

Maybe the setup would be more stable without the grip.

Regards,
Andy

Actually I did, and it doesn't seem to have any tangible effect. It's pretty solid on the camera. Thre just seemed to be a lot of flex in the ball head.

Andy,

I was about to post the same thing. If you use the tripod mount in the bottom of Big-Ed my tripod also goes from being rock solid, stay where I lock it to sloppy as a sloppy thing with extra slop.

Nice tripod ? Giottos MT 8170. Carbon Fibre, lots of adjustment and rock solid. But get a good head for it. Doesn't matter how good the tripod is. If you have a cheapo head it isn't going to be solid.

Cheers

Ian

Tripods

Thank you all for your advice and experience with tripods. It will help me with my purchase. I am putting off buying a new car just so I can purchase photo equiptment. I want to make sure I'm buying the right stuff. This board is a real help, I'm glad I found it!
Thanks,
Sunshine

I've been using a Gitzo 1225 tripod with a Gitzo magnesium ball head. For what it's worth this was the result of a series of trades where a friend got rid of a Gitzo carbon fibre tripod. I won't bore you with the details but he just thought that it was too light for his needs. I like the Gitzo I have - at least so far. It's not the lightest thing that I've ever seen but there you go. It is very stable and since the ball head is identical to the heavier one but lighter this is the one.

If you are going to use a lens with a tripod collar you might be better served to get a non ball head. Both of my heads are of the ball type - the other one is big jeezly Manfroto. With the tripod collar and a ball head you add an unnecessary joint to the support "limb". I find that I have to lock up the tripod collar and then use the ball head or I've introduced a "bad knee" as it just wobbles. Since I have only one lens that has a tripod collar I figured that the ball head is still the way to go, but you should be aware of this potential problem.

Here are some links that you may find helpful info at. These links are to specific things but you should also browse the sites for more info. I have a lot of links to info on one particular ball head because it seems that a lot of people like it.

Luminous Landscape: Tripods & Heads

Really Right Stuff: Use and selection

Really Right Stuff: On Using Your Arca-Swiss B1 Ballhead

Dpreview forum: Tilt/pan head versus ball head

byThom: Serious Support

A one-pound ball head?

ACRATECH

Photographyreview: Acratech Ultimate Ballhead

Acratech Ultimate Ballhead and quick release plates (review)

Luminous Landscape: Acratech Ball Head (review)

Photo.net board: Acratech Ball Head (review)

Photo.net board: Acratech Ultimate Ballhead Experience

Photofocus: THE ULTIMATE BALL HEAD FROM ACRATECH

Bayimages.net: Acratech Ultimate Ballhead

Tri-pods or way overpriced!!!

tpinchback wrote:
Tri-pods or way overpriced!!!

I had a similar thought before. But when I've got a good tripod (and monopod), I've changed my mind. BTW, I use Manfrotto.

At first I thought they were overpriced also but I'm thinking that was because I was used to the prices of the small cheap models that aren't worth much for any serious photography. They got me through my Basic Photo classes for my art degree but that was only because I was married with a daughter a job and going to school and had no money. I got my Bogen 3021 with 3030 pan tilt head and love it. I will look into a ball head in the future. I still don't have much money but I need the gear.

tpinchback wrote:
Tri-pods or way overpriced!!!

---until you lose an important photo because your 'cheapie' tripod decided to do a feritility dance during a 1/15 second exposure. Then, the extra money would seem like a bargain.

Hmmm, maybe I should go hunting for a new tripod as well - problem is that my biggest concern is that my current tripod takes forever to use... loosen a bit here, loosen a bit there, move the camera, tighten the bits again... damn, it moved a bit.

Maybe I should go for the ballhead instead of my current pan & tilt one

/Johnny