Does anybody have a ball park estimate for the percentage one gets back (of original value) when selling used? Just curious. Granted it varries with the age and type of the equipment... I should probably explain why I'm asking.

I'm not altogether thrilled with my tripod choice. My Bogen with a 503 head arrived this week, and I've messed around with it a lot. But while it is indeed very well balanced for the DVX100 (as Stas pointed out on another post) for tilts, I can't get it to pan smooth (to my standards) to save my life. (It may well be that the operator stinks, but that's another matter.) I started out looking at the Sachtler D4, and read every post (practically) I could find around here about tripods in what seemed like my price range, but after adding up the amount of money I was investing, I went for a tripod set-up under $500. There were plenty of people not wild about the D4, and that was the absolute max for me as it was. Now, granted you get what you pay for. I realize that. But I'm just wondering if it's worth it to return the 503 rig, and bite the bullet for the D4 (when there are so many things I'm trying to accumulate at present) now, or whether or not it makes sense to use this pod for a year, then sell it on E-bay (or wherever), and get a better one then. D'you get anything for them that way? 1/2? 1/3? The other option is just to count it as a "sunk cost" as my Economist husband would say, and buy the better one when I can. But that seems like such a waste of money. For the doc I'm doing this next year I don't "need" to pan hardly at all, but I'm trying to think of the future as well. (sigh) Long day. Need sleep.

Thanks in advance,
Marcia

I'll buy it...used:)

Hi Marcia,

I use a 503 with a VX2000 and I have absolutely no problems getting smooth pans. Have you adjusted the drag nobs to either give more or less resistance when panning.

You really shouldn't have any problems with this head and a DVX100, experiment a bit, it does provide good smooth results.

John.

Yup. I've adjusted it every which way, John. Maybe, as I've suspected, it's just the operator. :-) Will keep working it. I will say that the results look smoother when I bring it into to FCP than the footage does when I'm actually shooting it.


If I can't make it work, Nick I just might take you up on your offer! (B&H has a seven day return policy on video items. I'm assuming tripods fall into that category, but maybe not. And today is day seven from when I placed the order.)

Gotta hit the freeway...

I have the 501 and a GL1. It isn't the smoothest either. I have found that by loosening the knobs, I can get somewhat smoother pans. However, I need to hold the tripod with my free hand just to keep it from wanting to move with the pan. That makes panning pretty smooth.

Just got back from ShowBiz Expo (or whatever they're calling it this year) and after playing with several other 503's (among the asstorted tipod manufacturers at the event) I discovered that, indeed, I'm just a dolt. Didn't even notice the adjustment UNDER the 503 head, only the ones on the various sides. (sigh) Made a huge difference, of course, to turn that one. Brain fog had settled in, I guess. Cramming in too much at once with my new DVX.

Thanks for all the comments, guys. Sorry to have waisted your time...

Marcia:

It may be easier also if you know your going to be doing mainly panning for a shoot to get a extra tripod handle. I was on a shoot with a friend recently and he was verbalizing his discontent with the panning ...took the arm of my extra tripod which gave him a more studio setup he loved it after that.

Ive tried this also, after that and dont know why but its easier...

M