# Any advice or experience of small tripods?



## privatebydesign (Apr 16, 2015)

So, I have decided I want a _small_ tripod.

Smaller than the Manfrotto 190 but bigger than the RRS TFA-01. So far I have found the Giottos MT9240 at an end of line price at Adorama for a mere $45 that seems to fit the bill. http://www.adorama.com/gtmt9240.html

Anybody have anything similar they would recommend, or not, or even any owners of the MT9240 have anything to say about it?


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Apr 16, 2015)

privatebydesign said:


> So, I have decided I want a _small_ tripod.
> 
> Smaller than the Manfrotto 190 but bigger than the RRS TFA-01. So far I have found the Giottos MT9240 at an end of line price at Adorama for a mere $45 that seems to fit the bill. http://www.adorama.com/gtmt9240.html
> 
> Anybody have anything similar they would recommend, or not, or even any owners of the MT9240 have anything to say about it?




By smaller, do you mean shorter? Lightweight? CF or Aluminum? What other attributes or usage are you looking for? Is it for getting a close to the ground Macro, for example?


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## privatebydesign (Apr 16, 2015)

Yes short as in not tall. Don't care on the material and the linked Giottos is the kind of thing I am thinking. It is mainly for traveling as the 055 does everything pretty well and the 058b deals with the heavy stuff and tethering. I took a 055CX3 all around India last year and wasn't allowed to use it anywhere I wanted to use it, so I figured a baby tripod might get more use, also for the newest ultrawides getting low for foreground interest seems more important than ever and I have a few night exposure ideas that could use a short tripod.

So 12"-24" or so height, reversible column to get me down to ground level, not too heavy and packs very small. Obviously the price of the Giottos is pretty stellar too so I'd have to really love something else to go way outside that price bracket, but I am open to any ideas.


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## Eldar (Apr 16, 2015)

May not be what you were looking for, but I can recommend this Gitzo. Unfortunately it only comes in a combo with the head, which is worthless. I have replaced it with a RRS BH-20 head. Very small, light and compact and surprisingly sturdy. I use it up the 70-200 f2.8L IS II and 1DX.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/765687-REG/Gitzo_GK1580TQR5_GK1580TQR5_Series_1_Traveler.html


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## expatinasia (Apr 16, 2015)

The Sirui N2004 or similar is very hard to beat. Seems to meet everything you are looking for and one of the legs can even be used as a monopod.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/994931-REG/sirui_bsrn2004k_n_2004kx_aluminum_tripod.html


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## Sporgon (Apr 16, 2015)

I thought the Manfrotto Befree looks quite cute; in either alloy or carbon fibre. Again comes with a basic head, but it does have the essential detachable plate. I find that as soon as I look at fitting a 'proper' head to an ultra light, compact tripod it takes away the only advantages that tripod has: size and weight. Also,I like Manfrotto gear; I've used it for about thirty years, and whilst it's not a slick as some of the much more expensive supports, I find it's a good balance between affordability and quality. Also Manfrotto ASS is pretty good.


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## privatebydesign (Apr 17, 2015)

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

I ordered the Giottos, at $50 delivered it is too interesting to turn down. As a secondary use for it I intend to put a spigot on it and use it as a low/background light stand.

I looked at the other suggestions, and again thanks, but they were all just regular tripod variants and after the limitations I have had with their use when traveling I wanted something that was short and unobtrusive enough to be all but ignored and genuinely fit inside a bag.

The one shortcoming I have seen for it already is that with the longish center post it won't go super low, I might try and engineer a solution for that (with a hacksaw).

I'll post a followup after I have used it for a bit, though truth be told, like most 'good buys' I probably have the highest opinion of it now, before I actually get it


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## Eldar (Apr 17, 2015)

Just FYI, the Gitzo I suggested, which is a full size tripod (5 sections), is shorter, when folded, including the head, 35cm vs. 36cm. I do not believe the Giotto can be folded the same way, so you must add that to the 36cm. The price is totally different though.


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## privatebydesign (Apr 17, 2015)

Eldar said:


> Just FYI, the Gitzo I suggested, which is a full size tripod (5 sections), is shorter, when folded, including the head, 35cm vs. 36cm. I do not believe the Giotto can be folded the same way, so you must add that to the 36cm. The price is totally different though.



Yes if I am truthful Eldar the price of your suggestion was a major stumbling block, don't forget I am a mediocre generalist photographer who has moved country too many times in the last decade, you are a successful airport infrastructure supplier!

Mind you, if the Giottos doesn't work out but I like the way I carry it, I wouldn't rule out the Gitzo. I'd just have to budget for it, it is just that there are too many exciting lenses to distract me! I know the Giottos will serve well as a background light stand and is a lot more functional than an actual background light stand, so it was worth getting anyway.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Apr 18, 2015)

privatebydesign said:


> Eldar said:
> 
> 
> > Just FYI, the Gitzo I suggested, which is a full size tripod (5 sections), is shorter, when folded, including the head, 35cm vs. 36cm. I do not believe the Giotto can be folded the same way, so you must add that to the 36cm. The price is totally different though.
> ...



I think you will be fine with the Giottos, and if it breaks after 2 or 3 years, its not a big loss. Most likely, it will live for a very long time.


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## expatinasia (Apr 18, 2015)

privatebydesign said:


> Thanks for the suggestions guys.
> 
> I ordered the Giottos, at $50 delivered it is too interesting to turn down. As a secondary use for it I intend to put a spigot on it and use it as a low/background light stand.
> 
> ...



US$ 50 is very cheap, but the problem of the centre column is completely solved with the Sirui N2004 as it comes with a dedicated super small centre column for getting close to the ground. Plus its comes with a bag, one leg detaches to make a monopod and it is able to handle some of the heaviest loads on the market in one of the smallest packages. It really is a terrific deal. But it is not US$ 50! That really is very cheap.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/994931-REG/sirui_bsrn2004k_n_2004kx_aluminum_tripod.html


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