What tripod is everyone using with their HVX200

Is it really cheaper to go with the Sprinter legs?

At B&H, a Focus with 2 stage legs costs $1500

A Focuse head alone costs $800, and 1 Stage Sprinter Miller legs cost $700.

Is there something I'm missing (happens a lot).
 
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This is a fascinating thread; thanks to whoever started it and others who keep it going. I don’t want to make things over-complicated, but it’s not as simple as ‘This is what I use, and it’s great, IMHO’, is it?

First, smoothness of head movement. That depends not just the quality of fluid- or friction-damped mechanism but how well it adapts to different loads and styles of panning. Cheaper heads glide beautifully with low friction settings but are lumpy with higher settings. If I were selling a head, I’d always set it to lowest friction. And can you do a whip-pan with a heavy setting? Good ones can.

Then there’s the question of what the tripod does when you stop the pan. Cheap heads/sticks push back a little because when you apply force for the movement you’ve actually also very slightly tensioned the tripod, so when you release the pressure it relaxes … and moves your camera at the end of the pan. Try it on some cheaper heads: we miss it because if a tripod ‘gives’ a bit when we apply force we compensate by holding it still. I don’t keep a tripod in food and water to have to do that. I want my tripod to stop when I stop. For that you need big buck sticks.

Third is the question of how much force is needed for the tilt movement: ideally, it’s nearly zero because the camera should be perfectly balanced in any position. I use the Vinten Vision 3 because it’s the cheapest way I know of to get a spring counterbalance that matches the HVX. It’s not the most convenient as you have to change springs when the weight of the outfit – add matte box, mike, Cineporter for example – changes a lot. (About $800 extra gets you the Vision 6 head with in-built adjustments). For about 120º of the 270º movement available on my Vinten I can tilt with a touch of the fingertip even with medium friction set. On cheaper heads, sure, the action is beautifully smooth, but you need much more force for the movement or else have to hang on to the camera to prevent it moving by itself.

Here’s another: good sticks lock with a snap – no two ways about it: essential for our business. This disqualifies Gitzo, for example. And a bonus comes with a design that doesn’t snag at branches – as the Manfrotto/Bogen design does, but the Vinten does not (but not surprisingly, the Gitzo is the most snag-free).

As for one- or two-stage. The gain from more stages is a more compact packaway size for transportation for similar max height, but more stages take longer to set up and are less rigid, and weigh more. Oh, and there's the question of whether the legs slide out easily or whether you have to pull at them - I've come across Sachtlers and Manfrotto/Bogen that were reluctant to open up and a pain they were too. It was good advice earlier to try sticks out at a show or store.

Finally, there is the question of carbon-fibre or aluminium alloy: actually the only question is whether you can afford CF or not. For low weight with strength/rigidity they knock metal sticks sideways. The only disadvantage I’ve come across with CF is that if you damage the surface, you can pick up needles of carbon fibre like splinters from wood – very painful, I can tell you from personal experience. Bind the surface with epoxy.

Hope this helps those pondering their sticky decision.
 
rgbuser said:
Third is the question of how much force is needed for the tilt movement: ideally, it’s nearly zero because the camera should be perfectly balanced in any position. I use the Vinten Vision 3 because it’s the cheapest way I know of to get a spring counterbalance that matches the HVX.
Click to expand...

The Bogen 519 head.....

Little description I found........"The 519 is so unique in that it is the only video head on the market encompassing both interchangeable counter-balance springs and an adjustment knob.

The 519 comes with two springs: one for cameras in the 2-10lb range, and the other for cameras within the 11-22 lb range.

In addition, fluid drag is easily controlled with a large numbered knob for repeatable settings and reference. Drag can be adjusted from the highest possible setting to zero drag, allowing for the finest control through 360º pan and +91.5º to -90º tilt."

http://www.adorama.com/BG519.html

:nads:
 
I am using Cartoni Focus......This is my first "high end" tripod....so I can't compare with similars.....but if you ask me about the cheaps, I must to say that the Cartoni Focus is incredible......The pans are perfects
 
Vinten ProTouch 6--Equivalent of a Vision 3 except limits to 6kg of payload.

But the kicker is the price $806 for complete kit.

SMMMOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTTTTHHHHHHHHH!
 
Forum recommendations

Forum recommendations

Hm. This is a forum suggestion. We need break downs and more stickys!

Bogen 519, 520? Cartoni Focus? Satchler, Vinten?
I think choice is great, but sometimes I just want to be able to pick something within my budget and use it instead of spending countless of hours reading around in the forums. Maybe that's the Apple/ Macintosh philosophy where it costs more and you know you're getting a product that works right out of the box (I'm not an Mac seller or user... yet). But anyhow...

I am having way more trouble choosing accessories than choosing a camcorder, a DVX100B by the way (maybe I should repost to another thread).

Yes, I think DVXUser postings and reviews are great and informative but sometimes I just want an easy to read thread with quick break downs and some testimonials before I delve deeper into the reasons why.

It should be a table like this (just an example):

Budget / Camcorder / Tripod to get /Main selling point /
$0-$500 / DVX100 / Bogen? / Price
$500-$1000 / ? / ? / ?
$1400-$200 /DVX100B, HVX200 / Cartoni Focus / True Fluid Focus
etc.
Buy at: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home;jsessionid=G7L874mSsk!-1047952057!1153108988607?ci=1&sb=ps&pn=1&sq=desc&InitialSearch=yes&O=RootPage.jsp&A=search&Q=*&bhs=t&shs=cartoni+focus+head

Of course the above should be a nice pretty well formatted table with updated parameters as new products come in. And maybe it can include ratings or reviews. I don't want to dumb down everything, but I'm sure something like this would be invaluable to a newbie and also keep some of the repeat postings down.

It would be so much easier to go cross reference a chart and lookup based on budget, type of shooting style, and ratings.
For example we could have a entire section based on accessories and gear based on performance, ease of use, etc. with nothing but stickies and cross reference charts partially based on user ratings and opinion polls. Sort of the American Idol of camcorder gear. And then we can still have the standard forums in another folder.

Oh and one more thing that would be good before I get too off topic is to make it like Wikipedia & Experts Exchange where the people can create a manual, allow anyone to edit it, and then lock it after a few months. That way we have permanent references and standard industry practices. I've been a web programmer before so I know this is asking a lot.

I don't necessarily want filmmakers to end up as equipment clones, but as independent filmmakers it helps to understand the standards before you decide to deviate from them.

Just my two cents. Maybe you can send this post to the Administrator to think over and thanks for reading. :)

Shuo Chen

------
Why reinvent the wheel when someone can tell you where to get a limo for cheap?
 
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I just went on saturday to Calumet in SF and picked up this kit:

http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/BG12325.html

Its the 503 head and ive had no problems with it so far.

We went on a test shoot in the VERY WINDY Oyster Point in South San Francisco to see how well it holds up against the 30mph + gust and we suffered no wobble and were able to pan very smoothly with the landing and departing air planes from SFO.

Also following the birds diving into the water was very smooth as well. I didnt want to spend so much, since i just got back from VSDA in Vegas, but we needed one immediatly and its really alot better then expected.
 
I have never even heard of that store in San Francisco. And it looks like it's near the JCX. I'll have to check it out. How much weight are you putting on it?
 
KONTON: Ya, ive never heard of it either. My partner who goes to AofA told me about it and linked the website. Now im window shopping on the site all day. I was always the post guy, but since weve picked up the HVX200 we have both been learning more and more about the hardware, and the service was EXCELLENT as well. Just 2 guys with only about a 1000 dollar budget that day and we got the red carpet treatment, they were very patient letting us try the HVX on many different setups.

He was letting us open up some legs and mounting heads and testing some pans and what not. Ive only used it with the default load of just the camera , but it is handling it flawlessly. I think it might improve even more with a little bit more weight on the 503.

I was looking for the Cinesaddle as well, and he recommended JCX actually when we were there for that. He said thats in the area as well lol. So ill have to check out JCX, youll have to check out Calumet. Easy parking in its own lot too.
 
Finally broke down an djust got a regular 2-stage Focus. I like it a lot though it's a bit heavier than I would have though. In all honesty I'm actually trying to figure out what makes it all that different from the Cartoni Laser (aside from being half the price).
 
Gitzo 1348 carbon fibre + CartoniF100

Gitzo 1348 carbon fibre + CartoniF100

[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Gitzo G-1348 Inter Pro Studex Mk2 Compact Performance Carbon Fiber Tripod (without Column) - Supports 26.50 lb (12.02 kg)[/FONT]

Gitzo 75/100 mm ball adapter

Cartoni F100 head (2-22lbs)

The entire system weighs 11lbs1oz.

I like the Gitzo system, always have. Never liked spreaders at all - I am not a filmaker, I am a videographer!

Check the photos - I especially like how you can independantly adjust the angle & height of each leg. There are few sticks that are as dynamic as this one in my opinion.

This system costs nearly 1/3 of a new hvx200 and is worth it.

Sorry about the resolution, flash and focus..

2835142_1024.ts1153453984567.jpg


2835143_1024.ts1153453986151.jpg


2835144_1024.ts1153453987959.jpg


2835146_1024.ts1153453990073.jpg
 
Oh my god! Thats the one who got me, officer! Hey CO Video, that is the setup I was looking at yesterday but couldn't get clarification on the bowl adapter! :)

Thats what I want to go trashing in the river with!!!!! 11 lbs., did you weight this configuration yourself?

Thanks for the pics too! :) :)
 
Flash Beaver said:
Oh my god! Thats the one who got me, officer! Hey CO Video, that is the setup I was looking at yesterday but couldn't get clarification on the bowl adapter! :)

i know - i chanced it and got lucky...

Thats what I want to go trashing in the river with!!!!! 11 lbs., did you weight this configuration yourself?

yup - on an e-lec-tronic scale

Thanks for the pics too! :) :)
Click to expand...

you betcha - ya gotta love new gear

wadda you shoot in or-e-gon?
 
Jarred, which Miller legs do you advice for the cartoni focus?


Jarred Land said:
its funny how everyones using Miller legs but not the head, and everyones using cartoni heads and not the legs.

Thank god there is a bowl standard so we all can swap out pieces for what we want.
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I went against the crowd and got an OConnor Ultimate DV (this head is no longer in production though). For now I'm putting it on an old set of aluminum Gitzo G340 legs that I had for my still photo cameras. I just took out the center plate and installed a G1424 100mm bowl adapter. The counterbalance can be wound from zero all the way up to 18 lbs (@ 6") and 24 lbs (@ 4") so it can handle an HVX just fine.

This head is mighty sweet, but it's also mighty huge and mighty heavy compared to a Focus or a Sachtler DV-6SB. It's sort of narrow, but it's very wide and very tall. But this thing is SOLID! It looks like platform for a guided missile launcher or something.

Using an electronic scale, the head with pan bar, 100 bowl and tiedown weighs 8 lbs, 4 oz. All together with the tripod, it weighs 14 lbs, 12 oz. Definitely NOT a lightweight setup.

Colorado Video, how much does the Focus weigh by itself with just the pan bar and bowl tie down?

ocon.jpg
 
DavidBeier said:
In all honesty I'm actually trying to figure out what makes it all that different from the Cartoni Laser (aside from being half the price).
Click to expand...

The Laser has numbered dials for the tilt drag, pan drag and counterbalance. The knobs are also more ergonomic IMO. Probably the biggest difference is that the highest drag setting on the Laser seems to be is a bit more than the Focus and the whole thing feels a little more solid than the Focus. It's hard to explain, but you can't go by specs alone--you have to try out these heads with a camera on them to see.
 
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