Which tripod for long lens bird photography?

[RedRobin]

@RedRobin hi Robin, I was sure I saw you mention the specific leveling head you use but cannot find it needs it???

Please can you say again which make & model of levelling head you use?

TIA

PS the reason I ask it I had not realised these exist (no idea why I had not come across them before after so long an interest in photography!) and think I could do with one to compliment my manfrotto legs and Wimberly gimbal

....I use a Gitzo Levelling Base which is designed to fit my Gitzo Systematic tripod : https://www.wexphotovideo.com/gitzo-systematic-leveling-base-1608133/

I find it easier/faster than adjusting the tripod leg lengths.

 

[Box Brownie]

Ah! a system specific head, thanks for reposting that.....good insight.

I will have to see if Manfrotto do something similar and/or a decent third party product.....with good load bearing as needed?

 

[sk66]

I met a nature photography yesterday in Northumberland who has also just bought Gitzo legs and a UNIQ ball head with magical qualities... I watched the clip on line about it and it's making me ponder further. Anybody have experience of the UINQ ball head?

I did a pretty thorough review of the UniqBall on youtube. IMO, it is an excellent "do-it-all" type head.

Some have tried UniqBall and stayed with it, others have moved on to the latest BIF'ers favourite, the new Gitzo fluid gimbal.

And I'm one of them. My only real issue with the UniqBall is that it won't hold a position without a moderate amount of friction applied. And the only reason that is an issue at all is the prevalence of long periods of waiting between good photographic opportunities with wildlife... So you wait and wait until suddenly an opportunity arises and then you have to quickly set the correct dampening/friction level. With a gimbal it's always set.

 

[sk66]

I use a Gitzo Levelling Base which is designed to fit my Gitzo Systematic tripod

I will have to see if Manfrotto do something similar and/or a decent third party product.....with good load bearing as needed?

I'm having an issue finding a solution I'm happy with. Most of the leveling bases like this have a handle that is too long and limits the minimum height setting. I tried a half ball with a very short handle, but it's hard to set unless the legs are set wide... I'm going to use a top mount leveling base; the little bit of extra height will be a plus if anything; something like a SunwayFoto DYH-90i.

 

[HoppyUK]

I did a pretty thorough review of the UniqBall on youtube. IMO, it is an excellent "do-it-all" type head.

And I'm one of them. My only real issue with the UniqBall is that it won't hold a position without a moderate amount of friction applied. And the only reason that is an issue at all is the prevalence of long periods of waiting between good photographic opportunities with wildlife... So you wait and wait until suddenly an opportunity arises and then you have to quickly set the correct dampening/friction level. With a gimbal it's always set.

Exactly. And that's probably the single most useful function of a gimbal. It works* because the weight is suspended below the pivot point and no other design, not matter how clever or costly, can do that without first reversing the laws of gravity. If the UniqBall had been launched with the kind of honest and realistic claims such as rob-nikon made a few posts ago, there'd be a lot more happy campers.

*I know you know this Steven What do you think of the new Flexline head? Tempted?
http://ballhead.com/more-detail

 

[Box Brownie]

I'm having an issue finding a solution I'm happy with. Most of the leveling bases like this have a handle that is too long and limits the minimum height setting. I tried a half ball with a very short handle, but it's hard to set unless the legs are set wide... I'm going to use a top mount leveling base; the little bit of extra height will be a plus if anything; something like a SunwayFoto DYH-90i.

Hi Steve,

Interesting third party head but the thing that struck me about this one was the lack of 'locking grub screws' to fix in place a Wimberly.

However, I did find the DYH-66i and this one has 45degree angled grub screws' that look like they there just for that purpose! It is lower price than the 90i so yet to find load bearing details.

 

[sk66]

What do you think of the new Flexline head? Tempted?
http://ballhead.com/more-detail

I looked at those a while ago. If this was available when I started w/ the UniqBall I would have bought it instead and *maybe* I wouldn't have moved to the fluid gimbal... but I'm not really tempted. From what I can tell it only has a single level of spring counterbalance... that helps, but not a whole lot more than simply sliding the CG fore/aft (it's usually used in combination) which can be done with the UniqBall (or most any head for that matter).

I.e. I can balance the UniqBall to hold most angles with nominal friction... but then it is out of balance for every other angle. A fixed counterbalance doesn't really change that as it can only be the correct counterbalance for a single weight (extended with additional friction). What it really needs is a variable counterbalance system like the better video heads have.
And the Gitzo Fluid Gimbal would benefit from variable drag settings like the better video heads have.... nothing is perfect.

 

[sk66]

Hi Steve,

Interesting third party head but the thing that struck me about this one was the lack of 'locking grub screws' to fix in place a Wimberly.

However, I did find the DYH-66i and this one has 45degree angled grub screws' that look like they there just for that purpose! It is lower price than the 90i so yet to find load bearing details.

10kg I believe... I don't use the grub screws...

 

[Box Brownie]

10kg I believe... I don't use the grub screws...

Are you familiar with the 66i model, having used it?

 

[sk66]

Are you familiar with the 66i model, having used it?

No, but I have used similar lighter duty ones... I just looked up the 66i and it specified 15kg, should be plenty.

 

[Box Brownie]

No, but I have used similar lighter duty ones... I just looked up the 66i and it specified 15kg, should be plenty.

Thanks for doing the digging ....on smartphone not always as good as on PC.

Some thinking to do in regard to improving the functionality of my kit???

 

[myotis]

Even the biggest/most expensive tripods (i.e. Gitzo 5 series) require special methods/technique/consideration if you are pushing the edge. It was rather depressing when I first realized even a $1200 tripod (5 series) with a $400-500 head (MonoBall Z/405) would still wiggle and shake w/o much effort... I guess that's where column mounts (camera stands) come in.

Have you looked at Sachtler, Vinten, Miller, or O'Conner Tripods/Heads, when thinking about biggest/most expensive. I now use a Gitzo series 3, and used to use series 4 and 5 Gitzos, along with Sachtler, Vinten and Miller (not O'Connel, but they have an excellent reputation), and if I was looking for the "best" tripod for a very long lens bird photography, it wouldn't be a Gitzo (assuming I could afford better, and portability wasn't a priority).

I'm a great fan of Gitzo tripods (and Linhof), and my oldest Gitzo, although now looking extremely disreputable, is over 40 years old and works perfectly, but they are still a compromise between weight, size, cost and stability.

 

[sk66]

Have you looked at Sachtler

I still own one.

I'm a great fan of Gitzo tripods (and Linhof), and my oldest Gitzo, although now looking extremely disreputable, is over 40 years old and works perfectly, but they are still a compromise between weight, size, cost and stability.

Everything is... if they could make a top line video head/system with all of the features/functionality at 25% of the weight and for 25% of the cost I would be all in.

 

[myotis]

Everything is... if they could make a top line video head/system with all of the features/functionality at 25% of the weight and for 25% of the cost I would be all in.

Very true, but its the balance of the compromises that are important, and the balance needs to change with circumstances. Do you not find your Sachtler more stable than the Gitzo 5, assuming a decent tripod head.

 

[sk66]

Very true, but its the balance of the compromises that are important, and the balance needs to change with circumstances. Do you not find your Sachtler more stable than the Gitzo 5, assuming a decent tripod head.

I only have the head now... IME (limited) the single stage video tripods are more stable *if* they are set up on level ground with a ground level spreader, even a mid level spreader helps. But the tripods are just too limited in how they can be set up, so then you also need hi-hats, low-hats, special booms, etc.

FWIW, I pretty much never use a tripod at regular standing height.

 

[myotis]

I only have the head now... IME (limited) the single stage video tripods are more stable *if* they are set up on level ground with a ground level spreader, even a mid level spreader helps. But the tripods are just too limited in how they can be set up, so then you also need hi-hats, low-hats, special booms, etc.

FWIW, I pretty much never use a tripod at regular standing height.

Yes, I agree they can be trickier to set up exactly as you want them, and certainly for stills, it was usually a Gitzo you would grab, even though the other tripods always impressed when you used them fro cine.

 

[mpe]

I am using Gitzo 4-series model GT4552TS + Arca B1 head + Wimberley sidekick. It is a relatively lightweight and very portable setup. I can easily pack all of this into an airplane hand luggage.

I am sure it would handle much bigger lens that I am using it with (300mm 2.8 + 2x TC)