Tripod suggestion for tall guy

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3drstretch

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Steve
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Looking to do a bit of landscape photography over the coming months and seem to be having trouble finding a rucksack/tripod combo that will work with me as im 6'5. I have a giotto's mtl9271b tripod with a manfrotto 496rc2 head but when fully collapsed is a rather big 85cm which means in wont fit on the rucksacks i've been looking at with a foot cup :bang:

So either looking for a more compact tripod that still tallish or a decent rucksack that will take my tripod i have now ????
 
I'm 6,3 and the redsnapper rs283 is slightly lower than my standing up straight eye level.
 
Standard size Tripod & a folding shovel ?







I'm only 6' 2" but know the problem :D
 
I use the Giottos 9351B and I am 6ft and have to lower it from fully out so i can see through the camera
 
Naphta said:
I'm 6,3 and the redsnapper rs283 is slightly lower than my standing up straight eye level.
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Looking at the specs the max height is 160cm which is 32cm less than my current tripod :bang: so roughtly the same from my eye level :(
 
When I was looking for a tripod you can get a 4 setion leg one that goes to 180cm I think.

Look at the 4 section red snapper one or the 4 section giottos one.

spike
 
I got one of these http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fancier-Multi-Function-Converts-versatility-shooting/dp/B003SZ42LC and really find it excellent. I'm about 6 feet and have a back problem which stops me bending over for long but with this tripod I can have it up to eye level without compromising stability. I've had it rock solid with a 5D3 and Sigma 150-500 OS and extender to take some moon shots and the centre column rotates to horizontal also. One leg is removeable to make a monopod and it comes with a mini ball head too.
 
I'm 195cm and you probably won't like my solution - an Induro CT313.

It is important to check things for yourself. I was advised that a Manfrotto 190 was tall enough for me! Take the 055XProB - oft quoted as something suitable for tall people. But it's only 142 cm with the column down. That makes it 53cm lower than the top of your head. Your eyes are around 10cm lower and a normal ballhead and a camera will add around 20cm - but you're still 23cm too short.

Before I got a proper-sized tripod I came up with an alternative - a small, easily portable stool. Bring your eye down closer to the ground.
 
Unfortunatley its not always possible to have it all, I used to use a Giottos vitruvian tripod because of its compact size, but found it fairly flimsy and not sturdy enough to hold a dslr when fully extended. After looking into it a bit i decided the best way to go was to get a Giottos MTL8261b carbon tripod with good thick sturdy legs and lightweight, Ok its a bit bigger but its light and does its job very well and when fully extended you would have to be a very tall person indead to complain about it no being tall enough.

Specifications:

•Material: carbon fibre.
•Vertical centre column which can be reversed.
•Lever leg locks.
•Foam hand grips.
•Variable leg angle settings.
•Maximum working height (with centre column up): 167cm.
•Maximum working height (with centre column down): 145cm.
•Minimum working height: 26cm.
•Folded length: 66cm.
•Weight: 1.5kg.
•Load capacity of 8kg.
•Leg diameter: 28mm.
•Leg sections: 3.
•5 year warranty

Hope ive been of some help, Good luck with whatever you choose.
 
Hotshots said:
you would have to be a very tall person indead to complain about it no being tall enough.

Specifications:

•Maximum working height (with centre column down): 145cm.
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Add the standard 30cm (for distance between top of head and eyes, plus head and camera) it'll be suitable for somebody 175cm or 5’ 9" which is the average height of UK males.
 
My Manfrotto 055 is 178cm with the column extended pre head. I an 6'2 and rarely extend the column much if at all.
 
But is eye level for a tall person the right height for the tripod, it probably isn't the best height for all photographs.

I also found that if you get a tripod tall enough to use at eye level, you will not be able to get the low angle shots unless the tripod has multi-section legs and/or has legs that fold out almost horizontal, which can also be cumbersome if the leg sections are long.

Another thing to bear in mind is that the taller/bigger a tripod is, the more it (usually) weighs!

hth.
 
david357 said:
But is eye level for a tall person the right height for the tripod, it probably isn't the best height for all photographs.
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I find it quite increduble how often people say this in the 'tall people's tripod' threads.

You can shorten the legs on a tall tripod. :cuckoo:
 
hollis_f said:
I find it quite increduble how often people say this in the 'tall people's tripod' threads.

You can shorten the legs on a tall tripod. :cuckoo:
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Then I'll leave it to those that know everything, but won't make insulting gestures at the end of my post.
 
I am pretty tall, and I have never found my standard tripod an issue. In fact I hardly ever extend it at all but rather spread the legs and go lower for landscapes.

I find that it is much nicer to carry the pod in it's own bag separately.
 
why are you trying to find a tripod that good for a tall person?
shouldn't the camera be at the right height for the best photo? or is that moot?
otherwise I would use a small folding stool :p
 
Maybe i should have worded it better i already have a tripod which seems to be the one for me ie(tall enough) but need a rucksack type bag to carry the thing lol I do have a tripod only bag for it but want to carry all my gear in one place instead of having bag straps going here there and eveywhere if i'm trekking around. BUt finding most sacks wont/dont cater for the 83cm folding down length which is why i asked about a combo of the 2 IF i had to go down that route
 
DizMatt said:
why are you trying to find a tripod that good for a tall person?
shouldn't the camera be at the right height for the best photo? or is that moot?
otherwise I would use a small folding stool :p
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Cos i'm tall seems the most logical anser here :thinking::D

But i understand your commenet and yes you are correct but there will be times when the right height for photo is MY height so why struggle with an inferior height tripod for the sake of it :thumbs:
 
I'm 6'5 and recently bought my Manfrotto 055cxpro4. That plus the 468MG ball head I got is high enough to use without having to stoop down.

If I leave the legs folder in but fully extended it makes a nice monopod too :)
 
I got myself a small tripod to make me get down lower. This is probably down to my own stupidity but I got tired of look at my images and thinking "I should have got a bit lower!!"
 
D4rr3n said:
I got myself a small tripod to make me get down lower. This is probably down to my own stupidity but I got tired of look at my images and thinking "I should have got a bit lower!!"
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If I got a short centre column then my CT313 (160mm column retracted) can go down to around 15cm. Unfortunately, my knees and back mean that I can't.
 
I bought the gitzo GT5560GTS I'm not tall but you just never know when youll need an extra bit height. It goes down really low too.
My best ever purchase.
 
I'm 6' 4" and use a Redsnapper 483 with a Giottos birding head. Yeah, I have to do a bit of leaning over but I can deal with that because it's so light and compact.
 
Get me one while you're at it - just call it a finder's fee. ;)
 
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