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Comment by Don posted on My new video at 03/08/2011 - 13:31
Comment by Don posted on My new video at 03/08/2011 - 04:11
johnriley wrote:
Let's get back on topic and try to avoid this thread going down the drain.
The only tripod that's any good is a sturdy one. This usually means heavy as well, although carbon fibre ones can also be excellent.
For cameras like the K-5 with the usual lenses on them (not 1000mm f8 ones) then something like a Manfrotto 055 will serrve most purposes. Including a suitable head that will be comfortably under £200.
Second hand will mean lower prices.
ok fair enough...Let's get back on topic and try to avoid this thread going down the drain.
The only tripod that's any good is a sturdy one. This usually means heavy as well, although carbon fibre ones can also be excellent.
For cameras like the K-5 with the usual lenses on them (not 1000mm f8 ones) then something like a Manfrotto 055 will serrve most purposes. Including a suitable head that will be comfortably under £200.
Second hand will mean lower prices.
carbon fiber is too light unless you also take the time to hang your camera bag off the centre post to weigh it down, so look for those little hooks at the bottom of the centre post....
Comment by Don posted on Cheap Tripod? at 02/08/2011 - 15:03
Pentaxophile wrote:
Well that's the last time I'll be using my tripod as a goalpost, chucking it down a stairwell or dangling it off a cliff. Guess I'll have to pay £500 before I can consider doing those things!
I did find myself liking that Gitzo though, it looked really top quality. It IS reassuring to know your gear could take all you can throw at it. But you've got to weigh that up against your intended usage, and cost. For macro shots of daffs in the backgarden, the Gizo might be a bit OTT, and you're just paying for the 'ooh' factor of top-notch construction, and bragging rights.
I do actually have a really good tripod sitting in my mum's shed. I bought it after I won a video competition. It's got a really nice fluid panning action! Only problem is the base plate's missing. It's 15 years old so I doubt they're still available. Are universal adapters made?
you sir, clearly have no idea what goes on behind closed doors at the airport baggage handling check points.... You think they just steal things? They also play with and wear your stuff, and occasionally pee in random suitcases....Well that's the last time I'll be using my tripod as a goalpost, chucking it down a stairwell or dangling it off a cliff. Guess I'll have to pay £500 before I can consider doing those things!
I did find myself liking that Gitzo though, it looked really top quality. It IS reassuring to know your gear could take all you can throw at it. But you've got to weigh that up against your intended usage, and cost. For macro shots of daffs in the backgarden, the Gizo might be a bit OTT, and you're just paying for the 'ooh' factor of top-notch construction, and bragging rights.
I do actually have a really good tripod sitting in my mum's shed. I bought it after I won a video competition. It's got a really nice fluid panning action! Only problem is the base plate's missing. It's 15 years old so I doubt they're still available. Are universal adapters made?
Comment by Don posted on Cheap Tripod? at 02/08/2011 - 14:48
froeschle wrote:
What can one expect from an extremely cheap tripod?
]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9S9jZW3Jxc
What can one expect from an extremely cheap tripod?
]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9S9jZW3Jxc
SEE???? even the annoying Chinese dude that sounds like Robin Leach on crack, agrees with me!
Comment by Don posted on Cheap Tripod? at 02/08/2011 - 14:25
Dangermouse wrote:
The Red Snappers may be cheap but they're all metal from ground to camera (metal legs, metal ballhead, metal QR plate, metal screw threads throughout). About the only rubber or plastic parts are the grips and the screw-down feet which hide the spikes. Now, I know some cheaper metal items can suffer from being cast from monkey metal, but the RS doesn't look or feel like this. You can usually tell from the finish whether the materials underneath are any good (cheap and nasty doesn't usually involve a high standard of finish) and the RS parts seem to be decent castings judging by the lack of mould marks or rough patches.
They are, naturally, rather heavy. But if I was planning to set up for a few hours in one location I'd lug it. I took it for a four or five mile walk a while ago and didn't feel overloaded, although I wouldn't suggest trekking across a continent with it. That said, if you wrapped a tarpaulin around it you'd probably get a serviceable tent!
I've heard some chinese made clones of major brands are quite good... the chinese do save on labor, and maybe even on material quality, but I suspect they are solid enough and priced low enough to qualify as good value for the money. I am not a brand snob. correct me if I'm wrong, But I've heard red snapper is basically chinese Slik clones...The Red Snappers may be cheap but they're all metal from ground to camera (metal legs, metal ballhead, metal QR plate, metal screw threads throughout). About the only rubber or plastic parts are the grips and the screw-down feet which hide the spikes. Now, I know some cheaper metal items can suffer from being cast from monkey metal, but the RS doesn't look or feel like this. You can usually tell from the finish whether the materials underneath are any good (cheap and nasty doesn't usually involve a high standard of finish) and the RS parts seem to be decent castings judging by the lack of mould marks or rough patches.
They are, naturally, rather heavy. But if I was planning to set up for a few hours in one location I'd lug it. I took it for a four or five mile walk a while ago and didn't feel overloaded, although I wouldn't suggest trekking across a continent with it. That said, if you wrapped a tarpaulin around it you'd probably get a serviceable tent!
Comment by Don posted on Cheap Tripod? at 02/08/2011 - 00:37
rparmar wrote:
Don, you're wasting your time. People think nothing of buying a 1000 buck camera every few years (or even every year) but get them to spend more than their weekly allowance on a tripod? Impossible. They'll just say you have an agenda or that your opinion is "tainted" or that you want everyone to spend 1500 pounds.
Time to give it a rest.
agree...Don, you're wasting your time. People think nothing of buying a 1000 buck camera every few years (or even every year) but get them to spend more than their weekly allowance on a tripod? Impossible. They'll just say you have an agenda or that your opinion is "tainted" or that you want everyone to spend 1500 pounds.
Time to give it a rest.
it's like putting one of these :
on these:
nothing in this argument to benefit me, so...
I'm out...
Comment by Don posted on Cheap Tripod? at 02/08/2011 - 00:25
Pentaxophile wrote:
I took some 25 second exposures on sunday. My hands are rock steady, but I doubt I could have pulled that off without my excellent Quantaray tripod with one foot missing and patched up with duck tape
Mirror slap can be avoided with MLU, and I think shutter blur won't affect exposures over about 1/8 if not less.
I'm all for saving money. I'm all for duct tape. but if the tripod hasn't got stable legs, all metal head and locking plate with smooth panning and tilting, then it is just a matter of time or dumb luck before some combination of clumsy by stander, cold temperature, wear and tear see's you holding onto your tripod which you've just saved from being knocked over or tipping over due to a broken leg lock, and as you try to save it, you hear an unreal snapping noise and watch for what feels like an eternity, in slow motion as your camera breaks free from it's perch and continues on it's journey to the sidewalk, whilst the flimsy tripod stays more or less in your hand....I took some 25 second exposures on sunday. My hands are rock steady, but I doubt I could have pulled that off without my excellent Quantaray tripod with one foot missing and patched up with duck tape
Mirror slap can be avoided with MLU, and I think shutter blur won't affect exposures over about 1/8 if not less.
Good luck, happy shooting. hope it never really happens to you... but I'm very sure it won't happen to any tripod I've paid for.
Comment by Don posted on Cheap Tripod? at 01/08/2011 - 23:31
Pentaxophile wrote:
Even a cheap ass tripod works fine if you don't use the column extension, or use it in a force 9 gale. Probably won't stand frequent hard use, but will probably last many years if you're reasonably careful with it and don't plan on taking it out every week. Clearly if you're majoring in photography which requires a tripod or making a living from it, you'll want the best you can afford. But as far as a cheap tripod being worse than handholding, this is just untrue
you'd be surprised.... right around the time you get into non handhold able shutter speeds, the mirror slap and shutter induced blur, is more noticeable with a flimsier tripod, above that, well, you're into handhold able territory so the tripod simply isn't isn't doing anything except freeing up a hand, and slowing you down.....Even a cheap ass tripod works fine if you don't use the column extension, or use it in a force 9 gale. Probably won't stand frequent hard use, but will probably last many years if you're reasonably careful with it and don't plan on taking it out every week. Clearly if you're majoring in photography which requires a tripod or making a living from it, you'll want the best you can afford. But as far as a cheap tripod being worse than handholding, this is just untrue
and I've been doing this long enough to have seen several $1000.00 +++ slrs fall off cheap tripods when flimsy plastic pieces break under light use. (NEVER MINE though). I also have a manfrotto 190 that has served over 18 years with over a dozen fully booked Wedding seasons, hiking, camping, motorcycling trips, several stints in the arctic and many a canadian winter with little more than routine maintenance.... a good tripod will last a lifetime. Why balance $1000.00 or more worth of valuable equipment off a tripod with a flimsy plastic plate holding a tiny bolt to the bottom of your camera? seems like false economy to me.
Comment by Don posted on Cheap Tripod? at 01/08/2011 - 23:07
Dodge69 wrote:
I prefer to travel light and would rather spend money on bits of equipment I would use more often, and as I said have got the big Velbon if need be, so I ordered the £16 Hama from Amazon - will update my opinion upon testing - if anyone gives a monkeys
bottom line for me is... you buy cheap, you're buyin twice. nanhi wrote:
Dodge69 Sir, I am surprised at a lot of comments on a "CHEAP" Tripod. And why should name brands - Velbon, Manfroto, Benro, blah blah be good only. Here is my US $ 22 Cherry - Made in Japan Tripod. Fits into my camera Backpack and pretty light. Takes the weight of my K20D with a 400 mm birding lens.
Oh ho, cant attach a photo here - please see my album as nanhi on the pentax forum (USA) or send me a mail at "nanhi at hotmail dot com" for the photo. Regards.
Me too man, but people take their hobbies to different levels and all power to them. Certainly we all use our equipment to different levels of both punishment and frequency so the expense is justified for some.Dodge69 Sir, I am surprised at a lot of comments on a "CHEAP" Tripod. And why should name brands - Velbon, Manfroto, Benro, blah blah be good only. Here is my US $ 22 Cherry - Made in Japan Tripod. Fits into my camera Backpack and pretty light. Takes the weight of my K20D with a 400 mm birding lens.
Oh ho, cant attach a photo here - please see my album as nanhi on the pentax forum (USA) or send me a mail at "nanhi at hotmail dot com" for the photo. Regards.
I prefer to travel light and would rather spend money on bits of equipment I would use more often, and as I said have got the big Velbon if need be, so I ordered the £16 Hama from Amazon - will update my opinion upon testing - if anyone gives a monkeys
That doesn't mean there aren't any good values out there, value meaning finding a sweet spot between cost, durability and function.... but the truth is many a cheap flimsy tripod is a waste of money to buy and waste of energy to carry, and a waste of time to set up. Nine times out of ten, a steady hand and higher iso/faster shutter combo will yield equal or better results than a flimsy, shaky tripod.
A shoe lace threaded through an eyebolt which is screwed into the tripod socket of the camera and the other end looped around one foot will equal any $50.00 or less tripod when extended four to five feet high. Save your fifty bucks and put it towards a real tripod, and leave the toy tripods on the shelf fo somebody thats got $50.00 to waste.
Comment by Don posted on Cheap Tripod? at 01/08/2011 - 22:04
new video...
link
c&c welcome
Happens every day in our house.
Regards
Bernard
I went from concept, to script to shot list to filming and starring in it, to editing and publish in one working day. (8 hrs start to finish)
I know the whole project could be better (esp the make-up) but imagine what I can do if I had a crew... and that is the point in this concept... If I'm gonna make movies, I need to convince some people to sign up on a bigger project.