mknabster wrote in post #5637575
I currently have the Giottos MT9180 tripod legs and MH5001 pan head. It's a beautiful tripod,
but it's a bit on the heavy side, about 6-8lbs. Weight wise, is this average for a tripod to be? I do love how low i can make it go, and that i can take the center column out and put it lateral on the tripod, would i be sacrificing these capabilities for a lighter tripod? I'm planning on doing some day trips then eventually some weekend trips with my equipment, and i want a tripod that can keep up with me. If anyone could give some opinions, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Much too heavy for any type of 'serious' or longer hiking. Also, the heavier the tripod, the more likely it is to sit home. Ideally, you'd like something that weighs less than four pounds (including the ballhead), which will most likely direct you towards a carbon fiber set up. Personally, I use a Gitzo Mountainer 2540 with a Markins M10 head. Feisol makes a very decent line of CF tripods, and the Photoclam ballhead has gotten very good reviews. For a modest price (about 1/2 of a Gitzo), you can pick up a nice, sturdy, lightweight CF tripod with a good ballhead, and get many years of use out if it.
