I am off to the US for a coast to coast road trip next week, and suddenly thought i should get a mini tripod. It will be mostly for my GoPro to take timelapse shots, and will be unlikely to get used by my Canon gear.
Does anyone have any thoughts on a suitable tripod for this? Small, light, sturdy, and well built are my only real requirements.
I have a Manfrotto tabletop tripod with a Novoflex 19 ballhead. The combination is very small and light, but can easily hold my OM-D E-M5 with any lens. I used to use it with a Nikon D7000, so it holds more than it looks. I find it very useful: you can almost always find a surface to stand it on, or you can press it against a pillar or wall.
I love the 209/Gitzo 1077M/Kirk combo. It's pricy but since I already had the 1077M in my desk drawer, I thought I should make use of it. Perfect for M4/3, P&S or my TAscam DR-100 audio recorder Not strong enough for a DSLR.
the Kirk http://www.kirkphoto.com/Mini-Table-Top-Tripod.html
its one of the few thinks kirk makes that I like and own.
it is more solid then pretty much anything else out there including the Leitz version which is close.
My only complaint with the Manfrotto 209 is the little cork feet. Two of mine popped out after a couple years use. I ended up just getting the RRS TFA-01 and a BH-25. I like the feet a lot more, and it's got a wider spread. I'm considering wrapping the legs with some sort of tacky tape to increase the grip on uneven surfaces where not all 3 feet can rest solidly. I tend to carry it for those outings where I'm not planning on using a tripod, but may need support in a pinch.
peter_n wrote:
Same here, I just got a small square of rubber and punched feet out of it with a paper punch.
My cork feet fell off within hours. I cut 3 small pieces of rubber tubbing and slipped from over the ends of the legs. They were really tight so I used a wee bit of silicone lube to squeeze them on. Foam pencil grips also work well but aren't as durable as rubber. Grips a lot better than the cork.
RRS now makes a table top tripod now, not the older, all metal one, but a newer model that looks like it would hold up a DSLR using one of their smaller ball heads. Not cheap (nothing from them is), but sturdy looking. The feet look like some type of rubber wheel-like pad or something.
I"ve used this Leitz for over 35 years, extremely sturdy and can support a full size DSLR with a 70-200 easily. Not inexpensive but will pay for itself over time.
the RRS mini tabletop legset is one of the few items they make that does nothing for me. almost bought the leitz but, yes, I have the kirk and like it. I throw my BH30 on it or another smaller for various uses
