Looking to get a small (the smaller the better) tripod for an upcoming trip with a NEX5N. Which tripod/ballhead combo would you recommend? I like the GP3 Gorillapod but not sure how stable that will be. I'll be shooting with lightweight rangefinder lenses. Any suggestions appreciated.
Rioni, I have used a GP3 Gorillapod as recently as yesterday night with a NEX 7 + Leica R 60mm Makro. For inside use, it is OK, even if bending the legs to achieve proper composition is a lot fiddlier than a more convetional Manfrotto table tripod. For outside use, both are very limited by their low position, but the Manfrotto is a lot more rigid, if less adaptable, which is why it was the one I took on a trip around the world. But, if you are into exposures longer than handheld permits, you really should consider a "real" tripod. I have used a Cullmann Nanomax 220. It is very light and stealthy, easy to deploy and use, and doesn't cost more than the two minis I mentioned.
Of course, it is not perfect, and you shouldn't expect perfect results for 30-second exposures. Which is why on this trip I also carried a Gitzo 0541 and oversized ballhead.
Because of its high pixel density, the 5N is sensitive to perfect conditions, and a less-than-totally-stable platform (or less-than-perfect-glass for that matter) will lose you some of that delightful camera's astonishing performance IMHO.
Hope this helps
I think that a small Gitzo CF and any small ballhead from Gitzo or Induro with a removable plate is hard to beat...There a waist holder from Gitzo that is excellent...
I would look into brands like Benro for a small carbon tripod at a better value. I bought to one to try out a few years ago when my Gitzo was in need of repair (top leg joint snapped in half out of nowhere,) and I've been using it ever since.
For something pocketable, I use the Leica table tripod and a RRS BH-25. The Manfrotto table tripod is in the same vein, and cheaper. Kirk makes a nice one, too.
Thanks for the recommendations everyone. I have a Gitzo GT1541 that I was thinking about selling for a more compact option but maybe it's best to just keep it.
You probably can with the Leica or Kirk. They have no joints to flex, so they perform more like a much larger tripod. All the usual caveats apply about long focal lengths, difficult shutter speeds, etc. -- but I find that a very solid table tripod is more stable with longer lenses than a 0 or 1-series conventional tripod. I haven't tested extensively with the NEX, but I've used the Leica combo with a DX DSLR at 200mm successfully. The lower vibration of a mirrorless body should make the NEX incrementally more stable on a small tripod.
With a tiny head, weight distribution is important -- it's helpful to use a lens adapter with a mount.
