>From: Wayne Harridge <wayneharridge@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
>Perhaps the teacher has a recommendation ?
>
>What is the appropriately overpriced tripod to use with the Leica ?
"The Leica is such a great camera, that you don't need a tripod," might be the
teacher's response.
I split the tripod market into three segments:
1) cheapies: most Slik, Velbon, no-name tripods, most with built-on,
non-changeable heads. Some have crappy, plastic quick-releases. Avoid.
2) workhorses: Bogen/Manfrotto and a few others, bullet-proof, if not always
the top fit and finish. Heads sold separately.
3) gold-plated: Gitzo, Arca-Swiss, etc. Sure, you get what you pay for, but
that last 100f functionality and finish over category #2 cost you dearly.
Although Slik and Velbon make mid- and higher-end tripods, too, I'd stay away
from the "cheapie" category in general.
Unless you have at least $600 to blow on it, I'd stay away from the gold-plated
stuff. (If you DO have money to throw at it, some of these are very nice
indeed.)
I have two Benbos (Trekker and #1) and a Gitzo carbon-fiber. I've also gone
through a number of cheapies -- enough to pay for a decent Benbo or Bogen.
The Benbos are great, once you get used to them. They suffer from a bit more
length, since they have two-section legs. They are also a bit more
vibration-prone than tripods with more sections. But they do go where no other
tripod (except their clone, UniLoc) can go. Parts are readily available and
inexpensive if you DO manage to break them.
My Gitzo has been broken more time than I've used it. When I bought it, it had
a lifetime guarantee, which was part of its appeal, but they rescinded that
several years ago. I've had two locking shims break, and two glued joints come
apart. It's currently sitting in a heap of parts in my closet. I've now spent
enough on repairs to buy a Bogen. It's real light and vibration-proof, but you
need to treat it like eggs!
I'm a fan of Bogen heads. Unfortunately, they have numerous, incompatible quick
release systems. I primarily use the 3270 mini gear head and the 3265 grip ball
head. I permanently grafted a 3270-style QR base onto the 3265, and I use the
inexpensive (~$10) 3270 QR plates on everything -- including a Linhof 4x5, a
Kodak Carosel projector, and a homemade 4'x2' light box! (Compare price to
third-party Arca-Swiss plates from RRS that can cost as much as $75!)
It is not unreasonable to spend $200 on a new leg/head combo, or perhaps a bit
over twice that to go carbon fiber. A new tripod-head combo under $75 is
probably not going to be satisfactory in the long term.
Good used tripods are rare. They obsolesce slowly, so people hang on to them.
If you see a category #2 tripod and/or head at a reasonable price, snatch it
up. Used category #1 tripods are numerous and cheap, since serious users
quickly hit their limits. Don't pay more than $15 - $25 for one.
--
: Jan Steinman -- nature Transography(TM): <http://www.Bytesmiths.com>
: Bytesmiths -- artists' services: <http://www.Bytesmiths.com/Services>
: Buy My Step Van! <http://www.Bytesmiths.com/van>
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