What tripod should I get?

O

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I need a tripod for my HVX and I was wondering if you guys could recommend a nice pro level tripod and head that is know to have great user control. I do care about weight and carbon fiber is an option I would consider. Pricewise, I'm willing to fork out a good chunk if money (in the thousand range) if what you get is known to be worth it.

What do you guys think about Cartoni or Sachtler? Are their particular models you think are good.
 
I like and use a Sachtler DV-6. It now comes with an option to get a mid-level spreader so it is perfect. This is a cool tripod because it is middle of the road. It can perform with smaller cameras and bigger ones but the oversized prosumer HD gear coming from Sony and Panasonic fit perfectly. I have used it for a Sony 300 and it worked OK, it lost its hold a few times on tilts but I could have avoided that if had let up on the friction.

If you need to add on, these prosumer cameras look funny all tricked out. I use a Anton Bauer Stasis with a sony wireless, a UL2 light and trimpac on the back. The nice thing about the DV-6 is it performs at the low end and high end of its wieght limits, just the dvx-100a on it or a fully loaded rig like the Stasis. It even can handle a full size rental on a temporary basis. Then you can throw a 1 pound DV camera on ther and it still performs.

I had a question about over-weighting the DV-6 specifically from a Sachtler engineer and he assured me the specs on weight were from a performance view and not a warranty view. So these pods can handle more than they are spec out for.

The best price is from Custom Supply, they beat B&H. I woudl not bother with carbon fiber. I do not see the benifits of weight because these sticks are already light. I have carted along some mamoth sticks all day shooting news so it is a realative judgement. If you compares the sticks side by side aluminum to fiber then it is obvious fiber wins BUT on a practical usage view, why bother with the extra cost. These sticks are so much smaller than full sized models, they are already light.

Some folks focus too much on how low a pod will go when making their decisions. In the real world you do not want to shoot low unless for editing purposes. Most of the world looks better from eye level or above unless you are going for a specific look for a specific mood. I find that if I want a low shot I use a steady bag or my shoulder or cradle the camera in my arms. I seldom look to the tripod for low shots, who wants to look up anyones nose for a lengthy shot. Just my opinion but I look more to height. Get the longest sticks you can to a sensible degree.

Mid-level spreaders as opposed to ground spreaders. I prefer mid-level because they adapt better to uneven terrain. Sure you can remove ground spreaders to get the same performance but who wants to go through the trouble when you can get it done an easier way.
 
Thanks. That's some good info. I'm going to go look that one up. Yeah, mid level spreader does make alot of sense.
 
You might want to look a bit higher up the sachtler range aswell if you are going to use a fully kitted HVX.
I use Sachtler aswell. They're not cheap, in fact they're plain damned expensive. But they offer what I think is the best quality you can get. Also (I said that a few times before here), nothing moves like a Sachtler head. Real silky smooth.
And last but not least, they keep their value. Even a visibly used Sachtler will set you back quite a bit. I bought my second hand video 18 for 2000 €. And it's an older, aluminium model. And actually that's still a good price. :) Once I get the cash I'm going for a video 15 with carbon legs.
 
Good point. Let's take a look at a few options:

Sachtler DV6 ( $1750 ) Load : 13.2lb
Sachtler DV8 ( $2400 ) Load : 17.6lb
Vinten Vision 3 ($2250) Load : 22.b
Cartoni Focus 2-Stage ($1550) Load: 22lb

Given that the HVX is about 5lb, add on a Vocus Matte Box (1.5 lb empty), ND filter, Polarizer, Chroziel Follow Focus, and a Marshall Field Montor (3.2lb) along with assortment of rods and fixtures. This would be pushing close to the rated load for the DV6 but sounds doable.

If I wanted to add lens and adapter, we would obviously need to go up. But it looks like the DV8 only adds another 4.4 lb capacity which I think would be exceeded by a lens and adapter.

The Vinten seems very promising given is large lattitude of 2-22 lb because it allows the flexibility of changing springs. So i would seem that if you wanted a loudout with lens adapter you would need to go to the next Sachtler up (big bucks!) or go with the Vinten Vision 3.

The cartoni seems to give the best value while holding up the higher loads, but I haven't heard much about how it handles. Can anyone fill us in?

Notice the price difference between the V6 - V8 and the load addition. Seems kinda outrageous. Does anyone know if the V8 is indeed lighter than the v6, the specs seem to indicate that it's 5lb lighter, which is very significant I think.

Hmmmm....decisions... Would be a sweet setup though eh?
 
I went through the same gyrations looking at pods as you have. One thing I learned is that you can't go off of the numbers they provide. Each company has different standards. Sachtlers happen to be very high so it muddies the waters when you are making a decision. I emailed Sachtler in Germany with a question about the DV-6 and load values and I got a pretty quick response. They told me it could easily handle 18 pounds but it was optimized for 15. It has a huge dynamic range, fully adjustable tension. I personally don't care for the Vintens in direct physical comparison, the Sachtler is more of an ENG tripod and the Vintens more of a studio pod, just in my opinion. I do not want to start a war but the point I am making is try to check them out in person. Slide the plate back and forth, measure the distance it can slide. This will be more important with a fully loaded rig like the one described above, espesially with heavy glass. You might have to add weight to the back of the plate just to get it to balance right.

Again, the Sachtler wieghts are very confusing, they need a marketting guy to take over publishing specs to make them more appealing and understandable when comparing.

My final point is, be sure you take a strong consideration the lightest weight on the pod is one of the most important, this is where a head can fight you. So take the weight of the HVX-200, be sure the pod can treat this weight the same as a fully loaded HVX at the top end. In between this range is the sweet spot. The Sachtler DV-6 is the pod most Sony Z1u users buy according to B&H. I think there are strong simularities in size and weight between the Z1u and the HVX-200.

Once you get past the heads check out the legs for flex. fotunately the weight values for most of the legs for the mid-range heads greatly exceed the wieght for the head. Also keep in mind it does not pay to spilt up a system, the prices for seperate legs and heads can double the price of the pod.

Save you money on the carbon and buy a nice shotgun mic (AT4073a), as I previously stated, these pods are so small that wieght is not an issue. I carry around a DV-6 with aluminum legs all day and never regret my decision.
 
I got my Sachtler DV-6 system in late 04 for $1400 new from Custom Supply, it beat B&H by several hundred dollars. I laughed when the same system was sold USED on ebay for $1500. I got the long aluminum legs 2 stage instead of the 3 stage. I found the 2 stage had less flex that the 3 for some strange reason.
 
Thaks for the info CTV. I'm leaning towards the DV6 now. Especially if you heard that the practical load is much higher than the spec indicates. It sounds perfect. I'd like to find out if the DV8 is in fact lighter than the DV6 by 5lb though because that could be a tipping factor.
 
Given the thread above I hesitate to even put this out there....on a budget might one get by reasxonably well with a Bogen 351MVB2 75mm 1/2 bowl w/ a 503 head? $500 is about my max (and that's what this is at BH).
 
Tim said:
Given the thread above I hesitate to even put this out there....on a budget might one get by reasonably well with a Bogen 351MVB2 75mm 1/2 bowl w/ a 503 head? $500 is about my max (and that's what this is at BH).
Click to expand...

EVS wants 550 for it, but I wonder if they will deal if the HVX is part of the package. I have to look at not only two cameras, but new computers and software for the HVX shooting HD too, as well as cast and crew for my film, so cost has to be addressed somewhere.

David
 
I just picked up a Vinten Vision 6, this is a variable counterbalance version of the 3. It is fantastic! I've used the Sactlers and even briefly a Cartoni Gamma and I have to say the Vision is the best for build quality and smoothness. The Vision 3 is just as good if you don't mind changing springs. I seriously say try them first before buying, everyone has a different taste.

P.S. Jarred, I tried a Panther at NAB, seemed nice but overpriced.
 
yeah i wonder if anyone actually owns one of them.. would like to have some feedback, cause thats exactly what i was thinking... looks like a porsche.. but costs just as much.
 
I Like the cartoni focus. there's nothing in that price range with 100mm ball and that load rating.

Also, I plan on getting 35 adaptor and with matte box and follow focus and all the other crap I'll need the extra load rating.

for those of you only planning to use the basic HVX without attachments then low rating tripods will due fine.
 
evinsky said:
I just picked up a Vinten Vision 6, this is a variable counterbalance version of the 3. It is fantastic! I've used the Sactlers and even briefly a Cartoni Gamma and I have to say the Vision is the best for build quality and smoothness. The Vision 3 is just as good if you don't mind changing springs. I seriously say try them first before buying, everyone has a different taste.
Click to expand...

I second that. Vision is a fantastic series, and so is the Focus, but I personally prefer the Vision because it's not spring loaded. Others love the Focus because it compensate for camera's mass, and 100mm.
 
I recently used a Bogen tripod and head, man was it bad!
I mainly use a sachtler or an occonor, even the small dv sachtlers felt alot better than the Bogen.
Spend the extra few bucks and get a much better system.
 
I looked at the sachtler.de site but isn't the DV-6 just only the fluid head and not the tripod?????? What tripod + fluid head combination of sachtler should be enough for the HVX200+external mic?

which head size suits the HVX best 75, 100 or 150 mm???

which one does include lanc for focus, zoom AND iris??

edit : I forgot to mention a 12" G4 powerbook for ofloading the P2 cards
 
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