Tripod max load consideration

[Grajindo]

Hi all, I am thinking to get a new CF tripod and the maximum load that the tripod can hold bother me a lot. I am not quite sure whether to go for 5kg max load or 8kg max load. The tripod weight of these 2 is quite significant at almost 0.3-0.4kg difference. Tripods I am now considering are Giottos Silk YTL 8354 and 8384. The 8354 weights about 1.38kg whereas 8384 1.66kg, which is just slightly lesser than my current very old Gitzo reporter at 1.9kg.

I mostly use the tripod for landscape photography and the tripod will need to support a Canon 6D and 24-70 most of the time. However in the future, I might be using it with my 70-200 f2.8. I tried to work out the weight for the combination and most I get is 4kg. But based on my reading of some review sites, I am not quite sure why some of the sites mention that 5kg is little bit low and will only work for entry level camera with mid range zoom.

Would like to ask is there something I miss out there? Need some advise. Thanks

 

[domino1999]

General rule of thumb is to get a tripod rated at twice the maximum weight you're likely to put on it. I've got a tripod rated for 5kg which comfortably holds my 5D3+24-104L.

 

[HoppyUK]

Load ratings for tripods and tripod heads are pretty much useless. Do not take them literally; common sense is a better guide.

Ask any manufacturer what they mean exactly, or how they're measured or calculated, and you'll get a blank. They often vary wildly for similar kit. Basically, they make them up. This is as good a guide as you'll get, from Really Right Stuff http://blog.reallyrightstuff.com/choosing-a-tripod-part-1/

 

[dinners]

As per the link in Hoppy's post - there's a lot to be said for the good old swing test

IMG_5950 by dinners85, on Flickr

 

[Grajindo]

Thanks all. I just got myself a 5kg since the main reason of getting another tripod is because my current one is too heavy so will just settle with the lighter.

 

[pingu666]

most tripods can take atleast double the rating, its more there stabilility under load.

I've decided to go for sigma dps, and a cheap lightweight tripod with a acra swiss clamp on top, hoping it works out ok

 

[sk66]

most tripods can take atleast double the rating, its more there stabilility under load.

That sure hasn't been my experience... I've pretty much decided the load ratings must be for "catastrophic failure." Not that they necessarily will fail, but no guarantees...
I've got nothing "official" for that but I've had a lot more creep/collapse/spread/and wiggle like jello well short of their "weight rating." I've never found one that is particularly stable at it's rated max load... not even my giant Gitzo...

That said, I've been known to push the weight ratings pretty hard when the weight/size of the tripod is a concern. But it's definitely "a compromise."

 

[pingu666]

with more weight on then things do become more difficult, and things do need to be really tight or you will get slippage, but in dumb weight terms they can normally take more than rating

 

[Winkyphoto]

My view (which is in accordance with the Really Right Stuff guide linked-to above) is that it's not so much the weight on the tripod that is the issue per se, but rather that the weight is usually due to longer focal length lenses. The stability issues aren't necessarily worse, but just have worse consequences in terms of image sharpness with long lenses. Actually, adding weight to tripods makes them more stable.

(I can't imagine that the load to failure is ever really an issue at all, unless you had a particularly mismatched set-up)

 

[SoDoSoPa]

Good luck with the Giottos silk tripods, I bought one recently and set it up with only a 100D and kit lens on and it easily folded in on itself, the locking clips were rubbish it giving a good tight hold. I ended up getting a gitzo systematic as there ment to get tighter under load, so far so good.

 

[sk66]

My view (which is in accordance with the Really Right Stuff guide linked-to above) is that it's not so much the weight on the tripod that is the issue per se,

Depends on "which issue" we're talking about I guess...
Also stated in that linked article is that the "weight rating" is direct physical load capacity (i.e. to failure). I tend to think better brands rate conservatively, and cheaper brands tend to rate optimistically.