Tripod input

Moving PicturesMoving Pictures Registered Users Posts: 384 Major grins
edited April 7, 2012 in Accessories
The Lady and I are bound for a long motorbike trip later this year, to Newfoundland. I'm gonna take the big camera ... but I'd like suggestion on a small, portable tripod to take. Maybe 12 in/30 cm to a bit longer.

The big thing would be portability: two people on one motorbike on a two-week camping trip mean every last corner of space is at a premium.
Newspaper photogs specialize in drive-by shootings.
Forum for Canadian shooters: www.canphoto.net

Comments

  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,133 moderator
    edited April 7, 2012
    What does the tripod and head need to support? (Weight and extension, etc.)

    What type of head are you looking for? (3-way panhead, ball head, ...)
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • Moving PicturesMoving Pictures Registered Users Posts: 384 Major grins
    edited April 7, 2012
    ziggy53 wrote: »
    What does the tripod and head need to support? (Weight and extension, etc.)

    What type of head are you looking for? (3-way panhead, ball head, ...)

    Canon d7 and a Sigma 28-70 zoom.

    I'm not a tripod snob. If'n I'm using it, it's almost invariably going to be in landscape mode, so it doesn't have to tilt, pan or feature other bells and whistles.
    Newspaper photogs specialize in drive-by shootings.
    Forum for Canadian shooters: www.canphoto.net
  • Art ScottArt Scott Registered Users Posts: 8,959 Major grins
    edited April 7, 2012
    How tall are you?? You length specs ... ... Is that folded length??



    EDIT:
    this just might fit your bill..... http://tinyurl.com/89ytdge I am looking at this as a studio pod so I can keep my Giottos in my vehicle at all times ...
    "Genuine Fractals was, is and will always be the best solution for enlarging digital photos." ....Vincent Versace ... ... COPYRIGHT YOUR WORK ONLINE ... ... My Website

  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,133 moderator
    edited April 7, 2012
    Moving Pictures wrote: »
    Canon d7 and a Sigma 28-70 zoom. ...

    I believe that combination should be around 3lbs./1.3kg.

    I also believe that the GorillaPod SLR-Zoom is fairly popular with motorcyclists in that it is bendable enough to obviate the need for a separate head, and it can adapt to many different terrains and host objects for support. It load rates at up to 3kg (6.5 lb), so should be a match for your equipment.

    http://joby.com/gorillapod/slrzoom
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • basfltbasflt Registered Users Posts: 1,882 Major grins
    edited April 7, 2012
    hama traveler compact pro
    about 50CM / 20 inch long when folded
    i would be able to carry it
    ( always been on ( Harley ) camping-trips all my life , i know what it is )

    http://www.hama.co.uk/004214/hama-traveller-compact-pro
    Bas

    /ɯoɔ˙ƃnɯƃnɯs˙ʇlɟsɐq//:dʇʇɥ
  • kurtwkurtw Registered Users Posts: 100 Major grins
    edited April 7, 2012
    Speaking as a motorcyclist who does some lightweight bike camping... I've used the exact gorilla pod mentioned by Ziggy and never liked it. It needs a ball head to be conveniently adjustable and I don't always want to shoot from the ground or perch it on something higher (easier said than done). And it's still not that stable with an SLR.

    There are some really nice compact tripods available these days and that's the route I've gone. Look at Sirui and Benro for example. I've gone totally minimalist in my choice.

    With full disclaimers that this is not a top-of-the-line tripod and expectations regarding loads and stability should be very tempered -- I got this with a similar mission statement and I've been happy with it:

    http://www.dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=1750968&postcount=2

    i-TV9g5f2-M.jpg

    I've been using it with a 50D and G11, off the bike, and last week in Paris with good results.

    This is a minimalist, go-light, go-fast setup - not for general purpose work, IMHO.
    But it fits your size requirements pretty closely (12" narrows the field quite a bit) and it has exceeded what I thought were my realistic expectations for quality and stability. The narrow carbon legs sit pretty solid and the little head does surprisingly well for its size. Build seems great. I don't much like the camera plate that it came with but it fits my RSS and other arca-swiss plates. Load wise, a 7D and heavy zoom is going to be enough of a load for it that how you use it will matter a lot.

    Again, I would never recommend this for someone who wants a general purpose tripod for a DSLR. But for the narrow use case of traveling very light on a motorcycle, it's just the ticket.

    The other options that compare in terms of size are probably things like the other Sirui T-series tripods, Gitzo Traveler plus an appropriate head (quite a bit larger folded), and Benro Travel Angel series tripods.
  • basfltbasflt Registered Users Posts: 1,882 Major grins
    edited April 7, 2012
    when i comes to motor cycling , everyone seems to think : light-weight
    nonsense
    a kilo / pound more or less is not noticeable on any motorcycle
    easy packaging and dimensions are more important then weight
    Bas

    /ɯoɔ˙ƃnɯƃnɯs˙ʇlɟsɐq//:dʇʇɥ
  • Moving PicturesMoving Pictures Registered Users Posts: 384 Major grins
    edited April 7, 2012
    Kurt: you seem to grasp what I'm working with here ... but a quick glimpse on Amaxon reveals they're spendy little buggers ...
    Newspaper photogs specialize in drive-by shootings.
    Forum for Canadian shooters: www.canphoto.net
  • puzzledpaulpuzzledpaul Registered Users Posts: 1,621 Major grins
    edited April 7, 2012
    Sometimes in the past (with similar sized gear) I've used a Manfrotto superclamp + ball head combo ... no tripod.
    Just clamped onto whatever was available.

    pp
    Website

    Flickr
  • Moving PicturesMoving Pictures Registered Users Posts: 384 Major grins
    edited April 7, 2012
    puzzledpaul wrote: »
    Sometimes in the past (with similar sized gear) I've used a Manfrotto superclamp + ball head combo ... no tripod.
    Just clamped onto whatever was available.

    pp

    iiiinteresting alternative. And would give me a chunk-o gear that I'm SURE I'd use in the future. Which is important, no?
    Newspaper photogs specialize in drive-by shootings.
    Forum for Canadian shooters: www.canphoto.net
  • rookieshooterrookieshooter Registered Users Posts: 539 Major grins
    edited April 7, 2012
    I recommend the following:

    Induro CT-014 CF travel tripod - very light yet sturdy.
    http://www.amazon.com/Induro-Carbon-Tripod-CT-014-Black/dp/B002SXMRPI

    Giottos mini-ballhead
    http://www.amazon.com/Giottos-MH1002-310-Compact-Ball-Head/dp/B0000BZLK7
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