Which Tripod???

[koalava]

I have recently aquired a Canon 500 mm lense and a Wimberly mount and I am using the Canon 5D. The issues that I am having some difficulty with is the right tripod. I have looked at the Bogen / Manfrotto and the Gitzo. I am leaning towards the Gitzo Gitzo GT-5530S but I am really open for any suggestions. Carbon Fiber or Aluminum, that is the question....I'm not going to scrimp on a good set of legg's and really wanted to get some feed back from some of you that might have some suggestions. Thanks for you time....Harry

[Walczak Photo]

Hey Harry,
I'm probably not the best person to give advice on this issue since I usually use the ol' "Kmart Blue Lite Specials", but since no one else has addressed this for you yet, I'll take a stab. It's been my general experience that tripods are like anything else...everyone seems to have their favorite and no single brand is really any better or worse than any other in a given price range.

Since you said you're looking to use this with one of those massive Canon chunks of glass (LOL!) obviously you're going to want something really stable as that's a lot of weight on the front of the camera. I think the biggest thing I would take into consideration is how and where you plan to use it. IF for example, you're primarily going to use it in a studio where you're not going to be dragging it around a lot, then I would suggest getting a big, beefy aluminum or even steel tripod since weight won't be that much of a consideration. If you're like me however and are going to be hauling that sucker around a lot, then you may wish to consider the carbon models. In my case, I tend to shoot at zoos and such and am usually hauling around all my crap for anywhere between 4-8 hours or more. Quite seriously, even though at 6'2" 220 lbs I'm a pretty big guy, just hauling my camera gear alone for that long gets really hard on the back and shoulders...hence why I use the light-weight cheapies. Since my biggest lens (at this point) is my Tamron 70-300mm on the front of a Rebel XT, I can get away without having anything "super duty". The nice thing I've noticed about the carbon fiber tripods is that while they are really heavy duty, they are much lighter comparatively speaking than their metal counterparts. Of course, they're also a lot more expensive!

I looked at a number of carbon tripods this last summer at a gear show I attended and they really seem to be quite stable. My only issue with them was simply price...for the $200+ that I could easily spend on one, at this point in my career I'd really rather put that investment into better lenses and such.

My suggestion would be to head to a local camera store and try a couple out yourself...beat the crap out of a sales person or two and see how well the tripod holds up! LOL!!! Seriously though, if you plan to be carrying your tripod around a lot, I'd really suggest going with carbon because of the weight factor. The little extra you pay for one can come out of the money that you would otherwise be spending on your chiropractor!

I hope this helps!
Peace,
Jim

[Bonish Photo]

I have the Bogen/Manfrotto 190X and like it, but I think it would be way too lightweight for that monster of a lens.

One thing to consider is when shooting in Cold Temps, the aluminum tends to get real cold and is almost impossible for me to carry for any length of time when the temps are below freezing. No matter what gloves I'm wearing, it tends to transfer to my hands.

Other than that, the cost for the same model in Carbon Fiber was $200. For $200, I'll deal with cold hands and a chemical hand warmer or two

Just my 2 cents. Congrats on that lens though, I'd love to have it!

Pat
www.everymilesamemory.com

[Robin]

Hello and welcome here Harry.

My husband and I own a few of the Manfrottos and sing nothing but praises in regards to them. Very sturdy.

Let us know which one you choose!

[bob_r]

Harry,

I think you're making a wise decision to go with the Gitzo, however, the 5530S is only 52.4" high. I don't know how tall you are, but that will be rather short even after adding a ballhead and your camera.

I have a Manfrotto 055 with a 468MGRC2 head and am considering selling it because of the lens creep after trying to lock it. If I sell mine, I'm going to go with Gitzo and a Really Right Stuff head. I will probably go with the 3540XLS because it extends to 78".

The problem with owning Bogen/Manfrotto is everything is proprietary and other brands will not fit on their equipment. Most of the other brands work together so you can get a Gitzo and an Arca Swiss head, a Gitzo head, a RRS head, Wimberly, Markins, etc.

I like the legs of my tripod because they are easy to setup and take down, but the head does have the creep problem and that is one of
Manfrotto's best heads.

Good luck with your search and Welcome to the Forum.

Bob R

[gldiana]

The reason why I stayed out of this is simple: I have been in the market for a good sturdy durable tripod for about a year now. I still haven't made my choice since there are millions of models out there and all similar but all different. I want a tripod that lasts me a lifetime, I can tell you this much: it will not be aluminum, it will be carbon fiber or lava, for the shock absorption characteristics of these materials.
I think you need to try as many tripods as you can and decide which one is the right one for you. Frankly, I think that asking advice online on a tripod is a bit like asking which pair of shoes should you get

[bob_r]

I think you need to try as many tripods as you can and decide which one is the right one for you. Frankly, I think than asking advice online on a tripod is a bit like asking which pair of shoes should you get

I totally agree with you. Each person has certain features that they will find important that someone else may not care for. It not only depends on where and what you enjoy shooting, but things as personal as your height and type of equipment.

I would suggest though that you select a head that uses the dovetail standard quick connects rather than a proprietary type. Most of the ones I mentioned in my other post can use one anothers quick connects or other accessories. The Manfrotto will not work with any of the others. I wish I had known this before I bought mine.

Bob R

[gldiana]

Thanks for the info, Bob.

[Bonish Photo]

Hey Luca, if you are looking for a new pair of shoes, I can recommend a few for you.....Just Kidding

Pat
www.everymilesamemory.com