# Tripod suggestions. What does everyone use?



## yande

Hi there.
I've been searching through this forum trying to find what everyone is using for tripods.
It seems that watch photography is fast becoming my main purpose for my camera, so with that in mind what do you people suggest and or use.
Any replies would be greatly appreciated.
regards
mark


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## seikomatic

*Taking video like this*


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## yande

*Re: Taking video like this*

Great video, and I am in awe of the smooth sweep of that Seikos second hand. One only wonders what BPH that movement uses. Yet still, I am puzzled as to its relevance to my question. Whixh was... What tripod do/did? you use...:-s


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## Rambam

*Re: Taking video like this*

I use some unknown brand, cheap as heck I guess. For watch photography there is no need to go spending large sums of money on a tripod since you very seldom will find yourself taking watchpics in a hurricane...


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## yande

*Re: Taking video like this*

So do you, or anyone, use a regular size tripod, or a small one. Just wondering how people get so close to their watches for those beautiful Macro shots. I suppose a tripod and the watch sitting on a table would do, but I wonder if a small tripod would make this easier. 
My next question what is a good Macro lens for starters. It is so confusing all the different variations. I have a Canon 500D


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## tomee

*Re: Taking video like this*



yande said:


> So do you, or anyone, use a regular size tripod, or a small one. Just wondering how people get so close to their watches for those beautiful Macro shots. I suppose a tripod and the watch sitting on a table would do, but I wonder if a small tripod would make this easier.
> My next question what is a good Macro lens for starters. It is so confusing all the different variations. I have a Canon 500D


hey Mark,

i have a velbon sherpa which you can detach the middle pole and screw it to a table.









and the pole detached









and heres how i do some watch shots









as for macro lens, when i was shooting with Canon you could not go past the 100mm macro USM 2.8. was nice and sharp although focusing was slow but that hardly matters when you're shooting macro


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## yande

*Re: Taking video like this*

Thanks Thomas, Great information. I have seen your end results and I'm pretty sure that is the route I will take. The Canon lens is perhaps not the cheapest route I could take, but I think it will negate some disappointment in the mean time as ultimately that lens is where I would end up any ways. Your tripod attachment makes a lot of sense.
Once again.. thanks
regards


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## ipolit

I am using russian M42 lenses with M42-EOS adaptor and macro rings. You can search ebay for old macro lenses which usually cost 30-100 USD. There are adaptors available for lenses from Olympus OM, M42, nikon ... so for 100 USD you can have good macro kit. The quality of the tripod is important for outdoor shots, since the cheap ones can fall with your camera, but for inside photos the cheapest tripod is good enough.


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## Rambam

My setup looks like this










I find that a dedicated macro lens is very nice for watch photogrpahy and use a Nikon 60mm F2.8 
Not gonna help you much though since you`ve got a canon, but maybe look into the Tamron 90mm, I hear nothing but good things about it.


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## yande

Thanks Rambam, I've been a fan of your photography skills ever since I saw them. Thanks for the heads up. Spotted one a Tamron on EBay, reason for selling was due to upgrade, I then noted that he recently bought a Canon 100mm USM 2.8! I am still open to watching how the Tamron plays out. About half the price of a Canon.
regards
EDIT- Wow, just checked out your Flickr portfolio. Beautiful, absolutely beautiful shots. Very inspirational and motivational.


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## DragonDan

I use a Benro travel angel, because that's what I have. Here's a quick shot of my completely professional, totally immaculate workspace - otherwise known as my garage workbench...


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## yande

DragonDan, thanks mate for the insight to your studio. I love it. (I love sheds, garages, especially peeks into other peoples. It is amazing how revealing a garage can be as to the the man that owns it. Nice vice by the way.) 
You have no idea of how such a pic gives me hope and inspiration. It's the nuts and bolts enthusiast setups that I am interested in, not the professional, multi thousand dollars ones. 
Thanks to Tomee's example and my own initiative, I have picked myself up a nice 2nd. hand 100mm macro USM 2.8, which is a great duel use lens (macro and portrait) and a nice compact Velbon tripod that fits with my coffee table arrangement cum studio...  I am interested in the camera mount that is attached to the "travel angel" The ones I had a look at on the net didn't come with that sort of mount.
I would love to see any other non professional set ups if you wish to share your secrets. Garage pics encouraged.
Thanks everyone for your assistance, it has and is, highly appreciated.
Mark


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## DragonDan

That is called a macro rail. It's used to micro-adjust the forward/ back position of the camera. Much easier than moving the whole tripod around. There are professional versions, although I found this one on the 'bay from a dude with a milling machine. I cannot find his name, but he is pretty prolific - I'm sure you'll come across him. The price was pretty reasonable.
Good luck!
PS: post photos of your progress!


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## Johninperth

I use a manfrotto for my day to day photography, but i have recently purchased a SLR gorilla pod and love it!
Its so versatile, especially for the odd shots when you are shooting yourself


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## Euterpe

I use a Gitzo 6X Carbon tripod since a while, but I'm not satisfied by the head ball, I'm looking for a new one more confortable with quick release and lightweight.




























Usually for macro pict I use a lens Canon 100mm f2.8.


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## yande

So I picked up a second hand Canon 100mm macro USM 2.8 with a Velbon Tripod, CX 620 mini, anyways, sitting on my lounge, watching a movie, playing around with a bed lamp (fluro spiral globe?) and just clicking away... I love lume shots, thanks to Tomee. 
A portable light box is on the way... And then RAW, the unknown, at the moment. Thanks guys for all your help


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## tomee

nice one Mark

keep shooting those macros


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## drspaceman

I use a Manfrotto 190XB Pro and a Manfrotto 498 RC2. Skip the 190XB Pro if you want something light as Manfrotto and Gitzo (as well as many others ) make models with carbon fiber legs that weigh far less. Otherwise the regular Manfrotto gear is easily found at a discount and is very nicely made. The 109XB Pro dies allow you to fully extend the center column and then orient it horizontally (basically it lays across the leg junction as opposed to through it) which can be handy for creative work and macro. 

-JS


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## fluppyboy

I know I'm coming to the party late, but this is what I've learned over the years:

A good tripod makes your life so much easier that it's worth spending some real money on one. Assuming you take photography seriously. Even if it's just a hobby. The least I would recommend would be a Manfrotto 190-something (they keep changing the model name, but the basic tripod legs stay the same), and for macro work a good three-way head would be easier to use than a ball head. Either way, I wouldn't skimp on the head, either, it's as important as the tripod legs. The good news is that a good tripod will last you a lifetime. Literally.

Unfortunately for us affected, photography gear is expensive, but I have never regretted buying the best gear I can afford. I don't know your particular Velbon tripod, but it if ever starts getting loose and wonky, do yourself a favour and spend the money on a Manfrotto. They are the best value in tripods today (and have been for decades now). Note: They are the best value, not the cheapest. There's a difference.  I keep one as backup and will never sell it, even though I've moved onto better (and way more expensive) gear. The little Manfrotto is just that good!


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## SynMike

I use a CullMann large ball head on top of a Velbon tripod. The ball head cost about the same as the tripod.
The combination allows me to get my camera (Canon G10) deep into my light tent with great flexibility.


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## narcosynthesis

The Manfrotto 190 and 055 series are both excellent, and won't completely break the bank (unless you opt for the fancier carbon fibre models). I personally have a set of Giottos legs which sit somewhere inbetween the two Manfrotto models and which I cannot remember the name of.

With those you will want a head unit of some sort too, often sold together though not always. I have a few Manfrotto units on various tripods (a full tripod with a 486, a Gorillapod with the 484 and a 234 on my monopod) which share quick release plates and all seem to be decent units. Check out the ballhead units for something quick and easy to set up, the three way pan/tilt heads for something slower but more accurate.

All those sets of legs offer a tiltable centre section - with the tripod standing on the floor, you can extend the centre column and have it set at an angle over the table to give you more control and leeway in the framing you use compared to something set at the table edge.


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## Steadyhands

A couple of years ago I switched from a Manfrotto 488RC2 head to the Really Right Stuff BH-55 with B2 AS II clamp and the Arca Swiss system. I kept the Manfrotto legs so the BH-55 is mounted on my Manfrotto 190ProB. For now the Manfrotto legs will suffice but I do plan to upgrade those at some stage also.

Why did I change? I use a tripod a lot for my macro shots and the droop with the old ball head was starting to be an issue. How many people have seen the subject shift in the viewer when they tightened up the ballhead? This is what I was experiencing with the 488 and I was compensating for this each time I tightened the ballhead.

*BH-55 Specs*
Weight 0.725kg (1.6lb)
Load capacity 22kg (50lb)

*Price*
Ouch! RRS gear is expensive. This falls into to you get what you pay for category, this type of equipment is truly an investment that will last for many years.

*Details*
When you take delivery of a any RRS gear you can immediately appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into their equipment. The BH-55 comes with a bag to protect it - a nice addition to help protect your investment. The next thing you notice is how big the BH-55 is, that said, it's shorter than most other ballheads in the class.

It easily fitted onto the 190ProB in a minute. The base of the BH-55 is a little bigger than the top plate on the 190ProB. Though this might look a little odd when you look at it closely it doesn't present any problems.

*BH-55 mounted on Manfrotto 190Pro*









The first thing to say is --- it doesn't creep or droop. The 488 used to suffer from droop, but the BH-55 is rock solid. This is part of what makes it special. The ballhead in the BH-55 has to be about 2x the size of the ball head in the 488. The BH-55 locks the ball into place with a side clamping mechanism, most other ballheads clamp from the bottom. The BH-55 has a pan knob, ball head knob and a drag knob. With the drag knob you adjust the drag tension on the ball, you can then adjust the ball without the main ball knob being totally tight. Like this it will hold a 100-400 on a gripped body and you can still adjust the position of the lens.

*BH-55 fitted with B2 AS II*









The Arca Swiss plates fit perfectly into the clamps. I chose to go with the leaver release clamps. The leaver has three positions, locked, partially open, fully open. In the fully open position you can insert the lens plate easily. In the partially open position you can slide the lens plate from side to side. The RRS plates have a very small screw at either end and this stops the travel so the plate will not totally slide out of the clamp. When locked, there is no movement in the lens or body plate. As a comparison, there always was a little play in my Manfrotto RC2 plates and clamps.

A note about the Lever Release clamps. When I purchased the BH-55 as a complete package it comes with the B2 AS II Lever Release Clamp. This clamp is designed to fit onto the BH-55 with a countersunk screw from the top and has no thread internally - it comes fitted like this. The B2 LR II by comparison has the countersink drilling AND the 3/8 thread.

As you can see from the weight listed above it's a little on the heavy side compared to some of the other Arca Swiss ball heads. The link at the bottom has a comparison of the weights of the more common ball heads. This is probably not the head to choose if you are looking for a light weight travel solution. ie This is probably not the ballhead you are going to take on a long trek when you are carting all of the equipment yourself.

*Length of BH-55 on 190Pro*
This is shot will give you an idea about the length of this combination. Call it 26".










I've also added a L plate to the camera and have quickly adjusted to this being fitted to the camera. It's nicely contoured and I hardly notice it on the body, a very big improvement over the ergonomics of the Manfrotto L plate. I leave the body plate fitted to the camera all of the time. During the Christmas holidays a few years back this proved to be a good idea. At one stage I grabbed the camera and tripod and raced to the beach to catch a huge Supercell Storm. Having the plate on already meant I was instantly ready to shoot the pano in landscape or portrait. I was not wanting to expose myself to a lightning strike so time was important. The result is *here.*

*Conclusion*
I've now been using this for about three years with no problems. It is a lot easier to switch from landscape to portrait mode with the L plate attached to the camera and the directness with which the plates and clamps fit together is great. To conclude, I'm totally satisfied with my purchase of Really Right Stuff equipment and would recommend it to anyone.

*Further Reading*

Really Right Stuff BH-55
Really Right Stuff - Item Listing

A comparison of popular Arca Swiss Ballheads
Update: Pro Ball Head Review - compares ball heads to give sharper photos & solid video support

An excellent article on tripods
Tripods and Ball Heads by Thom Hogan


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## incognito

Hello DragonDan,

May i ask u what Rail setup that is? Brand and cost, if possible? Thanks



DragonDan said:


> I use a Benro travel angel, because that's what I have. Here's a quick shot of my completely professional, totally immaculate workspace - otherwise known as my garage workbench...
> 
> View attachment 450897


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## yande

Steadyhands, very impressive. Thanks for honouring this thread with such a great and detailed review of your incredible set up. Thanks


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## DragonDan

incognito said:


> Hello DragonDan,
> 
> May i ask u what Rail setup that is? Brand and cost, if possible? Thanks


There was a guy on the 'bay that manufactured these himself. I do not see his work on there anymore. Just do a search for a Macro Rail, you'll see plenty of variations. Pricing from about $20 to over $300


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## waruilewi

I currently have two Gitzo carbon fiber tripods, a 2228 explorer and a 1027mkII travel tripod - and the expensive Ocean Traveler too at one point, in addition to about a dozen more tripods ranging from Leicas and Cullmanns and my recent Induro CX114 8x. 

But I will state that I will never buy another Gitzo tripod again as long as I live (if I can help it) for the totally krap job Gitzo (aka Vitec, their holding company, who also owns Manfrotto) did in trying to perform a simple repair which took me ONE ENTIRE YEAR to get back from servicing. After two dozen calls to the camera shop, 6 personal visits to check on its repair progress driving 35 miles each way (I live in SF, the camera store is in Palo Alto), countless emails back and forth over who did or did not do what when, the camera store store - who really was blameless in all this - decided to not charge me a cent for the repair because of the ineptitude on the part of Vitec's repair dept. The tripod was dropped off for repair in mid July 2010. I got it back the weekend before in late July 2011, a full 53-week repair cycle.

I was more than willing to pay a premium to get my Gitzo tripod back as expressed to the camera shop but after waiting 2 months, then 4 months, then into the following year, I had had it and went downstairs and bought the Chinese-made Induro right off the showroom floor. Beware that though Gitzo states they have that great lifetime warranty, the company behind Gitzo today is certainly not the same company running it back in the day. Personally I hate knock-offs (in watches and tripods lol) but Gitzo is not a company you want to do business with unless they have a major come-to-***** meeting with their after-sales support because you'll be paying a premium for their products thinking you bought into a quality product with longevity, only to find their service and repair options would be laughable even by Chinese knock-off standards. Caveat Emptor.


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## Ben_hutcherson

I'm still partial to my Tiltall tripod. 

The last I checked, these were available new for around $100, although in my opinion the older ones are much better and are less expensive, too. Mine is from the 1950s, I think. 

The Tiltall is sturdy as heck, is tall enough that my 6' 2" tall body can use it with no or minimal center column extension(depending on the camera body I'm using) and is not too heavy for an aluminum tripod. The pan-tilt head is excellent. 

I couldn't be happier with it after 5 years.


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## Rusty_Shakleford

I use some random cheap tripod but it works. My pics can't hold a candle to most on this site but I'm learning. I don't think my crappy tripod has any impact on my pics. It is all skill or more accurately lack thereof. I am glad to see some of these behind the scenes pics though. 

Thanks for the great idea for a thread.

RS


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## zephyrnoid

Ah the Tiltall!a timeless classic. I'm amazed that after all the tripods I've owned, my only still tripod is a compact Velbon that after 10+ years is still rocking. Then again, I only shoot with a point and shoot these days so ultralight is my thing now. Anything by Manfrotto or Giottos is a good value though I'd go for an articulating tripod if i could do it all over again.


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## ~tc~

DragonDan said:


> I use a Benro travel angel, because that's what I have.


X2 - fantastic tripod, at least for my lighter micro four thirds gear. It's been around the world with me, no problems. Probably 90% of the performance of a Gitzo at 50% of the price. Amazingly light and compact when folded, plenty sturdy when extended.


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## strongblackcoffee

Yesterday I received my latest eBay purchase for 28 EUR!

Walimex WAL-666 Semi-Pro tripod and Walimex FT-008H Semi-Pro-3D-tripod head.

I think it's a German make. 

A bit on the heavy side, but rock solid and feature packed. For that price, highly recommended!





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## yande

Rusty_Shakleford said:


> I use some random cheap tripod but it works. My pics can't hold a candle to most on this site but I'm learning. I don't think my crappy tripod has any impact on my pics. It is all skill or more accurately lack thereof. I am glad to see some of these behind the scenes pics though.
> 
> Thanks for the great idea for a thread.
> RS


Rusty I'm with you there regarding the candle and the behind the scenes insights. In true WUS fashion, I have learnt so much from this thread, again, thanks everyone, appreciated.



zephyrnoid said:


> Ah the Tiltall!a timeless classic. I'm amazed that after all the tripods I've owned, my only still tripod is a compact Velbon that after 10+ years is still rocking. Then again, I only shoot with a point and shoot these days so ultralight is my thing now. Anything by Manfrotto or Giottos is a good value though I'd go for an articulating tripod if i could do it all over again.


Co-incidence, that is what I ended up getting, a Velbon Compact, (well a little Velbon) that does the job considering the skill of the shooter. I am becoming aware of the shortcomings, mostly with the heads regarding precise positioning, but then again I am sure any faults lay mostly with the me, not some piece of equipment, regrettably.


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## Lastmikey

I found some on eBay or Craig's List. I used a Chicago Majestic Tripod (about $100 and yes made in Chicago 40 years ago) that is very old and very heavy. It works for most of my shots, but will not get that low to the ground. if i want to get some low shots, I place a head on a piece of wood on the ground and it is ok.


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## Dimer

I use the Manfrotto 055XPROB with a 501HDV video head, which also works great for photography. I also have a Vanguard with a 3 way head, which is light and small. So very easy to transport.



















=


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## HELLAcalvin

055xprob for my studio tripod. gitzo 1542t or benro 2680t for my travel.

488rc2 head on the 055xprob (hate this head), markins q3t on the travelers.


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## yande

Dimer said:


> I use the Manfrotto 055XPROB with a 501HDV video head, which also works great for photography. I also have a Vanguard with a 3 way head, which is light and small. So very easy to transport.


Thanks Dimer for the insight. Appreciated
Having been in awe of your pics in this thread
https://www.watchuseek.com/f20/omegas-2011-a-627793-2.html#post4590323
It is great to read what tools you have used to gain such excellence. Bravo! I thank you and wish you and ACE the very best for this coming Year. Appreciated!


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