I began my usual due diillegence and found there were SO many options that my head began to spin. Is there a general way to organize the different types so I can approach this in a more orderly manner?
BTW, current equipment is Canon 40D, 17-55 f2.8 IS USM, 70-200 f4 IS USM.
Thank you very much in advance.
Edited on Mar 25, 2008 at 08:39 PM
Mar 25, 2008 at 08:38 PM
Steve Spencer Offline • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: On
The top quality option would be a Gitzo 2 series (a 2540, or 2530) together with a top notch ballhead like a Really Right Stuff BH-40, a Markins M10, a Kirk BH-3, an Acratech GV2, or an Arca Swiss Z1 sp.
If you can see yourself getting long glass like 400 or 500 mm lens, then you might want to start with a Gitzo three series (a 3540 or 3530 model) and a bigger ballhead like a Really Right Stuff BH-55, a Markins M20, a Kirk BH-1, or the Arca Swiss Z1 sp.
These combos will run you close to $1,000, but they should last for many years as well. I hope this helps.
Let's start with a budget. How much can you spend? What do you plan to do with it?
You are really looking at 2 components: the legs and the head.
For the legs, you have three common material options: aluminum, "lava" or "basalt," and carbon fiber. Each gets progressively lighter, better at damping, and more expensive. You could also go with a wooden leg set, but that's kind of unusual. Then you have the locking mechanism: twist lock or flip lock; it's a matter of personal preference there. Next, 3 or 4 section legs. 3 section are slightly more stable, 4 section are more portable. Once you start picking the characteristics you prefer, things start narrowing down to a manageable number of possibilities.
For the head, most of us prefer a ballhead for general use & plenty has been said about those. The best choices have been listed by Steve. If you have specific requirements or just need to go cheap there's the old pan & tilt head. Finally, for the big lenses you have a gimbal head. On any of them you would be best served by getting a quick-release system & the Arca-Swiss style is the most adaptable as nearly all head manufacturers have adopted it or made ways of converting to it possible. It's a bit more expensive than the proprietary systems, but well worth it.
I have been thru this over the last few weeks and it just ain't easy - It really is price/weight/stability pick 2 of the 3. Depends on budget and I decided to go half way cause I cannot afford what I really want right now. I wanted to not re-buy the expensive stuff.... and knew I wanted AS style clamps so....
Wanted (top down) ->
RRS L-Plate - RRS Lever Clamp - ArcaSwiss Z1 - Gitzo CF something big $$ (I am tall)
- That Z1 is big time overkill on the 055XPRO - it's about 60% more $ then the legs alone.... but I wanted to get the ballhead I want long-term (it's a great BH by the way).
- I would prefer the LPlate but went with the normal plate... will go LPlate with next body as they are body specific.
- The weight of the legs are more then I would have hoped but figured I would have to get the extra couple of kg's off my belly.... It's the total package weight remember These legs are pretty good as far as stability... same as gitzo... no chance but far better then average.
These legs are pretty good as far as stability... same as gitzo... no chance but far better then average.