Preferred tripod for a DSLR

Chip Redmond

Chip Redmond

EF4
Joined
Aug 9, 2008
Messages
356
Location
St. George, KS
My main tripod met its demise chasing in Kansas on Friday. It was junk anyways and thankfully didn't have either of my cameras on it! I know people are pretty specific on tripods and their associated taste. There are many options out there, a decision is hard to make. Looking for a ball style that is super solid and legs that only include two pieces, but having a hard time finding one that meets these requirements.

Help?

Also, what tripod do you use/prefer?

Chip
 
I have a Manfrotto 3221WN that's a beast. It's not light, but being heavy, it's very stable. I bought it about 11 or 12 years ago for about 300 dollars. It's held up great, and I don't anticipate on buying another one anytime soon. If you're very serious about photography, look to spend at least 300+ dollars for a good one. If I buy another one, I'll get a good carbon fiber tripod like this one at B&H.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1121187-REG/manfrotto_mt055cxpro4_carbon_fiber_4_section.html
 
I use a manfrtto w/ a 498rc2 ball head. about 300 bucks. buy once cry once.
Been thru to many cheap unstable tipods.

Bigjohn
 
I use THIS.

The pistol grip is great to use. It stands tall (I'm 6-4" and have a bad back, so not having to bend over is nice). Has several leg position options. Not too terribly heavy, but weighty enough to be very stable.
 
bigjohninva said:
manfrtto w/ a 498rc2 ball head
Click to expand...

Can you describe the "Quick power lock system?" One of the main reasons I want just two sections per leg is because of the tedious time wasted extending the legs multiple times. Plus I never want it only 2' off the ground unless doing some time lapse stuff.

Jason Boggs said:
not light, but being heavy, it's very stable
Click to expand...

At first I liked light... but in strong winds (which is a majority of the time) I would rather go heavy.

Marc R. O'Leary said:
The pistol grip is great to use. It stands tall (I'm 6-4" and have a bad back, so not having to bend over is nice). Has several leg position options. Not too terribly heavy, but weighty enough to be very stable.
Click to expand...

Pistol grip is clutch and much simpler than turning knobs, etc. Does the latch and ball have any wiggle at all?

Chip
 
I bought a Sanford and Davis Magnum XG that had a broken head on ebay for $35 with free shipping. Then I bought a S&D ball head for $35 to replace the broken head. Total was $70 for a really nice, heavy, and sturdy tripod. The ball head supports up to 11 pounds, so it can definitely handle anything I have. The knobs take a little getting used to, but are not that complicated. The reviews I saw for the pistol grips in my price range were not favorable. I just wanted something that didnt have any plastic to it, as plastic breaks too easy. Just watch ebay and you can score really good deal on a tripod. body oy my tripod was so new, the tags were still on it. I saved anywhere from $40 to $60 bucks buying one and just replacing the head.
 
It seems a lot of ads in magazines emphasize how light-weight their tripods are, but since we aren't back-packing through the wilderness you should view these ads with a grain of salt. I use a Slik U-212 with an Induro BHL2 ball head. The Slik is okay but I am looking at other options. The Induro ball head is awesome, and I highly recommend it. It is Arca/Swiss quick-release compatible, and it's smooth and solid.

No matter what head you decide to go with, make sure it can solidly support your camera and NOT MOVE ONE IOTA, even at odd angles.

I personally think a heavier tripod is better. When you have a pro-grade camera with a two-pound wide-angle lens, it's going to be top-heavy. If you are sitting in your car updating Facebook while your camera is doing a time-lapse, you will be a sad panda if your tripod blows over after that unexpected 40mph gust comes through. A heavy tripod (or sandbags) can make all the difference here.
 
Chip Redmond said:
Pistol grip is clutch and much simpler than turning knobs, etc. Does the latch and ball have any wiggle at all?

Chip
Click to expand...

My tripod has a ton of adjustability Up to and including the tension at which the pistol grip holds the ball. Its rock solid And ive been shooting lately with two cameras mounted at the same time, one wide and the other zoom, using a dual mount bar. No creep or wobble at all.
 
I frequently hike and backpack so a lightweight tripod was important to me. A tripod that's compact when folded down is also useful when traveling on a plane.
These are the legs I use: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/994930-REG/sirui_bsrn1004x_n_1004x_aluminum_tripod.html
And I recently found a very lightweight ballhead to match: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1011086-REG/sunwayfoto_fb_28i_ball_head.html

The combination claims to support 26 lbs. If it's too windy I'll hang a gallon of water in a cloth sack from the tripod for added weight. I recently bought the Manfrotto 243 clamp to mount my camera to a car window. But it looks like it's going to be too much of a pain to swap the ballhead back and forth from the window to the tripod legs. So I might need to buy another arca-compatible head just for the window clamp.


@Chip Redmond I'm not sure if there are any 2 section tripods out there. You might want to try a tall 3 section tripod like this: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/655224-REG/Induro_472_313_Alloy_8M_AT313_Tripod.html
It's probably better to buy the head and legs separately so you can get exactly what you want.
 
I've had plenty of Manfrotto/Bogen sticks over the years with my absolute favorite being an old Bogen Mono I picked up years ago at a pawn shop for $15. The durability is astounding and well worth the coin.

Another option that gives a good bang for the buck is this Dolica pairing. No, it's not Manfrotto, but it's held up well for me.

http://www.amazon.com/Dolica-ZX600B103-Professional-60-Inch-Series/dp/B008JE4S6G
 
Love my Manfrotto gear! A tripod and a monopod. The stuff is just built like a tank and it is nice to have everything be the same head so I can clip any camera to any mount I have in or out of car.
 
For my DSLR, I have a Manfrotto 055XPROB with ball head that I bought in 2008. No problems at all with that setup. When it comes to high winds, I generally don't trust any tripod to not tip over and will stay close to it while shooting. That's after several incidents with my larger and heavier video tripods, thankfully none of which damaged any cameras.

For my video cameras, I have two larger Manfrotto tripods that I bought in 2004 and 2005. They've held up fairly well over the years. The exceptions are the plastic leg telescoping clamps, which all have broken during years of heavy use. I have them all replaced with bolts and wing nuts now.
 
Manfrotto 294A3 with an 804RC2 head. Love that thing. Quick lock is the best; you can put the camera on it one-handed in seconds. Control surfaces are compact and chunky for easy access, but also quick car storage. I also have a Davis & Sanford Provista 7518 with an FM18 head, which I use for those occasional times I shoot video. It's a lot heavier. I tend to use that without extending the feet, and it has stood up to a 70mph wind with a running camcorder on it and no wavering in the video. Good pieces of kit.
 
Targus or Manfrotto are best in my opinion, although I'm too cheap (read broke) to own either.
I DO know I won't have any use for the garage sale special a family member picked up for me this week...
ff4c242ec61f31b2f6c9f6a8f6f8b98c.jpg
 
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