Seeking Run N' Gun Tripod Recommendations

H

hopkins802

Well-known member
Hey All,

Seeking opinions based on experience for a good / fairly lightweight run n' gun tripod for wedding filmmaking this year. My main camera setup is a Sony A7sII in a Smallrig cage on 15mm rails with the Sigma 24-105mm lens and a 5.7" monitor. All rigged up it's about as heavy / big as an FS5 setup would be.

I just had the chance to try this tripod out from a friend:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...otto_mvk502055xpro3_502hd_pro_video_head.html

Here are the things I liked and things I need to address before spending money on my own new setup.

Pros:

Super smooth fluid head, I liked the size of the head as it really felt like it would hold my setup fine, even with my heaviest lens which is the Rokinon 135mm f/2.

Lightweight and easy to carry around. I found it very easy to lock down the head, and just carry it around by the lens. They're not carbon fiber, but I'm not ready to spend that much on legs yet, so that's okay.

Quick to deploy legs and adjust height.

Cons:

Obviously there is no quick leveling head, which I will need.

The legs were pretty good..but could have been more robust for sure


I'm not stuck on any brand, I'm open to checking out Miller, Oben, Benro and Manfrotto. I do like the single column legs because they make it so much easier to carry around. I'm definitely open to mixing and matching brands to create my own custom setup if people have favorite video heads matched with favorite legs.

Thanks a lot!
-Dan
 
I have the slightly older 745XB legs, which have a built in ball leveller. I think these have been replaced by a newer model now. I use the 502HD head on top but it is quite heavy and overkill, even for the largest setup (gh5 + Sigma 50-100). I have used it comfortably with an FS7 and CP2s however.

If I were to buy again I would go for a smaller manfrotto head!
 
JordanWright said:
I have the slightly older 745XB legs, which have a built in ball leveller. I think these have been replaced by a newer model now. I use the 502HD head on top but it is quite heavy and overkill, even for the largest setup (gh5 + Sigma 50-100). I have used it comfortably with an FS7 and CP2s however.

If I were to buy again I would go for a smaller manfrotto head!
Click to expand...

Thank you! Which smaller manfrotto head?
 
JordanWright said:
I have the slightly older 745XB legs, which have a built in ball leveller. I think these have been replaced by a newer model now. I use the 502HD head on top but it is quite heavy and overkill, even for the largest setup (gh5 + Sigma 50-100). I have used it comfortably with an FS7 and CP2s however.

If I were to buy again I would go for a smaller manfrotto head!
Click to expand...

Looks like these are the replacement legs..Look good to me! https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/504853-REG/Manfrotto_755XB_755XB_MDeVe_Aluminum_Video.html
 
Your price to performance ratio is all off, you bought a $2,500.00 camera and want to put it on a cheap, junky tripod. If you cannot afford more than a $400.00 tripod, you bought too expensive of a camera, you should have bought a cheaper camera and a better tripod. If you can afford more, you should spend it, a good tripod head/legs will last you next five to ten cameras if you buy a good one. If you can't, you made unwise buying decisions. Not trying to be harsh but that's the reality. We don't buy cameras, we buy camera packages and the tripod is the most significant purchase besides the camera and lenses in a camera system. Skimping is shortsighted.

Miller is the only brand that you mentioned that is any good for working pro use.
Benro, nice features, but cheaply built, will break. Disposable. I have two, have three colleagues who bought them, they break. Period.
Manfrotto, I wouldn't wish one on my enemies. Everyone buys one or two Manfrottos early in their career, regret it and then eventually buy a real tripod. Barely adequate for the hobbyist, terrible for a working pro.
Oben? Based upon their website, those are still photo tripods, unsuitable for video.

Based upon how much you spent on your Sony and probably some lenses, you should spend more like $1,200.00 to $1,500.00 on a tripod IMHO. If you want cheap but quality, the Miller AIR with the carbon legs is a little over a grand, under a grand with the aluminum legs that are decent. People think small mirrorless cameras don't need a good tripod to make smooth moves because they are light when in reality, lighter cameras with longer focal lengths and FOVs will show more microjitter than a larger, heavier camera. As long as you get something that meets your weight minimum. Everything on your list except the Miller will have considerable wind-up and backlash, which will be magnified on longer lenses and tighter FOVs.

If you shoot weddings, you are a working pro, why waste your money on a crucial piece of your camera package that will be subpar?
 
puredrifting said:
Your price to performance ratio is all off, you bought a $2,500.00 camera and want to put it on a cheap, junky tripod. If you cannot afford more than a $400.00 tripod, you bought too expensive of a camera, you should have bought a cheaper camera and a better tripod. If you can afford more, you should spend it, a good tripod head/legs will last you next five to ten cameras if you buy a good one. If you can't, you made unwise buying decisions. Not trying to be harsh but that's the reality. We don't buy cameras, we buy camera packages and the tripod is the most significant purchase besides the camera and lenses in a camera system. Skimping is shortsighted.

Miller is the only brand that you mentioned that is any good for working pro use.
Benro, nice features, but cheaply built, will break. Disposable. I have two, have three colleagues who bought them, they break. Period.
Manfrotto, I wouldn't wish one on my enemies. Everyone buys one or two Manfrottos early in their career, regret it and then eventually buy a real tripod. Barely adequate for the hobbyist, terrible for a working pro.
Oben? Based upon their website, those are still photo tripods, unsuitable for video.

Based upon how much you spent on your Sony and probably some lenses, you should spend more like $1,200.00 to $1,500.00 on a tripod IMHO. If you want cheap but quality, the Miller AIR with the carbon legs is a little over a grand, under a grand with the aluminum legs that are decent. People think small mirrorless cameras don't need a good tripod to make smooth moves because they are light when in reality, lighter cameras with longer focal lengths and FOVs will show more microjitter than a larger, heavier camera. As long as you get something that meets your weight minimum. Everything on your list except the Miller will have considerable wind-up and backlash, which will be magnified on longer lenses and tighter FOVs.

If you shoot weddings, you are a working pro, why waste your money on a crucial piece of your camera package that will be subpar?
Click to expand...



+1. Killed it as usual.
 
+1
Hee Puredrifting, I was going to say that, but than in sloppy english..

Anyway:
I think for weddings the new sachtler flowtech with an ACE XL head will do the job for the next 20 years.
And keep in mind that a good tripod keeps its value, so selling it is much easier.
 
puredrifting said:
Your price to performance ratio is all off, you bought a $2,500.00 camera and want to put it on a cheap, junky tripod. If you cannot afford more than a $400.00 tripod, you bought too expensive of a camera, you should have bought a cheaper camera and a better tripod. If you can afford more, you should spend it, a good tripod head/legs will last you next five to ten cameras if you buy a good one. If you can't, you made unwise buying decisions. Not trying to be harsh but that's the reality. We don't buy cameras, we buy camera packages and the tripod is the most significant purchase besides the camera and lenses in a camera system. Skimping is shortsighted.

Miller is the only brand that you mentioned that is any good for working pro use.
Benro, nice features, but cheaply built, will break. Disposable. I have two, have three colleagues who bought them, they break. Period.
Manfrotto, I wouldn't wish one on my enemies. Everyone buys one or two Manfrottos early in their career, regret it and then eventually buy a real tripod. Barely adequate for the hobbyist, terrible for a working pro.
Oben? Based upon their website, those are still photo tripods, unsuitable for video.

Based upon how much you spent on your Sony and probably some lenses, you should spend more like $1,200.00 to $1,500.00 on a tripod IMHO. If you want cheap but quality, the Miller AIR with the carbon legs is a little over a grand, under a grand with the aluminum legs that are decent. People think small mirrorless cameras don't need a good tripod to make smooth moves because they are light when in reality, lighter cameras with longer focal lengths and FOVs will show more microjitter than a larger, heavier camera. As long as you get something that meets your weight minimum. Everything on your list except the Miller will have considerable wind-up and backlash, which will be magnified on longer lenses and tighter FOVs.

If you shoot weddings, you are a working pro, why waste your money on a crucial piece of your camera package that will be subpar?
Click to expand...

To put things in perspective, I'm a full-time video editor, and a part-time wedding filmmaker, so I've been using my wedding income to slowly and steadily build up my gear aresenol. I'm finally getting to the point where my wedding income is significant enough that I can stop cutting corners and purchase more expensive equipment that will last. I've honeslty been using 2 cheap ass Fancier Studio tripods for 5 years, and have never, ever had an issue with my small setups. This is the first year that I've built a rig around my A7sii, so now I feel I need something more robust. In short, I can afford a $1200 tripod, but at the moment I also need another $200 audio recorder, I just got a new $400 lens, and finally a real $200 camera bag (ThinkTank), so I have to spread my purchases around wisely. Another thing I should mention, is that I only use a tripod for the ceremony of a wedding, and after the initual bridal party entrance, it's literally locked down while I man it. So in my head I've always said to myself, alright, I can keep this shitty tripod because it's getting the job done. It's been hard for me to justify spending $1000 on something that my camera is going to sit on, static for an hour while I stand right behind it.

I appreciate you making your point clear... I'll look into the Miller Air. Maybe I can find one used that's closer to what I'd like to spend right now.
 
Publimix said:
+1
Hee Puredrifting, I was going to say that, but than in sloppy english..

Anyway:
I think for weddings the new sachtler flowtech with an ACE XL head will do the job for the next 20 years.
And keep in mind that a good tripod keeps its value, so selling it is much easier.
Click to expand...

Cool thanks!
 
puredrifting said:
Your price to performance ratio is all off, you bought a $2,500.00 camera and want to put it on a cheap, junky tripod. If you cannot afford more than a $400.00 tripod, you bought too expensive of a camera, you should have bought a cheaper camera and a better tripod. If you can afford more, you should spend it, a good tripod head/legs will last you next five to ten cameras if you buy a good one. If you can't, you made unwise buying decisions. Not trying to be harsh but that's the reality. We don't buy cameras, we buy camera packages and the tripod is the most significant purchase besides the camera and lenses in a camera system. Skimping is shortsighted.

Miller is the only brand that you mentioned that is any good for working pro use.
Benro, nice features, but cheaply built, will break. Disposable. I have two, have three colleagues who bought them, they break. Period.
Manfrotto, I wouldn't wish one on my enemies. Everyone buys one or two Manfrottos early in their career, regret it and then eventually buy a real tripod. Barely adequate for the hobbyist, terrible for a working pro.
Oben? Based upon their website, those are still photo tripods, unsuitable for video.

Based upon how much you spent on your Sony and probably some lenses, you should spend more like $1,200.00 to $1,500.00 on a tripod IMHO. If you want cheap but quality, the Miller AIR with the carbon legs is a little over a grand, under a grand with the aluminum legs that are decent. People think small mirrorless cameras don't need a good tripod to make smooth moves because they are light when in reality, lighter cameras with longer focal lengths and FOVs will show more microjitter than a larger, heavier camera. As long as you get something that meets your weight minimum. Everything on your list except the Miller will have considerable wind-up and backlash, which will be magnified on longer lenses and tighter FOVs.

If you shoot weddings, you are a working pro, why waste your money on a crucial piece of your camera package that will be subpar?
Click to expand...

Also, just looked at the Miller Air, it is indeed one of the same ones we have at our studio..it's very nice. Maybe I can see if I can buy one off my bosses!
 
hopkins802 said:
I appreciate you making your point clear... I'll look into the Miller Air. Maybe I can find one used that's closer to what I'd like to spend right now.
Click to expand...

Very little of what I wrote applies to lockoffs. Heck, put it on a table or Apple box for a lock off ;-)

I bought my Miller AIR used with the Aluminum legs from Adorama for about $600.00, best deal I've scored in a long time.
 
puredrifting said:
Very little of what I wrote applies to lockoffs. Heck, put it on a table or Apple box for a lock off ;-)

I bought my Miller AIR used with the Aluminum legs from Adorama for about $600.00, best deal I've scored in a long time.
Click to expand...

Haha! Yeah, if I was using it all the time, several times a week and it was one of my main tools, I would drop $1500 no problem. I'm on my monopod for most of my wedding days. The only thing I really am sick of with those Miller legs at work is the twist lock, I really dislike that system for some reason.

I'm pretty set on getting one of the Manfrotto fluid heads, I think the Manfrotto MVH500A looks fine for me, and then putting a bit of money into some nice sturdy legs. Other than Miller, what other brands might you recommend? If I can get the fluid head used for like $100 or so, I could probably swing $400 - $500 for some legs..

Thanks!
 
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