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Tripod and Head Reccomendations
- Thread starter tim driver
- Start date
tim driver
New member
Ok so looking at this (Forgive me being naive but had previously though bogen / manfrotto were top tripods.
1. I think I am right in assuming that the ARCA (Swiss) mount is more or less standard across most of the main players.
2. The RRS L bracket allows for mounting both ways on the Arca Mount.
3 RRS and Gitzo legs seem to carry the majority of your kit and need to be looked at - Gitzo is much more commen in the UK so need to find a good dealer - question do any of you use center columns or tripods without center columns? I assume without gives stability but in the past all have had central columns.
5. Heads seem a much more personal question I know tthe weight I need to carry and the weightings , I still want to be able to use Hassleblad true focus and recompose quickly and locjk the head - so please keep the reccomendations for this type of work coming.
Tim
1. I think I am right in assuming that the ARCA (Swiss) mount is more or less standard across most of the main players.
2. The RRS L bracket allows for mounting both ways on the Arca Mount.
3 RRS and Gitzo legs seem to carry the majority of your kit and need to be looked at - Gitzo is much more commen in the UK so need to find a good dealer - question do any of you use center columns or tripods without center columns? I assume without gives stability but in the past all have had central columns.
5. Heads seem a much more personal question I know tthe weight I need to carry and the weightings , I still want to be able to use Hassleblad true focus and recompose quickly and locjk the head - so please keep the reccomendations for this type of work coming.
Tim
Christopher
Active member
I think it depends a little if in the end you want to use one ore two tripods. If it is only one the Gitzo 3 series is great, however for me to really carry it a lot it is to heavy and I prefer the 2 series and for other work I think the 5 series is even much better compared to the 3 series.
adamduckworth
New member
Tim. You're right.. "abandon hope all ye who enter"
Where many dream of a high-end DSLR kit like Canon EOS 1DS or Nikon D3x on a Manfrotto carbon tripod with an 85mm f1.2/1.4 lens, once in the realm of medium format that's all seen as toy town stuff. And don't even start on Strobist stuff with Cactus triggers.
Suddenly it's a list of brand names many have never heard of. Arca Cube heads, Gitzo Systematic legs, Cambo, Schneinder, Phase One, Alpa, Rodenstock and more.
For me, I love my Gitzo Systematic 3540XLS legs but not the Gitzo ball head so much as it doesn't come with an Arca plate system. So I find the normal Gitzo plate twisting a bit on the bottom of the camera. I'm looking at buying an Arca monoball head (in UK from Warehouse Express or Robert White). Then you need a plate to match your camera.
Welcome to the bottomless pit of throwing money at your camera kit. When only the finest will do. It's addictive.
Where many dream of a high-end DSLR kit like Canon EOS 1DS or Nikon D3x on a Manfrotto carbon tripod with an 85mm f1.2/1.4 lens, once in the realm of medium format that's all seen as toy town stuff. And don't even start on Strobist stuff with Cactus triggers.
Suddenly it's a list of brand names many have never heard of. Arca Cube heads, Gitzo Systematic legs, Cambo, Schneinder, Phase One, Alpa, Rodenstock and more.
For me, I love my Gitzo Systematic 3540XLS legs but not the Gitzo ball head so much as it doesn't come with an Arca plate system. So I find the normal Gitzo plate twisting a bit on the bottom of the camera. I'm looking at buying an Arca monoball head (in UK from Warehouse Express or Robert White). Then you need a plate to match your camera.
Welcome to the bottomless pit of throwing money at your camera kit. When only the finest will do. It's addictive.
Guy Mancuso
Administrator, Instructor
Well the one thing not mentioned but really should be priority thinking is this at any given moment you may have upwards of 40 grand sitting on that tripod. It's something not to ignore. I regard tripods as never enough overkill
kdphotography
Well-known member
Ain't this the truth!
Tim, honestly---you could choose from any of the kits mentioned above and not go wrong.
T
tetsrfun
Guest
really should be priority thinking is this at any given moment you may have upwards of 40 grand sitting on that tripod.
*********
If you carry that 40 grand over your shoulder on a Gitzo, get the safety plate. It's cheap insurance.
Steve
*********
If you carry that 40 grand over your shoulder on a Gitzo, get the safety plate. It's cheap insurance.
Steve
Godfrey
Well-known member
My Feisol CT3442 legs can be used with and without center column by exchanging the column mount for a flat plate mount for the head.
Without is steadier (and lighter) but I usually leave the center column fitted as it allows small elevation adjustments more easily than readjusting the leg extensions all the time. A fully extended column compromises stability a bit, but there's little loss if you're basically using the column for fine adjustments and don't extend it more than an inch or two.
That Burszynski head looks lovely, but remember that if you DON'T have an L-bracket of some kind you will not be able to do portrait oriented photos (unless you are working with square format or have a Pentax 645, which has tripod/adapter plate mounts on both bottom and side).
I considered buying the Kirk universal L-bracket, but it's darn bulky and fussy in use. The RRS L-brackets I've had for the Olympus E-5, Canon 10D and Pentax K10D are superb, I'm sure the one for the Hassel is too.
T
tetsrfun
Guest
Gitzo is much more commen in the UK so need to find a good dealer..
**********
RRS has no dealer network and is direct buy form CA. (I have heard "rumors" of an RRS distributor in the EU I but can't find a real reference). You can download their 2011 catalog here:
http://reallyrightstuff.com/WebsiteInfo.aspx?fc=91
Steve
**********
RRS has no dealer network and is direct buy form CA. (I have heard "rumors" of an RRS distributor in the EU I but can't find a real reference). You can download their 2011 catalog here:
http://reallyrightstuff.com/WebsiteInfo.aspx?fc=91
Steve
kdphotography
Well-known member
The Safety plate is a must-have with the Gitzo: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/653824-REG/Naturescapes_GSP_35_Safety_Plate_for_Gitzo.html
The 5 series requires a different plate.
adamduckworth
New member
This forum. Costing me more money...
Couldn't resist so ordered a Arca Swiss Z1 Dp with Quicklock yesterday from the ever so helpful Robert White. It just arrived, Xmas eve. Great service.
Ho, ho, ho and all that. It looks and feels very nice. Also bought a Kirk plate for my Nikon D3X, too. Also nice.
Wish I'd have invested in the Arca style heads years ago instead of messing with Manfrotto and Gitzo.
Couldn't resist so ordered a Arca Swiss Z1 Dp with Quicklock yesterday from the ever so helpful Robert White. It just arrived, Xmas eve. Great service.
Ho, ho, ho and all that. It looks and feels very nice. Also bought a Kirk plate for my Nikon D3X, too. Also nice.
Wish I'd have invested in the Arca style heads years ago instead of messing with Manfrotto and Gitzo.
Guy Mancuso
Administrator, Instructor
Lol . I give good advice don't I. That head is pretty damn cool
GrahamWelland
Subscriber & Workshop Member
Hee hee, another good job by GetDPI.
The last paragraph should be on a testimonial in every decent camera store that sells Manfrotto and other plates with handscrews on the bottom. Once you go over to Arca style plates, either made specifically for your camera body or bolted to your camera, there really is no going back to one of those other systems that unscrew or twist when you don't want them to and generally feel feeble by comparison. (To be fair, it's the plate/camera mount that lets them all down and not the head mount per se).
David Schneider
New member
Can't tell you about tripods since I'm still using some old Manfrotto I bought 15-18 years ago. But when I got my H3d2/39 and 4 lenses, I used the same head on my tripod and my studio camera stand, a Gitzo off-center head 1376M Quick Release, I used with my Canon gear. I love it. Fast, steady, works well. They've replaced that model with a new one and I'd buy that today. I love the off center head in the studio.
P. Chong
Well-known member
Gitzo GT3541LS with Photoclam Multiflex head. On monopod, an old Benbo monopod with a Kangringpoche ballhead. Sometimes I wish I had the geared center column...makes it easier to adjust height, but am not sure if I can bear the compromise to stability it brings.
Shown above...fairly typical macro setup...2 extension tubes, HC2.8/80, but more typically HC4/120 Macro, on Manfrotto macro rail, head, tripod. Pocketwizard flash trigger.
Shown above...fairly typical macro setup...2 extension tubes, HC2.8/80, but more typically HC4/120 Macro, on Manfrotto macro rail, head, tripod. Pocketwizard flash trigger.
kdphotography
Well-known member
Peter---bubble-wrap still on the tripod legs? My kids would have had a field day popping all those bubbles! :ROTFL:
I really like the idea of the geared ball head shown at Photokina - now if only someone would review it and B&H would stock it.