Tripods & Heads recommendation

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I current have a pretty basic (£20) tripod which I know I really need to upgrade as soon as possible. Trouble is, there seem to be so many combinations of tripods and heads, to be honest it's a bit confusing. I've currently got a 550d, but thinking of upgrading to either a 7dmkii or 5dmkiii in the near future. My heaviest lens is probably my Canon 70-300mm L. I'm looking to spend between £300/£400. Can anyone make any recommendations? I've been looking at the Induro CT113, but I don't know if I'm heading in the "right" direction. I mostly do landscape photography if that's any help. Should you spend a similar amount on the head as on the tripod? Cheers!
 
Have a look at Feisol, this might fit the bill http://www.feisoleurope.com/feisol-tournament-tripod-ct3442-rapid-p-31.html. Believe their heads are also decent, read some good reviews of their kit and customer service too
Most of the far east manufactured tripods are Gitzo clones, some better quality than others.

I would go for a decent ball head with Arca Swiss fitting, plenty to choose from, some popular makes are Kirk, Arca, Markins, Sunwayfoto and Photoclam
Definitely worth getting a decent head, doesn't matter how stable the tripod is if the head suffers from creep when tensioned
 
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A tripod and head is probably the most used, handled, abused and taken for granted piece of photo equipment most of own. NEVER skimp on it and spend as much as you can for a good one.

Arca Swiss tripod heads are the best heads available like wise with their mounting system so well worth starting here if you can push your budget. While at the top end of anyones tripod budget, I use an Arca Z1g+ and Arca Cube tripod heads with Gitzo Systematic legs and know I'll never need to buy a tripod or head ever again in my photographic lifetime and can't recommend more highly.

Gitzo Systematics are expensive but amazing as they have multiple personalities and can be configured in many different ways to suit your requirements. Legs only, half balls for fluid video heads, levelling balls for a verity of specialist heads, columns for extra height or precision geared adjustments, lateral arms for overhead or copy work, they do it all with ease. I just packed a 4 section Series 3 legs into my case for a trip China and it weighed very little in comparison to the camera stability it provided and made no difference to the personal items I was able to pack for the trip.

For me, Arca and Gizto are a match made in heaven and can only shower praise on both........ expensive but worth it IMO.
 
I didn't mention Gitzo because of your stated budget, but have to agree with the above post.
Also own a 4 section series 3 systematic and it is an excellent bit of kit, light, strong, but unfortunately not that cheap
 
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gazwas said:
A tripod and head is probably the most used, handled, abused and taken for granted piece of photo equipment most of own. NEVER skimp on it and spend as much as you can for a good one.

Arca Swiss tripod heads are the best heads available like wise with their mounting system so well worth starting here if you can push your budget. While at the top end of anyones tripod budget, I use an Arca Z1g+ and Arca Cube tripod heads with Gitzo Systematic legs and know I'll never need to buy a tripod or head ever again in my photographic lifetime and can't recommend more highly.

Gitzo Systematics are expensive but amazing as they have multiple personalities and can be configured in many different ways to suit your requirements. Legs only, half balls for fluid video heads, levelling balls for a verity of specialist heads, columns for extra height or precision geared adjustments, lateral arms for overhead or copy work, they do it all with ease. I just packed a 4 section Series 3 legs into my case for a trip China and it weighed very little in comparison to the camera stability it provided and made no difference to the personal items I was able to pack for the trip.

For me, Arca and Gizto are a match made in heaven and can only shower praise on both........ expensive but worth it IMO.
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Let's get real. Once you shoot digital medium format probably you can splurge on Arca stuff. You could lose them, get them stolen, sea accident, etc. Then what? A normal £100 set of legs will more than do the job and I can buy 10 or 20 for the price of yours....
 
daugirdas said:
Let's get real. Once you shoot digital medium format probably you can splurge on Arca stuff. You could lose them, get them stolen, sea accident, etc. Then what? A normal £100 set of legs will more than do the job and I can buy 10 or 20 for the price of yours....
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And that comment is from the voice of experience? Your assumption is I've never owned a £100 tripod and have no experience of how good they can be?

Show me a £100 photo tripod that can take a really nice 75mm or 100mm video fluid head....... heck show me a decent carbon video tripod thats cost less than a Gitzo. If you are interested in a really flexible tripod system with the knowledge its probably the last tripod you'll ever buy why worry about the other 10 or 20.

I'm not saying its essential to spend this much but if you shoot a wide range of subjects or various mediums its a great system to be in. Tripods/heads are a really important piece of kit and as camera sensors get more pixels, camera support will become crucial to tip top IQ.
 
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gazwas said:
And that comment is from the voice of experience? Your assumption is I've never owned a £100 tripod and have no experience of how good they can be?

Show me a £100 photo tripod that can take a really nice 75mm or 100mm video fluid head....... heck show me a decent carbon video tripod thats cost less than a Gitzo. If you are interested in a really flexible tripod system with the knowledge its probably the last tripod you'll ever buy why worry about the other 10 or 20.

I'm not saying its essential to spend this much but if you shoot a wide range of subjects or various mediums its a great system to be in. Tripods/heads are a really important piece of kit and as camera sensors get more pixels, camera support will become crucial to tip top IQ.
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wow wow wow

1. Camera sensitivity and IS technology improves. With 16-35 IS and 5DIII I can shoot handheld and get perfectly sharp shots in conditions I thought as hopeless before.

2. No one is discussing large fluid video heads and 8kg setups in this thread.

3. For the purpose of a simple photo setup £100 legs do a very good job of stabilising the kit. I have destroyed one in over 8 years and bought another. I can buy another truck load before I spend as much as you suggest. And I bet I could kill your Arca with a bit of sea action.

4. Do you really think a £2000++ tripod is a better investment than a pro lens and semi-pro body for somebody with fairly beginner gear? That would be lunacy frankly.
 
No one is denying that a relatively cheap tripod can do the job, same as a two bob biro will write OK.

Some people will always buy the cheapest functional item whilst others prefer something nicer in form and function.

Neither is right or wrong, pointless arguing over, more down to the way you think and manage your finances.
 
daugirdas said:
wow wow wow

1. Camera sensitivity and IS technology improves. With 16-35 IS and 5DIII I can shoot handheld and get perfectly sharp shots in conditions I thought as hopeless before.

2. No one is discussing large fluid video heads and 8kg setups in this thread.

3. For the purpose of a simple photo setup £100 legs do a very good job of stabilising the kit. I have destroyed one in over 8 years and bought another. I can buy another truck load before I spend as much as you suggest. And I bet I could kill your Arca with a bit of sea action.

4. Do you really think a £2000++ tripod is a better investment than a pro lens and semi-pro body for somebody with fairly beginner gear? That would be lunacy frankly.
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1. And every lens you ever buy going forward in the future will have to have IS and cameras will have to be able to shoot at very high ISO - sounds very limiting on your lens and camera choice to me? You're missing out on some of the finest and characterful lenses ever made going dawn that path.

2. No one is discussing video but how on earth can any DSLR user avoid it, especially looking at the exceptional quality modern DSLR cameras can achieve - 4K will be standard soon and having legs that are adaptable must be a consideration IMO. If the OP chooses to dismiss it then fine, but worth considering.

3. Not sure what Sea action is but I've never had any issues with any of my heads that have been used in all sorts of strange environments.

4. Who said spend £2000 - a great exaggeration! You could spend much, much less if you shop around and what is wrong with buying used.......?
 
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With a budget of up to 400 if you are patient and search around a bit a Gitzo setup would certainly be an option secondhand.

Recently I brought a Gitzo GT3531LSV for 200 and later brought a G2180 and GH3780QR heads from the same seller on preloved for 255 as its a video tripod I picked up the systematic topplate from ffordes ex dem for 20 and worked out for 45 from Amazon the Manfrotto520BALLSH would give me a levelling tripod.

The you don't need a tripod tends to be one of Mr Rockwell's philosophies and to a extent it has some merit but plenty of people chose to use one from the point of view of it being an aid to composition.

For six years I have mainly dragged a Slik Proffessional 4 about with a Sinar Pan Tilt head the legs alone wiegh in at 6Kg it is great for 10x8 but could really do with a higher wieght rating (its good for 12Kg). A couple of years ago an aquantance showed me their Gitzo series Five they had brought on a close out sale ever since then I had been contemplating Gitzo although I did get a great deal on a Manfrotto 055CL earlier in the year and started using that for the D600.

The GT3531LSV at 1.8Kg is lighter than either and is rated for 18Kg ( later 3 series are rated 25Kg) it is now the only tripod I use except when only two will do.

So a Gitzo 3 series could be in budget secondhand and is worth mentioning the flexability of the system means I will be certainly be picking up a lateral arm at some point not fussed about a centre colum at the moment as for the best mounting with 10x8 rail cameras the flat plate is about the ultimate.

The reasons for buying a Gitzo are its supreme flexability and high quality construction as well as excelent service back up it could well be the only tripod you ever need.


As far as cheap Chinese tripods go Tripo seem hard to beat valuewise and I have seen people here recomend them.
 
Just two things.
1= check how stable fully extended
2= check the weight the head takes
 
id say choose the head and its plate system wisely
im going all arca swiss, and you can get the plates cheaply in a number of sizes
ive bought some cheap arca clamps, and the 5quid ones have been too cheap, but 7-10quid from china should net you a good one
 
Thanks all. Glad I've stirred up a bit of debate about it. After all, that's where the best material to make a decision comes from! Going to digest this and use it to come up with something that will work for me.
 
I evaluated a number of tripods of different brands.

My suggestion is to go to Gitzo if budget allows. If travelling then 4 section series 2 is the way to go. The GT2542T is a traveller's dream tripod..

My second option, if budget minded, would be Feisol. They do basic (as far as features are concerned) but very well made tripods that are both compact and strong. The problem is that you can't check them in shops and you need to buy them directly from importer. Also they don't have any fancy features like Manfrotto tripods for example.

Manfrotto tripods are also very good, but I think they don't have anything that can compete with Gitzo 2 series or Feisol 3442. I love their flexibility but unless you actually need all of these fancy central-column features they just add weight and bulk. If you compare a 055 carbon series tripod you'll find that Gitzo/Feisol with the same leg section diameter and height is lighter and can be folded to a smaller package.

I have mixed feelings about all of these Chinese tripods clones. It is a lottery. I tried the Triopo and had to return it due to strong vibrations and poor quality of connecting materials.
 
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