Low-level Tripods. Any suggestions (1 Viewer)

glasgowbirder · Jun 1, 2004

I've noticed that many digiscoped shots are looking down on the subject. I'm away to Orkney soon and want to take pictures of some waders from as near to ground level as I can. Hopefully this will aid composition and will enable to me to camoflage myself by lying on the ground.

Does anybody have any suggestions for a tripod that will provide sufficient stability and support for a Nikon scope plus coolpix 4500 and Maplin battery pack- ie about 1.5-2 kilos? I appreciate that probably I'm going to have to support the scope with a bean bag propped on something but I'm looking for a tripod that's going to do the business.

All suggestions welcomed

Geoff Brown · Jun 1, 2004

various Manfrottos have very spreadable legs and with some you can also unscrew sections from the centre column. Mine goes down to about 12inches off the ground if I do all these alterations.

Leif · Jun 1, 2004

glasgowbirder said:
I've noticed that many digiscoped shots are looking down on the subject. I'm away to Orkney soon and want to take pictures of some waders from as near to ground level as I can. Hopefully this will aid composition and will enable to me to camoflage myself by lying on the ground.

Does anybody have any suggestions for a tripod that will provide sufficient stability and support for a Nikon scope plus coolpix 4500 and Maplin battery pack- ie about 1.5-2 kilos? I appreciate that probably I'm going to have to support the scope with a bean bag propped on something but I'm looking for a tripod that's going to do the business.

All suggestions welcomed

I've owned both Benbo and Uniloc tripods and found them to be excellent for low level photography. Unfortunately my Benbo self destructed after one year when a leg fell off followed by the locking handle a few months later.

The main problem with a Uniloc is that it can be a bit unwieldly. Once the locking handle is loosened, the tripod tends to collapse, so you have to be careful to kee hold of your expensive equipment. Some call them Octopus tripods whch is descriptive. I don't know if they are suitable for digiscoping,

postcardcv · Jun 2, 2004

A friend has just got an Velbon cf 530 - which seems to be a good stable tripod - they've used it with both a leica 77 scope and an slr with a big lens with no problems over stability. On this tripod the legs can be set at different angles and the central column can be split to allow the tripod to be set as low as 17cm. The added bonus is that it is a carbon fibre tripod so is very light to carry - with head it comes in at just under 2kg.
The other plus is that warehouseexpress have it on special (look under special offers - photographic) for just £149 including a head.

geedub · Jun 2, 2004

My Manfrotto 55 lets me take the centre column out and reverse it so that the head is UNDER the legs of the tripod, which means the camera/scope can be lowered to practically ground level if necessary - the only drawback being that it is upside down.

kryptora · Jun 2, 2004

I have just purchased an Ergorest® MultiTripod from Warehouse Express with a Manfrotto 222 head

It is reviewed on their site by Andy Rouse and is useful for low level digiscoping as well as shooting from a car window.

AndyC · Jun 2, 2004

I have a Uniloc tripod which will get the camera into almost any position, but it can be unwieldly. It isn't the quickiest piece of equipment to use and you do have to be careful to tighten the clamp properly. Its also quite heavy to carry long distances. Having said that it is a versatile piece of kit.

AndyC

jebir · Jun 3, 2004

There is this very stable wooden macro tripod from the Swedish company Stabil: http://www.stabil.nu/english/index.html.

Cheers, Jens.

glasgowbirder · Jun 4, 2004

The ergorest looks just the ticket thanks

kryptora · Jun 4, 2004

glasgowbirder said:
The ergorest looks just the ticket thanks

I've been using mine with the manfrotto ball head and am impressed that it can also be used as a shoulder/chest tripod too with an MM2 scope - there are 3 different mounting positions for the screw fix head and this makes it very versatile.

pluvanut · Jun 4, 2004

glasgowbirder said:
I've noticed that many digiscoped shots are looking down on the subject. I'm away to Orkney soon and want to take pictures of some waders from as near to ground level as I can. Hopefully this will aid composition and will enable to me to camoflage myself by lying on the ground.

Does anybody have any suggestions for a tripod that will provide sufficient stability and support for a Nikon scope plus coolpix 4500 and Maplin battery pack- ie about 1.5-2 kilos? I appreciate that probably I'm going to have to support the scope with a bean bag propped on something but I'm looking for a tripod that's going to do the business.

All suggestions welcomed

I wouldn't buy without looking at Gitzo Explorer. Works virtually form ground level to 5ft, or 6ft with the column extended. Very well designed, rigid, good build quality and a pleasure to use.
About £150 without head and weighs 2.25 kg, but well worth it on both counts IMO.

Steve G · Jun 4, 2004

parctech said:
I wouldn't buy without looking at Gitzo Explorer. Works virtually form ground level to 5ft, or 6ft with the column extended. Very well designed, rigid, good build quality and a pleasure to use.
About £150 without head and weighs 2.25 kg, but well worth it on both counts IMO.

Gitzo explorer range gets my vote too. I use a gimbal head & no centre column so can get down very low (struggle to get back up again though

). Sadly these tripods aren't cheap. The Ergorest is also good when mounting a sturdy ball-head on it but the set-up can then become unbalanced (Ergorest is a good car-window mount).

cspratt · Jun 18, 2004

Steve G said:
Gitzo explorer range gets my vote too. I use a gimbal head & no centre column so can get down very low (struggle to get back up again though ). Sadly these tripods aren't cheap. The Ergorest is also good when mounting a sturdy ball-head on it but the set-up can then become unbalanced (Ergorest is a good car-window mount).

What make is your gimbal type head? I'm thinking of getting the Wimberley which is made in the U.S. Anyone use this and their spotting scope?

jdbirdman · Jul 5, 2004

If you want to be really Low the Kirk Window clamp when folded acts a four Legged Pod and is only about 4 inches from ground Level. It can be plonked on a table or any flat surface. I have used it that way on one or two occasions for plants. Its around the £200 mark but as car window clamp its the business
regards
john

rdspalm · Jul 24, 2004

Low level photos

I have a Benbo Tripod which is absolutely brilliant for low level photos. However you have to be a bit of a rambo to cart it any distance. It weighs a ton. I bought a Manfrotto 444 carbon fibre tripod and it is great. It works well at low level although for sheer flexibility it is hard to beat the Benbo.

Another handy feature on the Benbo is two sizes of thread to accomodate any tripod head. This is not the case with the Manfrotto which only has the larger thread size.

Neil · Jul 24, 2004

Plenty of choices for tripods but the thought of using them lying on the ground gives me a sore neck. At our local reef where I do a lot of wader photography, I get out there about 3 hours to high tide, find myself a nice,flat,low rock and drop my tripod to it's lowest level with the legs spread wide and angle the CP4500 up so that I'm looking down on it. As the birds move closer with the tide , I slowly sweep around the rock shelf without directly looking at them. Turnstones and Stints will feed within about 10m before detouring around me and that is plenty close enough with a 30x eyepiece on the scope. On the beach I take a little low stool and have the tripod at it's lowest level. I also use my D100 and Sigma 170-500 APO around the beach and for this I lie down and elbow my way closer , meter by meter. This is a good way to get sand in the camera and a stiff back but you can get quite close. I got to 6m of Godwits this way but I couldn't stand up afterwards. Have a good trip, Neil

Low-level Tripods. Any suggestions (1 Viewer)

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