GH4 What's the ABSOLUTE BEST VIDEO TRIPOD for a GH4?

I have the FSB-4 and I'm really happy with it. It was easy to over load with a full on Canon 5D kit but with an A7S it seems perfect. It also travels well and can be adapted to both flat and bowl mounts. I don't think init's price range that anything comes close to touching it except for another Sachtler. I'd be really interesting to hear from anyone that has used the Really Right Stuff fluid head. It's not cheap and I've seen Philip Bloom using it but I've never really seen any reviews on it.
 
If you buy new, as others noted, go for a Sachtler, FSB-6 or even better FSB-8, you will keep it forever, and never look back. I got a used Sachtler Cine DSLR, they stopped making those, if you find it used it's great value (similar to the FSB-6), and uses the same 501 plates Manfrotto uses (also comes with an extra long DSLR plate with anti-twist lock, really useful for lightweight cameras).
 
+1 on the Sachtler FSB-6 and the "touch n go" plates. I just love the ability to pop the camera in and out , just makes multiple setups that much quicker when you don't have to slide the plate in or try and feel if it's in alignment as is the case in other systems.
 
soarprod said:
I like the touch and go plates on the sachtler heads. Fsb-6t or 8t
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The "Touch & Go" system is more robust then the "Side-Load", but the plates are also a bit bulky for a bare bones GH4. If I have the camera built out I'll use 501 or 501PLONG plates, but for stripped down setups rely on Photography & Cinema's compact QV-1 plate

http://www.photographyandcinema.com/products/kamerar-qv-1-manfrotto-501pl-quick-release-plate

edithouse said:
+1 on the Sachtler FSB-6 and the "touch n go" plates. I just love the ability to pop the camera in and out , just makes multiple setups that much quicker when you don't have to slide the plate in or try and feel if it's in alignment as is the case in other systems.
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The "Side-Load" system is also top-load.
 
I've had Sachtler FSB8, DV10SB, Video18P and Video 20P. I think the FSB range with touch and Go plate would be a very good choice for the GH4. The 18 and 20 heads are great but don't go well with the low weight of a GH4 or similar cam. I use the DV10SB with my kitted Sony FS7 and find it to be a great head together with a Sachtler ENG2 CF HD tripod.
 
A good tripod is an investment that will last you many, many years. I too was lured by the low prices of manfrotto tripods many years ago. On the OB's I do sachtler is the tripod of choice so after going through a few manfrottos coughed up for a sachtler fsb-6 with the carbon quick lock legs. I've had it almost seven years now and it has performed flawlessly. It will take a fully loaded dslr with rig, Matt box, monitor, audio recorder and counterweight easily. The quick lock legs are the feature I love the most though. One lever per leg does all stages, I hated having to undo a lever or twist collar per leg per stage on many of the other tripods I used.

Can't really see you needing anything bigger than the fsb-6 for a dslr rig set up.
 
I'm currently running with the DV8SB-100 which matches the DV10SB specs and love it every day. Still have my DV6SB and sometimes use the Ace series. I use it with the Millar VJ Carbon legs.

Osslund said:
I've had Sachtler FSB8, DV10SB, Video18P and Video 20P. I think the FSB range with touch and Go plate would be a very good choice for the GH4. The 18 and 20 heads are great but don't go well with the low weight of a GH4 or similar cam. I use the DV10SB with my kitted Sony FS7 and find it to be a great head together with a Sachtler ENG2 CF HD tripod.
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vtwiz said:
Can't really see you needing anything bigger than the fsb-6 for a dslr rig set up.
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Unless he changes cameras next year and gets something bigger. Or adds a pl mount adapter/gets a great deal on a Cooke 18-100 zoom. :)

Not a day goes by without me kicking myself for selling my OConnor 2060
 
In addition to the maximum payload capacity of the head, be sure to check the minimum counterbalance weight as well. Especially with a lightweight DSLR like the GH4, sometimes you might want to go minimal with just a camera and lens and you want to make sure the head will still work with that setup.

Some of the higher capacity heads mentioned like the Sachtler Video 18 or 20 are great for allowing a future upgrade to a larger camera setup. But their minimum counterbalance payload is 2 kg (4.4 lbs). A GH4 body with battery weighs about 20 oz. add the Panasonic 12-35mm zoom and you are up to 30 oz (1.9 lbs.). And many of the native micro 4/3 primes weigh even less than that. In a lightweight configuration, you might find yourself well below the 4.4 lb. minimum counterbalance weight and not be able to balance the camera properly.

Most of the Sachtler FSB series heads have a 1 kg (2.2 lb) minimum payload should probably be fine for a GH4 setup. As would an OConnor 1030D since it has a continuously variable counterbalance that goes down to zero. Of course coming up with the $6700 needed for the latter may be a different story.
 
If you really want the "ABSOLUTE BEST VIDEO TRIPOD", then you don't really want a tripod, but one of these: http://www.supertechno.com/product/supertechno100.html
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David W. Jones said:
A crane is a different tool than a tripod.
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Yeah, I know. I was trying to make a funny point about the "ABSOLUTE BEST" and what that would really cost.
But being serious for a moment...what is "absolute best" for me won't necessarily be for you. For most of what I do, I need a really, really, light tripod that can still handle a C100 with a 70-200. I still haven't found it. Some of the tripods mentioned here would be great for a studio shoot or when you have a crew to lug around all the gear, but they'd wind up staying home for a solo shooter going up a mountain...the worst tripod is the one that you can't take to the job. Anyway...there are some really good ones out there and I'm sure there will be some good suggestions.
 
Jamie,

There's some really big differences in all the tripods that are mentioned here. I would suggest you take a serious look at the Cartoni FocusHD for the low end, or Cartoni Laser if you can swing the money. Gamma is superior, but it's a pretty big increase is expense. Cartoni is probably the leader in bang for buck performance. I purchased my Gamma more than 10-years ago (about $5K), it has only cost me $125 in service since all that time, so that's about $512/year for cost of ownership. The tripod has paid for itself a long time ago.

I know we have a few demo/open box tripods in right now, that are not on the website. If you call our shop I'm sure one of my team would give you a run down on what's available. http://hotrodcameras.com/cartoni-focus-hd.html

Also since you are in NYC, if you purchase from HRC, you would pay no sales tax :-)
 
Thank you all for the fantastic suggestions. This has given me a tremendous amount of info to consider, and hopefully it helps others as well. I'll post here once I've decided what to buy.
 
@Jaime, would also be good to learn why you may have passed on some models that you're going to look at.

@The Dingo, that Sachtler DV 12 SB looks great with a range of 2-31 pounds. Think that's the one I might look at when my old Miller (which can't be serviced or repaired) finally has too many flat spots to work around.
 
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