Looking for new tripod

[BrianB555]

*****

[scampo]

If you're of average height, our local camera shop have a lovely light Manfrotto 192 at a bargain price. It's new but not the very latest model - match it up with a 700RC or 128RC head and you'll get a super tripod set for, I should think, around £100-00 (you'd pay more on eBay). If you PM me, I'll give you their phone number - I'm sure they'd post it). I'm 6'4" so I bought the similar but slightly taller 055 with 700RC!

And I see Warehouse Express have a few mail order return tripods - a Slik at a bargain price.

[alan_rymer]

Try the looking at the Velbon Sherpa 600 & 750. Min height 28 & 29Cm.
Not expensive as tripods go!.

[Leif]

I am a recent returner to birding and am looking for a replacement tripod. I have read through various threads in this section and Manfrotto seem to be very popular. The main problem I have is that I can only afford one, and would like it to be usable in a number of different circumstances - scoping, digiscoping, 35mm landscape photography and 35mm macro work.

Many years ago I had an original Benbo which I loved, and something like this would be ideal for the 35mm side. Does anybody use them for birding? I haven't seen any mention of them. Do the Manfrotto range allow you to get a camera as low as a Benbo (for the macro work)?

Thanks for any help

Brian

I use an InFocus tripod for birding because it's light and surprisingly rigid. I also have a Uniloc which is basically the same as a Benbo. I find the Uniloc too heavy at ~3Kg without head, and too cumbersome for birding. The cheaper InFocus tripod is far superior.

The Gitzo explorer looks like it might have almost the lightness of the InFocus tripod and the versatility of the Uniloc. I was tempted to get one but for some reason didn't. S'pose the fact that I already have a couple of tripods is the reason!

[scampo]

Well, Leif, three tripods seem to have a certain logic!

[Ragna]

You see plenty of Manfrotto 055 on E-Bay go for about £50 -£65 not much to go wrong with a tripod so they do make a good second hand buy.

[scampo]

I didn't see many over the weeks, Graham, sadly - must have picked a poor time. A new one went for over £100 recently and there's currently one starting at £75-00 with the wrong head.

[Leif]

You see plenty of Manfrotto 055 on E-Bay go for about £50 -£65 not much to go wrong with a tripod so they do make a good second hand buy.

That's not true of Benbos! I had a Benbo Trekker. After one year of use, a leg fell off. I caught it before the £1000 camera and lens hit the deck. Some glue sorted the leg. Then 6 months later I stripped the thread on the locking handle: I don't think I did anything other then use it properly. The Uniloc I bought to replace it is better built with locking screws to retain the legs. Mind you after 5 years of use the locking thread does seem to have worn a bit.

One suggestion: if you know someone who is buying a scope from InFocus, and they don't need a new tripod, ask them to buy the InFocus tripod: they do a deal whereby ~£40 buys a tripod if bought with a scope. It's a bargain. (I paid ~£110!)

[scampo]

Brian - if you haven't ordered it yet, get the 700RC head - half the weight (500g) and... twice as good!

(-:

I just got one this week with an 055 tripod and it's a delight to use, whereas the 128RC is rather an old design and heavy (1kg).

[scampo]

You will - it's just an extra pound to lug around. I think they're the same price or thereabouts.

[MarkR]

BrianB,

Beware that the 700RC is rated to support a maximum of 5.5 pounds while the 128RC is rated at 8.9 pounds. The 128RC may weigh 1 pound more, but it provides better support for your equipment.

The plate locking lever just broke on my Manfrotto 501 and I am replacing it with a 128RC (I have different needs now). This is how I made my decision based on the weight of my equipment (as well as seeing how many others use the 128RC):

Swarovski AT80-HD: 51.9 oz
Swarovski 20-60x Zoom eyepiece: 9 oz
Nikon Coolpix 995 without battery: 13.8 oz
Nikon EN-EL1 Battery: 1.6 oz

This totals out to 76.3 ounces or 4.768 pounds.

Add to that the fact that I have a case on my scope, a spidertech adapter, a cable release bracket, an xtend-a-view LCD shape on the coolpix and an DigiPower DPS-9000 battery pack that weighs 4.2 ounces. Put all this on the tripod and you are getting pretty close to the 5.5 pound rating of the 700RC.

I have the Manfrotto 3443D Carbon Fiber Tripod which is rated to support 12.6 pounds. It can obviously handle the weight of all my equipment plus the 2.3 pounds of the 128RC.

The closer you get to the support rating of your head and tripod, the less stable your setup becomes. This is not just an issue of supporting your equipment, but the instability can lead to more shake, making it difficult to obtain sharp images.

I don't know what equipment you are using, but I thought this example calculation may help you make an informed decision.

Mark

[scampo]

I have been using the 055 + 700RC for a week now and it is, quite frankly, superb - weight wise carrying it is proving no problem at all.

I think the capacity of the 700RC head should never be an issue - a modern birding scope + Nikon CP4500 cannot possibly even begin to stress it. In fact, I am certain that Manfrotto's load figures are highly conservative - the head is a very solid piece of construction and the friction in both planes is superbly smooth. I'm certainly very pleased that I chose it over the 128RC.

[Bill Atwood]

What kind of plate does the 700RC utilize? Is it the same as the 128RC? If it's different, is it better (tighter or more stable), or worse? Anybody use one for a Swaro ATS 80?

[scampo]

It's the same plate, I feel sure and it hasn't loosened yet. It has a safety catch and a screw device to hold it tight.

[dogfish]

I'm using a Swav ATS 80HD with a 700RC head; works fine. The only disadvantage is that you need to use a quick release plate as the foot of the scope does not fit directly onto the head: it does fit directly onto the head of the 128RC and the 200.

The locking mechanism on the head is much better than the fiddly little bit of metal on the 128RC (did they improve this on later models?); it feels very secure. I recommend it.

Sean

[Merop]

Hi Lief, was your Benbo faulty or representative of the quality, I am look at them for field macro work but I don't fancy it falling appart. Years ago my tripod and slr blew over in a high gust so I am very catious now.

[scampo]

I think any tripod can fall foul of high winds. My MF055 almost blew over last week on the Northumberland coast, and the wind was certainly not a gale at the time. The geometry of three legs is a compromise, I reckon. I think Benbo are more stable and the best there is - but at a price in weight, convenience and cost.

[pluvanut]

Hi William, echo the above post, windwise.
If you want the versatility of Benbo, without the doubts, Gitzo Explorer is the only alternative IMO.

[Merop]

Hi Paul, had a look at the Gitzo Explorer on Warehouse Express - mightily impressed - any other users of either tripod?

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/Images/gitzo/tricam1.gif

[scampo]

I think it will have been sold by now - but I should be in the shop today, so if I find otherwise, I'll let you know. How much are these in Australia? I don't know how much postage would be! The shop is local and small and does not have its own web page.

[scampo]

It was for sale without the head - I think they were going to let it go for £40-00 or £50-00, I can't remember exactly. I'll check out when I'm there to see if it's still available. I'd be happy to post it for you if you wanted it.

[Leif]

Hi Lief, was your Benbo faulty or representative of the quality, I am look at them for field macro work but I don't fancy it falling appart. Years ago my tripod and slr blew over in a high gust so I am very catious now.

I have not heard anyone else have problems with a Benbo. Yes mine was faulty, but whether or not it was typical or a rogue sample, I can't say. I used to carry mine over my shoulder on 10 mile hikes and on trains and it should have survived. The Uniloc I have does seem better made than the Benbo Trekker.

Although I really like the Uniloc, it is rather heavy if carried over several miles with a full camera kit (body, couple of lenses, note book, films, right angle viewer, light meter blah blah).

[scampo]

A light meter blah blah, eh? The cat's out of the bag now, Leif. Now we know how you get all of those amazing fungi shots!

How much did yours cost?

;-)

[Leif]

A light meter blah blah, eh? The cat's out of the bag now, Leif. Now we know how you get all of those amazing fungi shots!

How much did yours cost?

;-)

The blah blah or the light meter?

The meter is a Sekonic L208 which cost £70 and is a little gem. I needed a meter because I have a manual Nikon 28mm lens and the camera's light meter will not function when this lens is attached. Also I like to use it when the camera's meter gives odd readings.

Thanks for the flattering comments. However the 'secret' is mother nature's. Fungi really are amazing. There's been quite a few popping up over the last week or two.

[pluvanut]

I have not heard anyone else have problems with a Benbo. Yes mine was faulty, but whether or not it was typical or a rogue sample, I can't say. I used to carry mine over my shoulder on 10 mile hikes and on trains and it should have survived. The Uniloc I have does seem better made than the Benbo Trekker.

Although I really like the Uniloc, it is rather heavy if carried over several miles with a full camera kit (body, couple of lenses, note book, films, right angle viewer, light meter blah blah).

Benbo is a sound and innovative product. Centre column extension is bad news for rigidity on any tripod and the Benbo/Uniloc have longer column/pole than most.

Also there is a precaution unique to this design style. Because a single clamp locks the entire assembly, you must hold on to your precious gear when releasing the lock. I forgot once and my OM4 + telephoto descended rapidly in a sweeping arc, thankfully just above ground at the lowest point - it scooped soil in the lens hood. Could have been very expensive on hard ground.

Edit Post Script: This incident led to some serious thought and product search, ending with Gitzo Explorer, albeit at twice the price all told. Problem(s) solved.

[Merop]

Also there is a precaution unique to this design style. Because a single clamp locks the entire assembly, you must hold on to your precious gear when releasing the lock

Handy to know.

[Merop]

The Benbo Trekker mk2 weighs in at 2kgs where as the Benbo 1 is 3.4kg and Benbo 2 is 3.75kg can I assume the Trekker is not quite as sturdy, hence the provision of the hook on the column?

[pluvanut]

The Benbo Trekker mk2 weighs in at 2kgs where as the Benbo 1 is 3.4kg and Benbo 2 is 3.75kg can I assume the Trekker is not quite as sturdy, hence the provision of the hook on the column?

Right, the Trekker is smaller and less sturdy all round.
Score another point for Gitzo Explorer: (almost) same weight as Trekker with stiffness of the bigger Benbo, Unilock

[Merop]

I eventually settled on a Benbo 1 with the large ball and socket head, as I do a lot of studio macro work I thought it was more suitable. On field work it will help burn a few cals.