# 3 Legged Thing Corey for Travel?



## Cory (Mar 3, 2017)

What would you say about this for travel (with a Canon 70D and Sigma 35 Art as the heaviest thing to go on it)? -

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1284445-REG/3_legged_thing_corey_aluminum_travel_tripod.html

Been looking at some MeFOTO's and different Sirui options and discovered this.
Thanks.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Mar 3, 2017)

Extending the center column is a bad practice, it will vibrate badly, losing much of the usefulness as a tripod. You might as well get a good monopod, it would have less vibration. With the center column fully extended, a puff of wind might blow it over, but that's just based on my general experience with tripods, not this particular one.

Perhaps someone here has used one in the wind. I always leave the center column fully down, but with this tripod, you might not have much height that way. I don't know about the quality of the head.


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## Deleted member 91053 (Mar 3, 2017)

I have tried some of the other 3LT tripods and not been impressed - sorry.

They are nicely made and of good quality but they insist on having very short legs and make you rely on the center column for any decent height - this reduces rigidity to a level that I am not happy with.

When I wanted a Travel tripod I picked up a very nice condition Gitzo 1550T from Flea Bay. VERY much more rigid, somewhat better quality, full spares backup and a bit cheaper too. It is well worth checking out the used market! Travel tripods are so spindly that you need a well made and well designed one to be of any use.

A bit more expensive but these are good - and not just for travel:

http://www.feisol.net/tripods/tournament-tripods/feisol-tournament-tripod-ct-3442-rapid.html

Check the folded length is short enough for you.


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## slclick (Mar 3, 2017)

3 legged's always look cool but when the center column is a main feature it just goes contrary to everything a quality pod is about i.e. RRS, Feisol, Gitzo. 

Check out Redged for very nice traveling tripods that don't break the bank. Not easy to find but worth it.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Mar 4, 2017)

slclick said:


> 3 legged's always look cool but when the center column is a main feature it just goes contrary to everything a quality pod is about i.e. RRS, Feisol, Gitzo.
> 
> Check out Redged for very nice traveling tripods that don't break the bank. Not easy to find but worth it.



I have a Redged monopod, and its great, but what became of Redged? Their website has been gone for a year. Are they out of business? I would not recommend buying one with no possibility of service.


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## Cory (Mar 4, 2017)

What of the Sirui T-025x -

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1244072-REG/sirui_sut025x_t_025x_carbon_fiber_tripod.html

Not that it's perfect all the time, but just for traveling with the goal of small/light for a DSLR and moderately heavy small prime lens.


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## Cory (Mar 4, 2017)

Last one, I promise -
Sirui T-1205x and G-10x Ball Head?

:-*


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Mar 4, 2017)

Cory said:


> Last one, I promise -
> Sirui T-1205x and G-10x Ball Head?
> 
> :-*


There are some reviews on B&H, the first one seemed very thorough. Read several positive and negative ones to get a feel for what actual owners say. Sometimes reviews focus on a usage that might not interest you.

The bit about balance bothered me, a tripod should not tip over, wind happens. Cheap ball heads are ... Well, Cheap. A decent one will cost over $200 and a excellent one much more. As long as it locks, it won't dump your camera. 

"Having said this, there are few quirky things you need to know about the tripod. Although it takes the said amount of load and can be placed on a non-linear surface pretty nicely (like stairs etc) note that the tripod quickly becomes top heavy as the legs are very light and extend a lot to give a good amount of height when fully extended including the center beam and it could topple very easily. So always check the stability, if needed hang a small weight (I hang my camera bag) using a metal carabiner. That will stabilize it. 

The quick release works well but the knob that anchors the rectangular plate on the ball head gets very near to the camera bottom, so if you tighten the knob too hard, its tough to loosen it as you cannot get a good grip on the knob due the camera being so close to the ball head. The release mechanism is easy but takes getting used to it. Hold the camera securely when removing from the ballhead as it can easily slip and fall down if you are not careful. Once the anchor is released, it just glides off the ball head. So be careful!

Also the legs extends need to be tighten/checked for every use by rotating the circular rubberized band. Visually you cannot be sure they are tightened or not. And there are 4 of them on each leg and 1 on center beam and also the ball head. Even if one of them is loose, the smooth legs extends slip and tripod can tilt slowly unbeknownst to you and eventually fall. At the very least your shots will be spoilt due to a slow shrinking leg! I would have preferred a flip click clamp, which is either locked or unlocked. There would be no loosely locked condition.

Overall if you get used to these quirky things of this tripod, it will be a great addition to your arsenal."


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## Cory (Mar 4, 2017)

Thanks. I'm all ears if you have a recommendation. Ideally, the ball head would work with the plate that I use with my Sirui K-20x which is the Sirui TY-60 (that remains on my camera at all times). The BeFree comes to mind as well as maybe the MeFOTO Roadtrip in Carbon Fiber.
Just saw that the center column unscrews off of the T-025x which might put that one back in the running - just ordered.

:-\


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## Skatol (Mar 4, 2017)

Cory said:


> Thanks. I'm all ears if you have a recommendation. Ideally, the ball head would work with the plate that I use with my Sirui K-20x which is the Sirui TY-60 (that remains on my camera at all times). The BeFree comes to mind as well as maybe the MeFOTO Roadtrip in Carbon Fiber.
> Just saw that the center column unscrews off of the T-025x which might put that one back in the running.
> 
> :-\


Hi Cory,

I recently purchased the T-025x from B&H. I was there for my annual trade in and saw this. I use it with the M5 and am very happy with it. It fits inside my bag while traveling, sets up very quickly and is very light. It doesn't see a lot of use but it does make day trips with the small bag so much more convenient. I've done trips into Philly an NYC with larger tripods and they were more cumbersome. This one is a breeze. Hope this helps.

Brent


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Mar 4, 2017)

Cory said:


> Thanks. I'm all ears if you have a recommendation. Ideally, the ball head would work with the plate that I use with my Sirui K-20x which is the Sirui TY-60 (that remains on my camera at all times). The BeFree comes to mind as well as maybe the MeFOTO Roadtrip in Carbon Fiber.
> Just saw that the center column unscrews off of the T-025x which might put that one back in the running.
> 
> :-\



Anything in that price range is going to be a compromise, so its more of a situation to be aware of the shortcomings and plan to work around them. Hanging weight under a tripod - any tripod will help stabilize it and prevent it from easily blowing over.

The large number of telescoping leg sections will be a pain, but to be short for travel, that's the price you pay. As others have said, a Gizo will last you for life, where you will likely dump a low cost one in a year or two, and lose most of your investment. That's a thing for you to evaluate. Sometimes a used Gizo can be found. Acratech makes good low cost heads, or at least, forum members have been satisfied in a few posts I've seem. They start at about $300.

If you can live with Aluminum, $75 for this 2.2 lb Gitzo might fit your budget and allow $ to get a good head.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gitzo-G1026-MK2-Tripod-/332143587111?hash=item4d554cef27:g:UJoAAOSw2gxYq1~2


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## Cory (Mar 5, 2017)

Thanks. Just went with the smallest lightest thing possible, the Sirui T-025x, as a complement to the big tripod. I dismissed that one until I saw that you can unscrew the center column and mount the head there.
Maybe one day I'll go all out with a Gitzo and corresponding head.
My goal with the big upcoming trip to Italy is to travel as lightly as possible. We were going to just hang out in one spot, but changed to doing a big look to Cinque Terre, Florence and Milan.
Should be sick.


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## sulla (Mar 5, 2017)

Cory said:


> I dismissed that one until I saw that you can unscrew the center column and mount the head there.


Off topic: Actually, as you mention it, I have this as permanent setup on my smaller tripod, a Manfrotto 190CL. I find this very handy, as first, stability is much improved, and second, I can get the camera easily very close to the ground (macros, foreground in landscape shots...) folding the legs up horizontally. A center column prevents this, so having a removed center column on the smaller (of 2) tripods is a nice thing.


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## Deleted member 91053 (Mar 5, 2017)

Cory said:


> Thanks. I'm all ears if you have a recommendation. Ideally, the ball head would work with the plate that I use with my Sirui K-20x which is the Sirui TY-60 (that remains on my camera at all times). The BeFree comes to mind as well as maybe the MeFOTO Roadtrip in Carbon Fiber.
> Just saw that the center column unscrews off of the T-025x which might put that one back in the running - just ordered.
> 
> :-\



I note that you already have a Sirui K20X. That should be more than up to travel needs. I have the K40X and have used the 20 and 30 models and like them very much. The K20x is pretty light so I would use that - perhaps get a K30X for your heavy setup?

As to the tripods? I would be looking at least at a 1 series (not a 0 series) or better still a 2 series. 0,1,2,3 denotes the thickness of the top (and hence the other) leg sections, within reason the thicker ones are better/stiffer.

I did point you at the Feisol Tournament models - they are well worth a look. Very light, not stupidly expensive and I have been very happy using my friends ones with a 1DX and Canon 300 F2.8 = my sort of travel setup.


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## Cory (Mar 5, 2017)

As to the tripods? I would be looking at least at a 1 series (not a 0 series) or better still a 2 series. 0,1,2,3 denotes the thickness of the top (and hence the other) leg sections, within reason the thicker ones are better/stiffer.

I did point you at the Feisol Tournament models - they are well worth a look. Very light, not stupidly expensive and I have been very happy using my friends ones with a 1DX and Canon 300 F2.8 = my sort of travel setup.
[/quote]
This one looks phenomenal. Went with the smallest lightest thing possible, but might have to revisit my home set-up with something similar -

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/848828-REG/FEISOL_CT_3441SB40_Travel_4_Section_Rapid_Carbon.html


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## slclick (Mar 5, 2017)

Cory said:


> As to the tripods? I would be looking at least at a 1 series (not a 0 series) or better still a 2 series. 0,1,2,3 denotes the thickness of the top (and hence the other) leg sections, within reason the thicker ones are better/stiffer.
> 
> I did point you at the Feisol Tournament models - they are well worth a look. Very light, not stupidly expensive and I have been very happy using my friends ones with a 1DX and Canon 300 F2.8 = my sort of travel setup.


This one looks phenomenal. Went with the smallest lightest thing possible, but might have to revisit my home set-up with something similar -

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/848828-REG/FEISOL_CT_3441SB40_Travel_4_Section_Rapid_Carbon.html
[/quote]

I personally use a Feisol Tournament as my main pod since RRS doesn't make on in the height/compacted length I wanted. Very happy.


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## YellowJersey (Mar 6, 2017)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> Cory said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks. I'm all ears if you have a recommendation. Ideally, the ball head would work with the plate that I use with my Sirui K-20x which is the Sirui TY-60 (that remains on my camera at all times). The BeFree comes to mind as well as maybe the MeFOTO Roadtrip in Carbon Fiber.
> ...



Damn... that's tempting. I actually just posted asking about the MeFoto... but I just might scoop this one up instead.


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## jeffa4444 (Mar 9, 2017)

"Buy once , buy well" 

I can highly recommend the Gitzo GT2540 LVL levelling tripod been with my around the world, is lightweight yet sturdy and allows you to level the column with a spirit level at the base (I never extend centre columns). It has a retractable hook to hang your bag or a weight to add to stability.


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## tolusina (Mar 9, 2017)

jeffa4444 said:


> ...the Gitzo GT2540 LVL levelling......


If you expect the post to level to true as I did, check the post ends, see if they are 'square' to the post itself.

I have the GT2531LVL, the second time I took it out to shoot frames to stitch into a panorama, I discovered anomalies, I investigated further.
I got no satisfaction from Manfrotto/Gitzo, even after a series of e-mails to Italy.

B&H quickly and graciously exchanged the unit, no joy, the replacement unit had the exact same issues.

A local machinist solved the issue in his lathe.

- - -

This multiple exposure of the post and level should not be possible unless the post ends are not square. An off level post would give a different result. A faulty, lying level would produce yet another different result.






This shot of the post with a square on it shows visually how far off square one end was, both ends were similar.





This shot shows one end of the post being trued in a lathe. The bright area is where the 'high' side has been partially removed, the still dark part is the lower spot. Metal was removed until the entire post end was bright.
The threads remain slightly off true but that is of no consequence, the 'flanges' mate true.





- - -
I can go further on the topic if you need clarification.
- - -
One other thing, and I was well aware of this shortcoming before I purchased, when the post is inverted, the level becomes useless. 
I ordered a Sunwayfoto LP-76 as shown below, re-drilled it way off center, then trimmed the excess so that it fits up just as the original does with the advantage of mounting it level side up on top of the post when inverted.








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