Tripod recommendations (1 Viewer)

[simmojunior]

Hi everyone,

My tripod has died on me so I need a new one and wondered if anyone had any recommendations. I will use it for my Swarovski ATS 65 but will probably not take photos from it. I need something lightweight as I like to walk a fair distance with it on my back but also relatively strong for moderate winds. I also want to be able to lower enough to sit on the ground and seawatch.

In terms of budget, I guess it depends what I will get for a little bit more but I'd be reluctant to spend over £150-200 for tripod and a head. I have an old Zeiss head which I could use but it is a bit heavy.

Thanks,

Oli

 

[gr8fuldoug]

As a long standing supporting vendor of this forum it would be our pleasure to discuss options with you if you've got the time to give a call, 516-217-1000. This way we can discuss what would be best for you.

 

[Sc0tty]

Hi everyone,

My tripod has died on me so I need a new one and wondered if anyone had any recommendations. I will use it for my Swarovski ATS 65 but will probably not take photos from it. I need something lightweight as I like to walk a fair distance with it on my back but also relatively strong for moderate winds. I also want to be able to lower enough to sit on the ground and seawatch.

In terms of budget, I guess it depends what I will get for a little bit more but I'd be reluctant to spend over £150-200 for tripod and a head. I have an old Zeiss head which I could use but it is a bit heavy.

Thanks,

Oli

This one on ebay looks good Giottos Silk Road Carbon Tripod YTL8253 - used | eBay

 

[simmojunior]

This one on ebay looks good Giottos Silk Road Carbon Tripod YTL8253 - used | eBay

Thanks! It's difficult to tell whether this is a good price as I can't find anywhere else still selling this model. What do others make of it?

 

[Bill Atwood]

For the ATS 65 I'd get the Manfrotto 128RC head. The scope foot fits directly into the head, no plate needed. Large reduction in headaches.

 

[Tringa45]

For the ATS 65 I'd get the Manfrotto 128RC head. The scope foot fits directly into the head, no plate needed. Large reduction in headaches.

I don't see a QR plate as a headache and have a couple of other reservations. I once had a Manfrotto 128 and, although pan and tilt are very smooth, it was incapable of holding my Kowa 883 (only about 400 g heavier than an ATS 65) at 45° tilt without creeping.
The ATS 65 is very tail-heavy so will need a lot of friction to hold it in the horizontal. The solution is a long QR plate extending rearwards. I have Arca-Swiss compatible Berlebach video heads and have a 117 mm plate on my ATM 65HD, although the 87 mm plate would have been quite adequate..
The Manfrotto MVH500AH would allow you to achieve good static balance and has the additional advantage of a counterbalance spring.

John

 

[Bill Atwood]

I agree that the 883 is a bit much for the 128RC and would not recommend it for most people, however it still usable if one is careful. I'm totally satisfied with using the 128RC for my MeoStar S2, which weighs about the same as the 883, but is better balanced. It will flop if not balanced, however it is very controlled and I have no issue walking away from the scope as long as it's on a fairly level surface. Being in the midwest US, I don't bird from cliffsides very often.

Since the 1980's the 128RC and it's predecessor, the Bogen3130 have been the standard heads in the US for 65-80mm scopes. Anyone that thinks the 128RC is inappropriate and or insufficient for the Swaro ATS 65 or 80 is nuts. QR plates are often headaches, primarily due to rotation issues. Some manufacturer's are catching on and providing better options, like putting pins on AS type plates, but the situation is still far from perfect. Many modern telephoto lenses offer the option of removing the lens foot allowing the installation of a 3rd party lens foot that can be inserted directly into the head. QR plates totally suck and any time you can throw one away an angel gets its wings.

 

[Tringa45]

Bill,

I take it then, that you're a contented owner of a Model T .

John

 

[jring]

Thanks! It's difficult to tell whether this is a good price as I can't find anywhere else still selling this model. What do others make of it?

Hi,

this is a good price for a used CF tripod setup with head and scopac. Here's some birder reviews for the tripod and head:

Giottos Silk Road YTL8253 tripod - BirdGuides

An innovative tripod design from Giottos has cut weight and size, making time out in the field altogether more pleasant. Mike Alibone put it to the test.

www.birdguides.com

Giottos MTL8261B tripod with VH6011-658D video/birding head - BirdGuides

Giottos have marketed three new tripods aimed speciifcally at the birding market. Mike Alibone tries them out.

www.birdguides.com

New prices back then were 220 quid for the legs and 65 quid for the head. Plus whatever a scopac cost back then...

Joachim, who would snag that up if he didn't have a good kit.

 

[Bill Atwood]

Bill,

I take it then, that you're a contented owner of a Model T .

John

Your analogy is suboptimal at best.

 

[Hermann]

QR plates are often headaches, primarily due to rotation issues. <snip> QR plates totally suck and any time you can throw one away an angel gets its wings.

I've been using QR plates for something like 40 years, and I think they're great. The ONLY problem are rotation issues. These are easily avoided if you take of the rubber or cork on top of the QR plates. Metal on metal works a lot better than metal on cork or rubber.

Hermann

 

[Bill Atwood]

I've been using QR plates for something like 40 years, and I think they're great. The ONLY problem are rotation issues. These are easily avoided if you take of the rubber or cork on top of the QR plates. Metal on metal works a lot better than metal on cork or rubber.

Hermann

If anyone thinks its great that get to use QR plates that need to be fiddled with to stop rotation and associated wobbliness, well more power to you. I think its great that I can use Meopta and small to mid-sized Swaro scopes without a QR plate at all. No QR plate = no rotation, no wobbliness.

 

[etudiant]

If anyone thinks its great that get to use QR plates that need to be fiddled with to stop rotation and associated wobbliness, well more power to you. I think its great that I can use Meopta and small to mid-sized Swaro scopes without a QR plate at all. No QR plate = no rotation, no wobbliness.

Agree entirely, rotation is a real issue, even with an anti rotation pin or lip on the plate, the foot of the instrument has to be compatible, which is not always the case. In an ideal world, there would be a standard for foot dimensions, but lacking that, a direct fit to the tripod head seems best.

 

[dwatsonbirder]

If you're happy with used, these Velbon legs would be a fantastic base, and any of these three manfrotto heads would be great: 501, 128 or 500.

Worth keeping an eye open for any Benro kits, they offer quite good value, though I'd trade my legs for another set of the Velbon CF series!

 

[jring]

If you're happy with used, these Velbon legs would be a fantastic base, and any of these three manfrotto heads would be great: 501, 128 or 500.

Worth keeping an eye open for any Benro kits, they offer quite good value, though I'd trade my legs for another set of the Velbon CF series!

Agreed, good options... now I really hope you meant to trade your Benro legs for a set of Velbon... which I can totally understand ;-)

Joachim

 

[dwatsonbirder]

Agreed, good options... now I really hope you meant to trade your Benro legs for a set of Velbon... which I can totally understand ;-)

Joachim

Sadly my CF legs gave up properly this year - now relegated to emergency in the boot of the car tripod - and the only good option when I was looking was Benro. I'm almost tempted to buy those legs myself...!

 

[jring]

Well, hopefully the o.p. comes back to us soon so you might still get a chance on those if he doesn't want them...

I have an even older and slightly lighter set of Velbon Carmagne 535 (aquired used for a song) which have performed great for many years. Ok, they could be a tad higher with column down... but since they barely fit into my travel bag as they are, that is not an option without going 4 sections and loosing quite a bit of stability.

Joachim

 

[simmojunior]

Thanks all, especially Joachim and Dan. I was too slow with Giotto so ordered the Velbon legs Dan suggested. Going to try it with heads I've got and very tatty Scopac (about 12 years old) but if they're not good, I'll look for those separately.

 

[Scridifer]

Sadly my CF legs gave up properly this year - now relegated to emergency in the boot of the car tripod - and the only good option when I was looking was Benro. I'm almost tempted to buy those legs myself...!

I bought a set of Velbon Geo E630 new last year and have been delighted with them so far!

Chris