Good tripod setup for photo and video?

[saaby]

I moved about a month ago. I've been incredibly busy since then and so I'm just finally getting everything unpacked. There are a few things that have been missing, and I hoped as I unpacked they would show up. Some of them still have not, and I'm quite sure they are gone.

One of those things is my Manfrotto tripod :(

The good news is that it was a Modo tripod anyway, which is better suited to very light-weight cameras...and I'm shooting with a heavier camera these days. I was going to have to upgrade anyway, I just hoped to be able to keep the super-light weight and portable Modo around, or sell it and apply at least a few $$ towards a new tripod. Oh well, enough of "what could have been."

Looking forward, I hope to own a GH1 within a year. Looking for a new tripod, I would really love to find one that will work well for both photo and video.

I love the flexibility of a ball-head for photo, but I also know how important a fluid-head is for smooth pans in video.

Is there a good way to get the best of both worlds, or at least a good combination of both worlds, without breaking the bank?

I'd even be willing to entertain swapping 2 heads on 1 pair of legs, but it seems that photo-heads and video-heads use totally different mounting systems.

Any bright ideas for a high-value for-dollar setup?

[Kholi]

I think the Libec's or smaller Sachtler's will go EXTREMELY well with full blown GH-1 setups.

Libec's being the cheaper but just as effective option.

Check BHPhotoVideo for Libec's or Ebay.

[AdrianF]

I'd even be willing to entertain swapping 2 heads on 1 pair of legs, but it seems that photo-heads and video-heads use totally different mounting systems.
I have a 501 head which I leave fixed to the centre column. With the Manfrotto ball head ( RC2 I think ) I use for stills, swapping over from the legs takes a matter of seconds.

Sachtlers are good as Kholi says, so are Vintens, but then you're talking more dosh. If you need to be super mobile you should try the Gitzo carbon or kryptonite or whatever the hell it is that they make them out of.

[saaby]

How do you find the 501 head? I have used the 503 on...basically everything I've ever shot. I know a lot of people complain about it, but it's basically all I know, so I don't know any better than to be happy with it :D. The 501 worries me a bit though, teflon discs and everything.

[AdrianF]

It's a bit of a compromise really, as I use it for when I am carrying my kit on my back, so it's about a trade off in weight vs performance. My ones done around ten years of use and is just starting to get a little sticky/gritty. I've used it with a Bolex EBM ( 16mm ) and long lens, but it's on the verge of what it can steady here. It should have no problem with GH1, though.

[saaby]

That's probably what I'll plan on then. The 501 head is economical enough that I can always upgrade later without totally losing my shorts. I'm really trying to put together my first kit that will be mine, so I don't have to beg/borrow/steal every time I want to shoot something ;-)

Sorry to sound dim but I'm still not 100% clear on your setup. I can imagine it about 3 different ways :-/

You have the 501 on center column...so no bowl for leveling, right?

Do you have the 322RC2 on it's own column as well? Do you swap heads onto the same column? The 322RC2 is pretty small -- I wonder if you could slap the 322RC2 onto it's own QR plate and just mount that atop your 501! (Obviously you'd just lock down the 501 at that point...)

and are you using Photo-legs or video legs? I am thinking I could blow the budget on something like the 755CX3 (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=workaround.jsp&A=details&Q=&sku=586293&is=REG)...but for $200 difference, maybe the Aluminum Version (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=workaround.jsp&A=details&Q=&sku=504853&is=REG) would do the trick.

[AdrianF]

You have the 501 on center column...so no bowl for leveling, right?

Exactly, then I have the ball head on it's own stub ( like a cut down center column ). There is no rhyme or reason that I have it set up this way, it just makes swapping the different heads quick and I rarely use the extra height when shooting stills with the ball head. I think that the RC2 comes with the stub, but don't hold me to it. Have a look through the Manfrotto catalogue and you should be able to find the parts you need :thumbup:

[squig]

You might find the libec is better than a 501. The Mathews M25 is also well regarded. There's loads of tripod advice on dvxuser. best option would be to try a few out.

I just scored an old miller fluid head with wooden sticks on ebay. They don't make em like that anymore. Should do wonders for my back.

[Nighthawk]

I just scored an old miller fluid head with wooden sticks on ebay. They don't make em like that anymore. Should do wonders for my back.

Holy 'run 'n gun' Batman! Love to get me some Miller things. They're so...Chaplinesque.

Squig, sorry it's off topic but, does Australia have the same kind of funding incentives as New Zealand? I hear they match funds up to $2.5 million if there's strong national content?

Back to OPs topic. After years of using column mounted heads then switching to bowl heads I can't imagine going back. The leveling aspect alone is worth it when dealing with awkward locations and terrains. I prefer spending more on a decent head than the legs. Others feel differently but if they're sturdy enough to not blow away in strong breeze I'm OK. I highly recommend you try before you buy as the ergonomics of a rig may be good for one person but isn't quite right for another. I've had real troubles finding the right pan bar for me. Sounds silly but there you have it.

[squig]

I'm getting a chinese carbon fiber cheapie to run around with too, but the miller will be used for the money shots and for mounting a 1m slider. I got it for about $250 US.

Yeah the whole industry here survives on govt funding. They won't give me any though cause I'm a first time writer/producer/director. I'll probably get some support to market it overseas though.

[saaby]

Do we have any clue how universal center columns are?

Don't get me wrong...I'd love this:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=workaround.jsp&A=details&Q=&sku=586293&is=REG

I'm wondering if I can pick up something like this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=130282330074

and then stick one of these down the center:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/272852-REG/Manfrotto_by_Bogen_Imaging_554_554_Leveling_Center _Column.html


Then again, if they were universal I suppose there wouldn't be so many center column options at B&H! If I could get some "value" sticks though, I'd use the non-leveling column included with the tripod + ball head for Photography, and then a leveling column+video head for video.

I had no clue how many options and choices there were out in the tripod world!

[AdrianF]

Brands like manfrotto and gitzo for example are interchangeable, at least I've used one on the other in the past. The centre column you linked to looks like it is made for certain legs. If the Manfrotto you linked to @ B&H looks like it will work for you, then give it a go. You can still mount your ball head on this centre column when you need to. The way I suggested is just a bit quicker, as you don't have to screw/unscrew each head when doing a swap.

If size/weight aren't really an issue, but budget is, then like Squig said, shop around for a good used set on ebay and then get a seperate plate for your ball head to attach it to the video head. Only you know how you want to work. :beer:

[Daryl Glenn]

Do alot of people still design and build their own. I seems to me it could be more cumbersome but better

[ydgmdlu]

I have the Manfrotto 755XB with 701HDV head. To me, this combo is perfection: light, solid, and fully functional. The pair only cost me like $360 shipped.

[saaby]

Do alot of people still design and build their own. I seems to me it could be more cumbersome but better

Hmmm...I am an engineering student, I do have access to very expensive CNC mills and such...hmmmm


Anyway, I'm a bit OCD and once I realized that my Manfrotto was lost (Still kind of secretly hoping it pops out of a corner) I _had_ to know what I would replace it with...so I've had a couple of less-productive days at work and some late nights as I tried to over-turn every tripod rock. I was even high-bidder on a CF Tripod on eBay for a bit there.

Anyway, I think I have it settled...unless somebody says something substantial here to sway me otherwise, as soon as the money works out...

For legs I am going with Feisol CT-3342 (http://reallybigcameras.com/Feisol/Tournament_Class.htm). They run about $299 and I've heard really good things about them. Most of the cheap asian legs are made in China, and are Manfrotto design knock-offs. FEISOL is a Taiwanese company, and though there are surely some similarities (Uhh...it's a tripod, there's only so much room for design variation), FEISOL seems to have done their own designs. The #1 complaint I see on the cheap chinese legs is that they are flimsy at the spider -- where the legs come together. The FEISOL tournament legs have a CNC-milled top-plate, should be very solid.

How about a head? Well, as I stated before, I am partial to Manfrotto stuff...having used it in the past, but I'm actually leaning towards the Libec H22 (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/411085-REG/Libec_H22_H22_Professional_Fluid_head.html) head. Cheaper than the 503HDV, supposedly smoother. The only thing that worries me is lack of adjustable drag, but somebody somewhere said something I thought was pretty profound, something to the effect of "Stop worrying about fixed drag on heads this light. If you want more resistance, just grip the pan-bar closer to the head. Or grab the head itself."

All in all the kit should cost me about $560. That's about 2x what I was planning to spend on a tripod right now but, to be honest, when I started down this path I just didn't realize how much these things cost!

Anyway, that's the verdict. Feel free to chime in if you think that setup sounds good, or if you think it's the worst idea you've ever heard of. Otherwise I'll probably bring this thread back from the dead in 3 or 6 months to say "I got it finally!"

(I'll get a photo head too, that was the original question and topic...but this isn't a photo forum so I'll leave it at that for now)

[marcusemanuel]

Saaby, I can vouch for the Libec head. I work with one quite often, and at first I was worried about the same thing (no adjustable drag and all) but honestly I've never found it to be a major issue. It's a very simple straightforward head, but it's cheap and reliable. Simple and easy to use, and pretty smooth too.

[saaby]

Forget it! I'll just use a string tripod (http://www.instructables.com/id/String-Tripod/?ALLSTEPS) instead. Just kidding, but I did just make a stringpod. Like right now this second. I would never imagine using such a beast with, say, a HVX...but with a GH1...

[ryansheffer]

I just got this tripod

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/243272-REG/Davis_Sanford_PROVISTA7518B_Pro_Vista_Tripod_with. html

and this quick release

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/373782-REG/Giottos_MH652_MH_652_Quick_Release_Assembly.html

I love the combo. Great with my 5d and I'm sure it will be great with the GH1 on preorder.

[saaby]

This review of the FEISOL CT-3442 (http://www.strongmocha.com/2009/06/03/tripod-review-feisol-tournament-class-four-section-tripod-ct-3442/) just popped up online.



At this price level it seems that no other professional tripods comes close to matching the standards of quality and performance that have been set in Feisol Tournament Class. You may get the same quality from other vendors, but you may have to pay a premium for it as well.

[Psynema]

Anyone recommend a small/inexpensive tripod with good head :) ?

What's the best "bang for the buck" out there? Not big on tripod use (usually glidecam for me) and just sold my old heavy ass clunker of a pod a while back, so looking for something under $500 with a fluid head that's travel friendly and reach at least 6 feet.

[saaby]

I went ahead and ordered the Feisol sticks. They arrived today, and they seem really solid. I'll do a more comprehensive review in the future...maybe. I don't have the video head yet, but they seem like they'll work great for photo with a Acratech ball head. I already have an idea of a modification to make to the legs that really will make a great Photo+Video setup.

[yslee]

I'm going to just tag on to this thread; I'm trying to keep a low budget as I stray into video, so I wondering will a photo tripod work well enough for pans? I know there are issues of "snap" as the tripod twists back after the end of a pan, but is this an issue for most tripods, or just some? I'm hoping to re-use my tripod while I get a fluid head. Current photo tripod is a Velbon 645A.

[saaby]

...so I wondering will a photo tripod work well enough for pans? I know there are issues of "snap" as the tripod twists back after the end of a pan...

I think if you have a stable enough photo tripod you will be ok. Especially with a lighter camera like the GH1. I am using a photo tripod -- 3 independent, single-tube legs with no spreader -- but I chose a carbon fiber tripod for the apparent stability of the legs.

This FEISOL does have just a tiny but of play in it -- but it's actually very very solid. I don't have a frame of reference...but I can't really imagine another tripod being much more rigid. I just don't have a frame of reference.

As soon as I get my video head and camera, I'd be more than willing to zoom in on a vertical line and see if I get any windup or not with the setup I've chosen.

[thomey]

I did carry the Feisol tripod through China and to all locations I did shoot in June. It is really a great tripod that is worth a look or two ;-)
You can read the review I published after I returned from my China Trip:
I'm impressed with the quality of the Feisol tripod. It is well crafted and robust. The FEISOL CT-3442 tripod (http://www.feisoleurope.com/feisol-tournament-class-foursection-tripod-ct3442-with-tripod-bag-p-31.html)is recommended by the StrongMocha team.

Tripod review: FEISOL Tournament Class four-section tripod CT-3442 (http://www.strongmocha.com/reviews/photography/tripod-review-feisol-tournament-class-four-section-tripod-ct-3442/)

[saaby]

Ok -- I _love_ this Feisol tripod. The "spider" has a removable center section, so the tripod can have a plate+3/8" male screw, or you can take that out and put in a bowl.

The only problem is you do this by taking out 3 hex screws. Not a very convenient solution.

What I have done is replaced the hex-screws things with thumbscrews. I can now leave my ball-head (Which takes 3/8" Male) mounted on that plate, leave my video head (Which I'm still waiting to ship...) mounted in the bowl-mount, and I can swap the center section of the tripod out in about 20 seconds. Perfect. Perfect. PERFECT!

I have a Indislider (http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=145701&highlight=Indislider) on the way, and if it ever get it's own dedicated head...I may just buy another tripod plate so I can swap it on and off in 30 seconds flat too.

[RS-Colo]

I'm going to make a slight detour in this thread. I found a great light weight tripod. It is not for non-static video, but it is great for static video or still photography. It weighs less than 3 pounds. It has 5 segments (6 if you count the single center extension). The biggest problem with very light weight tripods is vibration, especially in the wind. This one comes with a sling bag that you can throw a rock into to stablize the rig. I plan to use this thing backpacking in the Rockies. Here is a link to the site, which I found was only about twenty minutes from my house. The vendor, i mean. I guess I don't really know where the site is physically.

http://judsonsart.com/ProductCart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=49&idproduct=113

OK, detour over.

[yslee]

Oh my, that Indislider looks very interesting! Thanks for the link.

[ratatosk]

As far as heads go, I find the Gitzo G2180 to be a good match with the GH1. It's lightweight and discrete.

[yslee]

Gitzo and Velbon tripods come with a hook to sling your bag to the centre column. The Gitzo's retractable hook is better designed than the Velbon's screw-on hook.

[saaby]

Gitzos are soo expensive though! I'll openly admit I haven't used a Gitzo, so I reserve the right to change my opinion, but my current opinion is that the Feisol is so good, that the improvements in the Gitzo are more luxuries than necessities. Diminishing returns and so forth...

[yslee]

Depends. I don't know how the locks on the Feisol work, but with the G-locks on the newer Gitzos, I can setup a tripod in 10-15 seconds. Maybe not so crucial for video where there's a lot of setup, but when you're chasing the scene for still photography it helps.

[saaby]

Oh yeah, I've had the dreaded "spinning leg" syndrome once or twice, but even then it takes like...3 seconds to fix. I just timed myself (Rather unscientifically) and I was able to go from totally compact to totally extended in 17 seconds. That included 1 of the extensions being slightly stubborn.

I love design and I'm willing to pay for it, but at the same time I would have to subjectively :D say that most people would be better served by saving $600 green backs on the Gitzo and buying a higher quality shotgun mic, or putting that towards a nice lens.

[yslee]

That's true. I couldn't quite bring myself to buy the Gitzo, so I ended up buying the Velbon at less than half the price of the Gitzo I was looking at. The Velbon turned out to be stable enough for my largest glass that I sold off my Manfrotto 055!