Do you use/need >$1000 tripod?

[Sandokan]

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On a large format forum, I read one person claim he has no head on his tripod and is able to set it perfectly horizontal just with the legs ... I didnt call BS because I am sure it is possible, just not convenient. 

Factors for a tripod for me are stability, ease of attaching the camera. Ease of adjusting the head to be level. Weight if travelling. Height. 

I went on a landscape holiday with a Sirui tripod and head. Whilst the tripod was adequate, the head was not. The number rating for what they hold were far from accurate. I got rid of them after the trip. That was my descent into the madness of finding the ultimate tripod and head combo. 

For the camera, I use RRS L-Plates dedicated for the camera (SL, S1R, M10) which give a stable grip to the camera without overscrewing into the socket. 

Heads are very important. Whilst I love my Arca P0 for speed, the problem with ball heads is if you have to make a small adjustment in one direction, the other can also change. That is why I got an Induro PHD3 where a small unscrew allows you to tilt back and forth whilst a larger unscrew allows to tilt sideways. A bit like the Acratech panoramic head. Especially with large format, this is great. I also bought a Ries head ... solid as a house. For wildlife and birding, I have a Gitzo gimbal. 

My most solid tripod is the Berlebach Uni for the Sinar system. 

For the studio I use a Manfrotto aluminium tripod which has a centre column that can change to horizontal. 

For general SLR usage, I have the Pro Media Gear 424L which is of similar design quality to RRS but the legs extend longer (it reaches 1.92m) which is great for side of mountains. 

For travel I have my Gitzos 1 and 2 series, where despite having the 1 ... an unused and pristine 2 appeared in my local dealer for a price that couldnt be ignored. I didnt ignore it  . 

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[Tailwagger]

On 11/18/2021 at 9:11 AM, laowai_ said:

A $1000 Gitzo lasts you 30+ years. This is $33 per year.

Have to agree. There's an old saying in racing, 'if you have a ten dollar head, buy a ten dollar helmet.'   To some degree, the same applies here.  Nothing would suck more than to see the whole thing go down with $10K+ worth of camera and lens attached. I've had my Gitzo GT2351/RRS BH40 for nearly ten years now, both of which continue to perform perfectly.  If you do your homework in terms of figuring out what, for you, represents the best compromise in terms of capacity, height and portability, it's something you buy once and move on.

 

[robb]

I have 3 to 4 tripods from small to large each with an Arca Swiss type ball head.  I primarily use a 2 or 3 series small carbon traveler from gitzo.  Does everything I need and is about a foot tall with three extendable leg sections.  I don’t ever really raise the center column.  I even use this in multishot mode with my sl2.  Very solid.  Essential for quick video also.   My largest is the biggest carbon from really right stuff.  And I also have an old 5 series metal one from gitzo.  That just gathers dust.
 

but if I can get away without using a tripod, that is always my preferred option.

Robb

[FlashGordonPhotography]

17 hours ago, Sandokan said:

On a large format forum, I read one person claim he has no head on his tripod and is able to set it perfectly horizontal just with the legs ... I didnt call BS because I am sure it is possible, just not convenient. 

Factors for a tripod for me are stability, ease of attaching the camera. Ease of adjusting the head to be level. Weight if travelling. Height. 

I went on a landscape holiday with a Sirui tripod and head. Whilst the tripod was adequate, the head was not. The number rating for what they hold were far from accurate. I got rid of them after the trip. That was my descent into the madness of finding the ultimate tripod and head combo. 

For the camera, I use RRS L-Plates dedicated for the camera (SL, S1R, M10) which give a stable grip to the camera without overscrewing into the socket. 

Heads are very important. Whilst I love my Arca P0 for speed, the problem with ball heads is if you have to make a small adjustment in one direction, the other can also change. That is why I got an Induro PHD3 where a small unscrew allows you to tilt back and forth whilst a larger unscrew allows to tilt sideways. A bit like the Acratech panoramic head. Especially with large format, this is great. I also bought a Ries head ... solid as a house. For wildlife and birding, I have a Gitzo gimbal. 

My most solid tripod is the Berlebach Uni for the Sinar system. 

For the studio I use a Manfrotto aluminium tripod which has a centre column that can change to horizontal. 

For general SLR usage, I have the Pro Media Gear 424L which is of similar design quality to RRS but the legs extend longer (it reaches 1.92m) which is great for side of mountains. 

For travel I have my Gitzos 1 and 2 series, where despite having the 1 ... an unused and pristine 2 appeared in my local dealer for a price that couldnt be ignored. I didnt ignore it  . 

I have geared heads on most of my tripods. I have a ball head on one small Gitzo where I value portability over all else but geared heads on the other three (different sizes). After getting used to it a geared head is MUCH faster than a ball head, for me, to get a perfect head alignment, every time.

Gordon

[bags27]

On 4/7/2021 at 2:51 AM, hirohhhh said:

Does anyone have Peak Design compact carbon fiber tripod, and can it carry SL with some bigger lens well? I like its size, but I'm hesitating to buy it because I think the SL with 24-90 or 90-280 lens would be an overload for this tiny tripod. Any experiences?

As it happens, I just snagged one of these the other day on a flash sale and used it for the first time today with my massive Fuji GSW 690iii. The thinking behind the system is the very small plate that needs to be attached to the camera via a hex wrench, rather than a screw. Need to have the wrench with you, but it tightens it down really well. I think the camera is more firmly held than my Gitzo traveler with its ball head. 

Peak did an honest assessment of stiffness that you can find here

https://support.peakdesign.com/hc/en-us/articles/360033120272-Testing-the-Travel-Tripod-for-Stability-and-Weight-Capacity

[SrMi]

17 hours ago, bags27 said:

As it happens, I just snagged one of these the other day on a flash sale and used it for the first time today with my massive Fuji GSW 690iii. The thinking behind the system is the very small plate that needs to be attached to the camera via a hex wrench, rather than a screw. Need to have the wrench with you, but it tightens it down really well. I think the camera is more firmly held than my Gitzo traveler with its ball head. 

Peak did an honest assessment of stiffness that you can find here

https://support.peakdesign.com/hc/en-us/articles/360033120272-Testing-the-Travel-Tripod-for-Stability-and-Weight-Capacity

It is a bit of a tight fit in horizontal orientation, but you can use RRS camera plate on PD tripod as well. Also RRS BQDS plate for 90-280 works really well on the PD tripod.

[bags27]

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4 minutes ago, SrMi said:

It is a bit of a tight fit in horizontal orientation, but you can use RRS camera plate on PD tripod as well. Also RRS BQDS plate for 90-280 works really well on the PD tripod.

Thanks! The advantage of the Peak plate is that it's integral to their large system, which may or may not be desirable. 

And of course Peak offers an inexpensive fix for using a massive ball head, like the RRS BH40 or 55, but I don't see that as necessary unless you want panning for BIF or landscape.

[Laura Sam]

The tripod should be considered as the long term investment. And I wouldn't consider a very cheap tripod since tripods and heads from professional lines will last very long if treated well. Now owning a SEEDER tripod, one of the heavier models, it is better in every way! It depends on your budget and usage. For example, carbon fiber tripods are very light in weight, excellent in stability, and durable in use in a variety of environments. However, carbon fiber tripods are generally more expensive. If you often need to carry a tripod outdoors, it is recommended to choose a carbon one. 

[MakinMemories]

Many years ago during my first foray into the wonderful world of photography, I regularly used a Slick Master tripod which I really liked a lot! Yes, the Slick brand was still used as they transitioned to Slik...It was made in Japan and extremely well built, not the lightest nor most compact but I still carried it with me on many an outing in Japan, Hong Kong, Africa and my favorite- Hawaii...Got some killer shots of the surf off the beaches at and after sunset! Wish I had not sold it or my other 35mm SLR gear...But when I started my business 22 years ago, everything that was not 100% necessary went!

Now I'm looking for a general use tripod for my SL2 and 90-280mm (plus longer lenses eventually) and thinking hard about the Gitzo 3542. It's a little larger unit than I was first considering but thought I would likely start with it and maybe get a really compact traveler tripod later. While a bit pricy, it's rock solid and of consummate quality as my Leica...

[Herr Barnack]

On 11/18/2021 at 9:11 AM, laowai_ said:

A $1000 Gitzo lasts you 30+ years. This is $33 per year. A $100 tripod that lasts 3 years is the same expense. 
 

I don’t expect that there will be a revolutionary improvement in tripod technology over the next 30 years that makes current tripods obsolete. 

I’d go for the Gitzo.

If sustainability/reducing waste is a factor in your decision, the choice is even easier, maybe you’ll even find a used Gitzo.

 

So let's see...  An M11 and a 35mm APO costs $17,300.  An S3 and a Elmarit-S 45mm f/2.8 ASPH CS costs $29,000.  

Go ahead - put either pair on a $13.95 pot metal tripod made in the People's Democratic Republic of Bangbangding that you got at Wal Mart. 

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Edited July 9, 2022 by Herr Barnack

[Michael Geschlecht]

Hello Everybody,

For years I have been mostly using a small, solid, table tripod with soft, non-marking slippers. With a large ball head. And a cable release. Before that I used a full sized tripod that worked very well & I was quite satisfied with it. The full sized tripod is still available & it is kept "ready to go". But it mostly stays folded up & it is not used very often.

1 day, for no particular reason, I decided to make myself a small, solid table tripod with soft, non-marking slippers. I already had a large ball head & a cable release. I went to the local hardware store & looked at what was available in terms of "this & that" and picked up various pieces. Total cost: 7.50 Pounds, 9 Euros, 9 USofA Dollars.

After assembling the table tripod: In front of me was a cosmetically challenged approximation of a Leitz/Leica 14100. After attaching a Leitz medium sized large ball head & attaching a camera with various lenses, as well as various cable releases, I realized that this combination was quite useful in a variety of situations. Including situations where I had previously used a full sized tripod.

Because a small, solid table tripod with soft, non-marking slippers. With a large ball head. And a cable release can be used in a variety of situations: If I arrange it so that the tripod feet sit against my chest & I use a cable release & then lock the ball head: I can get +2 stops of added hand held stability with whichever lens I am using.

Against a tree or a rock, inside the side of, or the top of, a door frame. Against a wall (Soft, non-marking slippers.). Against a car, or a part of a car (With the motor OFF.). And in/with any number of other places: There is as much stability as there is with a larger tripod. The more places that a person thinks about using it: The more places a person finds to use it. It even works quite well on a table top. Don't forget the cable release.

And the table tripod, large ball head, cable release, camera, 35mmm lens, light meter, extra film, etc., all fit into a 22cm/8.7 inches wide, 14cm/5.7 inches deep, 19cm/7.5 inches hi, nicely padded camera bag that is easy to take pretty much anywhere.

Best Regards,

Michael

 

Edited July 10, 2022 by Michael Geschlecht