 Robert F. Wilson |
Tripod Help I have a tripod that the leg closures have lost there "tightening" power. I am either contempating buying a new tripod or fixing the tighteners on the old. The old is a studio JTL ET-11. I need something reliable for travel and as there are so many choices, I am wondering what the consensus is as to a good choice for landscape,macro work. I can maybe replace the springs and screws to tighten, but feel maybe to cumbersome for travel and hiking about the woods and downtown. Thanx, RFW
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Mark Feldstein |
Greetings Robert: If you're looking for a bunch of shopping enablers to encourage you to buy a new tripod, man you have definitely come to the right place. LOL !!! Please allow me to suggest that tripods, like cameras, are pretty objective decisions that ought to be based on present and intended future need (somewhat), along with features, price range and of course the physical characteristics of weight, sturdiness, ease of use, etc. With those basics in mind, you could wander down to a local well-equipped camera store and try out the tripods they have. My own recommendation is a Gitzo perhaps the Reporter model which is quite portable and sufficiently sturdy to handle a medium format camera and a telephoto lens. I believe you'll also like that the Gitzo legs allow you to get the tripod head nearly to ground level (depending on the type and length of column you have on it). Yes, Gitzo's are pricey, but in about 30 years of almost daily professional use, my Reporter hasn't failed me or required replacement parts. Nor has my giant Gitzo Studex, that extends up to about 9 feet high. If you want to drop the dime, get one with graphic legs although personally, I don't think you save much weight with them. If you go with standard legs vs. graphite, you might save enough to buy a ball head rather than a standard tripod head with handles for pan-tilt maneuvers. I'd also check prices for Gitzo models at bhphotovideo.com and the Bogen website that imports Gitzo http://www.bogenimaging.us/ They offer a lot of info that should help you choose the right model. Sure, you can buy cheaper and I'm sure you'll get a lot of suggestions along those lines, but if you want something strong, versatile, light weight and very well made, consider the Gitzo line with a ball head. (My preference for that is the Linhof Profi II or III ball heads with quick-release adapters). Again it's a matter of personal choice. Take it light.
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