Best Tripod for the $$ - Around $250-$300
- Thread starter gundar
- Start date
FrameFarmMedia
Veteran
I've been looking at the Davis & Sanford 7518 for $200 or the 62" version of the WF 717 tripod (originally weifang sold under Fancier and several other labels) for about $170 on ebay. I had my eye on the Verizoom but it came off as too short for my needs.
I still haven't pulled the trigger on any of them to replace my old busted tripod but they all have about the same features. I'm leaving towards the 717 as it is a touch lighter and taller than the Davis and Sanford.
I still haven't pulled the trigger on any of them to replace my old busted tripod but they all have about the same features. I'm leaving towards the 717 as it is a touch lighter and taller than the Davis and Sanford.
FrameFarmMedia
Veteran
I don't have any of them yet (just narrowing down options) but they seem pretty good from the reviews I have seem. It seems the 717 head doesn't have a great drag mechanism for horizontal pans (just a screw with little variation). I wish I had a place locally with them in stock to try it out. I know the 717 is pretty popular amongst the budget tripod crowd and has better leg locks (from what I can see).
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/556159-REG/Manfrotto_701HDV_701HDV_Pro_Fluid_Video.html
An whatever used legs you can find on ebay or KEH.
An whatever used legs you can find on ebay or KEH.
Yes but not a lot. We just got one at work. We have a mess of 501dv's they are great but for a gh2 they just are a bit big. We bought the 701 to put on a slider and I was really impressed by it. It is really well damped and moves really nicely. It uses the large plate like the 501dv but the head is a lot smaller. I am going to pull it off the slider and find some legs for it to use it as a sturdy but small tripod. I haven't used it really extensively except for giving it a quick once over and thought is was a great piece with the perfect size for a dslr.
Next month I am shooting a concert series in NYC where I am traveling to 3-4 different venues a night so I need a light tripod that I can carry. I am going to bring the 701 and some lighter sticks. I think it will really excell in this situation. But if you are going all out you should get a tripod with a ball. So much easier but I can deal with just regular photo sticks since most of my shots are on flat floors.
Oh and I have the 717 head too on a pair of davis sticks. The 717 head is ok for cheap but the 701hdv is better.
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Yeah her reviews are pretty weak. But I just wanted to show the size. I would definitely try one out before you buy it if you can. There might be something you don't like about it. But I don't think your money would be wasted on getting the manfrotto vs the 717.
Bruce Foreman
Veteran
With the GH2 you can actually get by with "less" tripod.
Nonetheless I have the old Manfrotto 501 head on a set of Velbon carbon fiber legs and although a bit large it actually works well. I don't find it overly heavy nor heavy in the response. One of the things I did was to set the drag for the head itself with no camera. This has worked with Canon T2i, Canon HF100, and now the GH2. The weight of all these is minimal
I watched that review by Olivia and based on what she said, I would choose the 501HDV head over the 701 for the $60 or so additional. If you don't you will wish you had later.
A bargain head that is actually very good and amazingly still available is the Velbon PH-368 ($39.95 at Adorama). It used to come on a Velbon 7000 (which is still available at $189 at both Adorama and B&H) but mine is on an older SunPak 7575's legs (the original SunPak video head was hopeless). The PH-368 is referred to as a "fluid effect" head, it is not a true fluid head but you're not going to get such at $39.95. Even the Manfrotto is not
What you do get in this head is an incredibly smooth panning/tilting head when you get the drag controls set right. Some complain about a bit of "memory or backlash" at the end of a panning/tilting movement but that is easily taken care of by "holding" the pan handle still for a second or two after completing a movement. I do this anyway on larger heads to insure it stays in place when I let go the pan handle.
http://www.adorama.com/VNPH368.html#reviews
Nonetheless I have the old Manfrotto 501 head on a set of Velbon carbon fiber legs and although a bit large it actually works well. I don't find it overly heavy nor heavy in the response. One of the things I did was to set the drag for the head itself with no camera. This has worked with Canon T2i, Canon HF100, and now the GH2. The weight of all these is minimal
I watched that review by Olivia and based on what she said, I would choose the 501HDV head over the 701 for the $60 or so additional. If you don't you will wish you had later.
A bargain head that is actually very good and amazingly still available is the Velbon PH-368 ($39.95 at Adorama). It used to come on a Velbon 7000 (which is still available at $189 at both Adorama and B&H) but mine is on an older SunPak 7575's legs (the original SunPak video head was hopeless). The PH-368 is referred to as a "fluid effect" head, it is not a true fluid head but you're not going to get such at $39.95. Even the Manfrotto is not
What you do get in this head is an incredibly smooth panning/tilting head when you get the drag controls set right. Some complain about a bit of "memory or backlash" at the end of a panning/tilting movement but that is easily taken care of by "holding" the pan handle still for a second or two after completing a movement. I do this anyway on larger heads to insure it stays in place when I let go the pan handle.
http://www.adorama.com/VNPH368.html#reviews
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For the drag control? the 501 is a little nicer but you can still control drag with the 701.
Threw together the 701hdv on some 190xb sticks. It is pretty lightweight. Here are some pics. Both knobs can be use to adjust the drag or lock the tripod head from moving. It doesn't have the separate drag settings that the 501 has though. Pretty small package.
maybe pair it with these sticks
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/655221-REG/Induro_472_213_Alloy_8M_AT213_Tripod.html
maybe pair it with these sticks
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/655221-REG/Induro_472_213_Alloy_8M_AT213_Tripod.html
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I think you probably be at the top of its capacity depending on how heavy your rig is. That is more 501 territory I would think if you really loaded it up. But I will put my rig on it tomorrow and see. I imagine if you kept it pretty light it would be ok. Rails a Follow focus and a matte box it would handle. a 501 would take the weight no problem.
Tommy,
Thanks so much for the help. I think it will have to be the 501 if I want to be able to upgrade this particular rig. How is the 501 even though it is not a true fluid head?
EDIT: The more I read, the more people say the 501 gets sticky after hard usage.... Maybe I should just focus on keeping rig weight down and stick with the 701.
<---- undecided.
Thanks so much for the help. I think it will have to be the 501 if I want to be able to upgrade this particular rig. How is the 501 even though it is not a true fluid head?
EDIT: The more I read, the more people say the 501 gets sticky after hard usage.... Maybe I should just focus on keeping rig weight down and stick with the 701.
<---- undecided.
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I just ran my rig on the 501 and 701 side by side. With and without the rig the 501 was superior when panning and tilting. I like the 501 over the 701 as well for just general use. The only problem for me is that it is a much heavier head. We use the 501's a lot and I haven't seen them get sticky but it could happen. Still for my on the run setup I would go with the 701 but if I new I was going to do a lot of camera moves then grab a 501.