Bogen 501 vs 501HDV vs 503 vs 503HDV

RyanKR said:
I see, thank you so much. Are these better legs?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/293495-REG/Miller_1501_SOLO_DV_Carbon_Fiber.html

They looked a bit more promising and cooler :D
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They definitely have the cool factor going... To be honest, I haven't used Miller legs but I know they are well regarded. I'd suggest you get some other folks experiences/reviews.

Gitzos are the tried and true, old faithful legs. They are not super fancy, but they work and work well. I can recommend them without hesitation, I've been using them for near twenty years of shooting. Currently I have the G1325's and the 1530's ( super beefy carbon fiber) legs.

I can't tell from the picsof the Millers, but I'd make sure that the twist locks are durable and not made of plastic.
 
Oh I see, I don't want to be asking too many questions even though I feel I have but i'm curious. There are a tone of Gitzo legs with only 25-50 price difference. Is there something I should be looking for? What does it say when there is "no column
or "Rapid column" ?
 
Ask away. The center column is for still photography. It allows one to fine tune the height without adjusting the legs. The columns are either geared with a crank that winds the column up and down, or a "rapid column" that adjusts with a turn of the adjustment clamp.

As for the distinctions between the Gitzo legs, they refer to the maximum height, number of stages and max. weight that the particular legs can hold. Not to mention whether they are carbon fiber or aluminum. Their website is fairly obtuse when it comes to deciphering the specs.
 
I've used the Miller Solo carbon fiber legs for the past year, and I love them. Really light, stable, versatile... did I mention that they're light? Excellent for run-and-gun stuff.
 
plexi said:
I've used the Miller Solo carbon fiber legs for the past year, and I love them. Really light, stable, versatile... did I mention that they're light? Excellent for run-and-gun stuff.
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Are they well made Plexi? I've seen them in the field but never had a chance to check them out.
 
RyanKR said:
so you don't want one of those columns for a video camera? I didn't know that
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No, they just add weight and mre importantly you can't fit a ball head while using a column. You see them used for video mostly with the hobbyist set.
 
I've got the Aluminum Miller Solo's and they are extremely well made. Light, stable, and look really cool too. I suppose the aluminum could dent, but I try to not use my tripod as a beating stick.
 
haha yeah I wouldn't use it as a beating stick either. What is better? Concertic angle locks, or Twist locks?

These are the two i'm comparing.

Miller - Concertic angle locks

Gitzo - Twist locks
 
they both use twist locks on the legs - the concentric locks refer to leg angle locking on the miller, not sure how the gitzo does it. My miller takes all of about 45 seconds to take out of the bag and get height set and levelled though.
 
RyanKR said:
Yeah i'm looking at the Bogen 519 and comparing it to the Cartoni F100. Both very similar price range and same weight support.
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If you happen to be coming through LA, I can show you my 519 setup. Like I said, it works really well with my rig. Smooth pans, tilts, etc. Can't complain.

Tripods and heads are extremely important. This became increasingly more evident as my career has chugged along. When I first got my DVX, I started off with an El Cheapo tripod that I had for my Sony Digital 8 handycam. The thing was such a pain. Eventually I invested in a 503 head and WOW what difference! Later, after I upgraded to an HVX with 35mm adapter, the 503 was straining hard. That's when I bought a 519 head and again, WOW what difference! Maybe someday I'll need to upgrade again but for now it's fine and dandy.

I also use legs with a spreader. I really like the spreader in most situations. If it gets in the way, I just pop it off.


ProfessorU said:
A $1500 tripod head? I use a $300 bogen and I'm happy with it. Of course, I'd much rather be running around with the cam than stuck in the ground anyway. You bought a portable camera for a reason, right?
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Try using a higher quality head as a test. And add some extra weight to the rig. Then compare.

As for tripod vs. handheld . . . each one has its purpose to create a certain "feel" in a scene. Using strictly one or the other as merely some sort of convenience doesn't make sense to me. The camera is clearly built for both. But perhaps I am misreading your statement?
 
jdajda said:
I've got the Aluminum Miller Solo's and they are extremely well made. Light, stable, and look really cool too. I suppose the aluminum could dent, but I try to not use my tripod as a beating stick.
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Well... there are times when I've nearly had to use mine in such a manner.
 
Yes, perhaps I was too coarse with my last statement. When I need a jib/crane I rent the sticks, too.

I just meant that I bought the HVX partly because I can run-and-gun better than a heavier shoulder mounted cam. That means that I'm not usually adding extra weight on the camera either. If I was doing more commercial work I'd spend the cash but half the time if I'm on the sticks, I'm locked in for an effect anyway. The rest of the time... I deal. I'd rather have the money for everything else. I'd love a $1500 tripod head as much as the next guy.

Nobody mentioned the importance of a sandbag for the ground-level shots. That's a cheap option that always pays for itself.
 
Alright I have decided to go for

Legs

Head

Can someone please send me what I need to adapt these, hotchkiss liked me stuff before for different legs but I don't know if i need something different for these ones.
 
RyanKR said:
Alright I have decided to go for

Legs

Head

Can someone please send me what I need to adapt these, hotchkiss liked me stuff before for different legs but I don't know if i need something different for these ones.
Click to expand...

Can someone please respond to this question. I'm trying to order the stuff but I don't know what else I will need, hotchkiss answered earlier but it was for different legs. don't know if it will make a difference.
 
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