Topic: Recommendations for a sturdy travel tripod

[Jimbus]

I am after a decent tripod I can take away on excursions but is still sturdy but light, will be used mainly for a Mamiya 7 so needs a bit of oomph...any recommendations? ta Jim

[Ailsa]

Hi Jim

I can recommend the Manfrotto Carbon One tripod - sturdy and light - with 460 MG head. I use it with a Mamiya 6, so fairly similar to what you'd be using it for.

[david b]

The Mamiya 6 / 7 are actually lighter than many 35mm SLRs, and because they're leafshutters you don't have the problem of a big mirror crashing around when you make an exposure ... so, you can actually get away with a very light tripod.  I have an old carbon fiber Gitzo tripod, just about the lightest and smallest one I could find, which works a treat with my Mam 6. It has 3-section legs, so collapses neatly into a convenient suitcase size.

[Jimbus]

thanks guys, what sort of price am I looking at?!

[Jimbus]

anyone know about this one?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Manfrotto-718B-MN718B-Digi-Tripod/dp/B0009PTCVY

[Francois]

I know Gitzo and Manfrotto are both top choices.
When I bought my tripod, I was hesitant between both until the girl at the camera store pointed something out: the smaller part of the tripod leg, on the Gitzo, is much smaller than on the Manfrotto. She says she thinks it might make the Gitzo more prone to vibration. Also, the Gitzo uses a twist lock on the leg extensions while the Manfrotto uses a clamp lock mechanism (which is easier to handle and clamps real good). So, I settled on the Manfrotto. I must say mine is a few years old and was purchased for my 35mm camera. It will handle light weight medium format real well. The girl even told me it was beefy enough to hold a big 300mm... so it should handle up to a 'blad quite easily.

You might want to check out Manfrotto's new 055X series... very interesting concept and top quality (http://x.manfrotto.com) I just saw it in a distributor publication and the MSRP is  250$Can.

[david b]

Yeah, I agree the Gitzo twist locks are a bit of a pain, and I'd avoid them if I got a new tripod. But I've had this one for years, and got it second-hand, and it shows no signs of wear, so I don't think that will be any time soon.  I've got absolutely no idea of how much I paid for it.

[Francois]

I know the girl also told me the earlier Gitzo pods, when water got into the locks (taking pictures in a stream), it would make the o-rings swell up and you couldn't collapse the legs anymore. I don't know if the problem has been fixed...

I've also got a venerable old Slik tripod that was designed for big cameras. Its an SL-67 Prototype with panoramic head. You need to use a rotating back on it since it doesn't have side to side motion (it was designed to hold a 6x7 camera, not exactly small). Its heavy gauge aluminium, weighs a ton, has steel leg braces, goes up to over 6 feet (2 meters) and has a rack and pinion column adjustment... Used it for years but it's now in semi retirement since I got my Manfrotto.

Jimbus:
One thing about the tripod heads, you have a choice on both Manfrotto and Gitzo. Depending on your shooting style, you might favor one over the other.

There are the ball heads: very flexible and smooth on one hand, not precise on the other.
There are the 3D heads: all directions can be locked independently so it isn't as smooth as the balls, but close to the best for precision.
There are also gear heads: they use precise gearing to adjust the camera position, only useful for view cameras and studio work.
The fluid heads are only for video.

Balls are great for sport photographers who use them basically to take the weight of a long 300mm lens while leaving plenty of free movement. Bird watchers also prefer them.

I chose the 3D head for mine. I figured that, when I need a tripod, it's for stability and precise camera placement. It's a good choice for me and I don't regret it for a second!

Quick-release plates are also a must have. Make sure you buy extra plates for the cameras you plan on using. I know it's expensive but it's so much fun when you don't need to unscrew the plates when you change cameras!

[Ed Wenn]

Francois, it sounds like you and the girl at the camera store had quite the conversation  Was it the start of something beautiful? 

Jim, you're right to get the lightest possible tripod. I bought a beast a few years ago for my Kiev-60 and while it worked well for that cam (and the succession of Graflexes that I have bought subsequently), it's an absolute pain to take out and about and the upshot is that I leave it behind more often than not.

I think the father-in-law has a couple of lightweight 70's tripods...might get one from him on an extended loan.

Finally, I'd recommend clamp locks over twisters. I have twisters currently and they're a bit of a pain.

p.s.
The girl in my camera shop doesn't speak to me at all.
 

[LT]

ok - I'm going to go against the grain a little here.  If you just want something to hold your camera on for slower speeds - get a mini tripod and a beanbag - they should cover most situations, although you do still have to find somewhere to put the things ... but infinitely easier to carry around ...

If, however, you want your tripod to be an aid to picture quality and sharpness, particularly at slow speeds outdoors in windy weather etc etc etc - get the heaviest that is practical for you to carry.  The heavier the base, the more it will be doing it's job.  Especially if you're using a heavy camera on the top - that said, a Mam 7 should be fine on one the lighter carbon type tripods.   Some of the cheap light tripods just arent worth using if you;ve got a mf slr or similar on top of it - IF sharpness is your thing.

Also, dont forget the cable release and NEVER raise the centre column!  I see some many people doing landscapes with their tripod legs at the shortest settings and the centre column raised and pressing the shutter - it completely negates the point of using the tripod in the first place.  You do just as well bracing it against a tree with a beanbag or similar.

Dont mean to teach people to suck eggs, but it's a pet rant of mine. 

 

[Francois]

Francois, it sounds like you and the girl at the camera store had quite the conversation  Was it the start of something beautiful? 

p.s.
The girl in my camera shop doesn't speak to me at all.
 

Sadly, she was already engaged and planning to move 255km East (moving to Quebec city) in the following week... but at least, she was really really nice with me.  

You wouldn't believe how hard it is to meet nice girls around here!

[Jimbus]

Thanks all

Leon, thanks for those tips, could you recommend a decent mini tripod? its going ot be more for the odd interior shot where its a lower light, I could always find somewhere to prop it up. I wanted to also try some dusk outdoor things too. Sharpness is important as I am using the mam 7 but its more a case of having one to take travelling with me, so the lighhter and more portable the better.

Ed knows what a lazy no kit slacker I am

[LT]

have a look at http://www.minitripods.com/

I dont know what would be best, as I only use a great big hefty shoulder breaker.  if it's for indoors stuff, there likely to be somewhere to put the mini on for higher shots I'd imagine? 

[Francois]

I know Manfrotto just released the ModoSteady. It's designed primarily with lightweight camcorders in mind but they could have something else available that would fit the bill. Its a tabletop tripod with a folding shoulder brace...

On the beanbag theme, a Canadian company sells The Pod. Its a mix between a beanbag and a tripod... strange but maybe worth looking into. http://www.thepod.ca/

If you settle on a standard pod, hanging your camera bag from the center column will help stabilise it by adding weight and lowering the center of gravity by adding a pendulum...

[Ed Wenn]

Ed knows what a lazy no kit slacker I am

I'm trying really hard to even picture you using a tripod and...nope, the image ain't coming to mind.
 

[Jimbus]

cheers, maybe I can get a minitripod first and see whether it meeds all my needs, and I can always upgrade to something bigger maybe!

Ed, lets meet for a curry as planned and I will bring the tripod along and pull a few poses 

[al]

have a look at http://www.minitripods.com/

Wow what a great site!!  I love mini tripods.  Whoever invented the basic extending leg mini one like this:

http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=777_1&products_id=99652

deserves a knighthood, or the nobel prize, or both.   Although I've got a couple of bigger 'pods, I really can never be arsed to lug any of them around unless it's a special tripod only job.  You're pushing it a bit with a heavy SLR but for the size, and the price they are amazing.  A few more quid from that site should buy something even more robust but no bigger I'd have thought.


Oh and I've just spotted these at a bargain ?1.99 including a built in LED torch, ha ha who could ask for more?! 

http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=777_1&products_id=103194