Tripod over kill for GH1?

H

Hunter5117

Member
I found a good deal on a Manfrotto 504HD + 536 CF sticks. The head was an open box but the sticks are brand new. Right now I only have my new GH1 but intend to build it up with a full rig, external audio, etc and have legacy glass out to 400mm. My interest is in shooting wildlife video.

I know this setup is way overkill for the GH1 alone but once I get my rig built up will it be a better match?
 
Good Thinking!
I went through 3 cheap tripods before I got smart and got the Manfrotto 504 head/546 tripod.
It's great. I also had a small camera- Sony AU-1 but then upgraded to the Panny HMC-150 with matte box, speed rail, HD monitor, wireless mic receiver and more. All supported by the Manfrotto very nicely , thank you. Don't fret for a second, get the best you can buy and be happy you didn't have to wait through a bunch a junk to get there.
 
Not at all, I have a similar Manfrotto set-up that I use with my GH2.
The bigger lenses really need soild support.
The GH1/GH2 videos that I have seen IMHO that shoot without support or IOS look to jittery.
 
Thanks. I have been a stills photog for 30 years and have always used ancient and heavy Gitzo legs with a mammoth Manfrotto ball head and never regretted it (except when schlepping it up the side of a mountain). This is my first video tripod, getting a good deal on it certainly prompted me to go for it but I wasn't sure how much balance and the weight of the rig needed to be matched to the head. The 504 seems to have a lot of adjustment in it to permit a lighter setup while handling a lot of weight when necessary. Hope this will be a setup that will last me for a good while.
 
The $1100 package??? Wow!

I think tripod styles are a personal choice...kinda like buying shoes. :D I've owned quite a few Manfrotto tripods over the years, but since the GH1 came out, I've got rid of them all. Now, I'm favoring the cheapo super-lightweight consumer grade tripods that have the built-in spreaders.

So far, my favorite setup has been the Velbon Sherpa 538 legs fitted with a Manfrotto 701HDV head. Ultra light, ultra portable, sets up level with one hand in a split second because of the spreaders, and easy to level on uneven surfaces.

Even those cheap-o Sunpak and Targus tripods that you can get for like $15 at the big box stores aren't bad, IMHO, since they have spreaders. The problem is that MOST of them have permanently attached heads, so you can't remove the piece of crap heads and replace it with a decent one. (The included plastic heads aren't bad at all for static/unmanned/cutaway angles, however.) The cheap ones will also eventually just fall apart, literally, but then you can just buy another one. :D

Here's my cheap Velbon Sherpa 538 + Manfrotto 701HDV. (The Velbon 538 is discontinued.) I'm a tripod junky...I drag them around like a ball and chain, and I'll pay any amount of money for the right one. But these cheap ones just work best for my run-n-gun/ultra-mobile shooting style, and it's very rare that you'll see the slightest twitch in my footage.

 
Just calculate the weight of your camera with all the junks on it. Gh2 body only one pound so you make sure 504 have ranking of weight low enough for triood counterbalance. Some boughted big fat sachtler tripod but minimum load of head still too high for wimpy gh2. I don't know manf 504, just check it, don't get flossed!
Its so serious for you because for wildlife you need big fat lens and target moving a lot so counterbalance critical! Omg!
 
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Hunter5117 said:
Thanks. I have been a stills photog for 30 years and have always used ancient and heavy Gitzo legs with a mammoth Manfrotto ball head and never regretted it (except when schlepping it up the side of a mountain). This is my first video tripod, getting a good deal on it certainly prompted me to go for it but I wasn't sure how much balance and the weight of the rig needed to be matched to the head. The 504 seems to have a lot of adjustment in it to permit a lighter setup while handling a lot of weight when necessary. Hope this will be a setup that will last me for a good while.
Click to expand...

I use my Bogen 3051 for my GH-1, current Manfrotto equivalent is the 058B. While the 'lightweight composites' may be good for carrying things around... wasn't there a clip of Bloom's camera going into the drink, having been placed near the railing at the bay, on a 'light' tripod... and an unfortunate gust of wind...

I look to tripods for stability... if it's 15-20 lbs for the pod+head... so be it...

(Here's the Bloom 'disaster'...)
http://philipbloom.net/2011/02/06/death-of-a-beautiful-camera/
 
Mr clsrk I'm not argue you. I just have advices that have to be careful about big fat tripod because sometime big fat tripod need big fat camera for counterbalance to work. Otherwise your tilting is all screw up.
 
ghosttv said:
Mr clsrk I'm not argue you. I just have advices that have to be careful about big fat tripod because sometime big fat tripod need big fat camera for counterbalance to work. Otherwise your tilting is all screw up.
Click to expand...

True, and it works both ways. The Manfrotto 701HDV works well with my GH1 setup, but if I attach of bunch of brackets and crap like that, the weight easily defeats the counterbalance springs, and the camera will fall over. Fortunately, I typically don't need a bunch of junk attached to my camera, so it doesn't require a massive "cage". Sometimes a fill light for wedding receptions on the camera shoe, and an LCD hood when shooting outdoors. For me, the whole beauty of digital audio recorders and shotgun mics is that they don't HAVE to be mounted on the camera...you can put them where you actually need them. :D
 
swyzlstyx said:
The $1100 package??? Wow!

I think tripod styles are a personal choice...kinda like buying shoes. :D I've owned quite a few Manfrotto tripods over the years, but since the GH1 came out, I've got rid of them all. Now, I'm favoring the cheapo super-lightweight consumer grade tripods that have the built-in spreaders.

So far, my favorite setup has been the Velbon Sherpa 538 legs fitted with a Manfrotto 701HDV head. Ultra light, ultra portable, sets up level with one hand in a split second because of the spreaders, and easy to level on uneven surfaces.

Even those cheap-o Sunpak and Targus tripods that you can get for like $15 at the big box stores aren't bad, IMHO, since they have spreaders. The problem is that MOST of them have permanently attached heads, so you can't remove the piece of crap heads and replace it with a decent one. (The included plastic heads aren't bad at all for static/unmanned/cutaway angles, however.) The cheap ones will also eventually just fall apart, literally, but then you can just buy another one. :D

Here's my cheap Velbon Sherpa 538 + Manfrotto 701HDV. (The Velbon 538 is discontinued.) I'm a tripod junky...I drag them around like a ball and chain, and I'll pay any amount of money for the right one. But these cheap ones just work best for my run-n-gun/ultra-mobile shooting style, and it's very rare that you'll see the slightest twitch in my footage.

Click to expand...

That's not "cheap"...thats a solid setup!
 
ghosttv said:
Mr clsrk I'm not argue you. I just have advices that have to be careful about big fat tripod because sometime big fat tripod need big fat camera for counterbalance to work. Otherwise your tilting is all screw up.
Click to expand...

I believe you are referring to the mechanics of the head, which may in some models have some sort of counterbalancing mechanism for some expected camera weight.

However, this does not apply to the 'legs' of the tripod, which can be as solid and as heavy as can be managed, and may include sandbagging, tying down, or asymmetrical adjustment of the legs to 'counter' either wind or camera load on the tripod to get the shot.

Most 'pro' tripod solutions consist of a separable head just so one can choose the specific head, 3-way, 'video style', what have you, for a given task.

As it is, my several Bogens (aka Manfrotto...) have 3-ways and I do have a video head in the closet...
 
Yes my close brother. You are write. But op said he got big fat tripod head too. Thts what most people do, scale of legs usually match head. Best to do what you say, big fat legs and skinny hot head. I'm curious that many people say they like 701 head but that head normally got suck reputation and is throw away. I'm thinking maybe for superlight gh2 701 might be a good head. I hope so because I'm already tired of spend big money for sachtler head.
j1clark@ucsd.edu said:
I believe you are referring to the mechanics of the head, which may in some models have some sort of counterbalancing mechanism for some expected camera weight.

However, this does not apply to the 'legs' of the tripod, which can be as solid and as heavy as can be managed, and may include sandbagging, tying down, or asymmetrical adjustment of the legs to 'counter' either wind or camera load on the tripod to get the shot.

Most 'pro' tripod solutions consist of a separable head just so one can choose the specific head, 3-way, 'video style', what have you, for a given task.

As it is, my several Bogens (aka Manfrotto...) have 3-ways and I do have a video head in the closet...
Click to expand...
 
i wack my gh1 on a gitzo 3541XLS, now i think thats overkill..lol but its friggin sturdy and it aint all that heavy either to lug around. It always brings a smile to my face everytime i use it, i don't know why. Not the fasted thing to set up mind you. I also use a 701HDV head, its cheap, light and does a decent job. I tend to hold further up on the pan handle usually with a finger to get smoother pans. Saying that, i've played with a miller and would grab that in a heartbeat if i started loading the camera up. barebone with a recorder or led light, 701 does the job fine.
 
I received the Manfrotto 536 legs for my 504HD head today and got my complete vid tripod setup put together. Wow, what an awesome setup. I definitely don't have any problems with hanging any combination of camera and lens that I intend to own anytime in the foreseeable future off of this tripod! Thanks to everyone who gave thumbs up to this setup.

Question. This is my first experience with CF tripods, although I have had CF other stuff for years. I immediately noticed on the inside of one of the leg sections a long scratch, deep enough to easily feel and see it. When I say scratch it is more a long gouge, maybe 1/16" wide at the widest point and tapering to points at each end. It is likely 1.5-2" long. Is this a defect that I should be concerned about? I guess on a brand new $600 tripod legs any defect is a problem. Should I be calling the retailer about a replacement? Thanks for the advice.
 
Hunter5117 said:
I immediately noticed on the inside of one of the leg sections a long scratch, deep enough to easily feel and see it. When I say scratch it is more a long gouge, maybe 1/16" wide at the widest point and tapering to points at each end. It is likely 1.5-2" long. Is this a defect that I should be concerned about? I guess on a brand new $600 tripod legs any defect is a problem. Should I be calling the retailer about a replacement? Thanks for the advice.
Click to expand...

I personally would seek a replacement on the basis that you pay premium for a premium product but thats just me. depending on where the scratch starts and stops it could be some grit inside the sleeve that is scratching the legs when you deploy it.
 
I actually prefer a really heavy tripod. I really don't like these light weight ones these days.
 
Hell yes have it replaced. You want to be the one to scratch your legs for the first time.
After all the research you did you deserve the best experience with your new gear. I'd direct whoever you bought it from to this forum and tell them they got great free publicity and that can turn into great negative publicity quickly if you don't get what you deserve. Who did you buy it from?
 
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