Tripod for 300mm 2.8 (and some macro)?

Thanks for the pics hefty, they illustrate your point perfectly.

Meanwhile, I've made a shortlist of potential candidates, and here's the cheapest amongst them. Does anyone have any experience with it, or do you think it would be up to the task (K-7 + A*300 + 1.7xAF + head)?

Giottos MTL9351B

Its a very good tripod, i dont find it particulaly heavy really but its very sturdy and has quite a few good little features.
I have it with the giottos MH5011 head and bought the package for £99. i would think it will suit your needs very well, i'll try and do a little testing with it later to see the sturdyness with the centre column at different angles and such and will let you know, but as of yet its not faulted me.

Thanks Glover, that'd be very helpful.
I saw the package with the head, but I'll get a head with an Arca Swiss type quick release.
I think that if I can't find a second-hand carbon fiber tripod a bit higher spec'd at a very attractive price, then I'll buy this one new.
By the way, does it come with the short column, and the tool kit?

No problem. Yeah it comes with everything i'll take a few pics later and show you, i didnt know what it all was to start with and neither did the shop, so found out from the instructions

I think you may find you can't get the camera low enough to the ground in a comfortable position with that tripod, because of the short section that protrudes underneath even when the centre column's horizontal. You'd have to have the column pointing downwards, and then getting the head at the right angle is a pain (I think).

I really do use my 055ProB flat on the floor an awful lot for macros, you won't be able to do that with the Giottos.

Just my opinion.

Dan

Even with the short column?

Regardless of which centre piece you have on this is as low as it goes.



Basically because of this


Which is a bit i liked about the tripod it locks the centre and unlocks it so you can spin it round with whatever you have on the mount.

This is what it comes with



And finally with the tripod set up like this and the camera mounted on the end i had no worries about letting go.



Sorry not the greatest pictures but there fine for the purposes intended

Thanks, very helpful.
Looks low enough, though.
I found one for sale with the head on eBay, will follow it.