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Author Topic: Buying a New Tripod Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 10-05-2009 06:14 PM                        Randy, why all the conversion after GIF? GIF is perfect for high-end photography. Who needs more than 255 colors, anyway? Claude, I definitely prefer controlled settings for my photography when I can, I'm not much of a pap.  |  IP: Logged Christian Appelt Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 505 From: Frankfurt, Germany Registered: Dec 2001 posted 10-06-2009 02:15 PM                     For quality tripods at reasonable prices I can recommend Berlebach tripods: Berlebach Tripods (english site) Their tripods are made of ash wood, well-made and rugged. I have recommended these many times for video and photography workshops with kids, and they haven't managed to kill a Berlebach up to this day. Of course, you can expect some nice muscle build-up with the larger models.  |  IP: Logged Bill Enos Film God Posts: 2081 From: Richmond, Virginia, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 10-07-2009 02:37 PM                     The Berlebach tripods actually look like they are up to supporting a camera. By comparison the Gitzo line looks like sucker bait.  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 10-07-2009 10:24 PM                     Berlebach and Ries make great quality wood tripods. Unfortunately, their tripods seem best suited to studio photography or types of photography where the tripod doesn't have to be carried around much at all. Those tripods are just not designed for portability. The models with weight capacity ratings I need are too bulky and too heavy to take on a hike of any significance to reach a scenic spot. On top of that, I don't like the leg mechanisms they use. I remember the wood tripod that came with the telescope I had when I was just a kid. That tripod was a pain in the ass to use. The leg locks on these tripods don't look much different. All those factors might explain why I don't see many (or any) professional photographers working outdoors using a wood tripod or wood monopod. quote: Bill Enos By comparison the Gitzo line looks like sucker bait. I've been researching different brands of tripods for the past several months by reading lots of reviews and reading lots of tripod-related threads in forums at dpreview, fredmiranda, etc. Between professional photographers and serious amateurs Gitzo and Manfrotto received the most positive comments. I found many instances where a Manfrotto tripod owner upgraded to a Gitzo model. I did a lot of searching trying to find any serious complaints about quality or function in Gitzo tripods. The only complaints on tripod function I found were with models Gitzo doesn't make anymore. Those gripes involved the twist-locks on their first generation of carbon fiber tripods. Gitzo responded to those complaints and created a new G-lock and Anti Leg Rotation system used on their current models. The prevailing complaint I've seen about Gitzo from professional and amateur photographers alike is price. That especially goes for Gitzo's 6X carbon line of tripods. However, many of those complaining about the financial pain of the purchase added Gitzo tripods, combined with a high quality tripod head, will make a positive difference in the quality of your shots. That's going to matter to anyone serious about photography. I'm not totally sold on the Gitzo brand, and haven't "pulled the trigger" yet on the tripod purchase. Nevertheless, I think it means something that Gitzo has been in business for 90 years and their tripods come with a lifetime warranty. By comparison, most Manfrotto tripods have only a 2 or 3 year warranty.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-07-2009 10:37 PM                     Carbon fibre is the best way to go these days if you can find one thats affordable... You don't need the weight to make it sturdy. Carbon fibre is actually far superior to wood when it comes to tripods.  |  IP: Logged Bill Enos Film God Posts: 2081 From: Richmond, Virginia, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 10-08-2009 11:18 AM                     One other good thing for carbon fibre is you can double the price of anything by mentioning it.  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 10-08-2009 11:38 AM                     Not really. Benro and Induro manufacture carbon fiber tripods in China that look a lot like a Gitzo and cost a mere fraction of the price. Unfortunately, they don't work anywhere near as well as a Gitzo and there's LOTS of complaints about cheap materials and all sorts of other factors that make those tripods unreliable and even prone to break. My Hakuba tripod has carbon fiber legs, was made in Japan and cost half of a similar sized Gitzo. The Hakuba just doesn't work well enough for what I need it to do. And you can't mount a ball head on it either. There's more to Gitzo and its reputation for high quality than the mere use of 6 layers of carbon fiber in the legs.  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 10-10-2009 12:03 AM                     Just a bit of an update: I ordered the gear I'll mount on top of the tripod I'm going to buy in a day or two, which I already knew would probably cost more than the tripod legs. And it did, a $900 purchase. Really Right Stuff out in California should at least send me a gift basket for Christmas. Of the RRS gear bought, that included the much acclaimed RRS BH-55 full sized ball head with PCL-1 panning clamp. Shit! It has my initials on it! That must mean something! The BH-55 is the heavy duty answer to the Arca-Swiss Monoball Z1. I also ordered an L-plate for my Canon EOS 5D Mark II, RRS' 192 Precision Plus nodal rail package for collared and non-collared zoom lenses, and a dual axis hot shoe spirit level. As it stands, I'm still pretty much settled on ordering the Gitzo 3530LS tripod. Throw in another $100 for a decent padded tripod bag since the dust bags they include are a fucking joke. Also have to spend another $50 on top of that for a Wimberley P20 plate for my 70-200mm L-series zoom lens. Gotta have a proper plate to mount that lens into the nodal rail setup. Did I mention photography is kind of an expensive "hobby?"  |  IP: Logged

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