Im looking for a tripod $130 or less to hold my 1Dmk2 and 100-400 combo. Also, I will be using a 17-40 occaisionally. What would a good tripod be for me? Also, Do I need the ball head for the landscape stuff? Just give me the list of what I need and please try to keep it $130 or less.
Look at the Slik 700 DX ot DX700 not sure what the proper number is. But B&H has it for $129 with pan tilt head which I believe would be good for landscape.
I think you are going to have a very hard time finding a tripod that will support this rig and a focal length of 400mm for $130.
To do that, you need something equivalent to a Gitzo 3540LS in stability. If you are willing to go heavy, that will help but I think you will still be challenged at that price point for a tripod AND ballhead.
Truth be told, I prefer a 3-way pan head at times for landscape work. It allows you to make minor changes in one axis (like leveling the horizon) without looking through the viewfinder to see what else got screwed up. Its really difficult to look through the viewfinder and watch the hot shoe bubble level at the same time.
I use a ballhead for the significant weight savings. My old 3030 head is near 3 pounds while my Acratech ballhead weighs less than one pound.
I also think you'll be challenged to buy a tripod that will work well with your 400mm lens at that price point. The Slik is probably a reasonable starting point. Going up market from that to a Manfrotto aluminum still won't get you into a tripod that will be perfect for the 400. You'll need to give the tripod time to settle after movement before taking a shot, and you'll need to use a cable release. You'll probably also face problems in the wind.
I had trouble in the wind with my 70-300 IS on a Manfrotto 3021.
I think that you are looking to the Slik Pro 700dx as well. The Bogen 804 head might be a different choice but I doubt it will perform substantially differently than the Slik head Keeping it in the sub $150 range requires a number of compromises and a nonArca Swiss pan/tilt is one of them. I don't think you'd find a ballhead that fit that price range that woud outperform the basic pan/tilts. As noted, they aren't that bad for landscape applications.
This Tripod SLIK PRO 700DX for $129 has your name written all over it.
This tripod is sturdy, tall and strong to support your camera and the 100-400 lens, you will have no problem whatsoever, and it already come with the head, so extra purchase unless you want to. Before I bought this tripod I actually tested it physically at B&H store here in NYC. Link below:
Brian Kersey wrote:
Im looking for a tripod $130 or less to hold my 1Dmk2 and 100-400 combo. Also, I will be using a 17-40 occaisionally. What would a good tripod be for me? Also, Do I need the ball head for the landscape stuff? Just give me the list of what I need and please try to keep it $130 or less.
I have to say I'm confused. You have about $10,000+ of gear and are only willing to spend $130 on the tripod it's going to sit on?
The budget needs to come up a bit for gear capable of handling that gear. I don't think you necessarily have to jump all the way to Gitzo, but the legs I'd be looking at (Mafrotto, Giottos, Slik Pro, Feisol, Velbon) would be running in the $150-250 range--then you add a head.
It looks like they are closing out on this model, and getting rid of the returns. I have this tripod and it's been used and abused for 2 and a hlf years now. The llegset is solid. I've been putting an F4 with MB23 battery pack on it for a week now, and the legs are good. The low-end ballhead is a bit of a problem, though.
The legset is inexpensive, but not cheap. It's inexpensive enough that I don't worry about it. If I had one of those 600 dollar tripds and 300 buck head, I'd be scared to death of breaking it or having it stolen. The (new to me) F4 is enough to have to worry about.
