ultimate wilderness tripod

[enrico]

I'm making a documentary with alot of nature footage. Any suggestions regarding tripod support, to carry deep into the bush with a backpack, so weight/size are an issue. Particularly for filming zooms and close ups. It needs to be handy and practical unlike my manfrotto for those locations...light...maybe a monopod instead? Your help on this practical concern is most appreciated. I'm using the DVX100b.

thanks,

enrico

 

[j]

I'm a big fan of this: Bogen / Manfrotto 3001BN Tripod (Black) with 3126 Micro Fluid Head

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...s&Q=&sku=222275&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

I use it when I one-man-band it, and it is small, light, solid, and produces acceptable, even nice results. I've used it in features and commercial spot with no regrets. Sure when I have a crew I use a bigger o'connor, but it is often over kill.

 

[Rubix³]

I'm interested in this one too... any other input from you J, or others?

 

[j]

I've had mine since 86' and I bought it used from a rental house, so it's gonna last.

 

[enrico]

Thanks. I looked into the site and it looks pretty lightweight; I'm carrying a heavy backpack and the DVX100b already, hiking the wilderness a few days into Jacques Cartier National Park, sometimes base camping, filming, so weight/versatility is crucial. Is this the lightest way to go? ...the price is good.

 

[Justin Kuhn]

You might want to look at telescope tripods...I have a small, cheap little tripod that's only a foot high or less, it has to screw directly onto the camera, the pan & tilt ain't jack...but it doesn't add any noticable weight to the camera at all. Kinda nice in run-and-gun situations, you don't even have to take the tripod off the camera. Or you could find something like this with a little more muscle to it...bigger ball joints or something.

 

[enrico]

Very funky. From the examples, it's perfect for still cameras, but would it support something like the DVX100b?

 

[Justin Kuhn]

The gorilla ball joint concept probably wouldn't. A beefier version might. But like I said, I've had good experiences with telescope tripods--specifically a "table-top tripod" like these. I got the most ghetto tracking shot by having a friend ride the brake on my car, with me standing on the passenger seat shooting out of the sunroof. You've got to make sure to get one with a bigger footprint, I wouldn't trust some of the smaller ones, but I set it down on the roof and got some great footage. Adjusting the shot was a bit annoying though.