Tripod Wanted!

[vladimir]

I beg to differ. Do NOT get a tripod to carry it. It will always be pain to carry. No matter how light and small - it will be heavy and bulky, comparing to no tripod. I hate carrying mine
Do get a tripod to a) take night shots b) shoot food / flowers etc. in natural dim light with small aperture (big DOF) for your beloved chiaroscuro effect. Those things are impossible without a tripod.
I have a Velbon LUXI-L. It has amazing ratio of collapsed size to the fully extended size, but it has two design flaws, IMO:
- with all the handles attached (and you have to have them attached - or your camera plate is loose) it won't fit into its own bag, you have to unscrew a handle to put it back. That takes time.
- camera plate in a vertical position doesn't hold the camera very firmly. If the lens is on a heavy side, it creeps down.
Just my two cents...

[Geoff F]

Just an additional note about the Velbon Luxi L, which I was using today with my 40D and 150-500 lens in a stiff breeze.

While removing one handle to fit in it's bag is indeed a total pain in the rear end, I carry it in my backpack, and never use the original carrying bag. So I just have to loosen the handles and it folds down sufficiently to fit inside the backpack.

And a couple of other slight difficulties are that the legs lock by turning a knurled knob on the feet which does require a decent amount of grip strength to fully tighten. Also, it takes a bit of a stretch to hold the top joint in one hand while turning the 'foot knob'. Being of average height, I just manage it but this could be difficult for someone smaller.

But, as I have said many times, for really serious use I always return to my heavy and cumbersome Manfrotto.

[Mark von Kanel]

eeerrrrrrrrrmmmmmmmmm if the velbon is that bad dont buy it......... dont have to remove anything off mine and despite all comments im quite happy to carry it and use it unplanned,

[Geoff F]

I wouldn't say it's bad, Mark. In fact, for a lightweight cheapish tripod which folds up small enough to fit inside my backpack it works reasonably well, although with any cheaper unit you usually get a few drawbacks.

At this time of the year I tend to explore the local little used footpaths looking for some odd landscape angles or some potential wildlife sites for next year. So I don't want to carry anything too heavy as I frequently shoot nothing or just take a few handheld snaps.

But, Murphy's Law being what it is, if I don't have any sort of camera support then that is the first thing I will need.

And at my age, plus a weak back and knees, I don't want to add extra weight unless I am definitely going to need it.

[Mark von Kanel]

Horses for courses Geoff, i ment no offence, hens the smiley, it can tend to be all the gear and very little idea with me!!! but as ive previously said i routinely carry my Cf tripod slung across my back on treks through city and countryside alike, i even take it on board ship with me much to the amusement of the other crew.

There are also those times when i dont even take a camera out with me, but i invariably regret it. Im still deciding what area of photography ill like best, but thats the good thing about it, there are so many different disciplines that even i cant get bored with it. So i guess until i do settle into a genre and my style is more predictable, then ill just have to cary all that gear so i can have a go at any shot that presents itself

[Mark von Kanel]

Do you promise, Mark?

With the sort of photography you said you did at the beginning of this post i probably can yes !!!

I really thought that I had given up lugging stuff about with the advent of digital. OK, OK, I know that there are times when one must, absolutely have a tripod, but, those times are far fewer than they used to be.

Hey Viana you started this thread by wanting to buy yet more gadgets, and now your having a pop at us for sudgesting that having purchassed this shiny new toy, that you should use it!!!

As for “technical stuff” my life is all about technical. That is what I am trying to mitigate.

mmmm Mitigate the technical side of your life by buying a new tripod, must try that excuse on my significant other

Let us know which you choose Viana!!

[Viana]

Well, Mark, there are luxuries, necessities and excesses. I am trying to stick to the necessities at this stage of the game. You have no idea how much stuff I consider absolutely necessary.

[Mark von Kanel]

You have no idea how much stuff I consider absolutely necessary

LOL ooooo think i can guess........

[MiniChris]

You might may want to have a close look at the Induro series with ball heads. I would NOT recommend the carbon fiber in the Induro series. The aluminum one is only 7 lbs (3.1 kilos).