All tripods the same?

F

Foster Kane

Well-known member
Looking for a tripod for a canon hf 200. Any recommendations? I was thinking of just getting the cheapest one. Bad idea?
 
Last edited:
Foster Kane said:
Looking for a tripod for a canon hf 200. Any recommendations? I was thinking of just getting the cheapest one. Bad idea?
Click to expand...

There is a sticky at the top of this subforum titled Tripod FAQ. Look through that, get what works for you, but it all depends on what you're doing with it and how you're using it. Some people seem to think that the support is more important than the camera being used. Doesn't matter how good your camera looks, a cheap crappy tripod can absolutely ruin your shots.
 
Last edited:
Second that! If you cannot afford a good new one, then buy an older, originally more expensive one on eBay. Every tripod and head I have bought I have thought was better than the one it replaced. A decent head makes so much difference.
 
Spend as much as you can on the tripod, a good one will last almost forever, and will make your footage look better. Most people here probably use tripods that cost $500 (cheap) and up...
 
there is not much room for improvement in technology for tripod, so once you get a good one , you can keep it for lifetime, even if the usual makers are advertising for a new head every six month.

But the fact is there are cheap chinese copy of expensive tripods that are as good as their expensive sibling,
for example , you can get a weifeng for about $150 on ebay that is almost the exact copy of some Gitzo tripod costing more than $400.

there are some quick tests you can do on a tripod to gauge stability and smoothness, that can give you an idea if they will fit your needs, so you do not have to purchase blindly. Just go to a shop and try.

You will more look at features, like height of the tripod (always too short) , maximum weight supported, options, like 2nd handle, exchangeable feet (for mud, sand, rocks) , size of plate, quick release, bag etc...
 
Huy Vu said:
It's crap.
Click to expand...

I concur. Velbon is crap, I saw it today. I am unsure if it is even suitable for family use because of the plastic construction. You break a knob or a swtich and you have yourself a very large and expensive paper weight.

The Manfrotto looks more my speed. It is durable and the fluid head is quite sweet.
 
The new Vinten Vision Blue is the business - purpose-designed for smaller cameras, like DSLRs and the HMC range. I have one for my HMC41 and it's just perfect.

Seriously, these $200 tripods are junk. They are fine if all you can afford, but most people have a fundamental misunderstanding of the value of a good tripod. There is no good tripod at $200, just one you could make do with for a while.

Until you comprehend the value of perfect balance, super-fluid pan and tilt, whip-pan, rock-solid legs, good build quality, you just do not understand the purpose of a video tripod. You shouldn't have to fight with a tripod, work round inadequacies, use rubber bands for smooth panning, deal with drift back, leg rigidity, fight a fixed or vague counterbalance spring, etc. You should be able to forget that the tripod is there, and concentrate on the shot. If you try a high-end tripod, you'll never look back.

That's something you can do with the Vinten Vision Blue - and to a greater or lesser extend, the Sachtlers, Millers and other higher-brands.

I've used:
- Velbon junk
- Libec TH950DV (same head as LS-22)
- Libec LS37 (previous model of LS-38)
- Vinten Pro-6 HDV
- Sachtler DV6-SB (equiv. of the current FSB-8)
- Manfrotto 501HDV kit
- Vinten Vision Blue
...so I have wasted a lot of money, and have gained a fair bit of experience of what's good and what's not. (And let's face it, these are cheap compared to the real "Pro" tripods).

I currently use the Vinten Vision Blue for serious work, and the 501HDV (which is ultra-light) if I am walking for miles or climbing a mountain.

Of course, budget comes into it. If you can only afford a $200 tripod, then that's what you're stuck with. But in the end, most people get the message that sticingk a $5000 camera on a $100 tripod isn't the best match.


...At least all the mistakes I make now when panning are entirely my own fault, and not that of the equipment. :)
 
I believe the old rule of thumb was to get a tripod half the price of your camcorder body... technology has improved though, so even a $1500~3000 tripod should be good enough for a light ENG camcorder now.
 
At least the "big" manufacturers are starting to pay attention to us small camera users now. The Vinten VB retails for approx. $1100-$1200, I think (£750 in UK). My Sachtler was twice that, and easily only half as good for a smaller camera, anyway.

Now, a few years on, Vitnen are offering the Vision Blue for a reasonable price, and you can get a Sachtler FSB-2 or FSB-4 system for around $800 - perfect to get pro performance for these smaller camcorders.

You can get buy with things like a 501HDV or 503HDV, but at least now there's somewhere to go when you want to upgrade, rather than paying silly money for a tripod designed for much bigger cameras.
 
PerroneFord said:
Are all tripods the same? Yes.

Just make sure it says ARRI, Cartoni, Sachtler, or Miller on it. Done.
Click to expand...

Does any of these brands have problems operating in cold temperature? I have a Manfrotto 516 fluid head and the other day I went on shooting on a frozen lake. I quickly found out that I can't move the darn thing. It's so hard. The temperature is about 10 degree Fahrenheit. Are all tripod regardless what brand it is will have this issue?
 
I haven't tried it myself, but Sachtler used to make a big song and dance about how their fluid wasn't affected by extreme cold. I'm sure they still do, I just haven't paid attention! The LF drag on Vintens is allegedly good down to -40 degrees Celcius.

To be brutal, Manfrotto just isn't in the same league as Sachtler or Vinten in many ways, and the quality of the fluid in the head is just one way. I don't pretend to understand it, but there's more to a fluid head than just throwing some grease in there.

From my perspective, at -40 degrees I don't think even my arms would work. :)
 
Mike Beckett said:
I haven't tried it myself, but Sachtler used to make a big song and dance about how their fluid wasn't affected by extreme cold. I'm sure they still do, I just haven't paid attention! The LF drag on Vintens is allegedly good down to -40 degrees Celcius.

To be brutal, Manfrotto just isn't in the same league as Sachtler or Vinten in many ways, and the quality of the fluid in the head is just one way. I don't pretend to understand it, but there's more to a fluid head than just throwing some grease in there.

From my perspective, at -40 degrees I don't think even my arms would work. :)
Click to expand...
Thanks for the response. As long as it can stand at least at zero degree Fahrenheit I'm happy. It does not have to be below 40 degree.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top