# Tripod: Suggestions



## abcde12345 (Feb 25, 2014)

Hello guys. I am now using a 6D, and have realized the importance of a good tripod and tripod head. I've always been under the impression that a cheap tripod does the job, but long exposure and stuff like that has shown me otherwise, in fact a light tripod can't even handle the 6D! So my question is, what is a good tripod brand and model, same goes for the head? What would be the reasonable price? What is a model a beginner to intermediate photographer should look into for a long-serving tripod? Recommend some of the better ones if you might! I've heard a lot about Gitzmo and Manfrotto, so anyone?


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## Deleted member 91053 (Feb 25, 2014)

It would be helpful to know what your budget is, what lenses you plan to use and the type of photography you want to do.
However I will have a go anyway! From personal experience I would say buy a top quality tripod rater than get a cheap one that you end up replacing and spending more in the long run. I have been fancying a 6D myself for it's light weight and excellent image quality and feel that it would be a great landscape camera. On that basis I would suggest you have a look at the Gitzo GT2531. I have had mine a few years and cannot fault it for lenses up to 300mm. If you like ball heads then the Sirui K30X should be more than up to the job, I have the K40X model and whilst it is great it is just overkill - you just don't need it for "normal" lenses. The K30X is almost certainly a bit more than you will need but there is no harm in that.
If you let us know more about your personal preferences/budget then we can probably give you better recommendations.
Hope this helps.


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## abcde12345 (Feb 26, 2014)

Here goes: I wouldn't know what's a good tripod even if it's poking in my face. I would most likely be using it for landscape, though after a few events I realized it will be good to use it for telephoto too. Will be getting myself a Tamron 70-200mm VC later this year, so I might see it on the tripod a few times perhaps? What's a tripod head for? It's hard to understand the difference without actually experiencing it, mere reading doesn't give me a good understanding. I saw that there's tripod heads and tripod plates for sale, but I don't get the difference. Personal preference definitely for landscape purposes, as I see that as a more deliberate positioning for photography. Budget wise, what would one expect for a good tripod? Perhaps around 100-200$? Thank you and I really appreciate that help, knowing that it's quite a vague question as I really don't know what I don't know at this point. Real life experience will be much more helpful at this point, but I don't get access to it due to lack of dedicated camera shops around.


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## neuroanatomist (Feb 26, 2014)

Some random thoughts:

Three main things people want in a tripod - stable, light, and inexpensive. If you choose well, you can get two of them, if you choose poorly, you get only one; you can't get all three.

Consider buying legs and head separately. 

Carbon fiber costs more, is lighter and damps vibration better. Also better in the cold. 

Look for heads with clamps that are compatible with the Arca-Swill system (closest to a universal system there is). That's especially true for landscapes, L-bracket, pano gear, etc. The plates are what you attach to your camera and collared lenses, they go in the clamp on the ballhead.

Spend more now or spend more later… http://www.bythom.com/support.htm

The best legs are Really Right Stuff and Gitzo. The best heads are Really Right Stuff, Kirk, Markins, Acratech and Arca-Swiss. Avoid heads from Gitzo. 

Manfrotto legs are a good compromise between quality and value. Their heads, less so because of their proprietary clamps. 

$100-200 for a tripod and head is cheap - if it's sturdy it will be heavy.

I've heard good things about Sirui and Feisol. Also, the Oben tripods/heads from B&H jsut got some good reviews at the-digital-picture.com.

Good luck!


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## Skatol (Feb 26, 2014)

From someone who has purchased many cheap tripods my suggestion is to spend as much as your budget allows on a sturdy one. I am now using an Oben AT-3420 for my light weight travel tripod with a Vanguard BBH-300 ball head. The head is overkill for this tripod but I also use it on my Gitzo 5532LS when the Wimberly is not attached. Over all the tripod is decent. You will sacrifice some stability with the lower weight. 
Add 5-10 pounds to the max load capacity when determining your needs. Manufacturers always seem to over state this. 
After checking, the AT3420 has been replaced with the AT3461 and comes with the BA-117T ball head. Sells for $300 at B&H. This head is not Arca-Swiss compatible.
As stated before you really should look for Arca-Swiss compatible heads. Your options increase with mounting plates and brackets and you won't be tied to a specific brand later on. You can reuse the plates. 
Be wary of the pistol grip heads. These don't seem to lock in place and hold position well. 
Couple of things to note:
1. Number of leg sections, fewer typically means sturdier but less compact.
2. Leg locks, twist or lever. Some of the cheaper twist locks will give you problems if you untwist them to far. They never go back together and work the same. They are also more prone to failure when exposed to sand and dirt. 
Hope this helps.


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## abcde12345 (Feb 26, 2014)

Hi guys, I've tried reading articles on tripod head and stuff, and I guess I should specify my needs with more clarity (yes that's a punch line). I intend to use it purely for photography purposes and not video. I will be using it mostly for long exposure shots, which might also mean a certain amount of wind available at the location itself. Just to clarify things, am I getting you guys right? I will need to purchase the following stuff:
A tripod leg
A tripod head (a prior mention by other user seems to indicate there are other options. What else can I use in replacement of a tripod head? Quick google seems to indicate... nothing. I don't get all the gizmo talk)
Mounting Plate


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## neuroanatomist (Feb 26, 2014)

Since you don't list hiking with it among the needs, a sturdy aluminum tripod with a high load capacity is a budget-effective option. Get one that supports much more weight than you need, make sure it has a weight hook under the platform, and hang a sandbag from that. 

Yes, you need tripod legs, a head, and a mounting plate (although you _can_ screw the camera directly to a head without a quick release clamp, but that's cumbersome). 

You need a head, yes...but there are different types. Fluid heads for video, pan-tilt heads (cheaper versions of fluid heads often found on cheap tripods - avoid them), geared heads for precision work, gimbal heads for supertelephoto lenses...and ballheads, which are generally the best choice for still photography.


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## Deleted member 91053 (Feb 26, 2014)

Re. my previous post I didn't realise that you were completely new to tripods and heads, don't worry - we all have to start somewhere!
Basically the tripod is the 3 legged bit that supports everything, the head is the part that allows you to position the cameras as you want it and then locks it in position.
As in most things in life you get what you pay for. My initial suggestion of a Gitzo GT3531 is a top level tripod that you will probably never want to sell on - but it is expensive! The Sirui tripod head I suggested offers good quality and performance at a sensible price.
Looking at your previous post I assume you are living in the US so I cannot help directly as I live in the UK. However if you know any local photographers have a look at what they use and see what you think of the various designs and materials used. As Neuro said a quick release system is VERY handy and the Arca type, he suggests, is the most universal (and best IMO) so look for that. Alternatively visit your nearest (Reputable) camera shop, leave your Credit Card at home, and have a good look at what they have. With tripods the advantages of the more expensive models will be fairly obvious - better vibration damping, lighter, more rigid etc. For landscape photography a decent "Ball Head" is normally the choice. They are very adaptable and convenient, but look for one that is more than good enough for your needs as it will serve you better in the long run.
You have bought a good camera with an excellent sensor so don't skimp on the support (tripod & head) as it will be a false economy, you don't need to spend silly money but it would be a mistake to go cheap.
When you have had a look around at what is available let us know which models you fancy and I am sure there will be many here who can help you make the right decision.


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## brad-man (Feb 27, 2014)

You've gotten some good advice here. My contribution would be to advise that you get a tripod that is tall enough (with ballhead attached) to bring your camera's eyepiece to eye level _without_ raising the center column. Even on the finest tripods, using the center column should be avoided as it introduces unwanted movement. A well made and reasonably priced set of legs that will do this is the Sirui M3204X. I would also suggest you have a look at a Markins Q3 ballhead. They are simple to use, buttery smooth, small, lightweight and are solid as a rock. 




http://www.amazon.com/M-3204X-Carbon-Section-Tripod-Height/dp/B004QC4TG4/ref=sr_1_1?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1393458421&sr=1-1&keywords=Sirui+M3204X

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Markins-Q-3-Emille-Ball-Head-Black-Q3-Ballhead-NEW-/180648692673?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a0f804bc1


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## ScubaX (Feb 27, 2014)

Hello everyone, this is my first post on CR and since this subject is currently close to my heart, I thought I should share some info.

My choice in a tripod and ball head was easy, I read a book, thought the suggestions sounded good - read some reviews and made the purchase. It was not a complete mistake, but with hindsight - and using this forum, I could have made a better choices. The only truly bad part of my decision was going with the wrong QR plate. I had no idea what Arca-Swiss even was, let alone the Q2 (aka R2) system from Manfrotto I settled on. Don't get me wrong, it works quite well and I was pretty satisfied with the Manfrotto 055XPROB Pro Tripod Legs and Manfrotto MH054M0-Q2 054 Magnesium Ball Head with Q2 Quick Release. That is until this last week when I started shopping for L-bracket and panoramic heads - there are very limited choices to fit the Q2/R2 Manfrotto system. Lucky me, I found an adapter to convert the Manfrotto to ARCA-Swiss and my RRS(Really Right Stuff) L-Bracket arrives tomorrow err- today as its 2am. 

My hunt now starts over, even though my Manfrotto works, it may not do too well with a big heavy bulky pano setup. So I've kind off settled on the RRS pano stuff, and probably their BH and legs too. If I had listened to some more knowledgeable people on sites like this, I could probably have better spent my initial money and not even needed an adapter to switch to Arca-Swiss.

My advise is to listen to the others in this post - and go Arca-Swiss for that QR (quick release) plate.

In my current search I've read a blog post on RRS site under their tripods on deciding on a tripod. Of course they want you to buy their stuff, but the knowledge they have on the subject is a very good read.


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## abcde12345 (Feb 27, 2014)

neuroanatomist said:


> Since you don't list hiking with it among the needs, a sturdy aluminum tripod with a high load capacity is a budget-effective option. Get one that supports much more weight than you need, make sure it has a weight hook under the platform, and hang a sandbag from that.
> 
> Yes, you need tripod legs, a head, and a mounting plate (although you _can_ screw the camera directly to a head without a quick release clamp, but that's cumbersome).
> 
> You need a head, yes...but there are different types. Fluid heads for video, pan-tilt heads (cheaper versions of fluid heads often found on cheap tripods - avoid them), geared heads for precision work, gimbal heads for supertelephoto lenses...and ballheads, which are generally the best choice for still photography.



What's a quick release clamp? I don't really get the idea. So what's the difference between clamping it to head or to a head attached to a plate?

Sounds like ballheads' for me. I prefer still photography and no, I don't hike.


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## abcde12345 (Feb 27, 2014)

johnf3f said:


> Re. my previous post I didn't realise that you were completely new to tripods and heads, don't worry - we all have to start somewhere!
> Basically the tripod is the 3 legged bit that supports everything, the head is the part that allows you to position the cameras as you want it and then locks it in position.
> As in most things in life you get what you pay for. My initial suggestion of a Gitzo GT3531 is a top level tripod that you will probably never want to sell on - but it is expensive! The Sirui tripod head I suggested offers good quality and performance at a sensible price.
> Looking at your previous post I assume you are living in the US so I cannot help directly as I live in the UK. However if you know any local photographers have a look at what they use and see what you think of the various designs and materials used. As Neuro said a quick release system is VERY handy and the Arca type, he suggests, is the most universal (and best IMO) so look for that. Alternatively visit your nearest (Reputable) camera shop, leave your Credit Card at home, and have a good look at what they have. With tripods the advantages of the more expensive models will be fairly obvious - better vibration damping, lighter, more rigid etc. For landscape photography a decent "Ball Head" is normally the choice. They are very adaptable and convenient, but look for one that is more than good enough for your needs as it will serve you better in the long run.
> ...



What is a quick release system for? And yes, I'm new around tripods, so it's really bugging me. =/ So a ball head allows you to pan your camera to desired angles and positions, is that right?


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## abcde12345 (Feb 27, 2014)

brad-man said:


> You've gotten some good advice here. My contribution would be to advise that you get a tripod that is tall enough (with ballhead attached) to bring your camera's eyepiece to eye level _without_ raising the center column. Even on the finest tripods, using the center column should be avoided as it introduces unwanted movement. A well made and reasonably priced set of legs that will do this is the Sirui M3204X. I would also suggest you have a look at a Markins Q3 ballhead. They are simple to use, buttery smooth, small, lightweight and are solid as a rock.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I almost got a heart attack there, just like how I almost got one when I tried looking up for 300mm F2.8's price. :

So that means that I want a tall tripod, even though this usually translates to heavier tripods, right? You are also saying that a direct support from the three legs rather than having an extra section is better, right?


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## abcde12345 (Feb 27, 2014)

ScubaX said:


> Hello everyone, this is my first post on CR and since this subject is currently close to my heart, I thought I should share some info.
> 
> My choice in a tripod and ball head was easy, I read a book, thought the suggestions sounded good - read some reviews and made the purchase. It was not a complete mistake, but with hindsight - and using this forum, I could have made a better choices. The only truly bad part of my decision was going with the wrong QR plate. I had no idea what Arca-Swiss even was, let alone the Q2 (aka R2) system from Manfrotto I settled on. Don't get me wrong, it works quite well and I was pretty satisfied with the Manfrotto 055XPROB Pro Tripod Legs and Manfrotto MH054M0-Q2 054 Magnesium Ball Head with Q2 Quick Release. That is until this last week when I started shopping for L-bracket and panoramic heads - there are very limited choices to fit the Q2/R2 Manfrotto system. Lucky me, I found an adapter to convert the Manfrotto to ARCA-Swiss and my RRS(Really Right Stuff) L-Bracket arrives tomorrow err- today as its 2am.
> 
> ...



You mentioned Arca-Swiss plates, now what is a plate for? Why would you need a plate if you can attach your camera right to your ballhead? What's the meaning of Quick-Release too?


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## neuroanatomist (Feb 27, 2014)

abcde12345 said:


> You mentioned Arca-Swiss plates, now what is a plate for? Why would you need a plate if you can attach your camera right to your ballhead? What's the meaning of Quick-Release too?



http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/s.nl/it.I/id.17/.f


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## ScubaX (Feb 27, 2014)

I will try and summarize what a tripod is, and hope you follow the links given above by Neuro and these here for information on selecting tripods.

http://blog.reallyrightstuff.com/choosing-a-tripod-part-1/

A professional level tripod consists of 3 parts. The legs, the head, and QR (quick release) plate clamp. An amateur tripod is an all in one, usually doesn't have a QR plate clamp but some do.

A professional level tripod may come as a kit - but usually you will buy the head and legs separately. The QR plate type will be determined by the head you choose.

So you will decide on legs first. They come in a variety of materials but the most common are aluminum and carbon fiber. Aluminum is generally cheaper, heavier but can be a good starting point. If your hiking or traveling, carbon fiber may be the best to start with and has other benefits such as stability in wind and vibration reduction. Size is also a consideration, both collapsed and extended. How tall are you? You don't want to be forced into crouching to look through your viewfinder. Will you be traveling and need to carry it on an aircraft? The best advice is to buy the best you can afford now, that way you don't keep spending in the future for something that you could have purchased once.

The head is next and the most common for photographer is the ball head or BH. Generally these have three controls, one for panning, one to release the ball to manipulate your camera and a third to adjust the tension. There are many particulars to the different manufacturers models but in general, its a ball within a clamp and a stem leading up to the QR clamp. They can be light weight and small for use on a monopod or very heavy and stable with even the heaviest load - and cheap to very expensive. You need to decide what weight spec's you need for your camera, lenses, accessories and future needs - this applies to the legs too.

The Quick Release Clamp and Plate will be decided by the head you chose. You should look for Arca-Swiss compatibility. Another type is Q2 from Manfrotto and they also have other forms of the QR system as they can't seem to make up their minds - and they are proprietary while Arca-Swiss is an open defacto-standard.

Why do you need a QR system? Because it is a *HUGE* hassle to unscrew the camera or lens off of the tripod. Some lenses have tripod collars and these too will need plates. The plate is the part that is attached to the camera and lenses and they match the QR Clamp type (Arca-Swiss). With Arca-Swiss there is generally a knob that is turned to clamp onto the plate and it keeps your equipment from an unexpected disaster. Some of these come with safety mechanisms that keep your camera with plate from sliding off when your loosening the clamp.

As you may have noticed, tripods can be very expensive or down right cheap. I like my first tripod, except for the Q2 QR system and wish I had gone Arca-Swiss. My investment was $160 for the legs and $160 for the BH. And now I'm spending money to convert it to Arca-Swiss and even more money because I want to put a heavier load on it with a Panoramic setup and better leveling. So the $375 I've spent could have gone nicely towards an even bigger expense now. But, if your willing to pay to change in the future, you can spend a bit less now and learn my lesson that hard way too.

I kind of mentioned it, but while looking at legs and the head take note of the max weight they can handle. You don't want to cut it too close. And that is an indication of higher quality and stability. You don't want your legs flexing from the weight or the BH (ball head) giving away and allowing your camera to droop.


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## brad-man (Feb 27, 2014)

abcde12345 said:


> brad-man said:
> 
> 
> > You've gotten some good advice here. My contribution would be to advise that you get a tripod that is tall enough (with ballhead attached) to bring your camera's eyepiece to eye level _without_ raising the center column. Even on the finest tripods, using the center column should be avoided as it introduces unwanted movement. A well made and reasonably priced set of legs that will do this is the Sirui M3204X. I would also suggest you have a look at a Markins Q3 ballhead. They are simple to use, buttery smooth, small, lightweight and are solid as a rock.
> ...



It's OK to have an adjustable center column, there are certain situations where they are very convenient. It is simply preferable to not use it. Here's a quick run down of the arca system being discussed. First, you have the tripod legs. The ballhead attaches to the legs. Then you need a method of connecting the ballhead to your camera. The best way to do this is to buy a ballhead that is arca-compatible. That means that the clamp on top of the ballhead is made to accept arca style plates. There are two types of arca plates. There are plates that mount to the bottom of your camera using the 1/4" screw receptacle found on all cameras. These plates should be custom fitted to whatever model of camera you are using. The best I have found are made by Kirk, Really Right Stuff or Promediagear. They will be used when you are shooting with smaller lenses such as standard zooms (24-70mm) or primes. If you are going to be shooting with larger and heavier lenses such as telephoto zooms, you will need an arca compatible plate that attaches to the lens foot on the tripod collar that came with the lens. This is necessary for proper balance. There is no need to buy expensive name-brand plates for this. Generic lens plates can be purchased on ebay for considerable savings. Just make sure the plates have some sort of anti-twist device on them. This is usually a lip at the rear of the plate that seats up against the lens foot. So stop wasting money on food and the like, and go buy some photography gear.


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## ahab1372 (Feb 27, 2014)

abcde12345 said:


> brad-man said:
> 
> 
> > You've gotten some good advice here. My contribution would be to advise that you get a tripod that is tall enough (with ballhead attached) to bring your camera's eyepiece to eye level _without_ raising the center column. Even on the finest tripods, using the center column should be avoided as it introduces unwanted movement. A well made and reasonably priced set of legs that will do this is the Sirui M3204X. I would also suggest you have a look at a Markins Q3 ballhead. They are simple to use, buttery smooth, small, lightweight and are solid as a rock.
> ...



If the Sirui M3204X is over your budget, look for the Sirui M3004X (the aluminum version - heavier but less expensive).

Maybe there is a misunderstanding about the sections:
All tripod have three legs (  ), but each leg can have either three or four sections. Three sections are more stable than four, but the tripod is either less tall, or doesn't fold as compact.

In addition to that, most tripods have a center column that can be extended for more hight. That is especially tempting if you have a short tripod, but the whole thing becomes wobbly. It is better not to extend it. A four-section tripod with the center column not extended is more stable than an (otherwise equivalent) three-section tripod with column center extended. I personally bought a four-section tripod for that reason.
Some tripods don't have a center column at all.


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## neuroanatomist (Feb 28, 2014)

RE the center column, I agree with ahab1372. I think they need a warning label:

Raise in case of emergency only.

The larger, better tripods don't have them at all, for good reason. Generally, I'm not sure the added height is worth the trade off in loss of stability. 

Having said that, I can see occasional utility. A center column would have been handy when I did headshots for ~30 people in succession. I was able to grab a pneumatic chair that was tall enough (a desk chair would have been too short, lab chairs are perfect). But had I not been able to raise and lower the subject, raising and lowering the camera would have been a pain, a center column would have made it easier. I was on an office floor and using four strobes and f/11, so no ambient mean the flashes were freezing motion, so vibration would not have been an issue.


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## ahab1372 (Feb 28, 2014)

+1 on the warning label ;D
To summarize the center column topic:
Get a tripod that's tall enough without the center column raised, and the label that Neuro mentioned is applicable.


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## Jim Saunders (Feb 28, 2014)

If you're up for a different approach that weighs more and costs less, Berlebach has a nice wooden tripod (their part number 3032C available at B&H here or in a plain finish under 3032 elsewhere) which has something of a ballhead built into it. It won't tip all the way sideways as a standard ballhead will but it has about 30 degrees of travel for getting level without adjusting the legs.

I don't know if you've seen it yet in all the links but the standard for attaching a ballhead to a tripod is a 3/8" (-16 UNC) screw thread, with the male part on the tripod. Some use a 1/4" (-20 UNC) thread, adapters are available to go up from the 1/4" thread to 3/8".

The Berlebach is a little bit different in that the screw thread is on the part you can move around; you can get a clamp by itself (rather than with a ballhead) and use it directly. A clamp like this is a good start.

This might have been covered too but the ARCA-Swiss type clamps and plates are more or less industry standard, and they allow you some wiggle room to put the center of gravity of your camera over the tripod. The Manfrotto plates work just fine but they're proprietary and they don't give you that bit of flexibility either. Manfrotto has embraced the ARCA-Swiss pattern very recently though.

I can get some photos if you like.

Jim


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## dickgrafixstop (Mar 2, 2014)

I don't know much about tripods, especially the new ones. I bought a Leitz Tilt-all in 1968 (they're still being made by someone) and have never felt the need to change. It's not the lightest thing to carry but it's faithfully
supported Rolleiflexes, Hasselblads, Canon and Nikon systems over the years.


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## abcde12345 (Mar 2, 2014)

Very awesome replies! It's a bit too much to digest for now, so give me a few days to read through guys. Thanks for the advice though, and keep it up if you guys have anything to say. In fact this might become a very good introduction for anyone who wants to look at tripod. Pictures, diagrams and all are definitely welcomed!


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## abcde12345 (Mar 9, 2014)

Hi guys, I have been investigating and realize that the size of my lens matters too, so here goes: I can only see myself using a lens of 70-200mm size, so that will be my biggest lens. Taking that into consideration, it seems like the 55 series of Manfrotto tripod legs will be a good-enough choice. I have been looking at these pages:

http://www.canonpricewatch.com/accessories/manfrotto

Anyone has a good thing to say about those?Also, I would say that I've decided with a ball-head system instead of a L-shaped head. Seems like ball head system gives a pretty good stability and sufficient precision. However, will it be suitable for panoramic photos? 
Thanks guys! Appreciate it!


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## ScubaX (Mar 9, 2014)

I use a 055XPROB, it is aluminum and has a center column that can be oriented to a horizontal position. It's a good basic tripod with the features I just named also its weakness.

Center columns tend to cause instability. I try and not use mine, but just having the column makes the tripod less stable.

Aluminum is heavier but less stable than carbon fiber as it has less vibration resistance.

However, it price point is very good and it does work well enough most of the time. But I am looking now at a much more expensive tripod as I like long exposure shooting and want the stability.

In your link, I like the Manfrotto 055CX3 best, but it still has that center column. I think all Manfrotto's do and I don't know a good tripod without one at that price point. But, I think it is " a good-enough choice".

A BH will pan, but it is way more difficult to say it will to panoramic's. What's the difference? It has to do with leveling and nodal points. A good panoramic setup will run a few hundred dollars to a thousand. 

When you level your camera via the ball head, your camera will only be level at that point. Then when you pan the BH, the level will change because the BH stem to clamp are not centered over the axis of the tripod - they were angled to give you that level point. If you level the tripod via the legs only, and get a perfectly vertical adjustment to your BH and your horizon is level, it will probably still be not level when rotating - the world just is not the perfect and easy. Rotator's for pano's either exclude the BH all together or are placed on top of the BH. Then when they are rotated, the BH leveling will work as the BH stays stationary and the rotator turns around that leveled position. If excluding the BH, you need to level via the legs or a separate leveling device that is part of the tripod or added to the tripod mount. Does it sound complicated yet? That's nothing, now add in the nodal point.

A nodal point - (you should google it) is the point you want to rotate around to avoid parallax. The nodal point is in your lens, not the camera. So a http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/s.nl/sc.26/category.600/it.C/.f is used to offset your camera and get the center axis of the tripod to align with the nodal point.

Of course with the right conditions, you can even hand hold a DSLR and get a good pano. The software used to stitch the pano can fix a lot of the problems - but not very well in the case of parallax. But, it's better to get it right in the camera and then the results will get even better. If you shoot a mountain scene with nothing in the foreground, parallax is not really an issue, but if you have an object in the foreground, it will move in relationship to the background. That will blur the object when stitching the pano and cause you a lot more work in Photoshop to fix it.


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## EricFiskCGD (Mar 9, 2014)

I just bought a Dolica AX730P105 73-Inch Proline Tripod and Pan Head and I've used it a couple days in a row on so many surfaces like wood, pavement, and even snow. 

It has a quick release, too. I'll post more details if needed.


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## fatmanmedi (Mar 9, 2014)

hi,

i cant recommend highly enough stuff from WLT, i have the frank model http://www.3leggedthing.com/frankblue.html the stuff is expensive but most of the tripods doublle up as a monopod so there is extra value there.

Fats


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## Deleted member 91053 (Mar 9, 2014)

fatmanmedi said:


> hi,
> 
> i cant recommend highly enough stuff from WLT, i have the frank model http://www.3leggedthing.com/frankblue.html the stuff is expensive but most of the tripods doublle up as a monopod so there is extra value there.
> 
> Fats



You are right they are expensive - checked the link and that is more than I paid for my Gitzo 3530LS which will/has supported me at 105+ Kilos! The 3LT tripods are very innovative and adaptable but are too short for most uses unless you extend the center column - then stability goes. 
To the OP have a nose around for a used Gitzo, buy quality once = save money.


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