Ya Hoo

[Bob_Benner]

Just went and bought my new tripod and head today. I bought the Monfrotto 3021 BN Pro Legs, and the Monfrotto 488 Midi RCO ball head. What a joy it was to shoot with a solid tripod finally. Anyone using a department store bought tripod should really consider a setup like I just mentioned, the difference is astounding.

[JulieM]

Hey, Bob! I'm curious, what is the difference between the rig you have now and what you used previously? I'm not at all familiar with the features of the tripods available these days, though I do have a 30 year old one that I used to use with my 35 mm film SLR. That one had a screw-in mount for the camera and allowed you to rotate up-and-down or side-to-side. It's legs could be height adjusted independently of each other. What do these fancy ones do nowadays?

[Shari]

Julie, my tripod sounds like yours. It was quite expensive at the time (about 20 years ago) when I bought it for a telescope that I gave to Ron for his birthday. I am interested in the answer too.
Shari

[Wendy]

Oh very nice ... !!

Do let us know how you go on with it :)

Wendy

[Bob_Benner]

The one I have been using was a cheap department store tripod that I payed $30.00 for. It was not very stable, had a pan tilt head that was fixed to the legs. My new one is much sturdier, and heavier. With these you have to buy the head seperately so you can choose which one meets your style. The ball heads are awesome, very quick and easy to compose, lock it up, and take your shot. There is no wobble at all with this new one, and i dont have to exstend the center column to get to my height. It also has the option of removing the center column, attaching the included adapter and being able to shoot litteraly about 4 inches of the ground with it. i can post if you would like. The new one cost me about 300.00 total, but well worth it.

[JulieM]

Bob: Thanks for the description. Do you mind posting a visual or a link? That would help me visualize it...

[Bob_Benner]

Julie, heading out for awhile now but when I get back I will post pics of the cheapy and the good one.

[LeeOtsubo]

Pros say every tripod will cost $1200. Everyone starts with a cheap, no-name that costs anywhere from $20 to $100. They then realize that the legs aren't very sturdy so they upgrade to a $150-$200 set of aluminum legs and a $50-$100 head. Next, they realize that cheap heads droop when heavier bodies and lenses are mounted. A good head from RRS costs $350 plus $100 for a plate. Now that they have a really good head, they want to use the tripod all the time but the aluminum legs weigh too much so it's back to the store for carbon fiber legs for another $500. Final cost, ~$1170-$1350.

Moral of the story: if you're seriously interested in photography, pop for a good Gitzo CF or equivalent (~US$300-$500) and an RRS BH-40 or equivalent ($400). You'll save time, money and aggravation in the long run. FYI, YMMV. :)

[JulieM]

Wow! :eek: I had no idea! But, thanks for the info, Lee. That's something to consider when budgeting for my first DsLR purchase.

[Bob_Benner]

I'm perfectly happy with my new one. Would rather spend the extra money on a high quality glass.

[Chuck S.]

Pros say every tripod will cost $1200

Well....I'm with Bob on this one. I have a similar set-up to the one he just bought, except that I have the old fashioned RC2 quick release plate instead of RC0 because I already had a few of those plates. And until and unless I get one of those three-foot long lenses (not likely in this lifetime), this tripod will be satisfactory for 99.999% of my needs.

No wonder pro photographers are so expensive! (Still smarting from the estimates for my daughter's upcoming wedding....):mad:

[LeeOtsubo]

...No wonder pro photographers are so expensive! (Still smarting from the estimates for my daughter's upcoming wedding....):mad:

Chuck,
You're paying for what the pro knows, not what equipment s/he owns. Also, the growing trend in wedding photography is toward front loading the charges because print sales have dropped off precipitously with the advent of digital. I have pro friends who tell stories of people copying and reprinting proofs with the word "PROOF" stamped across the front. Most people think any "Uncle Ernie" with a new dSLR can do as good a job, not realizing the years developing an "eye" and style as well as the hours of post-processing. I don't do weddings but I've heard enough stories about "bridezillas" and "MOBs (mother of bridezilla)" to know the good ones earn their keep. Here in SoCal, a good wedding photog will run a minimum $1500 and more like $3000+.

JulieM,
I should point out, the advice applies to amateurs who have been shooting for several years and have developed a style that benefits from a tripod such as portraits, landscapes, architecture, macro, specialized nature/birds or long-exposure. I wouldn't recommend an $800 tripod/head combo to a new dSLR owner who's still developing a style or interest. Sorry, didn't mean to discourage you.

[Bob_Benner]

Lee, I really look forward to your advice in this forum. I was actually looking at a RRS BH55 ballhead and Gitzo mountainer legs. I was pretty much set on that combo, but really could not afford to drop that much money on a tripod and head. The most my tripod will be supporting wil be a D200 (maybe a canon 5D if decide to go full frame) and the Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VR lens (the canon version if I go that route). My main interest is in lanscape and macro photography, so I will mainly be shooting with a 12-24 f/4.0 lens, and a 105mm f/2.8 macro lens. I decided that the setup I went with yesterday would be fine for those combos seeing that I will not be shooting any huge lenses that would benifit from a tripod/head that would hold the load needed for 300,400,500 mm lenses. One question Lee, how do you feel about full frame vs 1.5/1.6 crop sensors? I hear many argumenst for both.

[Chuck S.]

You're paying for what the pro knows, not what equipment s/he owns

Lee, I suppose that's true to a large extent. However, it's a business, and the business model has to include recovery of capital expenditures and operating costs. So that tripod is still in there somewhere....

[LeeOtsubo]

...I was actually looking at a RRS BH55 ballhead and Gitzo mountainer legs. I was pretty much set on that combo, but really could not afford to drop that much money on a tripod and head. The most my tripod will be supporting wil be a D200 (maybe a canon 5D if decide to go full frame) and the Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VR lens...

The BH55 is rated for 50lbs load capacity. The D200 and 70-200/2.8 VR combo can't weigh much more than 5-6lbs. Even the BH40 and the RC488 you bought are rated for nearly 18lbs, three times what you're planning to carry. The BH25 is rated for 8.8lbs and comes in package from RRS with the Manfrotto 3001 and a plate for $295.

...One question Lee, how do you feel about full frame vs 1.5/1.6 crop sensors? I hear many argumenst for both.

I don't have any strong opinions one way or the other. On the one hand, with a 1.6 crop body, I love the fact that I can use just the "sweet spot" on a lens like the Canon 17-40/4L which is prone to vignetting on a FF body. But, it's nice to have FF for portraits and landscapes. For sports and birds, I like the crop factor but for indoor shots, I wish I had a true WA. It's all a matter of the trade-offs you're willing to accept.

The last thing I want people to do is take my word (or anyone else's) as gospel. I speak from my own experience based on assumptions about the OP's needs/wants/means. When I taught, it was always my intent to show students how to do the research rather than memorize answers. That's why I offer life-time e-mail support to my students. It's impossible to offer a meaningful class in 3 hours or even 30 hours.

I didn't mean for anyone else to forego the monthly mortgage payment in order to buy a Gitzo tripod and RRS head. I assumed everyone understood my advice was preceded by, "If you can afford it..." HTH.

[JulieM]

I didn't mean for anyone else to forego the monthly mortgage payment in order to buy a Gitzo tripod and RRS head. I assumed everyone understood my advice was preceded by, "If you can afford it..." HTH.

Not to worry, Lee. I wouldn't default on any loan payments. Thought I'd sell my firstborn child instead. :D :D :D