HVX200 Tripod

[Accountneedsrealnameupdate]

Add another zero to your budget

[Will Johnston]

Can’t, I could maybe go to $1000, but I don’t think I can pitch my boss a $2000 tripod. I’ve already got to talk him into the FS-100. Any recommendations at the sub-$1000 level? But again $200-300 is really preferable.

[Shane Ross]

YEAH…what he said. $200-$300 ill get you something to hold a point and shoot camera, not a video camera. MINIMUM for a decent tripod is maybe $800. Better ones in the $1500 range. Best ones in the $2000-$5000 range.

The $800 tripod will be good for smaller format cameras only, like the HVX-200. And again, we are talking bare minimum here. Manfroto and Sachler are names to look for.

Shane

Littlefrog Post

GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD now for sale!
http://www.lfhd.net

[Barry Green]

Cartoni Focus with legs, it’ll set you back about $1400 but it’s probably the cheapest halfway decent tripod out there.

You could go with something like a Manfrotto 503, but seriously, the proverb goes: if you want premium quality oats, those are expensive. If you want oats that have already passed through the horse, well, those are cheaper.

[Thomas Scheffer]

i have tried the 503 for my own and i cannot recomment it.
because i am searching for a new head i tested the 503hdv and the 519.
both also not very useful. so i am thinking about sachtler at the end.

best regards
thomas

[Dave Neyman]

The Gitzo 1325 is a real nice lightweight set but it’s about $1800. I agree with the oats theory. You have to spend a little more to get decent sticks.

[Michael Sacci]

I’d like something very stable as the press risers I shoot on shake a lot.

If your platform is shaking so is your tripod and camera are shaking. I have the a Manfrotto w/ the 501 head, was about $400, for holding up the camera in a lock down shot it is fine, if I want to move the camera a lot, it just doesn’t cut it. I went cheap and regret it. I end up renting a tripod a lot of times. I can afford $60 when I need a “real” tripod, I think $1000-1200 tripod w/ head is the lowest you should go.

Lightweight and sturdy is doable, but it is not cheap – it is called carbon fiber.

[Arnie Schlissel]

If you want to stretch your budget, look for a used tripod. You’d be amazed what may be sitting in the used department of your local pro camera & video store. Or your local pawn shop. Not to mention eBay.

Arnie
Now in post: Peristroika, a film by Slava Tsukerman
https://www.arniepix.com/blog

[Lars Wikstrom]

There are some after market tripods that are priced well but I don’t know about the performance. Here is one of them

https://www.prompterpeople.com/tripodheavy.htm

I use a manfroto 503 head and single poll legs, forgot the model number of those. That was around $500 and works fine for the camera. But when I add my 35mm adapter and 35mm lenses and HD monitor it over loads it and wobbles on pans.

-Lars

[Vince Becquiot]

Also remember that you are buying something you will very likely keep for decades. How much did you pay for your last computer, and how long will it last ?

I think the Ebay recommendation is the best here. If you can’t afford quality video equipment, either buy used or don’t buy at all. You’ll be throwing your money at something your couldn’t even resell if you didn’t like it.

We recently got a Vision 10 with carbon legs in near perfect condition for about $1000.00. A little big for an HVX, but you can probably find something like a Vision 3 for about $500.00, or a Vision 5 for $700.00.

Good luck,

Vince