Tripods - What's the best?

If that's the case, my wife might be cursing you one day for letting me know about how fast the Gitzo now has gotten!

Go try them. I totally agree with you about the superiority of the flips (for speed) over the old style Gitzo (non ALR) locks. The new ones are worth the price increase alone.

I have a manfrotto 695 monopod with the flip locks and I have a Gitzo 2940 monopod and a gitzo 1258 tripod with the alr twist locks. There is no question that the new gitzo alr legs are very fast to set up and easier.


J.

Yup. ALR is a vast improvement. Then again, I can set up a 1325 in about 20 seconds.
(Don't have one at hand, but have an old twist lock tripod, so yes, I timed it)

On my Manfrotto monopod I find the flip locks to be either too stiff to open easy, or they slip... So my next tripod will have twist lock for sure. Don't know if the funds allow a Gitzo. Then again, I'd rather wait longer then buy crap.

Tried a bunch of Gitzo 'clones' at the Photokina, but they were miles behind in stability to the 'real thing'. Sadly, I missed Amvona and Benro there. Anyone have a one to one comparison?

René Damkot wrote in post #2297981
On my Manfrotto monopod I find the flip locks to be either too stiff to open easy, or they slip... So my next tripod will have twist lock for sure. Don't know if the funds allow a Gitzo.

Are you aware of the fact that the Manfrotto/Bogen lever locks can be easily adjusted with the small white plastic 'whattzit' that is clipped onto a leg? That easily solves the 'too tight' or the 'not tight enough' problem!

I have gone into sticker shock at the price of the 1358. Methinks it deserves a red stripe for that street price!

Mine has adjustment screws. That's why I mentioned they're either to tight or too loose. Can't seem to find a setting that will hold my monopod solid, yet open easily
Also, the setting seems to change a bit over time, so I need to retighten those screws about once every two months...

Wilt wrote in post #2298661
Are you aware of the fact that the Manfrotto/Bogen lever locks can be easily adjusted with the small white plastic 'whattzit' that is clipped onto a leg? That easily solves the 'too tight' or the 'not tight enough' problem!

I have gone into sticker shock at the price of the 1358. Methinks it deserves a red stripe for that street price!

not cheap for sure, but you have it for the rest of your life.

Tripods and Ball Heads by Thom Hogan

It really is an amazing piece of gear. I had this in a trout stream this summer 2' deep in pretty swift current - wakes coming off of each leg. I took a 5 shot pano that came out perfectly crisp and clean. If wind can cause vibration, then there had to be a ton of vibration due to the water. The legs damped it all out. Not too shabby for a 3lb tripod (4lbs with ballhead).

J.

I went w/ the Manfrotto 3021BPRO w/ 3437 3D Head set up. Make sure you research the differecne in head types. -Ball-Head vs 3-Way Head- They have different applications.

René Damkot wrote in post #2297981
Sadly, I missed Amvona and Benro there. Anyone have a one to one comparison?

I don't have a 1 to 1 comparison, but I've owned Gitzo before, and now I use a Benro tripod, the C298. The comparable Gitzo was about $530. at my local camera store - I got my Benro for about $330.00.

My monopod is an Amvona and very sturdy. It extends past my height (6') and was an excellent buy ( about $55.00 on ebay). I have their CF81 tripod also. Its a good light duty tripod which I've used for hiking. I got it for about $40.00 (legs only) on ebay.

I have the sunpak 3300 pro (http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …G&addedTroughTy​pe=search). It's super light... like 3.3lbs and very functional. It's great for lighter gear and hiking. I use to have the Bogen 3021 and a medium size ball head, but it was too heavy for me.

JNunn wrote in post #2300411
The comparable Gitzo was about $530

And how 'comparable' is that? I'm quite picky: I won't spend money on a manfrotto 055, as what I have is comparable in quality, albeit a bit heavier, so if I spend money it has to be lighter *and* more stable...

There are differences you cannot see. Read:

http://markins.com/cha​rlie/report4e6.pdf

5um of vibration amplitude over the speed of the shutter is equal to one pixel of blur. Handholding can be worth more than 300um of vibration.

If these knockoff companies did not do the research and rigorous design but attempted a copy, (and I suspect they didn't do the work for the heavily discounted prices offered) then I'd not want to use them.

You certainly get some advantage to using ANY tripod over handholding but I'm looking for the sharpest images I can get under trying circumstances like wind, in the water, etc... until someone can do the test on these guys similar to above, I'm really not going to risk my money on them.

The other point is given that I am probably harder on my gear than others, so I'm into the reliability of it all. Gitzo sort of owns that position in the market and that is important to me.

No matter, it really is a fact that you get what you pay for. No way is a half price tripod going to perform at the level of a full price one or be as reliable or both. For me, if I don't get that sum of the performance - vibration damping and reliability, then I just wasted what I spent.

J.

naqs wrote in post #2274372
This topic is pretty simple... I want to know what everyone think's is the best tripod for as many applications as possible?

meaning which tripod would you recommend that can do pretty much anything you need it to?

Such an ideal thing doesn't exist because the 'best' woul have to include the criteria of being portable which is a contradiction with the other requirements of stability and versatility

So the best tripod would be the biggest and heaviest, with an antigrav switch

I Simonius wrote in post #2302989
Such an ideal thing doesn't exist because the 'best' woul have to include the criteria of being portable which is a contradiction with the other requirements of stability and versatility

So the best tripod would be the biggest and heaviest, with an antigrav switch

Thats why It was rephrase to what do YOU think is the best? or what do YOU use and does it work for YOUR application?

At the moment I use the Manfrotto 190PROB with 488RC2 head. Currently thinking about getting the Manfrotto 055MF3 mag fibre tripod and putting the same head on that. Or maybe getting the magnesium three-way head instead, and keeping the 190PROB with that head on as the lighter alternative (three-way head comes in handy sometimes). I also have a Manfrotto monopod, forget the model number, but I have been very happy with Manfrotto over the years. I have looked at the Gitzo stuff, but it's a bit too pricey for my taste, and the carbon fibre Manfrottos, while heavier than Gitzo, aren't THAT heavy!

Another Bogen-Manfrotto 3021BPRO with 488rc2 head most of the time. I still have two Slik U212 tripods that have served well for years, but they have a pan-tilt head and I wanted to try a ballhead. I also have a VERY heavy Bogen 3046 with 3063rc0 fluid head for studio or video work. I use a Slik EZpod, (not the jr.) that I converted to use the bogen rc2 qr plates. It works very well for me.