Recommended Tripod and Head for this use?

P

pernell91

Active member
i am trying to make a good decision on a tripod and head and wanted to get some good advice from the knowledgeable people on here

i have a canon xha1 and letus extreme and i would also like to use and indislider or t-slide (which i understand to go between the tripod and head)

anyway, with these items and their weights, would anyone suggest a particular make and model for a tripod and head (obviously i would like smooth pans, etc) and as well, money is not unlimited so value is an issue

thanks
 
A lot of people here have the Manfrotto 501 head and sticks, and I have the Vinten Pro 5 head and sticks (which is the same as the 501, just rebranded vinten).

I like it, its good for the money and its sturdy.
 
I use a Bogen 516 head with 3182 legs for my indislider/HVX/M2 setup (about the same weight as yours, maybe mine is a little heavier). This is probably the cheapest solution you will find to handle that load. From there, you can look into Cartoni, Miller, and Sacthler setups - as you go up the scale you will gain more functionality and pay for it accordingly.

If you need a very basic setup that will allow for smooth movement but without all the bells and whistles, that 516/3182 combo is about $850, IIRC. Remember that the Indislider weighs about 12 lbs or so (not sure about the t-slide, but probably weighs more if it is longer), and your camera system will be between 8 and 15 lbs depending on the accessories. So you need sticks that can handle at least 30 lbs, and a head that can handle at least 15 lbs. ALWAYS better to err on the safe side, especially since you will probably add to your rig later and you don't want to have to upgrade your tripod again soon.
 
hoarp001 said:
A lot of people here have the Manfrotto 501 head and sticks, and I have the Vinten Pro 5 head and sticks (which is the same as the 501, just rebranded vinten).

I like it, its good for the money and its sturdy.
Click to expand...

I own both a 501 head and a 516 head, and I have to say that the difference is night and day in terms of smooth pans and tilts. Can I achieve them with the 501? Yes, but with much more careful effort. And it won't support my camera unless I strip it down to just the HVX and M2 - no mattebox, follow focus, or monitor.

Nothing against the 501, I just wouldn't recommend it for the OP's needs. A little too close for comfort in terms of the payload it can handle.
 
also, the manfrotto 3182 legs don't appear to be in circulation anymore from what i can tell on most merchant websites. have they been replaced by a similar model?
 
I am having a bit of difficulty finding and comparing certain sets of tripod legs.

I am interested in looking at the 3182 but it seems hard to find, on top of which, i can't uncover if it has a 75 or 100mm bowl, or if its legs are good for uneven terrain.

Uneven terrain is a definite consideration for me, so if anyone has a good suggestion (that will work with the bogen 516 head) and is also in the sub-$300 price range, please feel free to suggest.

Thanks!
 
so, you have found that the 516 is able to loosen the drag enough to pan and tilt nicely while in motion along the indislider?
 
If it's for an indy slider make sure your legs are rated for at least 30 (50lbs plus is better). The 516 probably can handle the weight and if taken care of (see a lot Bogen's out of whack) you can make a decent move on it. There's a guy in Marketplace that's selling a Video 20 for 2850.00. If you got the cash, that would be ideal. It's a 6G head. I use a Miller Arrow 25 and love it. Runs 2500 for the head. But if it's not subtle moves that concern you most but just mounting a slider the 516 should do you fine.
 
Yeah, 516 will work with the indislider... Like Tim says, the most subtle moves are going to be very difficult to achieve, but it will work. The 3182/351MVB support up to 44lbs, which is plenty. I think the slider weighs in around 13lbs, and the rig I use is about 20 lbs.

I have just started working with the indislider, so I'm not the best to ask on this one. I probably couldn't pull off a real smooth move with a Miller or Sacthler head right now on that thing. I think that the camera operator will probably be a bigger factor than anything else in obtaining smooth pans and tilts while in motion on the indislider.
 
So what's the story on the Indi Slider? Never seen a decent review on it. Is it worth the cash or a big hassle? Can it handle the abuse of day to day production or is a boutique thing like a Merlin? I'm always on the hunt for pro performance at tight wad prices.
 
I will let you know after my production first weekend of September. I'm planning to use it for a number of shots. I have seen a few threads about it here and there, but no one seems to love it nor hate it.
 
Will Clegg said:
I will let you know after my production first weekend of September. I'm planning to use it for a number of shots. I have seen a few threads about it here and there, but no one seems to love it nor hate it.
Click to expand...

cool, looking forward to the results. good luck with the filming.
 
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