I went to B&H and put in a price range of up to $300 (I know they go up to the low thousands) for a carbon fiber tripod with a ball head.
The first one listed was this, which is on a huge sale. It is not as light as a carbon fiber tripod would normally be, and that's really important, but I wanted to ask what you thought about this one. It has 5 stars but only 3 reviews. I may think about getting some kind of wheeled bag in the end, which would be the only way I could use this one.
Barbara, your 2 links are both the same. So you might research and make a change there. I can say Vanguard is a solid product. I had a larger ball head of theirs a few years back and liked it a lot.
I do use a Feisol 3301 Carbon Fiber tripod that I really like. I've also 6 months ago gone to a different ball head that is pretty pricey.
Barbara, both look like nice units. I've not used a tripod with flip lock legs in several years now so I'll let others give input there. The Feisol I have uses twist lock legs.
I did notice the Vanguard supplied three different foot pad arrangements too. Seems to cover every type of terrain needs with those interchangeable items.
Hopefully you'll hear from someone who has one of these units for some experienced input.
I've had that same Manfrotto for a couple of years. Great tripod, as all Manfrottos, very light and portable, made in Italy. Mine takes routine beatings, is all scratched up, and is as tight as on day one. I use the head that comes with it only if I must travel light. Otherwise, I use this head which is much stronger and has better control:
I'd pass on either of these. Neither goes very high, and might not even reach eye level even with the center column fully extended. Four section legs mean the bottom section has a very small diameter - one of these shows it as only 12mm (just under 1/2 inch). I doubt you would get nearly enough support for your new gear and 560mm capability on either of these with the legs and center colum fully extended.
Finally, I don't like flip locks on the leg extensions (I lived with them on a Manfrotto/Bogan for many years and hated them each time I had to set up).
Barbara, you might look at the Feisol products too. I use the 3301 which I've linked here. I bought it with a long center stem as I'm pretty tall. You'd still need to buy a ball head, but the Feisol I have works extremely well.
The Vanguard is rated at 22lbs which means about 7lbs of camera/lens will be solid. The Manfrotto is only rated at 8.8lbs which means 3lb load max. Which lens and camera you shoot with makes a big difference. I considered the Manfrotto but realized a full frame Canon with 70-200mm/2.8 would never work on there. So weigh you camera with your heaviest lens, multiply the weight by 3, and that's a START to determine which to get. I bought a travel tripod that was like the Manfrotto and it literally wobbled like a spring head doll. I ended up ditching the carbon idea and got this tripod https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B004WY7VQQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1, and this head https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AVEX3OY/ref=s9_dcacsd_dcoop_bw_c_x_1_w and the combo holds my 5D4 and 70-200mm/2.8 quite well for travel. Just some thoughts! Wish you the best on your search!
Actually, here is that rig in use on a photo gig (inside Noah's Ark actually!). It gets pretty tall. For this set up I used a 2 second timer with mirror lockup, but this rig held my 6lb camera/lens quite well!
This: http://www.naturephotographers.net/imagecritique/ic.cgi?a=vp&pr=243899&CGISESSID=b69ed6a15c213e7b8ee755d4c57d6927&u=15096&title_action=va
is a 25 second exposure in strong wind, with a heavy old manual focus Carl Zeiss zoom (all metal and lots of heavy glass, 82 mm front element ) on the Manfrotto tripod. The secret is to balance the lens-camera combination so that its center of gravity is as close as possible to the center of the tripod. For this you need a collar system that lets you slide the lens back and forth - it may or may not be possible with your lens, I don't know. But, if properly balanced, good tripods can take much more weight than what they are rated for. I have never had a tripod accident, even in strong wind.
It is your checkbook, so you can do what you want, but I would pass on any of these options until you've saved enough money to buy a tripod that will support your equipment properly. I wish I could count how many times I've seen people in the field with tripods that are too short requiring extending the center column which will reduce the stability, or the tripod is simply not solid in the first place, or the head won't support the weight and droops no matter how tight.
When I teach a class here I have a section on tripods. My strong encouragement is to save to buy the right tripod ONCE, not buy 3 of them to finally get to the right one for your needs. Yes, solid tripods with solid heads are expensive, but look at what you've invested to put on top of the tripod, then you travel to some location and spend more money to get there, then set up in adverse conditions and your tripod is inadequate..... Argghhh....
Another vote for twist lock legs. I hate flip lock legs. Had them, hated them, will never us them again.
I want to second what Keith said. I bought a "bargain" tripod for $300 a few years back and wound up replacing it with a Gitzo (I think Gitzo is owned by Manfrotto) less than a year later. The $300 was pretty much wasted money.
Some other thoughts:
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">• You won't want to extend the center post all the time. It makes the tripod less stable, adds additional time to getting set up for the photo and is generally unwieldy. Try to get a 'pod that gets the camera to your eye level or just a bit higher without relying on the center post for an extension.
• Unless you really like blood blisters, get twist lock legs.
• The number of sections is important. If you are going to travel by air, go to four sections to get a small enough unit to fit in your bag (I still have to detach the head) or fit in an overhead compartment. If air travel isn't a concern, then get a 3 section unit, because its three less leg clamps to deal with.
• If you are going to be walking a ways with the tripod and camera on your shoulder – and I've walked a lot of miles that way – then buy a tripod that is rated for a little more weight than your camera. Tripods are built to take the load vertically, and on your shoulder, horizontally, the stresses are different.
• Save money for a decent tripod head. Unless something has changed, the consensus price/performance pick for a solid tripod head is the Really Right Stuff BH-55. I've been using one for years now and it's a rock solid, all-around gem.</div>
Hope this helps.
Hi, Barb - I'm a fan of Feisol, but rarely use the one I have. Essential for flowers and macro work, though.
The Manfrotto troubles me for these reasons :
Load Capacity: 8.8 lb
Maximum Height: 56.7"
8 # is nothing, especially since I think I remember you were looking for a longer lens - you'd be over the weight limit and thereby unstable.
This one also is quite low - (unless you're only 5 ft tall) . You'd have to extend the center post the whole way, and any camera on the end of this would be quite unstable. It also could still be low enough you'd have to bend over, when you want the mounted camera right at eye level when you're standing upright.
I don't think either of the tripods you mentioned would be ideal.
Maybe keep your eye on Ebay and the Classifieds on other sites and see what you can find.
I'd also still consider my idea of the big-wheeled photo cart to carry your stuff.
Hope some of this helps.
Sandy
Discussion
14 repliesThe first one listed was this, which is on a huge sale. It is not as light as a carbon fiber tripod would normally be, and that's really important, but I wanted to ask what you thought about this one. It has 5 stars but only 3 reviews. I may think about getting some kind of wheeled bag in the end, which would be the only way I could use this one.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1288013-REG/vanguard_abeo_plus_324ct_carbon.html
And the Manfrotto in that price range is this one. It has 4.5 stars but 96 reviews.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1288013-REG/vanguard_abeo_plus_324ct_carbon.html
Any knowledge of or thoughts on either of these? Thanks.
I do use a Feisol 3301 Carbon Fiber tripod that I really like. I've also 6 months ago gone to a different ball head that is pretty pricey.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1194062-REG/manfrotto_mkbfrc4_bhz_befree_compact_travel_carbon.html
I did notice the Vanguard supplied three different foot pad arrangements too. Seems to cover every type of terrain needs with those interchangeable items.
Hopefully you'll hear from someone who has one of these units for some experienced input.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/986165-REG/manfrotto_mh054m0_q6_mh054m0q6_054_series_head.html
I dislike twist lock legs and much prefer flip lock. I'd buy this tripod again with eyes closed.
Finally, I don't like flip locks on the leg extensions (I lived with them on a Manfrotto/Bogan for many years and hated them each time I had to set up).
FEISOL 3301 TRIPOD
This:
http://www.naturephotographers.net/imagecritique/ic.cgi?a=vp&pr=243899&CGISESSID=b69ed6a15c213e7b8ee755d4c57d6927&u=15096&title_action=va
is a 25 second exposure in strong wind, with a heavy old manual focus Carl Zeiss zoom (all metal and lots of heavy glass, 82 mm front element ) on the Manfrotto tripod. The secret is to balance the lens-camera combination so that its center of gravity is as close as possible to the center of the tripod. For this you need a collar system that lets you slide the lens back and forth - it may or may not be possible with your lens, I don't know. But, if properly balanced, good tripods can take much more weight than what they are rated for. I have never had a tripod accident, even in strong wind.
It is your checkbook, so you can do what you want, but I would pass on any of these options until you've saved enough money to buy a tripod that will support your equipment properly. I wish I could count how many times I've seen people in the field with tripods that are too short requiring extending the center column which will reduce the stability, or the tripod is simply not solid in the first place, or the head won't support the weight and droops no matter how tight.
When I teach a class here I have a section on tripods. My strong encouragement is to save to buy the right tripod ONCE, not buy 3 of them to finally get to the right one for your needs. Yes, solid tripods with solid heads are expensive, but look at what you've invested to put on top of the tripod, then you travel to some location and spend more money to get there, then set up in adverse conditions and your tripod is inadequate..... Argghhh....
Another vote for twist lock legs. I hate flip lock legs. Had them, hated them, will never us them again.
Again, your checkbook... Just some thoughts.
I want to second what Keith said. I bought a "bargain" tripod for $300 a few years back and wound up replacing it with a Gitzo (I think Gitzo is owned by Manfrotto) less than a year later. The $300 was pretty much wasted money.
Some other thoughts:
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">• You won't want to extend the center post all the time. It makes the tripod less stable, adds additional time to getting set up for the photo and is generally unwieldy. Try to get a 'pod that gets the camera to your eye level or just a bit higher without relying on the center post for an extension.
• Unless you really like blood blisters, get twist lock legs.
• The number of sections is important. If you are going to travel by air, go to four sections to get a small enough unit to fit in your bag (I still have to detach the head) or fit in an overhead compartment. If air travel isn't a concern, then get a 3 section unit, because its three less leg clamps to deal with.
• If you are going to be walking a ways with the tripod and camera on your shoulder – and I've walked a lot of miles that way – then buy a tripod that is rated for a little more weight than your camera. Tripods are built to take the load vertically, and on your shoulder, horizontally, the stresses are different.
• Save money for a decent tripod head. Unless something has changed, the consensus price/performance pick for a solid tripod head is the Really Right Stuff BH-55. I've been using one for years now and it's a rock solid, all-around gem.</div>
Hope this helps.
Jim
The Manfrotto troubles me for these reasons :
- Load Capacity: 8.8 lb
- Maximum Height: 56.7"
8 # is nothing, especially since I think I remember you were looking for a longer lens - you'd be over the weight limit and thereby unstable.This one also is quite low - (unless you're only 5 ft tall) . You'd have to extend the center post the whole way, and any camera on the end of this would be quite unstable. It also could still be low enough you'd have to bend over, when you want the mounted camera right at eye level when you're standing upright.
I don't think either of the tripods you mentioned would be ideal.
Maybe keep your eye on Ebay and the Classifieds on other sites and see what you can find.
I'd also still consider my idea of the big-wheeled photo cart to carry your stuff.
Hope some of this helps.
Sandy