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I am sure you've seen many of these threads, but searching I couldn't find exactly what I wanted so here is a new thread.

Background, I carry all my gear on my back in a lowepro bag. My current tripod is very average. I live in WA, it's dry, hot and unforgiving. When I take photo's I usually spend all day hiking, or otherwise walking from location to location.

I am looking for a tripod that quick to setup and pull down, is pretty light, yet sturdy enough for a 80-200. Some levels built would be handy but not essential.

Anyone had experiance with tripods as described above? Manfrotto's range is so huge it's hard to know whats good and whats not.

Budget $350-$500 dollars total.

Benro c297f and benro ks-2 ballhead. PErfect combination

Cost me ~500 odd, and it's awesome

lukeo, what sort of photos are you mainly taking and with which lens/es? What sort of photography do you want to use the pod for?
Would a monopod suit you?

Cheers, Mick

Thanks for the replies Kyle and Oscar, I've used a monopod before and find they are great for telephoto shots of wildlife, but I am seeking something more sturdy for landscape shots with my 10-20mm lense.

I'll check out the Benro gear, cheers!

Any more ideas?

lukeo,
something like a Manfrotto 055 series legs with a 141RC head would probably suit. You will find these on ebay, by using google or at most good camera stores.
The Benro are great but you may find the mannies up there at a slightly lower cost if you shop around.

Both are really sturdy and give you the option of hanging your bag from the bottom of the centre column for extra stability.

Cheers, Mick

Thanks Oscar, as I said I've searched the forums and the manfrotto 055 seems to be a classic, I've never used one.

Obviously you are pretty sure it would be suitable for my needs, the Benro's look very nice too and within my price range.

Just looking at the spec's the Benro is incredibly lightweight at 1.81kg, compared to 2.8kg's for the manfrotto.

Any hikers lurking in the forums with any experiance they want to share on transportable quality tripods? (is that a contradiction in itself?)

I have a Benro C228 with a KB-2. Nice combo.
Thought you might be able to find the mannie a little cheaper.
The Benro has twist fixings which may slow some people down a tad - if they are in a hurry and not used to them - but they are top units.

Cheers, Mick

Hi,

I use the benro C-127 and the benro kb-1. It is a nice combo for hiking, not too heavy/big but sturdy enough, especially when you hang something on the bottom of the centre hook. In the current series, it would be a C-157.

It attaches nicely to my lowepro mini-trekker or on the side of my bigger day-pack if I need to carry food/water/clothes for the day. I use it with my D200 and Tokina 12-24, used to have a D70 and also worked great with it. I preferred the 3 section tripod as it is more sturdy when legs are extended.

cheers,

André

Lukeo, you're right about your observations on the weight of the Manfrotto 055.

I have a 055 Pro legs and a 322 head, and while it's indestructible, it certainly isn't a lightweight. While it will come in under your specified budget with a reasonable head as well, I wouldn't recommend it for extensive hiking or bushwalking activities, more so where the conditions are trying.

Manfrotto 055MF3/055MF4 are the 3 and 4 leg section carbon fibre (aka magfibre) equivalents of the 055, and while being slightly lighter (2.0kg) cost a lot more, and out of the budget you're looking at.

I'd take a look at the set up André has listed below - we both had our set ups at Barrington Tops last year, and in the conditions, the lightness of André Benro did look much nicer to be lugging in the high temp and humidity.

edit: forgot about the 80-200 comment - With the 80-200 mounted to the head using the tripod collar, the Benro KB-1 should be up to it. The Benro C-1xx legs might be a bit wobbly, but you could always swap the head between the benro legs and something like the 055 should you have enough pennies / demand at a later stage.

I use the 055 plus the pistol grip head (forget model spec), all on the mini trekker with 7kg of other camera gear, and find walking around at length not a problem (granted and unfortunately, I haven't gone hiking with the kit), but having walked around cities with it all on my back, I find it ok. What I have noticed is the distribution of weight via the mini trekker more important than a couple of hundred extra grams of weight. But that is my opinion (and being big and fat, a kilo or so extra doesn't make much of a difference for me )

P

You might like to have a look at http://www.amvona.com. I picked up an Amvona carbon fibre tripod amvona were auctioning through ebay.com. Wilst shipping was somewhere around USD60, auction price was USD120. Thus I got a full size carbon fibre tripod for less than AUD300. Includes a useable head, and overall lighter to carry when hiking. Mine is also packed in the case to go overseas.

Thanks for all the comments, hopefully next week I'll hear back from d70bargains I've asked about pricing/availability of the 157's seeing as the 297's are on the list.

Weight being the key I can't wait to hear back

Just my 2 cents.

I have a Manfrotto 055PROB and i found it too heavy to lug around all day with my camera gear. Granted i usually carry most of it with me in my backpack.

I purchased a Benro C-028 specifically because it is a lot lighter. It is still sturdy enough for a D2H and a Sigma 12-24, which is a heavy combination.

Carbon fibre beats aluminium any day, for weight.

I also use the Benro KB-2 ballhead.

Thanks all, just wondering how long it usually takes to get a response from the bargains@d70users.net email address? Is there a backlog of questions at present? And if so maybe consider adding an automated response saying we've received your message etc etc.

Sent last Wednesday, although I do understand one business day has been taken up with Australia Day so it's really only 4 working days. Appreciate the time.

lukeo wrote:Thanks all, just wondering how long it usually takes to get a response from the bargains@d70users.net email address? Is there a backlog of questions at present? And if so maybe consider adding an automated response saying we've received your message etc etc.

Sent last Wednesday, although I do understand one business day has been taken up with Australia Day so it's really only 4 working days. Appreciate the time.

I think you are using a wwwway out of date email address, actually I'm 99% sure you are.

General Bargain Enquiries off the front page link :

"bargains0 at dslrusers.net"

hmmm well there is that 1%

Sorry Luke,

I saw our note, but forgot to respond.

I'll deal with it presently.

thank you, I appreciate your time I know this isn't a huge sale for you but it means allot to me.

I highly recommend the Velbom EL Carmagne 630. Light and fast to set up and the legs are open via clips.

lukeo wrote:thank you, I appreciate your time I know this isn't a huge sale for you but it means allot to me.

The size of the sale is irrelevant, actually.

I've passed your query on to Poon, and I'm awaiting his response.

Thank you! I know you make nothing from this, and I know Poon is a busy man. It is in the grand scheme of things a small order, and with all the work going on I am glad you found time to reply to me and actually add the Tripod I requested to his list of items available in bargains. I'll place my order later this week.