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Are All Camera Tripods Built Alike?

6 Responses (Add) | Monday, September 22nd, 2008 at 2:29am


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You’d think that all tripods are the same. They all have three legs, right? But saying that is tantamount to saying that all cars are the same, because they have four wheels. A few weeks ago, I broke yet another tripod. I’ve owned several, and they just never last. So now that I had no more tripod, I asked some friends what they recommended. One good friend, Usrbingeek, recommended the Manfrotto Pro 055XPROB.

The 055XPROB makes the Manfrotto-patented horizontal center column feature even easier to use. By extending the column to its highest vertical position, it can be swung round to horizontal without removing the head or disassembling the column itself, so switching between framing and positioning setups is more convenient than ever. The ergonomics of the leg angle release mechanism and the quick action leg locks themselves have also been greatly improved. 804RC2 Pan Tilt Head With Quick Lock The 804RC2 is a 3-way photo head constructed of an ultra-durable and lightweight technical polymer that easily withstands the daily rigors of the professional photographer. A unique spring feature has been added to the 804RC2 to assist in the tilt motion of the head to compensate for heavier, off-center loads. The ergonomically designed handles fit comfortably in the hands, while the standard quick release plate fits snugly in the low-profile receiver.

I was impressed as soon as I took it out of the box. It’s extremely sturdy. Of course, there are plastic parts to it, but not where it matters most. This particular series has been recommended to me by several photographers. When they saw the box for this sitting on my desktop, they were all impressed. I didn’t realize I would need an adapter, but that’s ok. I’ll get one, and it’s easy to get.

I spent about $150 on this. Before you freak out… keep in mind I’ve spent far more than that in total on ones that subsequently broke. To me, it’s worth it to spend more for a product, in order to know that I’m getting a quality piece of merchandise. My chair, for example, was expensive. However, instead of buying a cheap one that wouldn’t last and wouldn’t be comfortable, I chose to just buy ONE chair. It hasn’t let me down yet. So, I went with my gut and bought the more expensive tripod, as well.

The nice thing about this tripod, is that once I mount the camera, it can turn the camera essentially 90 degrees. The stand itself is capable of holding up to 15 pounds, which is nice.

Don’t buy this without checking with me first. Just like with any product, I can probably save you some money with a coupon.

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6 Comments

Seekger.com - Digital Cameras Camcorders Lenses Canon Sony Nikon Panasonic

September 22nd, 2008
at 9:00pm

Wayne Martin Bleger makes pinhole cameras using a variety of materials including precious stones, metals, human organs, and bone. This piece, entitled Third Eye, features many of these materials, all constructed around the 150 year-old …Are All Camera Tripods Built Alike?The nice thing about this tripod, is that once I mount the camera, it can turn the camera essentially 90 degrees. The stand itself is capable of holding up to 15 pounds, which is nice. Don t buy this without checking with me first.

Game Invasion

September 23rd, 2008
at 3:04am

Chris Pirillo Geeks.com Coupons Mac Connection Coupons TiVo CouponsAre All Camera Tripods Built Alike?How Do You Remote Control Your Media Center?

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September 22nd, 2008
at 3:37am

[...] Are All Camera Tripods Built Alike? [...]

Jeff Hann

September 22nd, 2008
at 5:33am

If you think $150 is a lot… obviouslly you haven’t shopped outside of bestbuy for cameras or gear. Manfrotto is a great name, but I hate there cheap stuff. And $150 is cheap. Look at Gitzo for some really slick stuff.

Tim

September 22nd, 2008
at 8:25am

Serious video guys spend more on the “legs” portion of the tripod than most people spend on a video camera. The bottom edge of the “serious” range is $600 or so.

The “head” portion is a similar issue. Good, fluid-filled heads for video are going to start in the $200 range and go up quickly. DvxUser.com, though aimed toward the DVX-100/a/b camera series, is really good for equipment reviews and information around subjects like this.

SLR tripod requirements are different, but I’d say that your $150 is still at the low-end. The common line of reasoning is: I may buy a lot of different cameras or lenses, but once I get a good tripod (legs & head), I’ll never buy one again. Other considerations are weight and rated weight support. What seems light going from the car in the house may feel like a ton after hiking a couple of miles.

Lastly, for the cost-conscious, there are Manfrotto knock offs available via eBay for considerably less (mfg “Amvona”), but with similar or identical functionality. As with many things, more expensive stuff generally lasts longer, but if you’re only going to use a tripod occasionally, it might not be an issue. – Tim

lance

September 25th, 2008
at 10:00am

If you think it needs an “adapter”, how much do you know or how much have you used any tripod? Because tripods need heads, and yours doesn’t have one. The camera fits on the tripod head, and either screws to that or you use a quick release bracket which quickly fits on the head.

Maybe you should just open the Chris shopping network and stop pretending that you know something about the stuff you are shilling.

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