Tripod for DSLR-Seeking options

[22-rimfire]

I find it difficult to choose tripods looking at pictures and reading descriptions and not familiar with a lot of the newer brands. Photography shops are not a common thing in my area.

I am in the market for a new tripod that needs to be able to settle down very close to ground level but still a pretty large tripod. Middle post needs to be short. My old standby was a Bogen 3021. Have carried it many a mile in the woods. Yes, it's heavy. It is more than 10 years old now in need of repair... parts are a problem. I lean toward Bogen/Manfotto but am open to suggestions. This is dominantly used for nature and landscape kinds of photography. I don't want to spend $600 for a camera tripod. Looking for something under $300 and better yet, under $200. Carbon fiber would be great, but they are expensive. So, probably aluminum legs. Probably will use one of my old heads. But may pick up a medium strength ball head.... Suggestions?

 

[vanslem6]

I have a Manfrotto, after breaking many cheap ones. I think I have about $150 into it, head and base. I probably purchased it in '08? It's not light weight, but it's tough.

I'll snap a couple quick photos, but I think it would fit the bill, aside from being really lightweight. I don't know what is out there now, but I will likely have this thing forever. Ha.

 

[vanslem6]

It's got all sorts of tricks, too. It really has a ton of features, built-in. Most of which I don't use or even know about it seems, lol.

A good tripod is invaluable, IMO. I bought it because I used to spend a lot of time in places like this:

The guy in the photo ended up with a very similar model (same legs, 488RC0 head) after that silver one he's holding fell a part.

 

[netguy1999]

+1 on the Manfrotto 190Pro. It is not light, but is extremely solid and, as the previous pics show, has a great deal of flexibility in how you set it up.

 

[nozyk]

I still carry and use my 20+ year old SLIK U212. It's,heavy but an indestructible beast. They still sell them.

Most anything by bogey,manfroto etc,are out of reach for me these days. B&H has a great selection.

 

[vanslem6]

My memory is bad - I deff did not pay $150, lol. At least I'm organized, lol.

I sold that head (488RC0) to the guy in the photo and replaced it with a 488RC2 in May of 2009, and I paid $115 for it.

I'd look at Craigslist and the POTN classifieds. This is definitely something that can be bought used.

 

[fast14riot]

Other than Manfrotto, which is nice and also what I use (in addition to Leitz), I'd check out the Velbon Ultra 555A. It's a great set of legs and you can use whatever head you like.

-Xander

 

[22-rimfire]

Sirui or Rock Solid would probably be perfect. But OMG the price..... I been using a small SLIK Pro340BH (ball head) and it works fine, but is a bit short at times. I got it for lugging around in the woods and usually end up sitting on the ground to take pictures anyway. I love the leg adjustments on the Manfrotto's. I got really used to those clips and they are almost second nature for me for setting up or adjusting. I'm not in any big hurry on this.... may end up driving to Nashville and looking at the Sirui tripods and hopefully a broad selection of Manfrottos. Ritz has closed all their stores in my area. They may even have gone out of business, don't know. But I have bought a lot of stuff from them off and on over the years. I may have to adjust my price restrictions a bit.... maybe SLIK has a higher grade pro line.... will look into that too.

Does that Bogen/Manfrotto have the two piece screw together center post? Is it round or oval in shape? I am not convinced that I like their "new design" with the levering center post.

 

[vanslem6]

I'm not quite sure I understand the question. Is this what you're talking about??

If so, the head and base on mine mount together via 3 set-screws on the underside. both portions that contact each other are round.

 

[Echo63]

My Slik Pro700 is still going strong after 15 years of abuse (and i keep buying gear from the same camera shop i bought it from too)
I have a Sirui T-025X too - but thats a tiny travel tripod for my mirrorless kit only

for a basic tripod, the Manfrotto 190 is the minimum i would recommend - depending on the camera you are using it with (bigger heavier camera and longer lenses needs bigger more stable tripod)
Carbon is the better option, its lighter, which is nice when you are carrying it around, doesn't get cold like aluminium (nice if you are somewhere it gets a little chilly) and its stiffer, which means it dampens vibrations better.
don't believe me ? find a camera shop with an alloy and carbon 190 (or other identical models in CF and alloy) - extend them both, grab them round the spider (where the three legs join) and try flexing them.
the problem with Carbon is its bloody expensive.




If I'm not mistaken, the Bogen 3021 is very similar to the Manfrotto 055 (Bogen used to be the USA Manfrotto importer) - you may be able to find the appropriate parts by searching for 055 parts instead.

 

[22-rimfire]

I'm not quite sure I understand the question. Is this what you're talking about??

If so, the head and base on mine mount together via 3 set-screws on the underside. both portions that contact each other are round.

What question are you responding to? I know how the heads attached to the better tripods. My SLIK has the quick release on it. You pretty much have to use it on that one as it is very clumsy to screw the camera body other wise (and not safe).

 

[vanslem6]

This one.

Does that Bogen/Manfrotto have the two piece screw together center post? Is it round or oval in shape? I am not convinced that I like their "new design" with the levering center post.

I guess I don't understand the question, sorry.

 

[Echo63]

This one.



I guess I don't understand the question, sorry.

he is asking if that manfrotto tripod you showed a pic of has the two piece centre column.
older manfrotto tripods came with a centre column that split into two - the short part had the head attached to it (about 6" long) and a 12" ish long bit screwed into the bottom - the idea was, for work close to the ground you could undo the lower bit and not have the centre column in the way.

22rimfire - the sliding/tilting column models have a hexagonal/triangle with rounded corners shaped centre column, you can't unscrew the lower half either.
it works quite well, but i don't like it as i am normally using longer lenses, and want maximum stability (i am actually looking for a new tripod too, something 6'+ tall, with a flat platform - weight isn't a concern but stability is) it would be perfectly acceptable for most people and most uses (everyone at work has one, but i use my Slik because i am often using longer lenses for long exposures)

 

[vanslem6]

he is asking if that manfrotto tripod you showed a pic of has the two piece centre column.
older manfrotto tripods came with a centre column that split into two - the short part had the head attached to it (about 6" long) and a 12" ish long bit screwed into the bottom - the idea was, for work close to the ground you could undo the lower bit and not have the centre column in the way.

I'm feeling stupid now. I'm assuming this 'center column' is the thing that I swung out, horizontally?

Am I getting warmer?? Lol.

 

[22-rimfire]

Vanslem6, I believe you have it right. The center column is the long tubular thing that tilts in your tripod that allows you to raise or lower the camera height once the tripod is set on the ground for use or lever it in that design (usually smaller adjustments). It would appear that the levering is their approach to allowing you to get very low rather than squatting down the tripod legs with a short center post as before. My guess is that the old round center columns would not carry as much weight and stay tight at a specific height versus the current kind of a oval hex thing. You second batch of photos clearly show the shape.

It would appear that the old round center columns used by Bogen/Manfrotto are no longer used. Yes, they were split and unscrewing the bottom allowed you to get about 6" off the ground with the legs squatted out. My thought was I could simply use my old center column and slide it into the new tripod. But no.... that won't work. The problem with repairing that tripod (called a place that carries parts) is that Manfrotto mixed parts and you never really know what was used and believe it or not, they were different often from year to year. That makes no sense to me at all in today's manufacturing world. The only solution is to ship the tripod to them and let them dig into it and make it work. Manfrotto does not have a repair facility here for this tripod.

Added: This all started when I noticed the spring clamp thing for the center post was missing (came loose and fell off/lost). All of this trouble for replacing what I figured was at most a $10 part. Without the clamp, the center column is not stable and slides up and down with gravity and the weight of the camera. So, it looks like I'll be spending as much as $500 to fix a $10 issue. I already bought a new assembly that the post slides though and it won't fit my tripod. So, I have already spend well over $75 to fix the issue to no avail.

Added: I think Fleabay may be the answer to my whole "problem" IF I want an old Bogen tripod similar or like my current one. Probably a temporary fix as I o want a more professional tripod, but it is the cheapest route. That would certainly result in a tripod I am very comfortable using and I can use one of the heads I already have with it. Or I can possible strip it for parts.....

 

[fast14riot]

Sounds like you're describing the same issue I have with mine...

This is a 3221/055B set of legs with a 3265 head. I am going to make a new knob for mine eventually, but I don't really use the center column much, so just the pliers on my Leatherman work to adjust it when I need to.


-X

 

[22-rimfire]

We have the very same tripod. I still like the head that came with it when I bought it even though it was discontinued not all that long after I bought it. I do like good ball heads. I lost my spring too. It was just missing one day I went to use it out in the woods along with the lever thing. I just use the short "half" of the center column. It was still high enough for me.

 

[fast14riot]

I'll work up a fix for this eventually, I'll make sure I let you know how I do it, but I have found the replacement parts online before. Another very solid and inexpensive replacement tripod would be a Tiltall. I had one high quality copy I gave to a friend and then found a real Leitz Tiltall for cheap and it is super solid just like the 3221/055B. So if you want to throw under $100 to fix a $10 problem, that would be a good option.


-Xander

 

[22-rimfire]

Wanted to let you know that I am going to buy a similar (or the same) tripod on feabay (used). This will get me out of the point where every time I use the smaller SLIK, I am wanting the larger tripod and I do like this tripod for medium weight camera/lens combinations. Then I am going to start looking at the better tripods and ponder my choices and options. Should have done this a year ago....

 

[vanslem6]

Did you ever take a look over on POTN? Great classified section over there, and things move quickly. Best of luck though, regardless of what you end up doing.