tripods, monopods and heads .. help please

[413x]

the cheapo tripod i have will not cut it with my 120-300 and it was only a free stop gap anyway

a while ago i had a thread about tripods and decided (although have not bought) on

giottos tripod due to the center column being able to angle down towards the ground for macro. i havent seen anything where the centre column goes past parallel in regards to the ground

i have looked at a few monopods and prices seem to generally range from dirt cheap to 100ish where reasonable.
i have just come across this..
Manfrotto 685B.. which has no latches and just drops to height and locks. reviews seem positive im not sure how much of an advantage this is? other i was looking at was
Sirui P-326 Carbon Monopod which is much lighter at 440 g but twist locks for legs

heads i dont really have a clue on. ball heads seem popular but i cannot

so i was looking at
Manfrotto 685B monopod or Sirui P-326 Carbon
giottos ytl range in either carbon or aluminium
maybe a ball head

FYI im 6ft

giottos


surui


manfrotto

 

[413x]

^good to see someone with one of the tripods im looking at thinking its ok

i have had a look at some of those wimberly heads. very nice design but probably a little to much for me! I really liked the arm similar to a telescope arm).

The tripod will likely be a general purpose job. I would love to start going to motorsport events with the sigma lens. the hardest task. it will also probably be used at more static wild life places. also architecture (ie within buildings) with my UWA 10-22mm)

the monopod i dont know except for the obvious of wildlife walking. i also suspect it would be very useful in museums and at the zoo. especially where i cant faff with a tripod or it blocks walkways. I may well get more use out of the mono.

any views on the monopod i linked?

ball head.. i knew this would be the hardest part, looked at 3LT .. substantial weight support in quite light package. Seen a manfrotto 468rc2 is popular too as well as much pricier options than these

 

[413x]

Have been looking at gimbal heads

There are a couple of reasonable options
Manfrotto 393
Lensmaster gh2
These are about 100 pounds

For the tripod I'm likely going for a carbon Giottos (simply due to the macro perk)
I'll go carbon as it helps with weight

For the monopod probably the one linked by manfrotto

I'm not sure whether to get the mono or tripod first however. These are not absolute decisions and I will still need a ball head for the lighter lenses but now will not need the weight requirements

Reasonable plan?

 

[413x]

any benefit in pan/tilt head over a ball? Some say the finesse of being able to micro control one axis is useful but can be annoying?

To be clear i may well get this for big lens.

 

[413x]

Ill try a ball to start with then. manfrotto looks quite popular (especially with now not needing the weight support and having panning). These are things that are tricky to gauge due to not really personally know the pros and cons.

The gimbals do look very easy and balanced. so ill grab one

I saw pan and tilt were advised for video. not something im fussed with atm

 

[413x]

Looking at your gear I'd spend a little more and go Gitzo 3-series CF for the tripod/monopod and for a gimbal Wimberley Sidekick or Mongoose.

Pricy kit!

Tbh I really want a tripod that had the flexible centre column.
Giottos and vanguard seem the likely candidates

 

[413x]

im, going to need

gimabal head
ball head
monopod
tripod

im not sure of the total cost for all tbh
but the kit you listed DP seems to come in at 600 minimum for the tripod on its own. That is quite a chunk.

its like the wimberly heads, they are about 3-4x the cost on the lensmaster

i had thought i prior i could do

200-300 for tripod
100-200 for each head
100 ish for monopod

 

[413x]

i may go to aluminium for the tripod now, its less than half the price. quite a lot less. The weight difference is negligible
im going to skip the standard head for now as i really cant pick one out!
i know the monopod i will be getting for definite
im getting a lensmaster gimbal style head not sure in version 1 or 2

so trying to decide between monopod and tripod for now + gimbal head

 

[413x]

i think i am going to buy my monopod and gimbal head first

i already have a (very) basic tripod i got given that i can use for anything indoors for now
this obviously cannot support my long lens. The tripod is one of those cheap ones that has a pan-tilt permanently fixed head

i think i will go this route also as its summer and walks/zoo trips etc where i cant just stop and fiddle about with a tripod

seeing as this will be primarily for the long lens i will be getting either a half or full gimabl head - not sure which brand
i have already decided on the monopod

 

[413x]

i have bitten the bullet and will be receiving my monopod and first head this week

Have got a benro GH1 for 120 second hand (was going to go for the full but the price was very good for this and it will only need to support my sigma for some time!)

the monopod is manfrotto neotec auto adjust tripod

 

[413x]

Resurrection of thread

Still looking for a ball head

Tripod is giottos ytl8354 carbon
Monopod is Manfrotto neo tech
Gimbal is benro gh1

And yes this will probably hit 500

I don't think the ball head will need to contend with my heavy lens. I can't see it ever not being attached to the Gimbal

The head is the hardest and only part I need

 

[413x]

RRS BH-40, Kirk BH-1 or BH-3.

Wow. A bit more than I was hoping to spend

None of my other lenses weigh anything more than a kg.
Are those heads a bit overkill?

I did notice they are all arca type

 

[413x]

Ideally around (preferably below) 200
Because I haven't a clue is tricky

As I cannot see me ever using my Tele lens on a ball (would you ever?) i would have thought I don't need a top notch one
Excluding the 120-300mm my little canon 100m L is my biggest lens
I may eventually get a 70-200m but even this isn't that heavy is it?

 

[413x]

As I said, it is not to do with weight but effective focal length. Longer lenses need better support.

http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/s.nl/it.I/id.15/.f



The BH-40 with LR plate comes in at around 220, the BH-30 at 170, so is the kirk BH-3.







The actual weight the head can support is one of the most meaningless variables. When you see numbers like 50kg that just means the minium weight that is guaranteed not to break the head, not the weight that is well supported. More important is the control, ergonomics, reliability. E.g., does the friction control knob operate smoothly and predictably, Can you rotate into a vertical orientation easily, how secure are the quick mount plates, is the head compatible with L-plates? Do they use arca-swiss compatible plates.? When you lock the head is there any movement at all or does it remain exactly as you tighten it (this rules out pretty much every head I have tried)


There are likely cheap heads that are sufficient, all depends how much compromise you want. I'm not familiar with some of the cheaper ones so someone else might give some suggestions.


I can say that my BH-55 is probably the most flawless piece of camera equipment I own. Every lens, camera, filter has some slight issues, but the BH-55 is just perfect, wonderfully engineered and I feel worth every dime. It is seriously expensive, but far cheaper than all the cameras and lenses I own and will outlast all of them by decades.

yes i can appreciate the center of gravity issue as opposed to weight

i wasnt aware that the weight rating was quite so arbitrary!
I foresee me absolutely wanting friction - i do not want on off with nothing in between.

It would be nice to have arca plates - the gimbal i have uses them and they are easy and secure

And yes the BH-55 seems popular - and very very expensive!

 

[413x]

I'd just get a Redsnapper ball head if you weren't looking for anything that blows you away and looking to save cash that you didn't need to spend.

If you want to spend more Dpreview did a test of ball heads a lot of which are outwith your budget but the best value one is within budget:

http://www.dpreview.com/articles/8192473209/battle-of-the-titans-top-ball-heads-tested/12

The Sirui K-40x is on amazon for about £117.

that is one i had considered - it gets favourable reviews

I use my 120-300 on a ball head... Apparently I break all the rules though...

Really? How do you find it?
That must be some serious head!

 

[413x]

from the reviews i was looking at the induro BHL3 - then i saw the uk price is near the USD price.
What i liked was the lack of shift when locking the head - i like macro more than anything

but then i have seen geared heads recommended for that

 

[413x]

Wow. Impressive head!

Looks like I need to live in the USA to get a good + reasonably priced head

 

[413x]

Thanks for all the comments in this thread.

Just to round this off I now have all the bits (except a macro rail)

Monopod: Manfrotto 625 neotech - quick adjusting - got this due to quick release system
Tripod: giottos ytl8354 carbon - Got this as it looked the best for its fully articulating centre column that goes beyond 90°
Gimbal: benro gh 1. - It's not the full Gimbal and I'm still not sure of the limitations. Good head tho.
Ball: induro bhl3 - had so little to go on. In terms of reviews. I made decision primarily on it being best in group at framing shift over time. (macro benefits)