ReeRay Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 I've started to shoot medium format again and finding my ancient Manfrotto (non carbon) just too much to lug around. Can anyone recommend a light and compact carbon tripod and ball head set that doesn't involve a second mortgage. The more I look, the more confusing it becomes, and I'd appreciate user opinions. Thanks for any input Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dyn Llun Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 Too heavy to lug around? I know the feeling........... Look at the pictures top right on this page...http://www.pete-davis-photography.com/news.html My tip is get the best and sturdiest you can afford......and a slave to carry it! Pete Davis ps. I'm my own slave. www.pete-davis-photography.com http://peteslandscape.blogspot.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiskerke Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 There's no magic bullet. You do need to make a list of requirements. What camera do you want to use? With which lenses? What do you want to shoot? Under what circumstances? How do you travel? How far do you have to go on foot? On paved roads? Which Manfrotto do you have and how much does it weigh? In general: take the heaviest tripod you're able/prepared to carry around. wim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Bell Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 I have a MeFOTO travel tripod which also turns into a monopod. Lightweight and would take the weight of your gear. They do various tripods and good value. Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReeRay Posted July 24, 2017 Author Share Posted July 24, 2017 1 hour ago, wiskerke said: There's no magic bullet. You do need to make a list of requirements. What camera do you want to use? With which lenses? What do you want to shoot? Under what circumstances? How do you travel? How far do you have to go on foot? On paved roads? Which Manfrotto do you have and how much does it weigh? In general: take the heaviest tripod you're able/prepared to carry around. wim Not sure of the model number as I've had it for some 20+ years but maybe a 190. Extends to 2 metres, centre bracing and weighs about 8 lbs without the head. I'm using a Hasselblad and shoot mainly local scenes which require some hilly climbs but not rough terrain. I guess about 2 kilometers uphill which is more than enough at 71 years of age! OUr mean average temperature is c.35 Celsius with 85% humidity - weight us everything! Dies anyone have experience of this companies products https://www.3leggedthing.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReeRay Posted July 24, 2017 Author Share Posted July 24, 2017 33 minutes ago, Allan Bell said: I have a MeFOTO travel tripod which also turns into a monopod. Lightweight and would take the weight of your gear. They do various tripods and good value. Allan What model no? thxs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiskerke Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 39 minutes ago, ReeRay said: Not sure of the model number as I've had it for some 20+ years but maybe a 190. Extends to 2 metres, centre bracing and weighs about 8 lbs without the head. I'm using a Hasselblad and shoot mainly local scenes which require some hilly climbs but not rough terrain. I guess about 2 kilometers uphill which is more than enough at 71 years of age! OUr mean average temperature is c.35 Celsius with 85% humidity - weight us everything! > c.35 Celsius with 85% humidity Ahh yes the outskirts of Krungthep. ;-) The Manfrotto is probably looking like this. A Hasselblad itself is not very heavy. What lens do you plan to use? - Wide angle is much more forgiving than a long lens. Will you be shooting long exposures like night shots or big stopper shots? - Longer exposures: need more stability. Can you do without eye level height? - Shorter is more stable; less segments is more stable. What sort of head do you plan to use? Ball head; 3d head or geared head? - A geared head can be heavy; a ball head can be light. Do the hilly climbs allow for a cart like the one Philippe suggested? Or maybe even a mountain bike? Do you usually hike with a backpack? Alone? wim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Bell Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 51 minutes ago, ReeRay said: What model no? thxs Ah! Found it at last. MeFOTO GlobeTrotter C2350Q2T (Titanium). Cost £314.95 from Wex. But of course I doubt you will buy it from them. Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReeRay Posted July 24, 2017 Author Share Posted July 24, 2017 19 minutes ago, wiskerke said: > c.35 Celsius with 85% humidity Ahh yes the outskirts of Krungthep. ;-) The Manfrotto is probably looking like this. A Hasselblad itself is not very heavy. What lens do you plan to use? - Wide angle is much more forgiving than a long lens. Will you be shooting long exposures like night shots or big stopper shots? - Longer exposures: need more stability. Can you do without eye level height? - Shorter is more stable; less segments is more stable. What sort of head do you plan to use? Ball head; 3d head or geared head? - A geared head can be heavy; a ball head can be light. Do the hilly climbs allow for a cart like the one Philippe suggested? Or maybe even a mountain bike? Do you usually hike with a backpack? Alone? wim Yes, that's looks the one use 3 lenses, 40mm, 60mm and100mm no night etc need eye level as I use a prism a lot ball head No backpack and alone thxs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiskerke Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 Have a look at this tripod. 1220g And this ball head. 168g wim edit: I would add this camera plate with back or side stop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Brooks Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 I do a lot of day hiking. I put the camera with lens on the tripod and put the entire assembly over my shoulder. Messenger bag, with a few extra lenses, and water worn bandolier style over my shoulder and across my chest. Total weight 15-20 pounds. I once tried a modified golf cart to carry equipment. Destroyed two different models in one week of hiking. No backpack, they are too hot, and hard to work out of, unless you set them down. I replaced my carbon fibre Gitzo about 4 years ago with the previous model of this: http://www.benrousa.com/products/benro-tma27c.aspx Benro made in China, lightweight carbon fibre, it is much better designed and engineered than the gitzo at about 1/2 the price. Very robust no problems in 4 years It may be sold in Europe under a different name. I use it with this head. http://www.indurogear.com/products/induro-phq1.aspx Very precise micro adjustment on one plane at a time, unlike a ball head that flops all over when you release the tension. Do not buy it for the bubble levels, they are too small and hard to see, and sometimes end up obscured by the camera. Head and tripod will support my 400 F5.6 Canon but I hardly ever use the 400 and never hike with it During the day I leave the tripod in the car more and more, and shoot landscapes at ISO 400 instead of ISO 100. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiskerke Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 If I were using film, I would use a head like Bill suggests. However it's 900g. My Manfrotto 3437 3-way weighs a mere 448g, but is a stupid copy of something that was stupid to begin with: you turn a knob; the other part holding the camera flops over. Yikes. My old Manfrotto 027 weighs 1469g, but will hold my Sinar. -My ball heads weigh from 48g (Giottos MH 1004) to 1932g (Inka Ball II with a Benro PC0). If weight was no problem I would use a geared head like the Manfrotto 410 Junior. However it's 1220g and requires a stupid ancient camera plate that will fit nothing else. To test a tripod without film or taking images, I now use a vibration meter app on my phone. The phone goes on top of the camera i want to test (and I use a remote). wim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReeRay Posted July 25, 2017 Author Share Posted July 25, 2017 Thanks everyone. I'll certainly look into the Benro line. Really good advice and much appreciated. Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDoug Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 I have a Bilora Perfect Pro Carbon C-324 tripod which extends to 177 cm, collapses to 64 cm, weighs 2.15 kg and is rated to hold 10 kg. I like the tripod but don't like the Bilora ball head that came with it, and plan to get a Sirui K-30x to replace it. If you hang a weight from the hook on the center column (e.g., a sack with a stone in it or some of your other gear), it would add stability. The Sirui ball head is $130 at B&H. The Bilora and similar carbon fiber tripods go for around $200. I have a Benro head on my monopod and agree with above comments that they make excellent gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Ramsay Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 When not in the studio, an Induro carbon fibre tripod with an Acratech ball head - copes with a Nikon D3 and longish lenses, so should be OK with medium format Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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