Did you downsize your tripod after moving to DSLR?

B

Bobonli

Well-known member
I'm shooting with two systems: EX-1 on a Sachtler DV8 (100mm bowl) head and stix. Absolutely no performance or durability complaints other than it screams "look at me" because it is a substantial rig.

I also shoot with a 7d and currently slap it onto an old stills tripod and head combo. No leveling bowl, crappy performance for video and the stix are a little light for the rig.

I'm on the fence as to getting a separate head and stix for the DSLR. The Miller Solo legs are lot less conspicuous for shooting in public than the Sachtler legs and the Miller setup is about 4lbs lighter than the Sachtler.

So I'm just wondering how many shooters (who also have pro-video cams) went with a slightly smaller tripod when they added DSLR to their toolkit....or did you stick with your original tripod?

I'll likely buy a second tripod so I can use both cams simultaneously but need to decide whether to go a little smaller for the DSLR or get another DV8-sized rig.

Thanks in advance for sharing your experience and thought process!
 
Something says to me you should get exactly the same setup again

It like when I used to shoot stills with two bodies an 11mp and an 8mp, I ended up just swapping lenses all the time, if I had two identicals the issue would just go away

I have a miller its great (dont like the solo legs) and a 501 on stills legs - horrid - it just doesnt get used

S
 
No, because by the time i put everything I need on it it weighs as much as my large setup.

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morgan_moore said:
Something says to me you should get exactly the same setup again

It like when I used to shoot stills with two bodies an 11mp and an 8mp, I ended up just swapping lenses all the time, if I had two identicals the issue would just go away

I have a miller its great (dont like the solo legs) and a 501 on stills legs - horrid - it just doesnt get used

S
Click to expand...

What didn't you like about the legs?

One the one hand, I like that they can go a little lower and at different positions than your standard video tripod. But it's also a bit more cumbersome to make fine height adjustments compared to the locks on the Sachtler.

Now that I think about it, my Sachlter has a 100 mm bowl and the Miller has a 75mm. Doesn't seem to make much sense to have 2 different systems, particularly since my slider is outfitted with a 100mm bowl.
 
Fine height adjustments are a PITA with the solo

For some reason (my stills background?) I hate slanty uprights in shots meaning 90% of the time I want my lens parralel to the ground meaning lots of height adjustments

The solo is good for chucking around and using with a Tele where height is less apparent

Defo you should IMO stick with one bowl size - you want everything to fit everything else - save so much time

do you have two heads for your slider - that makes a big difference - if you dont getting that second same bowl head will be great too

S
 
The problem is when you go very light, only a camera and a small lens. The minimum weight payload and the low center of gravity are issues on most heads. The legs are not the problem. The real issue is that therre are not too many pro fluid heads out there that can handle less than 2kg. To also have the ability to expand upwards for fully configured situations of more than 4kg. to boot is a very challenging weight range. What we really need is 0-6kg or even better 0-9kg. The hunt continues.
 
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yoclay said:
The problem is when you go very light, only a camera and a small lens. The minimum weight payload and the low center of gravity are issues on most heads. The legs are not the problem. The real issue is that therre are not too many pro fluid heads out there that can handle less than 2kg. To also have the ability to expand upwards for fully configured situations of more than 4kg. to boot is a very challenging weight range. What we really need is 0-6kg or even better 0-9kg. The hunt continues.
Click to expand...

I just read your thread about this on the other site. Good observations. The Compass 20 is rated at 2lbs up to about 20 but that is probably generous. I'm testing a Compass 20 and with the camera, 50mm lens and Marshall monitor, there is a fair amount of bounce back. There's just not enough weight to activate the drag settings. I have had similar results with my Sachtler.

I'm sure if I loaded up the head with baseplate & rails, monitor, follow focus etc the issue would disappear because there'd be sufficient weight. 15lbs, to be exact. Unfortunately, I don't always carry that stuff around. So I'm sort of faced with a dilemma: get a head and sticks that can accommodate my full-on DSLR rig or one for lightweight (camera only) shooting. I doubt I'll find one that can meet both needs.

Want to stick with 100mm bowl if I get the big-boy head. No sense having different size bowl heads and have to worry about which one will go in the linear tracker.

Anyone else, other than Morgan, use the Solo legs and care to weigh in?
 
i have many tripods..

an old huge manfrotto mk3 116 head film type for my letus/ex1

a manfrotto 501 video and smaller bowl (is it 75mm?) for ex1 only and my 7d.......

I find this is still too big and when solo shooting im lugging too much clutter so i bought an 055xprob and stuck the 501 head on that for a filming kit i can hike with...ok no levelling but i spent the weekend out on Dartmoor with mates and its steady enough to pull fucus!
 
my XH A1 rigs is pretty heavy, around 20 lbs, when i rent or loan out equipment i generally give them a heavier duty tripod/head than they need.

when i shoot video i usually use the same tripod for stills from the B-cam, as im used to it and otherwise it would be a 3rd tripod to lug around. then again we have basically a porter who is just the gear wrench/tech/carrier (we call him the sherpa lol). i dont see why one would buy another smaller tripod unless you are not planning on adding anything beyond the cam/lens combo; putting a mattebox, follow focus, external monitor, mics, batteries, etc gets up there in weight pretty fast. Aside from the weight difference of the 35mm adapter, the 5D MkII rigs and XH A1/DVX200A rigs we use are maybe 4-5 lbs different in weight, so we just use the same tripod systems. Some shots from a recent music video for a european client. used 5D MkII and XH A1 footage together (XH A1 footage for memory/dream sequences 5D MkII for 'reality' scenes).

I believe the 'handheld' version seen on the restaurant bar counter, which consisted of the XH A1, Letus, FD 50MM, Mattebox, Indisystem rails w/articulated shoulder/hand grips weighed 18 lbs, 14 without handles/shoulder support, while the full rig without hand grips/shoulder mount, manhattan lcd and arm weighed in at 21 lbs, and the grand total of xh a1, letus, lens, rail system, handgrips/shoulder rig, mattebox, and lcd battery/arm came to 25 lbs, so its best for us to just drag some high capacity sticks and heads around and use those full time.

This is my B cam setup; the A-cam gets up to 29 lbs. with the DSLR rigs weights get to around 18 lbs with a zoom lens and all the other stuff.

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I have an Sachtler FSB8 setup for medium heavy stuff and will get an FSB4 for the lightweight stuff. At the end of the day it will work well for a 2 camera situation. I have found the FSB4 to be the only reliable head for the light end of things and still have the control of bigger units.
 
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