Tripod woes

Anyone else pushing their tripods to the limits? My poor Manfrotto 785B has a weight cap of 2.2lbs. It does look rather silly and feels a bit rickety when i've got my 40D with grip, 17-55 2.8 IS along with a 430ex mounted. Looks like i'm off tripod shopping this weekend.

If you don't mind a little weight the Manfrotto 055XPROB + 488RC2 head is a very nice combo. I just bought this combination after looking at slightly lesser models and am very glad I decided on this solid combo. I don't think I'll ever need another tripod/head in my life.

Thanks for your input That Bogen 488RC2 is a really fantastic head for the price. It's mounted to a fancy carbon fiber Hakuba HG-503MX both of which I picked up today. No more wobbly tripod issues!

blackshadow wrote in post #4754652
If you don't mind a little weight the Manfrotto 055XPROB + 488RC2 head is a very nice combo.

I agree.

The other good thing is it's a steal at less than $300. I don't think I'll ever need another tripod combo either.

I have the Gitzo G1327 tripod with the Gitzo 1376M ball head and that combination is solid as a rock. The tripod is tall too...it has to be...I'm 6'10" and it's just right for me.
Good Luck.

I had several smaller, cheaper tripods and finally realized that I had to have a good one. I got a Velbon Elcarmagne 530 from Amazon with CF legs and Magnesium pan head. Solid enough to mount an 8X10 view camera and light, well comparatively, and very quick and easy to use. Rated for 25 lbs

Spend the money and get a REALLY good one and you will never need another one.

A good sturdy tripod and head are worth their weight in gold.
Always remember to check the load rating of the legs and the head you intend to use with it. They can differ greatly.

Buy a really good one and it could well serve your photography needs for the rest of your life.

One of mine is close to 30 years old, and still in use. It's a big, heavy Beast, so a few years ago I got a Gitzo 1325 carbon fiber for field use and to relieve my aching back. The Beast is now my "studio tripod", doesn't get out much, but is still rock steady. So, in a sense, the tripod is outlasting me.

I just got a new ballhead and it says 3.5 kg which is about 8 lbs. Still more than enough for my XT/75-300/430EX combo. I like the panhead better though. I have never used a ballhead before, so some adjustment time is in order.

But the difference a solid tripod makes is well worth the money.