Re: Tripod advice

Rob Bradford wrote:
Sam

Sorry about the gibberish in the last post, the batteries were on the
way out in my keyboard and I didn't bother to run a spell-check!

Anyway Happy new year.

Rob.

"Rob Bradford" <rob.polymnia@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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"(not quite so) Fat Sam" <samandjanet@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
message news:rfKdnaWeVfb7muXanZ2dnUVZ8u2dnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
My trusty tripod has gone and died on me.
It wasn't a particularly expensive one when I bought it last year,
hence the fact that it's worn out already, so I'm planning to spend
a bit more this time.
I did consider just replacing the head because the legs are fine.
It's just the head that's developed a worrying crack. But upon
closer inspection, I discovered that the design of the tripod
prevents me from removing the head. So it's got to be a whole new
unit. The one that's just broke was a tilt/pan type, and I did like the
way it worked, but I've heard a lot of folks saying they prefer
ball/socket type tripod heads. Not having tried one of these, but
having an open mind about these things I'm willing to give one a go
if it turns out to be the best option.

Now when I bought my last tripod, I just went to Argos and spent
about £30 on it. Simple. Job done. I wasn't as immersed in
photography as I am now, so I didn't spend as much time looking
into the options as I now am. But now, I'm looking into tripods in
more detail, I'm finding it quite bewildering.
Tilt/pan heads, ball/socket heads, carbon fibre legs, aluminium
widgets, quick release systems.
Do you want to buy separate tripod legs and heads, or would you
like to buy the unit already assembled sir?
People say to buy a good make like Manfroto o Velbon.
Other people tell me to make sure I get a tripod with a metal head,
not a plastic one. This makes good sense to me, but when I went
into Jessops yesterday, all the Manfrotos and Velbons had plastic
heads. Can anyone offer any good sound advice on what I should be
looking
at or considering when buying a new tripod?
Should I buy the legs and head separately or buy a completely
assembled tripod?
If I buy a completely assembled unit, am I likely to be able to
replace components at a later date?
Is the leg to head fitting a universal thing that's common to most
makers, or will I find that each brand has it;s own system?
Is a tilt/pan or a ball/socket better?

If it's ant help, I do primarily landscape and architecture
photography.

OK

There are some tings you need to ask yourself;

How much weight di I intend to put o n to the tripod, such as a long
telephoto and camera, then add 50% to ensure stability.

What are you going to use it for?

Walking to landscape locations the consider the weight of the tripod,
fough ground then independant leg adjustment (angle from body) may be
important.

Indeld to do macro? If so how low will it go?

Last but not least how much do yo want to spend.

Once you know this go to a local camera store of repute (LCE - London
Camera Exchange) or the like and discuss your requirements with the
staff. Get the price, then search the net to see if you can get it
cheaper.

Rob.

Rob, big thanks to you and everyone else who offered advice and help.
As it happens, this es exactly what I did.

I tried out a few tripods in the camera shops in my local town, and really
liked the Manfroto and Slik models. But I especially liked the Manfroto's
with their funky trigger handle style ball head.
I considered loads of options. My main use will be landscape and
architecture work in relatively low light, and there will be a fair bit of
use on uneven ground. I also like to work from a very low perspective at
times, so that influenced my decicion too.
A lot of my work is long exposure shots so stability was a must, and I need
something lightweight which folds up nice and small that I can comfortably
carry for a long distance.
My budget was anything up to and including £80.

So on weighing up all the options, I finally settled on the Manfroto MN-785B
Modo Maxi. This model is £60 in Jessops, and that's the lowest high street
price I could find for it.
So I went online and found an Ebay seller doing this model for £40.
He had a *best offer* option on his auction, so I offered £35 and he
accepted.
That's what I call a Billy Bonus Bargain.


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Tripod Recommendation
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  • Re: Singing birds
    ... It is hard to move the camera so it focuses on an exact spot because of the weight of the camera and lens. ... I paid about $30 for the three-way head, then lapped it a little for smoother operation instead of waiting for it to wear in. ... The tripod is a standard surveyor's tool. ...
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  • Re: Tripod advice
    ... I did consider just replacing the head because the legs are fine. ... The one that's just broke was a tilt/pan type, and I did like the way it worked, but I've heard a lot of folks saying they prefer ball/socket type tripod heads. ... Tilt/pan heads, ball/socket heads, carbon fibre legs, aluminium widgets, quick release systems. ... Some tripods allow you to mount the camera underneath, for getting close to the ground, but for your stated uses, that would would not be a feature you would want. ...
    (alt.photography)
  • Re: Tripod advice
    ... I did consider just replacing the head because the legs are fine. ... I discovered that the design of the tripod prevents me from ... Once you know this go to a local camera store of repute (LCE - London ...
    (alt.photography)
  • Re: Tripod advice
    ... It wasn't a particularly expensive one when I bought it last year, ... I did consider just replacing the head because the legs are fine. ... discovered that the design of the tripod prevents me from removing the head. ...
    (alt.photography)
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