BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: Digital Cameras and Accessories

Tripod Question

I have friends coming through Hong Kong (to China) who will pick up some items for me that were recommended by someone I can’t contact now:

http://www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-190CXPRO4-4-Section-Carbon-without/dp/B0015MHY6K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1255634987&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-468MGRC2-Hydrostatic-Connect-System/dp/B0007XMBMA/ref=sr_1_20?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1255635020&sr=1-20

However, my Japanese friend just emailed me to say that he found something new on the internet in the way of a ball head, the Manfrotto 498rc4 which is quite a bit cheaper and suggests that he pick up that, instead.

I would appreciate some advice on whether this will carry the weight of my equipment as well and if it would be durable---don’t want to spend anymore money on a tripod for a long time! If you follow the maxim, “You get what you pay for” I would assume the original suggestion given to me is best, but would like to hear what anyone else has to say. They are coming in a week or so, so need to know quick! Thanks!

PS: Anyone familiar with buying in Hong Kong? I've gotten quite a few tips about reliable shops, as there are so many unreliable, and wrote to Tin Cheong and got a very nice quotation, but the email was vague, saying they should call before they come to ensure they had it. I wrote back asking them when and if they could ensure they would have it, because my friends are only there for a day and don't want them to have to run around at the last moment. But never got and answer after two more emails. Is there something I don't understand about how they do things there? Also the websites for other shops that are recommended as trustworthy are in Chinese with no English options--I could figure out their email contact links but do they answer in English if they don't have an English webpage? Haven't gotten an answer yet! Would appreciate some help in that too, if anyone is familiar with Hong Kong!

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December 17, 2009

Other than cheap, very cheaply made Chinese knockoffs, you won't get a better price on quality equipment in Asia anymore. Those days are long gone.

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February 18, 2010

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February 18, 2010

I have a Gitzo Mountaineer (1184) that I use mostly in the field with smaller lenses because it is light enough for backpacking with an Arcatech ballhead.

I have used it with a Canon EF 100-400L and a Swiss-Archa ball-head. It is okay under ideal conditions. But ...

Something you might consider is that there is a point of diminishing returns with the lighter tripods. You may well need a bigger, heavier tripod and ballhead once you get into those really long, heavy lenses.

I'm currently playing with a (borrowed) Wimberly head and a Canon 600mm lens. It really makes a huge difference in stability and positioning the lens v. the Gitzo + Arca-Swiss.

Cheers,

RK

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February 19, 2010

Anyway, I chickened out on the ball head recommended by my Japanese friend and got your combination, Carlton.

I am quite happy with it, except for a couple of things, mostly related to my back--it really isn't a whole lot lighter than what I had and the other problem is that the legs are quite stiff and difficult to open out (yes, I press on the little "open out levers"). When I'm standing there already overloaded with my other equipment, having to struggle to pull it open is hard on my back. Hopefully the problem will diminish with time. Otherwise I love it!

Frank, you are right ON! Hong Kong is not cheaper. (Forget China all together on deals on most things. Even those cheap knock-offs--I had used one for three years and that was the first thing I tried to buy again on my return, and stupidly, I didn't look to see if it had changed. Only after it broke after using it three or four times did I look closely and find that it's no longer made with the same sturdy materials.)

Anyway, as to Hong Kong, I forgot that Japanese are not used to bargaining and forgot to warn them, and didn't realize that such an expensive tripod wouldn't come with a case--I could have probably bargained them into giving me one, which I did with my first camera bought there.

Just moved back to mainland China from Japan after a three year absence and am shocked at the rise in prices here. Japan now has lots of cheap outlets and dollar stores, and it has cost me more to set up house again here with small household items than it did in Japan. Not sure about Hong Kong as haven't bought anything there myself since my return, but over the border here, people will hardly bargain anymore, not even the small mom and pop stores. Anyway, Frank is right, better not to try buying in Asua.

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February 20, 2010

I do a lot of long hikes and the lighter weight and collapsible aspect which fits better on my packs makes a huge difference when hiking up a mountain for 4 miles :)

Cheers,
Carlton

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February 21, 2010

Your comment about the stiffness, gives me less hope that it will get better! I rather suspect that what I have now is going to have to last a lifetime--it certainly cost enough! Can't believe it didn't come with a case! Is that just Asia? I recently bought a small Suzuki New Alto and luckily friends warned me that I'd have to bargain for basic things like a carpet, because they include as little as they can and make you pay for things that Westerners would consider basic. But Asia is shooting itself in the foot by not making things cheaper anymore--as people get wise they aren't going to flood into Hong Kong anymore for good deals and will just stick to seeing the sites and spending less on goods to take home. Even the burgeoning population of computer savvy Japanese and Chinese are now buying online.

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February 21, 2010

A couple ideas for making your tripod easier to set up. Most of the time the tripod is used while you are standing up with only a slight bend to look through the view finder so this works most of the time and is a time saver.
1. set up the tripod at its full height, make sure it is level and attach the camera. Unless you have a short tripod the view finder will probably be where you have to stand on your tippy-toes to see through it.
2. Now retract the bottom sections into
the middle section until you are comfortable looking throuh the viewfinder. Make sure that the tripod is still level.
3. Collapse the middle sections into the top of the leg. Now when you go out all you have to do is extend the center section fully. If you must extend the lower section to make it high enough only retract the lower section. This is how I transport and store my tripod.
4. Yes there will be times that you have to extend one or retract one or two of the legs. When this happens it only takes an adjustment of the lower section. Well, most of the time at least.:-)
5. You should not raise the center post until the legs are fully extended and you have to stand on something to get the angle you want or need for the photo. The exception is if your tripod is too short to begin with.

As for your problem of opening the legs I recommend that you extend them first then grab them, one at a time, and spread them by grabbing it near its foot. I am not familiar with the tripod but if it has braces going to the center post to insure that lock is loose also.

Lynn

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March 03, 2010

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March 04, 2010