Home · Register · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda

New fredmiranda.com Mobile Site

New Feature: SMS Notification alert

New Feature: Buy & Sell Watchlist

FM Forums | General Gear-talk | Join Upload & Sell

end

Archive 2020 · Does one really need a travel tripod? and some suggestions.

chez
Online
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #1 · p.2 #1 · Does one really need a travel tripod? and some suggestions.

FrancisAlberto wrote:
Thanks for some of the suggestions. Looks like the whole travel tripod is a bigger requirement if it's required to bring on a carry on.

It's almost a requirement if traveling on the smaller regional planes that enforce carry on weight.

If you will be carrying your tripod around all day through cities...then you'll definitely appreciate a lighter tripod.

Jan 12, 2020 at 10:15 AM

peter_n
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #2 · p.2 #2 · Does one really need a travel tripod? and some suggestions.

jharter wrote:
Cost - you get what you pay for. I travel a lot and I would say that MePhoto and its clones are far and away the most popular travel tripods. A couple of my friends have them and they are fine - but not great. All of the mid-level tripods like Induro, Feisol, Sirui, PD are somewhat to much better depending on what is most important to you. RRS and Gitzo are the best for most but at a premium in cost.

A MeFOTO tripod is a cost-reduced Benro, which is a cost-reduced Induro which in turn is a cost-reduced Gitzo. So yes you do get what you pay for.

Jan 12, 2020 at 11:02 AM

jharter
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #3 · p.2 #3 · Does one really need a travel tripod? and some suggestions.

peter_n wrote:
A MeFOTO tripod is a cost-reduced Benro, which is a cost-reduced Induro which in turn is a cost-reduced Gitzo. So yes you do get what you pay for.

So a MeFoto is essentially a re-badged Gitzo? Hmm.

Jan 12, 2020 at 11:24 AM

peter_n
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #4 · p.2 #4 · Does one really need a travel tripod? and some suggestions.

jharter wrote:
So a MeFoto is essentially a re-badged Gitzo? Hmm.

No. Back some years ago Benro knocked-off some Gitzo designs to the extent that some parts were directly interchangeable. I used both Gitzo and Benro tripods and swapped parts. Benro was (is) the parent company of both Induro and MeFOTO. The Induro was a "better" Benro and more expensive and the MeFOTO was was a cost-reduced version of some of the Benro lines I believe. None of the Benro brands had the quality of Gitzo products so they were not re-badged Gitzo product. There's a murky internet legend that ten or more years ago Gitzo toyed with the idea of producing "Gitzo" tripods in mainland China, approached Benro and sent them engineering schematics but ultimately decided to not go forward. That's how Benro got started making the knock-offs. Whether it's true or not I don't know.

Jan 12, 2020 at 05:24 PM

jharter
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #5 · p.2 #5 · Does one really need a travel tripod? and some suggestions.

OK, thanks. I did not know that.

Jan 12, 2020 at 06:05 PM

elkhornsun
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #6 · p.2 #6 · Does one really need a travel tripod? and some suggestions.

For travel it helps to have the legs collapse to less than 21 or less inches so they fit readily into luggage or can be carried on the plane and put into the overhead compartment. Problem is getting enough height for a taller person or when using the tripod for wildlife photography and taking pictures of critter up on a hillside or in the trees.

It took many years but I finally found the perfect tripod for my needs, a Feisol CT-3472 that has a working height of 59 inches plus 3 inches gained with the head and I can add a center column kit to gain another 6 inches of height when traveling where I need the extra height or leave it at home when I do not. It collapses to 20" with the standare base plate and to 22.1 inches with the center column attached instead.

Over the years I have purchased more than a dozen tripods but have now gotten it down to only 3 that have their different uses. If I could have only one tripod it would be the Feisol. One thing about a tripod like the Feisol is that it works extremely well for travel photography and for landscape photography and for big lens wildlife photography. Buying this tripod is a once in a lifetime deal that will last for decades and the owner will not feel like they need to sell it and buy something else a year or 10 years later.

Regardless of what cameras or what lenses or what heads I am using in the future the Feisol legs will still be a perfect solution.

Jan 15, 2020 at 03:29 PM

adamx12m
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #7 · p.2 #7 · Does one really need a travel tripod? and some suggestions.

I also have the Feisol CT-3441S for the past two years. Add the inexpensive hook to it, overall it's small and lightweight. It's a challenge trying to find a tripod.

Jan 15, 2020 at 04:29 PM

sandycrane
Online
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #8 · p.2 #8 · Does one really need a travel tripod? and some suggestions.

I no longer use a travel tripod because:
Their use is not permitted in most Cathedrals, Mosques, museums, and public buildings.
Many travel destination cities are too crowded to use a tripod.
Improvements in fast lenses, ISO, and IS make the use of tripods somewhat superfluous.
They're too much hassle.

Jan 27, 2020 at 09:51 AM

Renegador
Offline
•
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #9 · p.2 #9 · Does one really need a travel tripod? and some suggestions.

I spent about 3 months researching tripods and heads last year as I was needing to find a good option due to a big resolution jump in my go to landscape camera that showed just how poor my old Manfrotto starter tripod was after a good many years of service. The conclusion that I came to was that for my needs, a true travel tripod just is not stable enough.

I then began hunting for the best stable tripod that could be reduced to a permissible size for carry-on storage as I exclusively travel with only carry-ons to cut as much hassle as possible out of travelling. From reading reviews, especially those on @DaveTCC website https://thecentercolumn.com/rankings/, and going to various camera shops fairly close by, I ended up with the combination of RRS TVC34 and Acratech GP ballhead. These legs stays under 22" which is typically how large most airplane manufacturers construct overhead bins. This combo is fairly light and extremely easy to clean since I do a fair amount of hiking and shooting in fairly destructive environments such as saltwater. The RRS stability in high wind environments was also a very strong determiner for me.

All this to say... Really take a strong look at what you shoot and what is most important to you on photography related trips. Nothing worse than spending money and time getting somewhere only to discover that your tripod does not hold up in the environment it is tasked with coping with.

Feb 12, 2020 at 04:12 PM

odium
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #10 · p.2 #10 · Does one really need a travel tripod? and some suggestions.

The new Befree GT XPRO s seem pretty good if they are not on the large side for you. You can replace the clamp with a hejnar befree for arcaswiss plates. I don't like having sub 60" tripods(6'2" here)

Feb 12, 2020 at 11:34 PM

Steve Brandt
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #11 · p.2 #11 · Does one really need a travel tripod? and some suggestions.

I got the Sirui W2204 tripod. Waterproof and carbon fiber. Packs up small and actually extends about as tall as my old Slik Tripod(im 6'4" and the Slik was the only tripod in the sub $300 range that extended to my height) I havent personally found any other "travel" tripods that extend as high as the 2204. not to mention it converts to a monopod haha. Pretty high tech :o

Feb 13, 2020 at 06:35 PM

Vinnie_VdB
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #12 · p.2 #12 · Does one really need a travel tripod? and some suggestions.

I have currently 3, 4th one on the way, tripods.
A carbon Manfrotto 055
A Sirui N-3204X, also carbon
A Gitzo 5x42 or so
And a GT-3543LS on the way

The Manfrotto is the weakest of them all and do I not use it fully extended.
The Sirui is a more stable tripod that is currently with me traveling as it fits nicely in my suitcase and is strong enough for holding my Z6 and 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens
That big Gitzo is exclusively used for my birding but that thing is big.
The next to arrive Gitzo is also fro my travels but more for my leisure trips where luggage space is needed but a sturdy tripod is stil needed. That means I will take it to my African safaris and later this year to Svalbard doing wildlife and landscape.

RRS is for me here in the EU way too expensive with current import taxes, VAT, ... is that tripod/brand hugely expensive.

Feb 14, 2020 at 03:11 AM

peter_n
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #13 · p.2 #13 · Does one really need a travel tripod? and some suggestions.

Vinnie_VdB wrote:
RRS is for me here in the EU way too expensive with current import taxes, VAT, ... is that tripod/brand hugely expensive.

Yes unfortunately it doesn't make sense to buy a RRS tripod in the UK or the EU, apart from customs, VAT and other expenses I don't think they have a service facility on your side of the pond so if something goes wrong you have to ship it back here and then go through the whole rigmarole again when RRS ships it back to you. Very expensive indeed. It's a real pity because their customer service is outstanding; I upgraded to Mk2 models late last year and sold my Mk1 tripods. One of my old ones needed repair (my fault, not theirs) - they fixed and spruced it up and shipped it back to me all free of charge.

I used Gitzo tripods for about 8 years and found them to be reliable. However the distributor here in the US (Vitec Group) is not good on customer service at all and getting spare parts was next to impossible. Also I've read that when a Gitzo model is updated they stop making replacement parts for the outdated model which I find difficult to believe. I don't know if they have that policy in Europe, but it seems suicidal to me. They are quite durable except for the cast magnesium parts like the spider. I live near the sea and you have to maintain the barrier coat paint job on the magnesium parts else you get corrosion if the tripod gets knocked around. RRS uses CNC-machined aircraft grade aluminium that is given an anodized coating (a surface that is embedded into the aluminium) and stainless steel hardware in comparison, which is partly why I changed over to them. The ironic thing is that Gitzo used to use aluminium alloys in the hardware and probably changed over to magnesium for weight reasons.

Feb 14, 2020 at 08:33 PM

Craig Gillette
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #14 · p.2 #14 · Does one really need a travel tripod? and some suggestions.

I found the Sirui W1204x works well for me as a primary and travel tripod now, especially as I'm doing more with aps-c mirror-less. It's larger than the typical "travel tripod" but I'd found smaller tripods were too small (6'2" tall) and often traded down to too small diameters in the smallest leg sections and/or needing center post extension. Folds up reasonably small and isn't terribly heavy for reasonable carry.

Might be problematic with longer lenses or unbalanced heavier lenses (ff and 24-70/2.8s or 70-300s on a dslr, etc.)

Feb 15, 2020 at 01:34 AM

codename
Offline
•
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #15 · p.2 #15 · Does one really need a travel tripod? and some suggestions.

This is a personal decision, but I'll offer my view of why I have been looking at travel tripods with the hope of making a decision by the spring.

My only tripod is a Manfroto 055MF3 which I have had for probably 15 years at this point. It's great for me because fully extending the legs and center section allows me to get the camera over my head (I'm ~6').

The downsides are the weight and size. Even though it's carbon fiber, the legs and head together weigh about 6 pounds (That wasn't bad 15 years ago). While the weight does not seem significant, I quickly notice it after just an hour or two of walking around. The size is an issue because it does not fold up into a very compact size. Putting it into the tripod "pocket" on my backpack makes the backpack noticeably lopsided. While the backpack blends in when walking around a city or town, having the tripod hanging off of the side changes that. I don't dare try to strap the tripod to the bottom of my sling bag.

It I can find a travel tripod that is compact, light and easily stowed on my backpack or sling, that would be ideal. With that there will be trade-offs such as stability and height, but I can live with that. Since I will keep my current tripod, I will have the ability to make choice based on my needs that day.

Feb 16, 2020 at 08:52 AM

peter_n
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #16 · p.2 #16 · Does one really need a travel tripod? and some suggestions.

If you could call a tripod that's half the weight of your Manfrotto light I would suggest the Benro TAD28C Adventure. The two things I don't like about it; it has a center column and flip locks. Having said that I once owned a Benro tripod with flip locks and they were really well made. I'm not really a fan of center columns either, although the center column that comes with this tripod doesn't look that long.

Also take a look at the RRS line of series-2 Mk2 tripods; they make 3 leg section, 4 leg section, and long 4 leg section tripods. They weigh roughly from 3.2lbs to 3.8lbs I think. Get one of those and you'll never have to buy another tripod. Folks your height are not well served by tripod manufacturers unfortunately.

Feb 16, 2020 at 11:26 AM

story_teller
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #17 · p.2 #17 · Does one really need a travel tripod? and some suggestions.

A travel tripod for vacation photography is a must for me because I like to shoot at night, panos, timelapse, etc. A few years ago I bought a MeFoto Roadtrip and put an Acratech ball head on it. That version also has a detachable leg I can use as a monopod, if I wish. The tripod, without head, is attached to my camera roller bag for carryon or (since it's older) put it in my luggage, but the Acratech always stays in my carryon.

Even though my travel camera is a mirrorless with IBIS and faster lenses, I still take a tripod and it works great.

Feb 16, 2020 at 03:55 PM

1 2 end
FM Forums \| General Gear-talk \| Join Upload & Sell 1 2 end

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.