Hi all,

I've got an old tripod and am looking at "upgrading"...  If you may spare some of that ever so precious time and let me know what you think a good tripod setup would be.  I was looking at something like the Manfrotto 458B Tripod Pro Photo Neotec + Manfrotto 229 3D Super Pro Head........  I think that might be out of my league and a slight bit of "overkill" but want to make sure I get something I'm going to be happy with for a while to come!!!!  So if you dont mind helping I'd really appreciate it. 

Thanks in advance.

That head is something else!  Do you need that sort of head or would a ball head with the quick action handle work as well while being a bit more compact?

I use a standard Manfrotto ball head and am quite pleased but would like the model with the quick action handle.   The head you show might carry just fine, don't know, haven't seen it.  "easy carry" and transport on "me" was a consideration in my personal choice.

Then again, like I said, I haven't tried the one you are thinking about.  It is more than my humble budget could afford so I got the best I could in my price range.  Let us know if you get it and how you like the combo in the field.             TomDart.

 

seems to be pretty popular.. i still use my father's old standard type.. can be cumbersome & slow..

here's another discussion on tripod recommendations..

New tripod?
http://market.renderosity.com/mod/forumpro/showthread.php?thread_id=2097871

I have a couple cheapo models that I got from flea markets....keep one in the car and one at home!  For now they do the job and I don't have to worry about beatin' on 'em either!  Had one partially submerged in the ocean...catching some waves!

The higher end tripods have some cool features that I could really use....oh well maybe someday!

I have a SLIK Pro 500 that is really good. It has nice neoprene  pad covers at upper legs, and a good head that does not let the camera spin. The mount is good quality cork.So it stays in place.
The strenght and stability of this tripod  superb.
The legs can also be moved in a back stretch to  point the camera up almost vertical, for sky shots.
 I also have a Manfrotto monopod , but I don't like Manfrottos use if a rubber mount.
The camera spins all over the place after a bit of motion.
Unless you really want to spend a fortune, I would have a serious look at that slik.

There is an e-bay company that sells Manfrottos look a like tripods. I got one at Xmas with the head all for around £80 for both, that's less than half price of the real thing, and I think it is as good. Really good and sturdy. I have used it a lot and never looked back. If you me IM I will look up the company.

 

Steve

Hey all,

Thanks so much for all the help! After looking around must say that the slicks do look good... Only thing now is choosing a good head :unsure: seeing I have no knowledge whatsoever about them... Any advice on choosing one would really be appreciated!!! Thanks once again!

Maybe there is a camera store where you can try a few..with your camera on it. I personally prefer not to have the "pan" handle but that is me.  To each his or her own in this!  You should be comfy with the set-up and strudy but not too heavy if you plan to carry it anywhere.  Best wishes.  TomDart.

I would have thought Tom's idea of trying a few was a good one for the tripod and the head.

Until you actually try the thing you cannot tell if it is easy and quick for you to handle, very important to make sure it is suitable for your intended use.

In my experience with heads the nature photographers seem to like 3 way heads, and the landscapers ball heads. But of course there are many different styles and some for special purposes too, so best if at all possible, to look and try before you buy.

I have the Manfrotto 3021BN Tripod with the 3030 Head, both work great for me the head is real smooth and would work great for when you need to pan around with movies. The only thing I don't like about the Head, is when I have it set for a Vertical position I can not pan up or down with it, with out moving it on the release plate and holding it in place...And another tip to save on dough, don't go with black, for some reason it cost more for the black tripods.