DionM wrote: After last nights appalling effort by my old entry level Manfrotto pod ( which could handle my old EOS300 and 28-105, but now I know can definately not handle my 20D + 70-200 2.8 ) am looking for something else.
You _were_ using the 70-200's tripod foot and not the camera's, weren't you? (hopefully a stupid question)
I have looked at the Gitzo basalt tripods at Photocontinental yesterday, but their height extension is too little. I'm 2m tall so they're to short.
Join the club. Yes the Basalt tripods are not for tall people...
The manfrotto 441 Carbon Fibre pod has caught my attention. It's carbon fibre, and light. It has extension of 171cm, supports 6kgs. I am still weighing up the benefit of a horizontal arm that the 441 has, else I' d look at the 443. Vanbar has the 441 for $600 and the 443 for $500.
The 441 has a maximum height of
129cm. Personally I disregard the effect of the centre column, as it's only there to reduce the stability of the rig and I only use it when desperate (it's useful for tweaking the position on macro shots, and for macro the horizontal arm is good). One of my local friends has a 441: it's quite nice. Just not tall enough for me.
My other choice is a variant of the 055. Maybe the 055NAT3 Tracker, or the 055 Pro.
The 055NAT3 is one of Manfrotto's highest tripods: 138cm!
If you factor in the height of your ball head (including Gitzo or Manfrotto levelling base if you use one) and the QR plates, you'll be able to work out what height is going to work for you. This is why I'm about to purchase a Gitzo 1348!
You might decide you're prepared to cope with stooping slightly, maybe not. Other important factors include (depending on your style of photography):
- how low it goes
- how heavy it is to carry
- how small it collapses to
- how much load it will carry
- how much it costs
Then Benbo Mk2, which at 2.56m is way high enough, but weights 3.75kgs! Vanbar for $420.
It's actually the "Benbo 2" (not Mk2). I've seen one of these in action recently (one of the people on my last central-Aus trip had one) and they're a very big and very capable tripod. But it's definitely one that you need to have a car along to carry (he did trek a couple of kms with it though).
Then there is the Benbo Trekker Mk2. I like the idea of the hook on the end of the centre column. Not quite as high as I would like, though. $264. Weight 2kgs.
I have a Benbo Trekker (not Mk2). See the comments in
this article about the drawbacks of the Mk2 design.
The Trekker is a very good tripod, but as a tall person I'd have to warn you that you're going to get sore knees!
As for a head, I am probably going to go with a 222RC or similar pistol grip head. I have one on my monopod and like the concept.
If you're keen on the Manfrotto RC system and like a head like this you might want to look at the 322RC2. It seems to be slightly more stable, and doesn't move the whole camera around so much as the 222 (ever tried adjusting a macro composition on a 222?).
Personally I'm a ballhead person, but I have a Manfrotto 234 with Arca-Swiss clamp on my monopod. With a lens like the 70-200 (which will rotate in its collar) on a monopod I find that anything more than front/back tilt is just unweildy. I wouldn't have thought a 222 would be a good match (but maybe the built-in handle helps?).
Good luck!
