 Keri L. Malinowski |
Tripod Help So somehow I lost my old tripod and well I hated the thing anyway. Now obviously I need a new one. I need it mostly for portrait photography/weddings/people/indoor and outdoor. My old tripod I hated b/c it was a pain to get my camera on and off and the legs up and down-just too time consuming while trying to capture images at a wedding. Any advice? Oh I have a Canon 20D and want to get the 5D w/lenses/flash I'd guess at least 5-8lbs
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Mark Feldstein |
Ok Keri, your work is good enough to support a higher end tripod...one you won't want to lose. LOL !!! You'll get a bunch of opinions here but this is kind of like asking which camera to buy. It's a pretty subjective decision. You should start by perousing the various manufacturers over at bhphotovideo.com. My preference is for Gitzo. In my 30 years I've gotten two of them (a smaller Reporter and a Large Studex version that extends to over 8'. They're solid, very sturdy, extremely well-made, won't chip, crack rust, peel warp or flake, and take more abuse than a rental car (from Newark) or an assistant. And both will let you extent the legs outward to work as close to the ground as a center column will permit. For weddings, I'd look into getting a monopod...a good solid, Gitzo type monopod. It's easy to work with, only has one leg to adjust (but you knew that) and doesn't require a lot of room to set up like a tripod where you're concerned about people tripping over extended legs. You probably want some kind of ball head with quick release attachment too, at least for your tripod although they work well on monopods as well. One you'd be confident of slinging the whole rig over your shoulder without thinking whether the camera is going to launch itself to the ground. I like the Linhof Profi III and II ball heads and quick fix plates. Again, it's personal preference but I've never had one inadvertently come loose. For a look at the high end Arca Swiss heads, take a look at http://www.reallyrightstuff.com They custom modify Arca Swiss heads for pros. B&H sells the standard heads too. Ideally, you can go to a camera store with your camera and lenses and actually try out the model you're interested in buying. Remember though, it not only has to be steady in the store, but in the wind and adjustable so you can maneuver the legs to different heights and footings. You should also be able to attach a weight to the center column, like a sand bag to give it a bit more steadiness. Drop the dime, get a good solid tripod AND a monopod. You deserve this and your work will be better for it. (I am SUCH a shopping enabler !!! LOL !!!)
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Oliver Anderson |
I just bought a Giottos C/F tripod and got it for $341, the Gitzo is 2 lbs lighter and $150 more. Gitzo is the Mercedes of tripods and will last for years. I just bought used on EBAY the Arca Swiss B1 $300 while my friend bought a less expensive head for $120, he regrets it and is now spending the $$ to buy an Arca Swiss.
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Sharon Day |
"(I am SUCH a shopping enabler !!! LOL !!!)" LOL Mark! I have 2 inexpensive tripods. Both creep and won't hold the gear in place. I always have to compensate for the creeping. If you can afford a good tripod don't mess around with anything in the $125 range.
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David Earls |
You can usually find a used Bogen 3021 on eBay for a good price. I read a review from a guy who ran over his 3021 with his car, and it wasn't damaged. These bad boys are solid as a rock, have infinite adjustability (including close to the ground and horizontal extension). Gittos are the Mercedes sedans of the tripod world; Bogen 3021s are the 30-year-old Mercedes diesel cabs that still run.
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Mark Feldstein |
C'mon SHARON !! What are YOU dinking around with a crummy tripod for ?? Imagine how much better your work would be if you didn't have to worry about center-column slippage (something guys over 50 are prone to, btw), or camera shake (photographers over 40 get that), or whether you have to calculate a cross-wind component as a time, speed, and distance problem so that once you set your tripod head and by the time it slips to when the shutter trips, it'll be in proper position. C'mon, get the credit card. We're going SHOPPING !!!!! Yea !!!! Look over at tripod legs at KEH, but first download a brochure from Bogen Photo and their Gitzo section. Here ya go: http://www.bogenimaging.us/ Look at the Reporter series and the Studex, then go to KEH and see if they've got the legs for sale, used. (A used tripod is so much cooler than a new one, right? Or read my book: 29 ways to make a new tripod look old. Ok, everyone back on the bus.
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