Light Tripod for bushwalking

[bimborocks]

Well i'm pretty new to this whole photography but i started in style with my D70 and had it for a few months and gradually learning as this is my first SLR type camera. Got the D70 with kit lens and 70-300ED lens. Will post some pics in the photo forum when i upload them and see if i can make them better.

Anyhow i do a fair bit of hiking/bushwalking and taking photos of waterfalls and landscape. so my next purchase is going to be a tripod. I really need something light enought to be carried round all day but be stable enought to take 1 sec exposures of water etc most tripods i looked at have been fairly heavy.

my buget is around $2-300 for tripod and head - 2nd hand would also be an option. would like buy the best but i am going to be unemployed at the end of this month so i am saving as much as i can before i move. any ideas on brands and where i could find one.

Thanks
James

[Glen]

James, as the purpose of this tripod is mainly keep the camera stable, have you considered a tabletop tripod? Small, light, cheap, just wont raise anything to eye level. Manfrotto make a good one which Gary has, very reasonable, somewhere between $40-$80 from vanbar

here is a photo


or link with details
http://www.manfrotto.com/product/templa ... temid=1634

The weight is .1 of a kg! Some of the camping or mountaineering stores offer a similar item in nylon.

Here is one built for bushwaliking, generally seen at mountaineering stores or available from http://www.pedcopods.com



The next best choice would be a carbon fibre small tripod such as the 0027 from http://www.gitzo.com which start (without head) at your budget. I am sure there are other cheaper c/f tripods.

I am sure others will offer other alternatives.

Good luck in your choice

Glen

[Glen]

ps forgot to mention the ultrapod can be closed to just looking like a piece of 1" angle then velcroed to a tree or no standing sign. Have done that a few times myself and very effective if not quite as stable as a real tripod

[bimborocks]

thanks for such a quick reply. I never thought of something like those tabletop pods. i reckon i could even wip one up myself without too much trouble. something like this would have a fairly limited use i'd imagine but would be good to have in my magic box - will look into that.

the gitzo 1027 or similar is the sort of thing i was after - i had a look at the manfrotto CF tripods at a camera store on the weekend and they are nice but a bit expensive. what are good prices for these and other similar tripods


James

[Glen]

Bimbo, Gitzo is more expensive than Manfrotto, so probably out of the budget. Probably the best set up for a full size tripod for bushwalking would be similar to MHD (a member here) which would be a Gitzo 1127 or 1227 with Acratech head. Very light, very stable. Cost about a grand, maybe try working downward from there. I think the tabletop idea is a good start for the money.

http://www.gitzo.com

http://www.acratech.net

[Deano]

James,

I had the Gitzo 1027 which now belongs to Birddog as part of his full Gitzo collection. I think it fits the bill as far as portability is concerned, it's small and light. The reason that I sold it and moved up to the Velbon 640CF is that the 1027 did not quite come up to eye level even with the centre section extended and when the centre was extended it wasn't stable in a light breeze. If you intend taking shots from exposed mountain tops then it may too too light on.

The Velbon 640 has thicker leg sections and suits my needs perfectly. I think it is about $300 plus head.

Cheers
Dean

[bimborocks]

The camera shop i went into last weekend didn't have any velbon tripods in stock but the guy told me that they where probably the best value for money tripods in my sort of price range - didn't know about a CF version though so i will check that out as well.

well i have a bit of research to do but keep the sugestions comming

James

[gstark]

The camera shop i went into last weekend didn't have any velbon tripods in stock

This is what we call a good thing.

The tabletop Manfrotto is surprisngly good, and will support a D70 with an 80-400VR attached!

Otherwise, look at the smaller manfrottos, or else the small Fiesol may be an option too.

[bimborocks]

well i'm dragging up an old thread here cause i am still looking for a tripod and have a few q's

I'm still heading down the Velbon route mainly because of price. Just wondering how to decide on the height of a tripod. I am about 6 foot 4 (190 something cm's).

Also does it matter how many leg sections a tripod has - is less or more better/no differance

and would i be better off going for carbon fibre or a light alloy tripod

cheers
James

[tsanglabs]

Try a Feisol, they are Carbon Fiber and a number of forum members have them. Will be getting one myself to replace my tripod.

http://www.feisol.com/english/enconnect-n.htm

Forgot to also mention, they are cheap.

[Glen]

James, good questions. For convenience most photographers like a tripod which reaches to eye level, though that is rarely the most spectacular vantage point. I would say with your initail requirement of light weight that may not be the best option. A shorter tripod requires less metal or Carbon fibre so weighs less. Less sections is more rigid. CF is light, strong, sturdy but expensive

[bimborocks]

thanks for the replys.

tsanglabs - where abouts can you get the feisol CF 3 section tripods from and roughly how much would one cost?

Glen - thanks for the answers. pretty much what i was thinking. I just had a bit of a play about with the camera sitting it on bookshelves and stuff round the place and found that anything down to about 150cm in height is comfortable to use so i guess i will look for something around that height.


James

[Glen]

James, Fiesol tripods come from ..... Fiesol, the link Tsanglabs gave Very quick by post from Taiwan, took a week for my monopod to arrive

[tsanglabs]

If you check out the link they list the prices, in USD. $185 for the 4 section + $35 shipping. Less painfull on the hip pocket than a $1K gitzo.

You will need a head though.

[bimborocks]

anyone got a good price on velbon CF tripods, can't seem to find any prices on australian sites online (bit too late to ring camera stores at the moment)


cheers
James

[birddog114]

If you check out the link they list the prices, in USD. $185 for the 4 section + $35 shipping. Less painfull on the hip pocket than a $1K gitzo.

You will need a head though.

Whatever way you go, the minimum cost is around AU$500.00.

The Feisol won't do justice, if you go for the Feisol, better go with the Manfrotto, more value and stronger, sturdy than the Feisol.

One of our member MJ got it and we compared it with the Manfrotto few times at the mini meets, the Manfrotto beats it easy, the Feisol won't last with your bushwalking, plus head + accessories + lust + lust, have fun.

To experience how and what determine the good tripod & head to use, try any outdoor workshop like last Sunday evening, Sydney night shooting or come to the meet in each region and learn, another word: they're not same and they won't do the same jobs as you thought.

If you have plenty of "disposable income", get the Feisol now and ditch it later and get something else.