tripods
m147
Registered Users Posts: 61 Big grins
i am looking to buy a tripod for my nikon d3000. i live in japan and some of the available tripods here are: slik, hakuba, and another which i have forgotten the name of. well i am sure there are a heap more but these are the ones being sold at a photo shop in my town. what are your thoughts on these? i don't need anything professional, i am looking to spend up to around $100.
any advice would be appreciated. thank you.
any advice would be appreciated. thank you.
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Pricewise, my setup was about $600, so quite a bit more than your target of $100, but WAY less than a "professional" setup, which can easily run $1500 or more for Gitzo carbon fiber legs and RRS heads...
I'm sorry I don't have any personal experience with the brands you mention, all I can say is that IMO it's better to save up and buy a system that you won't likely outgrow anytime soon rather than get a budget system and find yourself upgrading in a year or two. Good support is crucial for sharp pictures, and ease of use is very important, otherwise you will find yourself making excuses not to use it, and then it doesn't matter that you have a tripod at all. A good tripod will last you for many, many years, so you may go through several different camera bodies and many lens upgrades and still use the same support, if you purchase the right stuff.
Probably not exactly what you were looking to hear, but that's my advice on the subject. Good luck!
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Then again, I'm 6'9" and there are only 3 tall tripods out there.
I've seen you post about that before, and I'm glad you found one tall enough. I have to wonder how you'd do with the Giottos legs I have. I did all the math and figured that I'd have to have the legs at full extension and use the center column for the last inch or three. But when I received it in person, I ended up having to make some marks on the bottom leg extension because it was too tall for me. I don't think the marks I made would account for a full 4 inch height difference, but it would be pretty close, I'd guess. But I think you've mentioned before about needing more height when setting up on uneven ground beneath your feet.
Anyway, I wish Gitzo's "normal" legs were just a few inches longer, not that I could have snuck that extra cost past the boss.
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I understand. I rather begrudingly accepted legs with a center column, figuring if I at most extended it an inch or two, it would be okay. But as I've gotten used to my tripod, I have actually never extended the column and in fact have it removed at the moment (they provide a "stub" column for when you want to use the configurable built-in head). One thing I have found pretty neat about the center column is that I can reverse it and, using the drop notch on the ballhead, arrange the camera so that it is millimeters from the ground for some really low shots if desired. But in normal use, I do not use the column.
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ps i have decided that 100$ is a little low for investing in a tripod, i think i would go up to 200$. any suggestions?
Take a look at Giottos.......I paid under $200 for mine (around $150) {Giottos MT9180 tripod - no longer made}...I needed a 4 section tripod, they are shorter in length when closed and now when I travel I can have it attached to my back pack and still enter buses and trains...with my 3 section, I was banging the head on doorways..........I am 5'9" and never fully extend the legs on mine.....the center column is quite nice for macros or low shooting positions and I find it quite stable even in our nice Kansas winds........
This math was what led me to the Giottos MT9371. I'm 6'5". Subtract 4-5 inches from eye level to top of my head. Subtract 3"-ish from camera base to viewfinder, and another 4"-ish to account for the ballhead (Kirk BH-3 in my case). Then another inch or two so you can see the LCD on top of the camera with it on the tripod if desired. I've found at full standing height, I can't see the top screen, and that was annoying. Plus, if you are pointing the camera down, you can no longer see into the viewfinder. So my "normal" tripod height is a couple inches lower than full standing height. If I were to be shooting for an extended period and I knew I wouldn't be aiming down, I'd put it at full height so I could stand without leaning over at all.
The MT9371 is 161cm without the center column. As opposed to Art, I chose the 3-section legs because they are a bit more stable than 4-section, and I do not travel with them, so I didn't need them to fit in luggage.
Due to my height, I had a hard time finding legs that would be tall enough for me, so I was glad to find Giottos offerings. After my first 4 months or so shooting with them, I'm very happy with their ergonomics and build quality.
If that is just for the legs, then you can certainly find good ones in that range. My legs were right around $200-225, IIRC. However, the Kirk ballhead and L-bracket made up the rest of the $600 price I mentioned before.
If you are looking for a complete tripod (legs & head) in that range, I'm not sure what you will find with good stability, build quality, proper height, etc.
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the giottos certainly look very nice. problem is, i have no credit card here in japan, and so i have to buy from japanese sites, which offer COD or convenience store payment, and it seems, i've checked three websites, there is not much giottos products around here. everything else, velbon, slik, hakuba, manfrotto, etc ... no giottos.
however i did find something: giottos MT9350. i have to say it looks very nice from the pictures. i will have to search the net for reviews. and then look for a good head. but i may have to go other than giottos, as for the problem i explained.
what do people think of the vanguard legs and heads?
also what do you people here use, or advise: pan/tilt or ball head?
Are other makes available on the internal (ie no airfreight) market?
Personally, I've never bought a new tripod and mainly use ali Gitzos (3. 4, 5 series) because of the versatility of the top mount (85mm dia clamp) - this allows for the use of all manner of stuff to be attached.
Best deal I've had was a Gitzo 5 series giant for 60+ quid (or approx $100) - including airfreight ... was being sold as spares / repairs, but apart from a few minor bits missing and being severely cosmetically challenged, it's fine
pp
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I am also 5'9" , do not like shorter tripods requiring me to stoop. I don't know if your Japan location gives you access to the many excellent carbon fiber and metal tripods made in China. I just bought a Benro Carbon fiber tripod that raches 1365mm with central column retracted. I prefer the flip locks rather than twist locks to avoid the dirt jamming problem inherent in the old gitzo twist lock design, coppied by many. Supposedly the new twist locks are better sealed to prevent jamming, but the problem is avoided completely with fliplocks. The company that makes Benro also makes Induro (marketed in the USA).
The prior series (Carmagne) Velbon carbon fiber tripods (with flip locks) were similar in height to the Benro above, but the new Velbon tripods are shorter. The prior series models are excellent( no longer sold in the USA), very rigid I am sure that the Gitzo (twist lock) is very costly in Japan, and the Benro/Induro is almost as good, if not equal. I shoot a Nikon D200, Arca Swiss B1 ballhead, longest lens is 400 mm f.4.0.
Hope this helps.
Stan
altough, the vanguard alta pro 263at legs do look good as well. spec wise they are very similar to the giottos. some differences are the snap-locks on the vanguard vs. twist on giottos; and the vanguard stands about 110mm higher than the giottos, fully extended. also the vanguard comes with a stone bag as well as a carry bag. the other difference between the two is vanguard's hexagonal center column. i have to say i do like the snap-locks over the twist as well as the hexagonal center column, and the extended height and stone bag are also pluses. however, i don't know if it is just me but the giottos looks sturdier. on the other hand the vanguard has won awards.
i keep going beyond my price limit, haha. but i do have the money and rather buy something of quality straight away than later have to replace.
My 2 cents on this is that with the twist locks, I can easily grab both locks and unlock (or lock when putting away) both sections of the legs at the same time. Does that make a huge difference in setup time? No, probably not, but I do like it. Also, this has never happened to me, but I've heard stories of people pinching their hands in the snap levers inadvertently. If you are a bit distracted, perhaps considering the photo you're about to take, and sort of mindlessly setting up your tripod, and catch the webbing between your thumb and hand with a snap lock, that can ruin your day... Again, not a major deal breaker, but maybe something to consider. A third point is that sometimes you leave the tripod set up, pick up the whole kit and take a walk to your next photo location. The levers on the snap locks will much more easily snag themselves on a loose piece of clothing or strap on your backpack or something, which can catch you off guard.
These are all examples of reasons I decided to go with twist locks. They're all things that can be avoided with care, but I prefered to simply remove the possibility of them happening at all. I'm not convinced that snap locks are any faster, either. The one point that I guess they have going for them, IMO, was mentioned by lightyear, that I guess the twist locks can get dirt inside them more easily. I've not had that happen to me, either, and pictures I've seen on various manufacturer's sites often mention how well sealed or "self-cleaning" the clamps are. So YMMV, I suppose...
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Trust me, Twist locks have gotten my skin several times too.. so I don't think either system is perfect... I just caught my hand again this weekend in my twist lock and have a nice blood blister to prove it.
No experience with either of those, but they sound like off brands. I know I didn't think much of the Slik tripods I've seen.
If you can't afford a Really Right Stuff ballhead, consider Markins.
You are in Japan. The place is flooded with photo gear. Maybe you need to take a trip to Tokyo?
a trip to Tokyo would cost me as much as the gear, riding the Shinkansen (bullet train), as I am on the opposite end of japan, near nagasaki. but I do know what you mean about japan. I don't know about vanguard too much but the giottos come highly recommended by some on this forum. and I have read hoot reviews.
Just like a lot of others tho they also make some low end junk.....
One thing I've learned about tripods and ballheads - everything is relative. No matter what you get, you can always improve on it. Ansel Adams commented (something like) "the best tripod is a cubic yard of concrete with a bolt sticking out the top". You are trying to reduce lens vibrations, and no matter what you do, if you look closely enough there will still be some. And lens vibration affects sharpness of image.
I think Giottos makes a good upper-midrange tripod. But well-known pros who have disclosed what equipment they use overwhelmingly use Gitzo tripods. Google around to find that report. Similarly, Really Right Stuff (RRS) dominate ballheads, but not quite as much. There are other very good ballheads - but they are very expensive, too.
Markins makes some very highly rated ballheads that are relatively cheap. That's why I mentioned them.
Anyway, do a lot of research, and don't go on the word of just one or two people (even me). Support is expensive. Even more so if you buy something mediocre, and end up later buying what you need.
this is very true. i'm in no rush so i keep looking on the net for reviews and such and recommendations of many people. so i can have a lot of info for when i actually do decide and purchase. i will look into the markins.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/522172-REG/Giottos_MT9260_MT_9260_Classic_Aluminum_4_Section.html
"Don't worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition."
-- Abraham Lincoln
Looks like great tripod.........great price also
"Don't worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition."
-- Abraham Lincoln
that is a nice tripod. as i am thinking of getting giottos legs, not the exact same ones as you though, could you post your thoughts on them once you have tested them out. thanks.
I have approximately 30 headshots to do tomorrow for a play. I'll let you know how it works out.
"Don't worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition."
-- Abraham Lincoln
Umm, you should save until you can spend a little more. Like the one at B&H. Do a lot of research and find one that's right for you. Like Billy said, you don't want to go the route of spending a little on a cheap one, upgrading to a slightly better one, then finally getting the one you really needed all along. Going that way makes it a whole lot more expensive
well that was my first budget, before i had done any research, also i was translating yen to dollars very roughly. my new budget is 25,000¥ which is about $300. i am looking to the giottos MT-9350 and the vanguard SBH-300 ballhead.
what is wrong with the center column?