What's the best light but sturdy tripod for MFT?

Just want to report that I bought a kit consisting of a Sirui T-1205X tripod with Sirui G-10 head for USD 279 from kghobbie on ebay (which might be identical to holga camera in Hongkong). Remains to be seen what happens when it passes customs but even if I have to pay something, I think it remains a good deal.

A pretty serious tripod I hope/think, at least for my MFT needs, but still small and light enough to be useful for travel/hiking (34 cm long when folded, 1100 g with head).

Thanks to everyone for your help with the decision, especially mfj197, michaelnel, ginsbu, and Timur Born.

Rich,

Your landscape portfolio is stunning.
--
Howard
http://www.photo.net/photos/howardfuhrman

Gitzo carbon fiber, this is just like a camera bag you should go in person to handle first. A three section tripod will be sturdier, but not as compact as a four section tripod.

You're more than welcome Anders - good choice! Look forward to seeing the results.

Michael

SirSeth said:

Your case is exactly what I'm referring to Bob. Because of the way you use your equipment and because of your needs, the $300 head was the right purchase. But there are more expensive heads and if we went with Thom's maxim, you would have purchased the Arca-Swiss Z1 for over $500 and everyone else should as well. The way I'm reading it, you'll eventually shell out for the Z1 anyhow. That's my beef with the article. Not that a $300 head wasn't the right purchase for you, but that a $300 head isn't ultimately the right choice for everyone let along a $500 head. It might be for Thom and other professionals though. Remember, this article is referenced as "advice" to a wide range of people, not just professionals or serious amateurs with an expandable budget.

I've spent less than $150 on three good used heads that got me through the past 10 years of photography. Now that I'm getting into larger lenses, I'm looking at a Gimbal head. Not Waverly unfortunately. I know they are great, but I can't afford them, and when I buy my next ball head, it will probably be a Acratech but that's because my interest and needs have developed over time--something Thom's article nearly completely glosses over.

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Thom's Support article needs to be read in context. It's important to consider the intended use and work back from that point to determine what's required. Even if your needs change over time (moving to a gimbal head, for instance), a better set of legs may still be able to support the heavier load, so the article applies. MFT spoils us with lighter and smaller gear than Thom's frame of reference for that article, so there's some resulting savings for someone only looking for MFT support.

While it may be tempting to set a budget limit for equipment without a clear understanding of what that means to the end result, that approach will often lead to frustration. I believe that is the core point of Thom's article. In other words, it's better to save your money for something appropriate than to settle for something destined to disappoint. If you can find a cheaper, suitable solution for your needs instead of what Thom recommended, I doubt he'd find fault. It's the settle-then-upgrade folks he was chiding.

In my case, I found a small, light, Promaster CF tripod that works well for backpacking with a MFT system. I spent some time looking for a head that wouldn't disappoint and bought a RRS BH-30 with QR plate. I never plan to use a larger, heavier system, so those legs are more than adequate for me. None of that was cheap, but it meets my requirements and will last a very long time.

I actually do agree with both of you. As was mentioned, the article should be read while understanding the context of what Thom meant. That rarely happens imo, because people apply this article as if it's the final word no matter what the context it. A perfect is this example is this thread about supporting small cameras and lenses. While I agree with Thom if he was using examples to inductively point out a principal of saving well for lasting gear that works well, it gets my ire up how far from reality this article falls as when applied like an elixer that cures everything that ails you.

--
What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about?

--
wallygoots.smugmug.com
wallygoots.blogspot.com

It's time for me to get a tripod, too. Yesterday I thought to take some shots from a bridge, but my 1 meter "Reporter" tripod could not reach over the hand-rail. So I rested both elbows on the rail just to have a deep black spider trying to crawl up on me.

Came too late anyway, as the moon had already traveled too far. And turned out that the near full moon clipped the hell out of the image and lit the sky too much, too. But I got some useful images for practicing and testing stuff out (seems like I need to calibrate the level of my E-M5).





This one turned out quite ok for being 2 second hand-held (full size original for pixel peeping).





Curiously I even like some of the failures.

Just to save some face. I forgot to crop the ones with the street. Right level indicator confused with the right side, so post cropping is necessary. Framed for the street lines, which forced the eyes to be too far to the right side. Cannot have it all.

--
Raymond
http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1244032#author-bookshelf (my books)
http://osloray.wordpress.com/ (Image blog)
http://www.bildebank.com

SirSeth said:

I actually do agree with both of you. As was mentioned, the article should be read while understanding the context of what Thom meant. That rarely happens imo, because people apply this article as if it's the final word no matter what the context it. A perfect is this example is this thread about supporting small cameras and lenses. While I agree with Thom if he was using examples to inductively point out a principal of saving well for lasting gear that works well, it gets my ire up how far from reality this article falls as when applied like an elixer that cures everything that ails you.

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If you spent $2000 on a tripod and head for an E-PL1, it would probably be an extremely stable setup. No arguing with Thom on that point.

Since Thom is all over the mirrorless world with his new site, he might revisit the Support topic for the wee system cameras - or maybe he already has. I haven't been keeping up with the gear churn. I'm set for lenses, and until there's a weather sealed MFT body with a fully electronic shutter, I won't give up my little PEN.

. . . Not the lightest or smallest but rock solid.

Anders W said:

My trusty old Velbon tripod broke down during vacation after more than thirty years of faithful service. So now I need to find something to replace it. My knowledge about the development on the tripod market is next to nil so I hope for some good suggestions here to ease my search.

My requirements are that it should be as small (when folded) and light as possible but at the same time sturdy enough to manage my E-M5 with 100-300 and above all robust enough to handle some wear and tear without falling to pieces.

What would be your recommendation?

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Anders W said:

Just want to report that I bought a kit consisting of a Sirui T-1205X tripod with Sirui G-10 head for USD 279 from kghobbie on ebay (which might be identical to holga camera in Hongkong).

Click to expand...

...

Anders W said:

A pretty serious tripod I hope/think, at least for my MFT needs, but still small and light enough to be useful for travel/hiking (34 cm long when folded, 1100 g with head).

Click to expand...

So what's the experience after some weeks of using the combo?

Timur Born said:

Anders W said:

Just want to report that I bought a kit consisting of a Sirui T-1205X tripod with Sirui G-10 head for USD 279 from kghobbie on ebay (which might be identical to holga camera in Hongkong).

Click to expand...

...

Timur Born said:

A pretty serious tripod I hope/think, at least for my MFT needs, but still small and light enough to be useful for travel/hiking (34 cm long when folded, 1100 g with head).

Click to expand...

So what's the experience after some weeks of using the combo?

Click to expand...

Hi Timur,

Very satisfied in all respects so far. Highly recommended.

If I absolutely have to find something to complain about it is that I am still not perfectly comfortable with using a ball-head instead of a pano-head. But that may be at least in part a matter of habit and I am sure the G10 is a very good head in its category.

Let me know if you have questions about any specificities, and I'll do my best to answer them.

My equally ancient and little used tripod also broke down recently. In the end I replaced it with something probably just as old from the local camera store -- a Gitzo Gilux for around £75. I don't see there being any chance this can ever break with Gitzo's legendary quality and simple, yet effective design. Wanted to test the heaviest possible m43 combination I'd be likely to use --1.1 kg to make sure it could stabilise within the 2 sec self-timer without even needing to bother with a remote. A new, fairly basic Manfrotto ballhead rated at 4kg to complete. At 1.4kg in total, it's not as light as some carbon fibre modern traveller units but, unlike the previous one, I would carry it on local night shoots etc unlike the other which was about twice the weight. I can hardly imagine talking it on a serious walk in the hills but then you simply don't need to with something like the E-M5 unless you're one of these people who like to shoot at 2 secs f22 with half a dozen ND grads to smudge water or something.

David

Ordered a Sirui N-2004 (1.6 kg Alu) + K-20X (0.4 kg) and will give the eyes another try with a tripod large enough to reach over the bridge fence.

First wanted to get the K-30X as it only weight 100g more, costs the same and offers a larger ballhead. But they were out of stock and I was told the tripod would not fit into the bag with K-30X attached, whereas it does fit with K-20X. N-2204 (carbon) would have been lighter at 1.3 KG, but more than double the price.

Timur Born said:

Ordered a Sirui N-2004 (1.6 kg Alu) + K-20X (0.4 kg) and will give the eyes another try with a tripod large enough to reach over the bridge fence.

First wanted to get the K-30X as it only weight 100g more, costs the same and offers a larger ballhead. But they were out of stock and I was told the tripod would not fit into the bag with K-30X attached, whereas it does fit with K-20X. N-2204 (carbon) would have been lighter at 1.3 KG, but more than double the price.

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Sounds good Timur! I am pretty sure you will be happy with it.

It's possible that the thing will collect dust most of the time as I am a handheld guy and still mostly only shoot my kids. I'm curious about the monopod part, maybe I'm gonna use that one from time to time, maybe never.

2 kg total weight is not lightweight, but I wanted something sturdy to begin with, especially since I still own that old small tripod thing. At Photokina I could try them all and didn't feel like 300g more or less made so much of a difference for someone who is definitively not going on any tours with the thing. And I wanted something that can handle my size (1.90m).

nikclick said:

Used the quick release head for a while, but went to the screw head as it is smaller and lighter and doesn't leave an annoying plate on the camera.

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I wouldn't dream of using a tripod without a quick release head. I use the RRS L-bracket on the E-M5 and I'm forever switching back and forth between landscape and portrait mode. I couldn't bear unscrewing and screwing every five minutes.

I don't find the plates at all annoying. When hand-holding, it gives me just a little more security with something with texture to grab hold of, especially the L-bracket.

Also, I use the BH-30, not the BH-25, as I find it a lot more manageable. I have owned the BH-25 since it first came out but I don't use it much.

--
Frank Paris