[brj]

Since reading AdamM's tripod comment last week, I've restarted my own thinking about a lightweight tripod & ball-head setup suitable for hiking with my DSLR setup.  (I won't purchase anything until next Spring at the earliest for both practical and financial reasons, but it doesn't seem like these products update that frequently anyway.)

My worst case estimate for camera/lens/flash weight would be about 3.6 lbs/1.6 kg (and I wouldn't take my flash on a hike), so it is a pretty light load for almost any tripod.  It looks like the typical ball head height coupled with the height of my camera itself gives me about 8 inches on top of any tripod I choose.  I'd like the ability to move into stitched panoramas at some point, but it seems this is more of an issue of the right bracket rather than the tripod/ball-head combo.

So, with that in mind, the best combination of weight, compactness and performance that I've found to date would be the Markins Q3 ball-head and the Gitzo GT1540 tripod.  This yields a combined weight of 3.3 lbs.

To this, it might be worthwhile adding the Markins TB-20 Tripod Base and the RRS L-bracket or Kirk L-bracket for the sake of extra stability and ease-of-use.  This adds an extra 0.45 lb / 0.2 kg, bringing the total weight with camera gear up to 7.3 lbs / 3.3 kg.    Removing the center column of the tripod, but adding in the extra height of the tripod base, L-bracket and the camera itself to the tripod's platform height should also yield an almost perfect standing eye-height for me.


So, with that said, does anyone have any comments on the individual components of this setup, and especially any alternative components that would be of similar performance, but perhaps lesser weight or cost?  (I'll definitely be scouring the used market if I stay with this combination.)


For example, I've considered the lighter weight, less expensive Gitzo GT0530 tripod.  It has an 11 lb/5 kg max weight limit vs. the 17.6 lb/8 kg weight limit of the GT1540, but this is still well below the weight of my current gear.  It gives up some height, but folds up into a smaller package as well.  (Both have hooks to hang weights for added stability.)  I've tried to find even less expensive alternatives, but I can't really find enough hard data on them to gauge their performance.  Benro and Feisol seem to be the most discussed, but there doesn't seem to be as much history.  I've also considered half-height tripods and monopods as lower cost, lighter weight alternatives as well.  (Sturdier monopods can double as a hiking pole, which is attractive both from a hiking perspective and from a speed-of-setup perspective.)

The Markins Q3 really does seem like the sweet spot for ball-heads, as I've found no alternatives to date that are meaningfully lighter or less expensive that don't give up significant performance, but there are a ton of options out there, so I have no doubt that I may have missed one.  I do wish that the bubble level on the clamp wasn't located such that the camera hides it when mounted, but it has the benefit of a locking pin, which the RRS and other clamps don't have.

Thanks for any suggestions!

[AdamM]

Here's a shot of my Gitzo 1930.  Having a look at their website, the 1540 you mentioned is lighter and supports more weight!  Only until i saw the price did i figure out how that could be possible

The 1540 looks to be a fantastic machine.  For what it's worth, i'm really impressed with the 1930, and Gitzo in general.  Light, strong, sturdy, and beautifully made.  The 1930 is just a dad 'light' for studio work, but just fine for outdoor and hiking.  I regularly use it with a Canon D30+battery pack, holding a 400mm f/5.6L and it's stiff enough.



Your monopole idea is also a good one - put a quick release shoe on the top and use it as a walking stick.  If you're shooting nature stuff in the day, it maybe all you need, especially if you use any IS lenses.  With practice you can go to about 1/8th of a sec with a 400mm nonIS lens using a monopod and get useable results.  Much slower than that and your subject movement becomes the problem, not you.

Feisol has a great reputation.  If you find a cheap one, it's probably a safe bet.

Good luck,
/A

[brj]

Thanks for the response, Adam.  You're Gitzo looks pretty sweet!

Here's a shot of my Gitzo 1930.  Having a look at their website, the 1540 you mentioned is lighter and supports more weight!  Only until i saw the price did i figure out how that could be possible

Yes, carbon fiber certainly helps the weight/performance side of the equation, but definitely hurts the wallet!  I'd happily put thoughts of new camera toys out of my mind until reading about your new tripod... I blame you for re-awakening my interest!

The 1540 looks to be a fantastic machine.  For what it's worth, i'm really impressed with the 1930, and Gitzo in general.  Light, strong, sturdy, and beautifully made.  The 1930 is just a dad 'light' for studio work, but just fine for outdoor and hiking.  I regularly use it with a Canon D30+battery pack, holding a 400mm f/5.6L and it's stiff enough.

That makes me wonder if I could get away with the GT0530 instead of the GT1540.  Lighter and cheaper, it supports 11 lbs, which is still more than I need.  Those lower leg segments sure looks splindly, however, and if I pursue this level of tripod, I don't want to ever have to replace it because I outgrew it...

Your monopole idea is also a good one - put a quick release shoe on the top and use it as a walking stick.  If you're shooting nature stuff in the day, it maybe all you need,

I confess that I'm leaning that way more and more as a place to start, but I think I might still miss the functionality of a tripod.

especially if you use any IS lenses.  With practice you can go to about 1/8th of a sec with a 400mm nonIS lens using a monopod and get useable results.  Much slower than that and your subject movement becomes the problem, not you.

I'm using a Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G VR lens on a Nikon D80, but it isn't clear to me that either Canon IS or Nikon VR work well with a tripod or monopod due to the type of vibration that they attempt to cancel.  This is based on what I've read rather than what I've had a chance to test personally, so I'm happy to be proven wrong.

Feisol has a great reputation.  If you find a cheap one, it's probably a safe bet.

I'll have to take a closer look.  I've been reading more about Benro lately, as they appear to be mimicking Gitzo very closely, but Feisol does seem to have been around longer.

How do you like the Linhof ball-head?  I'm surprised you don't have a quick-release setup on it...

[Parnelli777]

I have the original Acratech Ultimate Ball head, and recently the Acratech V2, and a bunch of RRS plates, mostly with a Manfrotto 3258 tripod. These are fantastic ball heads–arguably as good as the Arca units, but considerably less expensive.

1DS Mk II with 300 2.8 for example, and is very solid imo.

http://acratech.net/miva/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=AOS&Product_Code=V2ballhead&Category_Code=Ballheads

[AdamM]

How do you like the Linhof ball-head?  I'm surprised you don't have a quick-release setup on it...

The Linhof is pretty good.  I'm sure there's better (Arca) but it works well enough for me. Very smooth and fluid.  It feels very high quality in use.

The quick release is on the monopod!

Here's a shot of that weird Manfrotto head. 


It has a knob for each axis, so its not 'fast' but it is quite light at .9 pounds, being made of magnesium.

I just checked the Acratech V2 head, and it's under a pound too...  That's a nice head!

You've got me thinking about that Markins base...   Such a great idea

[konut]

The Cullmn Magic 2 may be too lightweight for your purposes, but its worth a look.  http://www.photographyreview.com/cat/tripods/tripods/cullman/PRD_84507_3114crx.aspx

[WGH]

I'd like the ability to move into stitched panoramas at some point, but it seems this is more of an issue of the right bracket rather than the tripod/ball-head combo.

I use the weird Bogen/Manfrotto 3437 for all my panoramas.


This head can be positioned at any angle you can think of, and some you can't, and it locks up tight so strong winds are no problem, like your camera is in a vise. The quick release is terrific and secure.

The top plate has a small bubble level which is handy when shooting architectural features. The bottom plate has 360 degree markings which are a must have when shooting panoramas. Stitching programs like each frame to be overlapped 50% and on my camera that is a shot every 30 degrees. I turn off the view screen to extent battery life, shoot, turn 30 degrees, shoot, turn, shoot, etc.

Here are some example panoramas using this head with a Canon G1.
http://www.wghwoodworking.com/panorama.html

Wayne

[brj]

Thanks for all of the comments, guys!

I looked at a few tripods this past weekend, attempting to find the Gitzo GT1540 or GT0530 as a starting reference.  The only one I found was the GT0540, which is a really impressive looking unit.  It is rated to handle the weight I need, but wouldn't allow much room for future growth, as the GT1540 would.  The GT0540 is amazingly lightweight and compact, however, and after realizing that a ballhead would add roughly 4 inches in height to the collapsed length, that extra compactness became more important.  (I'd like to leave the ball-head attached when hiking yet still have the entire rig fit inside my pack in order to protect it.  I'd hang it off my pack, but I've caught enough branches and rocks in my hiking to command caution.)

I'll just have to keep checking the tripod inventory at the local camera shops over the next couple of months to see what might work and what won't.  I might still postpone the tripod in favor of a monopod initially, although finding one with a quick-release that also doubles as a truly effective hiking pole complicates the issue.

I looked at a few of the 3-axis heads, but the 0.84 lb Markins Q3 still seems like the best combination of weight, compactness, performance, and even price:



The panning base on the Q3 should allow for panoramas, although with variable focal length implicit in a zoom lens, I'd ideally have to pick up a sliding rail to move my camera such that the rotation point is always the optical center of the lens.