travel tripod

gecko0

i tried various searches and didn't come up with much, so i decided to try a thread of my own on this. i'm looking for a tripod to use for travel...domestic and possibly international flights. i currently have a manfrotto 055xprob w/ 488rc2 head...obiously not the smallest/lightest for my travel needs.

for those that go on flights with tripods, are you carrying them on, checking them, and what model did you go with? to go one step further, can you post up pics of your gear in "travel" form so i can get an idea of how compact it is?

i would go monopod, but would prefer to be able to take night shots and time lapse pics when possible, so the tripod is required. the heaviest i would put on this would be my XSi w/ 70-200mm f/2.8L IS.

thanks much!

cletus

Could you provide a bit more info?

Are you looking for a rock solid setup that will have some heft to it but will be easy to break down into carry on friendly size? Are willing to trade some stability and capacity to get into a ultralight easy to take anywhere system? Are you thinking somewhere in between? What kind of budget are you looking at?

I'm using an ancient set of aluminum Manfrotto legs and a Really Right Stuff BH-40 head. I put the legs in my checked bags and keep the head in my carry on with the rest of my gear. If anything happened to the legs I'd probably go with something like the Gitzo 2541 that could easily fit in carry on once the head is removed.

rpcrowe

Here is my setup
I wanted a very lightweight tripod for travel and for boonie tromping. My standard travel camera/lens setup is two cameras with a 17-55mm f/2.8 IS and a 70-200mm f/4L IS lens. The last lens, occasionally wearing a 1.4x TC, is the heaviest package that I place on my travel tripod.

I looked into a set of Gitzo legs with a RRS head but, the price was astronomical; far more than I am willing to pay for a boonie tromping and travel tripod.

I chose a SLIK Pro 330DX which I modified in the following fashion.

I replaced the longer center column with the optional shorter column. This reduces the weight somewhat. I could have simply sawed off the stock column but, using the optional shorter column makes a neater package. Since I don't use the center column to raise the camera; the shorter version is just fine.

I replaced the rather heavy SLIK pan/tilt head with an Adorama Flashpoint F-1 Magnesium Arca Compatible ball head. This was the great weight saving. The little F-1 head is amazing and supports my camera and 70-200mm f/4L IS lens with no problem. I have a RRS L-bracket which allows me to keep my camera centered over the tripod head when I am using a non tripod-ring equipped lens in the vertical position. Since I dont have the camera cantilevered over to the side, I can get away with using a lighter weight tripod and head.

I have attached images of the modified SLIK Pro 330DX next to my full-size Giottos MT 8180 tripod with Giottos MH1300 ball head. The modified SLIK is really a tiny package in comparison and the little tripod weighs only 1-pound and 11-ounces, making it a dream to carry.

The one drawback of my modified SLIK is that this is a fairly short package and I would need to bend down to use it. However, I often use a right angle finder to reduce bending. Since I cut my teeth on a twin lens reflex camera, it is second nature for me to view my image looking down. I don't normally use this setup to follow moving images. I mostly use it for landscapes and for shots when my shutter speed is too low to safely hand hold. Even though both the lenses I use with this modified tripod have IS capability, I believe that a tripod is an important accessory.

One advantage of my setup is the price! I purchased the SLIK on sale at Calumet Camera for about $70 and the Flashpoint F-1 head costs $50 at Adorama with free shipping. I really don't remember the cost of the shorter center column but, it was minimal.

cdub

Gitzo makes a traveler tripod series, specifically for someone who wants something compact and light. I don't know if they make a traveler in the 2 cm. diameter version, but their 1 cm. series model is called the 1541T (the T is for traveler). You leave the centre column extended (I think) and the legs reverse 180 degrees, thus collapsing the head within the legs. You save the mount and head height in length. The total package is very small, and total weight with head can be less than 3 lbs. Check it out online:

http://ow.ly/jB33

Cheers,

C

BradJudy

I was thinking about this recently too. Does anyone have experience with the SLIK Sprint Pro II? It looks like an interesting travel tripod option.

gecko0

cletus wrote:

Could you provide a bit more info?

Are you looking for a rock solid setup that will have some heft to it but will be easy to break down into carry on friendly size? Are willing to trade some stability and capacity to get into a ultralight easy to take anywhere system? Are you thinking somewhere in between? What kind of budget are you looking at?

I'm using an ancient set of aluminum Manfrotto legs and a Really Right Stuff BH-40 head. I put the legs in my checked bags and keep the head in my carry on with the rest of my gear. If anything happened to the legs I'd probably go with something like the Gitzo 2541 that could easily fit in carry on once the head is removed.

good questions...portability is top priority, so losing quality/stability is ok. i just want a tripod to do some night shots and such on stable ground...no crazy locations or harsh conditions. capacity will need to handle my XSi and 70-200 f/2.8 IS, but that isn't too much in tripod-land, i am guessing. if i could get one small enough (and bending over to use it is fine...i'm 6ft even, but don't care if i have to crouch to use it) to use as a carry on, that's great...or easily pack it in my checked bag.

budget...preferably <=$250 total, since i just bought the other one and didn't think i'd be wanting to travel with one...otherwise i should have just went for a better and portable one right away.

tzipple

Gitzo 1541t
The 1541t is tops for travel and hiking. 2.2 pounds and 16" folded up. It is very solid... for the weight. Paired with an RRS BH25 the whole thing is under 3 pounds. It is great with a 24-70 f/2.8 and will handle a 70-200 if you are careful. If you can manage another 5-6 ounces, the RRS BH-30 and 1541t will easily handle the 70-200. When I am not worried about weight, I use a heavier pod and head, but for hiking , the light weight 1541t and BH25 are wonderful.

Art Scott

There really is no such thing as stable ground...the ground may be stable but what you're really trying to stabilize against is wind......a slight breeze can wreek havoc on your photos....not so much the breeze but the starting and stopping of the breeze....that is what causes the swaying of the camera and 'pod...........I was trying to get night shots of Praha from a hillside....nice flat ground all set up and dang near every time I pressed the remote shutter release a gust of wind came by.....so I gave up for the night.....found a cloth bag with handles to make a sand bag....but the next time no breeze....I was using a manfrotto/bogen tripod.....now I awitched to a 4 section Giottos and that was the best switch I made concerning tripods.....small enuff to pack in a suitcase for air travel, small enuff to carry on my LowePro backpack and not slam into the top of doorways enter and exiting buses, metros, trams or trains.....light enuff that I carry it every where....and a lot of times I have my monopod with me also.

This ONE is very similar to the one I now carry every where and it is from the store I bought from also...

Zerodog

You guys will probably say I am crazy with this one. But I bought a Gorillapod Focus. This is their big dog model with a weight rating of 11lbs. I put my modded Gitzo/kirk ball head on it and am pretty impressed with it. It is small, sort of light, and versatile. Its only real shortcoming is if there is nothing to wrap its legs around and you are stuck with it at ground level. It easily handles my 300s and monster 80-200 2.8. I tried it in my house hanging it from chairs, railings and even just on a table. It seems like something you need to be creative with to get the most out of it. They offer a small inexpensive ball head for it that I might get and then modify for my Arca swiss plates. It will make it a lot smaller and lighter than with the bigger Gitzo mutant head I run now. Another thing I might add is a string or velcro something to "belay" it while in weird positions with the $$$ hanging from it.

Here is a shot of one I found on the web.

ole doc

BradJudy wrote:

I was thinking about this recently too. Does anyone have experience with the SLIK Sprint Pro II? It looks like an interesting travel tripod option.

I have this tripod for traveling. I have rigged it to carry at my waist attached to belt and it works fine. I ship it in the checked luggage but it would fit in carry-on. It works fine with my D60 and the kit lenses but the ball head was unable to hold the D60 with Nikkor 70-300 AF VR attached. The maximum height is below mine but my wife gave me a right angle eyepiece attachment for Christmas which should solve that problem.
It fits my demands for a portable, light reasonably stable tripod for other than extreme (for me) lenses and conditions.
Nick