Tripod search help

[nananner]

I recently bought a gently used Canon 1ds mark ii body for primarily indoor portraits as a backup to my 6D and I find myself considering taking it along to my family reunion in August. My question is what tripod would you all recommend that could support the weight of it attached to a Canon EF 28-300mm usm or Canon EF 70-200mm f2.8 L IS usm? I have carried those lenses around, never at the same time though, attached to either my 6D or my 50D and just dealt with the weight (made my arms a bit stronger) during my zoo outings....but I feel like a tripod will be needed here (also I own tripod rings for both lenses) cause with the 1ds they make for a beastly combo. I have a bower tripod I've used my 6D/50D with smaller lenses on but it seems flimsy for my taste for the big stuff so I dont risk it. Help?

[RobertTheFat · Accepted solution]

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@nananner wrote:
I recently bought a gently used Canon 1ds mark ii body for primarily indoor portraits as a backup to my 6D and I find myself considering taking it along to my family reunion in August. My question is what tripod would you all recommend that could support the weight of it attached to a Canon EF 28-300mm usm or Canon EF 70-200mm f2.8 L IS usm? I have carried those lenses around, never at the same time though, attached to either my 6D or my 50D and just dealt with the weight (made my arms a bit stronger) during my zoo outings....but I feel like a tripod will be needed here (also I own tripod rings for both lenses) cause with the 1ds they make for a beastly combo. I have a bower tripod I've used my 6D/50D with smaller lenses on but it seems flimsy for my taste for the big stuff so I dont risk it. Help?

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In tripods, and in the head(s) you use on them, three things matter most: stability, light weight, and low price. As with so many similar choices in life, you can have any two of the three. You don't strike me as a photographer who considers a tripod to be essential to daily life. It sounds as though you'll take the tripod to the reunion, use it to take group pictures of your relatives (with and without yourself in the picture), and then put it away in the closet until the next similar event. Given that, I'd look for an affordable tripod and ball head that are demonstrably beefy enough to handle your camera and its largest lenses and not worry about the weight. My usage is pretty much like yours (if I'm right about you), and I opted for a Benro (actually two, a full-size and a tabletop), one of the brands Tim recommended. They're heavy but very stable, and they do the job well. If you're partial to the Bower, which I think may be a B&H house brand, they probably have comparable models.

[TCampbell]

I carry a "gripped" 5D II and 5D III with big heavy lenses (e.g. 70-200mm f/2.8L IS or 300mm f/2.8L IS) and with a "sling" type strap, it's actually comfortable.   It's the basic neckstraps that create the discomfort.

If you're going to be "on the move" on you really want to support the weight of the camera & lens, get a mono-pod... not a tripod.  This lets the weight rest on the ground and while you have to hold it, it's no more difficult than holding a camera for any hand-held shot.  Also, mono-pods are not very expensive and very easy to carry around (I own a few of them and when I'm not using them for a camera, it's great for a side-lighter (an assistant) to hold a flash off to the side for me.)

I don't know if I'm unique in my thinking... but I own two general "categories" of tripods (I have several tripods).  

I have VERY light feather-weight tripods that I can carry all day long on extended walks or hikes and not be bothered by having to carry the weight (I actully clip mine to my ThinkTank photo belt) but this is so light that the legs (even though mine is carbon fiber) are still bendy/springy.  So I do have to be careful to use a self-timer or a remote release to avoid vibrations.  It's a trade-off... beefy tripods aren't light weight.)

The "other" category is the extreme opposite.  I own a couple of very heavy and VERY beefy tripods.  They're huge.  I don't go on walks or hikes with these (though one of them has a should-strap bag and if I go out on location I wouldn't mind carrying it a few hundred yards to get from a car to my shooting spot - I just wouldn't want to carry that much weight all day long.)  But the emphasis on these tripods is that they are SOLID (really solid).  One of them has the largest size ball-head and I also own a very beefy gimbal head.  I removed the long center column from one and replaced it with a short center column so that I can drop the tripod to the ground (the legs spread nearly horizontal) which allows me to get shots from just a few inches above ground level (not possible if you have a standard-length center column on the triopd.)

One is an Induro brand, one is a Benro brand, the other is a Manfrotto brand.

Benro makes an interesting tripod series they call the "Travel Angle" and they refer to this as a "trans-functional" tripod.  You get to detach one of the legs... and use it as a monopod.

The high-end model weighs about 4 lbs, but supports about 40 lbs (also costs around $450 with head). 

I own the original Travel Angle model (that's the feather-weight model) which easily packs into any of carry-on size suit-cases. It wasn't cheap (it's carbon fiber).  I bought that before they introduced the "trans-functional" system so my legs do not detach.

Look for their model C2682TV2.

You can find it at Amazon, B&H, etc.

[Skirball]

How much weight are you willing to lug around?  How much walking are you going to do with it?

Any of the name brand tripods that Tim mentions will be fine.  If anything it's the tripod head that can't handle the weight, the tripod should be fine.

I can only speak to Manfrotto.  I've got an older 190 model, which treated me well.  My only issue with it was that it can't get to eye level without the extension.  I do a lot of long shutter shooting at that level so I eventually upgraded to a 055 model, the new version.  The thing is a beast.  Noticably bigger and heavier even though it doesn't look that different on paper (though I also have a geared head on it).  It doesn't bother me, since I use it for architectural work, but I wouldn't be strapping it to a backpack.  I much prefer my 055, but when I'm traveling I take the 190 with small ballhead.

If you have the money, getting carbon will save you some weight.

[ScottyP]

I have a solid one. I got the aluminum Benro tripod and the beefy Giottos ball head with the large ball. The thing would probably hold up a corner of my car so I could change a tire.

Even so I don't think it is so heavy I couldn't carry it around a zoo. I have, actually. Up a mountain might be different. Look at the weights and compare but the weight of carbon vs aluminum in the same model tripod is like 1/2 pound usually. The price is usually about $150 to $250 or more over the price of the aluminum model. You will decide how much that 1/2 pound is worth.

Do a filter search on a site like B & H where you can set a price range but also can filter by the weight the unit can hold. Get the weight of your heaviest lens + body combo from the specs and look at pods that are rated considerably more than that to be sure it will hold steady in wind, etc.

You can also filter by height. Decide if you can live with stooping over or if you want an eye level setup.

Locks. You can filter for screw leg locks or by the flip levers if you have a preference. I preferred the levers.

Price. Your call of course but if you get too cheap you will end up buying another one but too much is certainly overkill unless you are a pro.

Arca Swiss compatible. Get a head that is arcs Swiss compatible. It is an arca Swiss world. Some manufacturers have a proprietary plate convention but that chains you down to having to limit yourself to their offerings and there is no reason to knowingly do that. Manfrotto has/had its own unique plates but gave in and started offering arca heads too so be careful which version you get if you look at Manfrotto.

Realism. How many bells and whistles do you really need on what is essentially 3 sticks and a ball head. How rugged are you really? How often do you set up in a stream? Do you really need all the most hyped weatherproofing, etc? Maybe not.

Good luck!

[ebiggs1]

 nananner,

Isn't the 1Ds Mk II a great camera?  I just love it.  The lenses you have are actually designed to be used on a 1 series.  Yeah, they bolt up to the lesser stuff but the 1 series is more of a correct balance for them.

IMHO, and the ony tripods I use and recommend are Gitzo and Manfrotto.  These are the best and pricest tripods, I might add.

A top of the line Gitzo can exceed a grand!  Manfrotto's are cheaper and very good.

BTW, keep on the look out for a 1Ds Mk III.  They are coming down in price and as good as the Mk II is the Mk III is that much better.  Remember once you go 1 series you will never go back.  IMHO, the 1Ds Mk III is Canon's best FF excluding the 1Dx.

[RobertTheFat · Accepted solution]

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@nananner wrote:
I recently bought a gently used Canon 1ds mark ii body for primarily indoor portraits as a backup to my 6D and I find myself considering taking it along to my family reunion in August. My question is what tripod would you all recommend that could support the weight of it attached to a Canon EF 28-300mm usm or Canon EF 70-200mm f2.8 L IS usm? I have carried those lenses around, never at the same time though, attached to either my 6D or my 50D and just dealt with the weight (made my arms a bit stronger) during my zoo outings....but I feel like a tripod will be needed here (also I own tripod rings for both lenses) cause with the 1ds they make for a beastly combo. I have a bower tripod I've used my 6D/50D with smaller lenses on but it seems flimsy for my taste for the big stuff so I dont risk it. Help?

---

In tripods, and in the head(s) you use on them, three things matter most: stability, light weight, and low price. As with so many similar choices in life, you can have any two of the three. You don't strike me as a photographer who considers a tripod to be essential to daily life. It sounds as though you'll take the tripod to the reunion, use it to take group pictures of your relatives (with and without yourself in the picture), and then put it away in the closet until the next similar event. Given that, I'd look for an affordable tripod and ball head that are demonstrably beefy enough to handle your camera and its largest lenses and not worry about the weight. My usage is pretty much like yours (if I'm right about you), and I opted for a Benro (actually two, a full-size and a tabletop), one of the brands Tim recommended. They're heavy but very stable, and they do the job well. If you're partial to the Bower, which I think may be a B&H house brand, they probably have comparable models.

[ebiggs1 · Accepted solution]

All reasonable info from Bob from Boston, but a 1Ds Mk II and most white lenses is not a 5D. It is a heavy combo and a flimsy tripod is next to useless.

"I have a bower tripod I've used my 6D/50D with smaller lenses on but it seems flimsy ..."

I have used, and use quite often use gear, that includes my 1D Mk IV and a big white lens, even a Tamron tele, and tipped the scales in the 12 to 15 lb range.  Plus you could be adding more gear to the camera. GPS, trigger, intervalometer, etc.  Keep all that in mind when you go tripod shopping.

Even though, you only have the Canon EF 28-300mm usm or Canon EF 70-200mm f2.8 L IS usm now.  You never know about the future.  You don't want to buy a good tripod twice?

[nananner]

Thank you everyone for the replies! Sorry I been away just been working.

Bob ya you kind of summed me up. I'm not huge on hiking through woods or up mountains. When the weather is nice I'll go to a local city park with my dog to watch the birds and there is also my dad's horse ranch I like to visit to take pictures. I think the only other time I would take my tripod out of the house is if the amusement park I work (second job) for makes some major announcement of something new or invite me to another media day again.

Also (I forgot who posted this) yes I do love my 1Ds once I finally figured out to effectively use it. I used it (along with my 50D) to take pictures at my younger brothers high school musical last weekend. It done really, really well!