New member needs help

[lurechunker]

I am new to the forum and asking for help. Our granddaughter plays basketball and I would like to photograph her. I kayak and would like to photograph birds. Is the EOS 760D the camera for me? Other? What lens or lenses? How can I protect my equipment form damage from saltwater? Thank you.

[jrhoffman75]

I have the Globetrotter carbon (Model C2350) and it has the friction control. head has ID MeFOTO Q2.

[Waddizzle]

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@jrhoffman75 wrote:

I have the Globetrotter carbon (Model C2350) and it has the friction control. head has ID MeFOTO Q2.

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That's interesting.  The description of the carbon fiber version at B&H has a near identical description of the head, and makes no mention of a friction knob.  I think it is a coin toss.  

Like I noted above, some B&H kits may differ slightly from kits sold through other outlets.  I say order it, and if the head lacks a friction adjustment, then send it back.  Controlling friction, or drag, is a MUST have in a ball head, and other types of heads, too.

[jrhoffman75]

Under the specs section for Globetrotter it says head has "Tension Control" which I would say is the friction control. The photo shows the two knobs.

As Waddizzle says, if it doesn't have the friction lock, send it back. It is an essential feature.

[ebiggs1]

If a zoom lens is what you really want go for either the Sigma 150-600mm C or the Tamron 150-600mm.  Even if you have to buy a used lens, do it.

Top choice is still the ef 400mm f5.6L, prime lens.  There may be a refurb, check it out."

One point, I don't know your budget but how many times do you want to buy this gear?  If you purchase what is being suggested by others, you will only buy the better more appropriate gear later.  So what is the cost of buying twice?  Why not get, or wait for, the right lenses and buy them once?

Another tip, tripods rarely wear out.  Plus name brand models can be rebulit if needed.  A candidate for a good used one.

You need a tripod for the camera/lens combo you intend to use.  Is it for the light weight kit gear or is it for the real deal lenses you will buy later on?  Because you will.

Think about it.

[lurechunker]

I have been offered a used Induro alloy model 6MA213 with everything needed. Was told it is too heavy for travel but okay for my yard. Thoughts.

[ebiggs1]

I have four tripods right now.  One is too big and heavy to travel with. It stays home.  It is the one pointed in the back yard where the birds frequent.  I also have a tripod dolly.  It helps.

Will the 6MA213 do what you want it to?  Today and tomorrow?  If it will and the price is right, buy it.  Don't buy it just because it is there.  Same as the lenses, no different.

[lurechunker]

This is all new to me and I value the posts from members. I have been offered a trial of the Enduro. The heaviest lens planned is the 400mm L....or the 100-400 if I win the powerball.

[TCampbell]

Induro is pretty decent stuff.  I own an Induro tripod, gimbal head, and a monopod (I also own tripods and heads from other makes) and I've been very happy with them.

In tripod selection, it's part "quality" (is the gear well made or is it junk) and then it's part "is the gear sufficient for how I plan to use it" (will it hold the weight?  Will it vibrate when I'm taking exposures causing me to have blur? Being solid is sort of the whole point of using the tripod in the first place.)

As long as it's beefy enough for how you need to use it, you should be fine.

I also have a small lightweight (feather-weight really) travel tripod.  It's extremely well-made (it's not junk) and it's incredibly light (I have carried it literally all day with zero complaints).  But... it's not beefy/sturdy for any amount of weight.  So I can't use it for any type of action photography.  But for non-action photography, as long as I remotely trigger the camera and make sure I let any vibrations settle, and protect it from wind, etc. etc. (you get the idea) then it works.  But imagine doing action photography where you have to grab the shot at the decisive moment and you can't wait around for the vibrations to settle or you'll miss the shot.  You'd need a much beefier tripod for that sort of shooting.

[Waddizzle]

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@lurechunker wrote:
I have been offered a used Induro alloy model 6MA213 with everything needed. Was told it is too heavy for travel but okay for my yard. Thoughts.

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Induro has made some big and heavy tripods in recent years.  I cannot find that model number listed independently anywhere, and so I suspect that it was once part of a camera kit.  The biggest tripod I own is an Induro 100mm alloy, and stands nearly 7 feet tall.  It can support nearly 100 pounds of gear, which makes it an extremely stable platform, perfect for video.  

If you can do a hands on test of it, then you should obviously do so.  If it has twist locks, instead of flip locks, on the legs, check them for dirt and stripped fittings.  Induro has always made solid tripods, but their twist locks were not always the best because they were weather sealed in an unusual fashion.  The sealing may have been too good.  

In fact, models from several years ago had legs that literally "breathed" and wheezed when you extended or retracted them.  Air would pass in and out of the bottom ends of the legs, instead of the top under the spider, so it was a good idea to remove the feet when unpacking or storing the tripod.  I have no idea why they sealed up the legs that way.

The result of forcing the air in and out of the legs would force air to leak around the twist locks, causing them to attract dirt, which over time would strip the fittings.  

[lurechunker]

I trust the person who is offering it. I'll just ask a few questions. For me, the main thing is will it fall.