Advice please on tripod and ballhead combination

[Spooky]

Hi all

I am purchasing a new tripod/ball head combination. I have only ever used all-in-one pan/tilt tripods before so while I have done research I am still inexperienced with this “new” equipment.

I want something suitable for me to use at weddings and also for wildlife and landscapes (including doing panoramas).

While I don’t currently own one I hope to soon purchase a 200-400VR so that would be the biggest lens I would be using on it. More often it will have a 70-200 or wide angle on it attached to my D200.

Considering the tripod first, I want something sturdy and reliable that will serve me well in the field. While I would naturally like the setup to be as light as possible I already have a very light pan/tilt tripod I can take on longer hikes with me.

I am looking at Benro tripods as they seem to have a good rep and are relatively inexpensive compared to other recommended brands.

I would prefer something fairly tall (I am about 6’1”) to make it easier to work with. Probably would go 3 section rather than 4 for the rigidity.

I was thinking about the Benro C-357 n6 see specs here http://www.benro.com.cn/Product/1/pa1.html It has a 10kg load capacity.

Any advice on the tripod appreciated.

Regarding a ball head I know many like the Benro KB-2 but the RRS BH-55 seems to be generally better regarded and certainly seems to have less negative comment from users, a lot more expensive however. I imagine I would also need the L plate for the D200 as I have no Arca swiss style plates at the moment.

Ultimately I might get a Wimberley sidekick as well when I get the 200-400VR.

Am I on the right track here with this combination to meet my needs including weddings, wildlife (with the 70-200 or 200-400) and landscape including the ability to do reasonably levelled panos?

Thanks

Brett

[ekynox]

Well I cant speak for a Benro but the only thing I would recommend would be a gitzo tripod. Purely because I know of quite a few folks who mount a Canon 1D with a 400m f2.8 on a gitzo. As for the head well have you looked at Foba ? Alternatively, have a look around on fredmiranda.com.

[Yi-P]

If you are chucking your cash into a 200-400VR, you will like to consider the high quality of Gitzo tripods. Benro are good, but not sure how it will handle a lens of that calibre.

Don't just look at the leg's max weight rating. It matter more about the head's max load. Even you have a 25kg rated leg, you put on a 2kg rated head, it will reduce your tripod to a flimsy 2kg max load.

A good head and decent leg is way to go IMHO. If you can afford a Gitzo leg + a good head, then you're all set.

Before all that, why will you use a telephoto on specifically tripod? Have you considered a monopod for the 200-400VR? Which may be more feasible than a tripod to carry around.

[radar]

Brett,

You are on the right track. Sure the gitzo are a great tripod but the benro are pretty good quality and the latest round of them seem to be even better. And at a fraction of the cost.

One thing you should not skimp on is the ball head. I don't think benro is there yet with their ball heads. Have a look also at the Kirk ball heads:
http://www.kirkphoto.com/

their BH-1 head is very good. The RRS is very hard to beat in that price range/category.

The Benro tripod with one of those ball heads allow you to have everything pretty well leveled so that should do you for panos. If you really then get into panos, some people prefer to get the pano set as you will find on the RRS site, but that is also pretty expensive.

As for the L-plate, Kirk or RRS make very good ones and both would be equivalent, I have the Kirk and a lot of other have the RRS and like them as well. Convenience wise, an L-plate is hard to beat for switching between landscape and portrait mode.

For the benro tripods, a few ebay stores carry the full selection these days.

Have fun shopping

Andr´´

[Bob G]

GITZO TRIPOD

FULL WIMBERLY

RRS BALLHEAD

Can thoroughly recommend these products.

If you are going to the expense of a 200-400VR. -Don't compromise on the rest of the gear.


Bob G

[gstark]

If you're looking at the 200-400, then Gitzo is the way to go for the legs, and RRS plus the sidekick absolutely.


If budget becomes an issue, do look at Benro - they represent excellent value for the dollars saved.

[Spooky]

Thank you for your comments, they are appreciated.

Regarding doing panos, they way I understand it is if I get an RRS BH-55 ballhead, even if my tripod is not levelled if I level my ballhead using the ballheads level and then lock it off and then pan by using the ballheads panning base i should get a level pano.

Is that right?

[Spooky]

I have decided on the BH-55 (if RRS ever reply to my emails) and I am going for the Benro C-357 n6 as seen at http://www.benro.com.cn. Does anyone have a link to the specs of the Benro gear advertised on this forum. The models on the site benro.com.cn don't match the ones on the forum and I need to be able to tell Gary what one I am after.

Thanks

[wendellt]

im thinking of selling my bh55
i just dont need something so hi end

its got a few scratches on it
but it works like new

best offer accepted

[radar]

Brett,

have a look here:
http://www.benro.cn/Product/1/pa5.html

Also look at the Induro Gear, a rebadged Benro with 5 years warranty:
http://www.indurogear.com/

You can get it from Adorama or L&P Digital. They expect a shipment in 2 weeks and their prices are actually pretty good.
http://Lapfoto.com.au/

André

[oli]

I've been looking around to get a head and legs as well. I was seriously considering a Benro setup but the legs are too heavy if you want the ones that are suitable for someone your height.

Also seems the only place to buy Benro is on eBay, and the shipping prices make them far less competitive overall.

[Spooky]

PM sent to you Wendell.

[gstark]

Also seems the only place to buy Benro is on eBay, and the shipping prices make them far less competitive overall.

Have you checked our price list?

[oli]

Have you checked our price list?

Well I have now... Don't take this the wrong way but a total of 5 Benro products mainly from the lower end (as in height) of the range doesn't really count...

Where are the KS ballheads and the C-4XX series legs (for us taller people )?

[gstark]

I can only put up prices for items that Poon gives me prices on. If the item you want isn't there, I'm sorry ... you can always ask, but often I find that people ask for stuff they think is the latest, when in fact it's been superceded.
Also, Poon is busy, as am I, and special request items sometimes take longer than I'm happy with.

Suchj is life, I'm afraid.

As to tall ... don't forget to bring the center column extension into your calculations. You may be 6'5, but with a head on the top of your pod, you won't want the top of the 'pod higher than around 5'8 after allowing for the camera and ball head heights.

Where and when extra height is required is usually not because the user is tall, but because you need extra height to look over the top of something.

[oli]

I can only put up prices for items that Poon gives me prices on. If the item you want isn't there, I'm sorry ... you can always ask, but often I find that people ask for stuff they think is the latest, when in fact it's been superceded.
Also, Poon is busy, as am I, and special request items sometimes take longer than I'm happy with.

Suchj is life, I'm afraid.

That's fine, I am certainly not blaming you guys for the difficult availability of Benro products to Aussies.

As to tall ... don't forget to bring the center column extension into your calculations. You may be 6'5, but with a head on the top of your pod, you won't want the top of the 'pod higher than around 5'8 after allowing for the camera and ball head heights.

I am actually trying to leave the centre column out of calculations alltogether. Deliberately - since on so many tripods it is far less stable when using the centre column compared to when not using it. I have taken heights of the head and the camera on top of that into consideration with my own investigation, but am still having difficulty finding something suitable.

[gstark]

I am actually trying to leave the centre column out of calculations alltogether.

Don't. It's there for a purpose, and that purpose is not to simply add weight.