03Apr Choosing the right tripod.
A good tripod is something everyone will end up needing eventually and the worst thing you can do is waste your money on a $30 or $40 throw away tripod like the one above. The connectors will stop working, the plastic will brake off, or worse yet, it could send your camera on an unplanned trip to the ground. Tripods like this are designed for point and shoot cameras and small video cameras. If you expect more then that you’ll have to climb a bit higher up the food chain.
Seeing a cheap tripod next to a few nicer models should give you an idea of the difference in build. From top to bottom we have the cheap MX1000 tripod, the Manfrotto 055XPROB 501hdv combo, and the Slik Pro DX700 with a Manfrotto 503hdv head. The size increase actually starts to make sense when you consider the load capacity. The MX1000 is rated for 2.5 pounds, the 055XPROB is rated for 13.2 pounds, and the Slik/manfrotto combo is good up to about 20 pounds.
When you start looking at tripods, it’s good to consider weight. As you start to add monitors, field recorders, and microphones to your DSLR RIG, it can be pretty easy to hit the 10 pound mark. If you overload a fluid head, the counter balance springs wont do you any good and could be damaged, so it’s a good idea to match your camera rig to your fluid head.
For many people it’s hard to justify spending the money on a good tripod and fluid head, but if you take care of a good tripod it should last you through at least 3 cameras if not more. I know people that still use their tripod head combo that they bought in the 90’s and it keeps up just fine with my modern day 503hdv setup. Sure they spent $800 on it when it was brand new but monetized over 15+ years of service means about $53 a year. When you think about it like that it’s a lot easier to justify the investment.
So here is a list of tripods to consider priced from low to high, I wont review them each but they should give you a good starting point on your quest for the next peace of camera gear in your life.
- Davis & Sanford FM18 combo $140 to $180 good price, ok performance, ok build, handle 18 lbs.
- Manfrotto 055XPROB 501hdv combo $310 good performance, great build, handles 13.2 lbs.
- Manfrotto 503hdv combo $450 to $700 great performance, great build, handles 17.6 lbs.
- Libec RS-250M combo $850 great performance, great build, handles 13 lbs.
It’s pretty easy to go into the $1500 to $5000 range if you really want to spend the money. If you have it to spend Miller and Sachtler make some amazing products that I can only afford to rent. No matter what you have to spend, any of these will be a major upgrade compared to a $30 best buy tripod.
April 4th, 2011 at 6:34 am
If you look around for second-hand you can get lucky. I picked up a Miller Solo DV carbon fibre tripod with a DS10 head (normally $1600) for $500 on an online classifieds site – as new, complete with canvas bag and shoulder strap. The difference in performance between that and my Manfrotto 128RC is interstellar.
April 4th, 2011 at 7:56 am
That’s a great find! I missed out on a DS-25 head last year. I’ll have to start looking around again.
April 23rd, 2011 at 5:44 pm
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May 20th, 2011 at 12:53 pm
Video heads are compatible with tripods slik?
May 20th, 2011 at 1:39 pm
Yes. The slik legs have a standard stud on top.
July 17th, 2012 at 8:10 am
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