Modestly priced tripod

[Angelo Mike]

Best Buy has some pretty good ones. I got a fairly sturdy one for $30-forget the brand-with it’s own cloth bag. It has a fairly good tilt but jittery pan.

You can also try Rocket Fish tripods for a little more, which are great. I got one for $150, and I use it constantly. Very smooth tilt and pan, goes up pretty high.

https://www.amazon.com/Rocketfish-Carbon-Fiber-Tripod-RF-TRP65C/dp/B0034TU4TG

Of course, I bought this from Best Buy because I needed it right before a shoot, and it was $150 there. Buy online.

http://www.scenethroughglass.com

[John Rofrano]

[Bob Peterson] “I’m thinking $150 or less.”

Hmmm… You will get a variety of responses, but IHMO $150 is not “moderate”. At that price point you’ll only get something that’s “cheap”. You really need to add another hundred and look at something like this:

Manfrotto 190XDB 3-Section Tripod (Black) with 501HDV Head $284.50

That’s a moderately priced tripod that’s worth putting a GL2 on top. It will last you years, and years, and provide a stead platform for shooting.

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com

[Jim Lillis]

Don’t know how these are made, but on first glance, it seems to be a fairly reasonably priced 180.00 tripod package.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Video-Tripod-Dolly-Combo-Fluid-Pan-Panning-Head-EI717-717-E-Image-NEW-/200706447352?pt=US_Tripods&hash=item2ebb0957f8

Tripods are traditionally one of the most under budgeted items I’ve seen. After your shot is shaky and you’re in post wondering what to do, you’ll probably wish that you had paid a bit more for your sticks.

I’ve used Bogen for decades, choosing to not spend the money on Vinten, or other better known and marketed sticks. I have been lucky, so far. Like all other production equipment, they only last so long until a monkey decides to shove your sticks in a tight corner, and it’s all over.

Just sayin.

If it moves . . . Shoot it!

[Bob Peterson]

Thanks for the info guys.

[John Rofrano]

[Jim Lillis] “Tripods are traditionally one of the most under budgeted items I’ve seen.”

No truer words have been spoken. 😉

[Jim Lillis] “I’ve used Bogen for decades, choosing to not spend the money on Vinten, or other better known and marketed sticks. I have been lucky, so far.”

I’ll tell you, I used a Bogen/Manfrotto for years until I finally bought Sachtler. Absolutely no comparison. Like night and day. Good sticks are worth every single penny. It’s one of those things where you don’t know what you’re missing until you use one.

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com

[Dave Haynie]

John beat me to it… but yeah, $150-$200 is a low-cost tripod. Below that, you’re talking “cheap ass” tripod, something that’s going to break at the worst possible time, something you can’t get parts for when something does break, etc.

I have of these; actually, the earlier legs that the 190X replaced (they changed from screw-locks to tab locks), and the 190C, which is a slightly pricier carbon fiber version of basically the same tripod. The great thing about a “real” tripod like Manfrotto’s is that it’s a component system. I actually started years ago with a microfluid head, the equivalent of today’s 128RC Micro Fluid Head. You can get additional RC2 plates and mounts… so I have the same plates on my camcorders (this is large enough for my Panny HMC-40, it’s fine for a GL2, though not as nice as the 501HD or 701HD head and plate system), my DSLRs, etc. I have the same plate system on my Glidecam 2000, I have a Manfrotto monopod that takes the plate, a flash bracket that takes it, even a very compact non-Manfrotto travel pod that uses the RC2 plates (thanks to the adapters). I also have 460MG head for still camera work (also works for fixed video cameras).

In short, it’s a real system, and you can start at about $200 with the aluminum legs and the 128RC head. You probably wouldn’t be happy for long with a typical “Mall Camera Store” tripod, and even if you were, when it’s time to grow, there’s nowhere to go with that pod.

-Dave

[Jim Lillis]

John, you’re right on the “name” brand sticks. I use those with some of my freelance work when I hire out, and agreed, the Bogen/Man won’t hold a stick to the sticks. (was there a pun in there) 😉

For our local run / gun / and what I call mid level budget stuff around here, the Bogens / Manfroto’s hold up pretty nice for the price point. I actually looked at the setups we use and was very surprised what the price would be to replace them. That now known, I think I better start an equipment fun for picking up some better quality heads.

I’m really torn though, by the down sizing of equipment for field work, and what’s being offered to hold them up. I would have a really hard time rationalizing putting a 4k pair of sticks under a 28 hundred dollar camera. That said, a smooth pan is still a smooth pan, and one that is _needed_ in the edit room.

Thanks

If it moves . . . Shoot it!