Advice/Comments from Distinguished Members Please

[Spartacus]

Dear Distinguished Members,

Apppreciate if some advice/comments can be forthcoming on the following please i.e.

1. What brand & type/model of tripod would you recommend for my Nikon
D700 and Nikkor 24-70/f/2.8 lens please? ( I have never tried using a
tripod so am quite apprehensive in making a fool of myself).

2. The tripod recommended should also be able to carry a prime lens f/2.8,
400mm please (near future)

3. Type and brand of electronic trigger for the camera please.

Thank You.

Cheers,
Stephen

[revi]

1 & 2:
There's a number of good brands. Manfrotto is what I use, but there are others.

The important thing is to pick a combination of tripod and head that can easily
carry the total weight you want to put on it. I'd go for a recommended max. weight
that is at least 2x the weight I plan to put on it, i.e. with a 500g camera and a 1kg
lens, go for at least 3-4 kg recommended maximum weight.

Also go for a maximum height with the centre column down that's comfortable for you. And
common wisdom seems to hold that 3-part legs are better than 4-part. That does mean
the tripod gets longer when folded as well.

Then, there's the planned use:
I wanted the possibility to go down very close to the ground. That means:
1- either no centre column or one that can be put horizontally,
2- legs that open to close to 90°,
3- a head that's not too high (some add more than a good hands width to the
total height).

I use a ball head with quick release plate, but there are lots of other options.

3:
For the 'electronic triggers' there's three possibilities:
- wired : shortest reach, normally very reliable
- wireless radio : expensive, good reach, no line of sight problems
- wireless infrared : cheap, not sure if it's available for your camera,
strictly line of sight (and the sensor tends to be on front of the camera...)
and not too much reach.
Personally, I'd avoid infra-red if possible, it works, but is clumsy due to the
sensor position. And there is always the self-timer for static scenes, just don't
forget to set the camera back to normal after your tripod session

I must say, that Nikon's site isn't very helpful in listing the possibilities
available for your camera (or they don't provide a cable release compatible
with the D700...)

Again, for both tripod and remote release, a lot depends on budget and planned use.

Remco

[Polar01]

I would suggest that you look up the Really Right Stuff web site and read the info found in the Be a Gear Expert pulldown. Some very useful info on tripod and heads, I am not saying to purchase from them as this is top of the line and costly, however it tells you what to look for before making the purchase.
Also with a tripod once you have purchased your first, start saving for the next three that you will also purchase before finding the one you want. Suggest that you also go to advance search at the top of the page and search for tripod purchase or tripod suggestions and then read the comments that are there.

Cheers:

Allan

[Colin Southern]

Tripods are always a compromise between weight, stability, and cost (pick any two!)

The stability part comes down to the weight it needs to support and the exposures you need to take (eg the kind of tripod you need for a 1/4 second exposure is waaay different to one where you're exposing for 45 MINUTES in a breeze.

You might find this helpful ...

Best Tripod and head for stability

[Spartacus]

A very big THANK YOU to all our learned friends of CambridgeinColour Forum for their invaluable advice/comments on Tripods and Electronic Triggers.

I really appreciate your willingness to share your knowledge even though most of you are in other parts of the world such as France, Ontario and New Zealand from where I am here in Singapore.

I have taken note of the comments and advices and will digest them slowly but surely.

Thank you once again Distinguished Members!

Cheers,

Stephen

[Manfred M]

I must say, that Nikon's site isn't very helpful in listing the possibilities
available for your camera (or they don't provide a cable release compatible
with the D700...)

Actually there is a cable release for the higher end bodies including the D700.

http://en.nikon.ca/Nikon-Products/Pr...CompatibleWith

I use one with my D800. It works well.

[jcuknz]

If you can afford it I would suggest that with that big lens on the horizon you get a seven foot tripod without a column and also the 'pendulum' type of mounting for it ...I always forget the brand names but recognise it is what I SHOULD have but don't

It is interesting and took me awhile to work this out that these days the cable release is an electric cable fitting into a socket somewhere on the body instead of the mechanical release which screwed into the trigger of the film camera Though most of the time the 10 second delay release works for me and I rarely use my cable releases.

[Colin Southern]

If you can afford it I would suggest that with that big lens on the horizon you get a seven foot tripod without a column and also the 'pendulum' type of mounting for it ...I always forget the brand names but recognise it is what I SHOULD have but don't

http://www.tripodhead.com/products/wimberley-main.cfm

http://reallyrightstuff.com/ProductD...al-Head&key=it

[revi]

Actually there is a cable release for the higher end bodies including the D700.

http://en.nikon.ca/Nikon-Products/Pr...CompatibleWith

I use one with my D800. It works well.

Tbh, I would have been very surprised if Nikon didn't provide several remote release options for the D700. Their site just doesn't make it too easy to find
those options (or I went all wrong about it, as it was just a quick look, I'm not a Nikon user)

[Clactonian]

You can find all Nikons current remote releases HERE

[revi]

@Spartacus: Just be aware that the RRS and Gitzo stuff can easily cost into the four digit range.

If you can afford that, fine, but that stability level is not always needed.
If, like Colin, you can drive to the spot where you want to take the picture, and then use exposures of over half an hour in a breeze,
you need and can manage a tripod + head that weigh in at 3-5 kg (or more!).
If, otoh, you have to hike to your spot and then set up the stuff for e.g. wildlife shots, you can get by with something a bit lighter.

[Manfred M]

One other thing to remember is that some lenses, like the f/2.8 70-200mm come with a tripod collar, so you should use that to mount your camera / lens to the tripod, rather than the mount on the camera body itself (I have one and this works well). This allows a more balanced method of mounting the lens, so locking lens down takes a lot less force. The f/2.8 400mm is similar, but I haven't shot one so don't have any personal experience.

The one thing that I do is I have three lenses with a tripod collar and I leave a mounting plate attached to the lenses all the time. It's a lot handier this way as I am not fiddling with attaching the mounting plate every time I change lenses. I use a coouple Benro Carbon Fiber tripods, which are a Gitzo knockoff with Arca-Swiss plates. While the legs are quite good (Gitzo was negotiating with Benro to manufacture some of their lines, but this never came off), I am looking at upgrading the ball heads, which are okay (I find the quality is in line with Manfrotto) but not as good as some of the higher end ones.

[jcuknz]

http://www.tripodhead.com/products/wimberley-main.cfm

http://reallyrightstuff.com/ProductD...al-Head&key=it

One day I might decide to make one, until then OIS and IBIS will have to do