Monday, May 23, 2011

Tripods: why you need 2

Well, actually, YOU don't need two. It's just that I need two. I am riding around town on my bicycle a lot lately, carrying a small (DSLR) camerabag and a tripod and it's not working out. I tried shooting with a light, plasticky Velbon tripod but you really can't shoot video with these. It's a pain trying to level without a proper bowl; extending and retracting legs. Then I took out my Manfrotto with 503 fluid head but that's too bloody heavy when you're setting up and breaking down 25 times a day...
So I have been looking into a nice, multi-purpose tripod: I want to be able to use it for my second camera when shooting events but it has to be portable as well. I want something much lighter than my Manfrotto 525P kit yet it has to go as high as 6 feet. I want a bowl in a portable package.
Well, forget it... It doesn't exist. Either you go high and heavy or short and light. And in the latter case, you can forget the bowl. I'm open to suggestions. Anyone know something close to the Best of Both Worlds?

2 comments:

  1. Hi Jeroen
    You could try 1 of these, http://www.fotokonijnenberg.nl/product/5911/manfrotto-438-bal-camera-waterpas.html

    Attach your Fancier FT 717 head on it and any decent set of lightweight foto statief legs to it.
    This thing is like having a 75mm bowl on any tripod.
    You could also mount the slider direct to the plate and that head on the slider.

    Works for me, and its a lot lighter than my Vinten set and my sachler SB8 system.

    grz Neal Den Haag.

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  2. Great tip, Neil, thanks! I didn't think anyone could really help me out with this one, but it seems you did.

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