i saw this Manfrotto 501 HDV (B. Hague & Co. Ltd Manfrotto (http://www.cameragrip.co.uk/acatalog/manfrotto_501hdv_745xbk_tripod.html)

which is less than 350£ (ideally i would even want to spend even less)

is this any good? any other suggestions (UK)?

thanks
Fed

I also found this one-...
I mainly shoot at home so don't need anything more expensive than this

Q3 Fluid Head Tripod (http://provisiondirect.co.uk/Buy-Online/Vision-Q3-Fluid-Head-Tripod/644)

Remember that a cheap tripod is a false economy. Even a mid-range tripod will outlast several cameras. My Pro-Touch 5 is now 5 years old and is on its third camera and second bag!

A good branded tripod will also retain a decent resale value.

I have this head and similar legs ( I have the Manfrotto carbon fiber legs). The whole package is quite light and very satisfactory for location shooting with the EX.

Will a vinten pro 5 and pt525 do?
Found them used for £300

A Pro 5 is a good tripod providing the head is still good. Mines 5 years old and still going strong.

Vinten is excellent I have their Vision 100 for my f800 and it is the best tripod head I have ever used, but for my EX1 I have the miller DS20 with carbon legs and think it is a perfect match. Packs very small and is nice and smooth all at a great price.

Personally I wouldn't put my EX1 on my Vinten ProTouch5.

I use an ProTouch10. I has a counterbalance as well as generally being larger and more capable.

Duncan.

Federico, if your budget really is as tight as £350 look at the Libec LS38 - only a little over this if bought new.

I use a Libec LS37 (previous model) with a Manfrotto Quick Release adapter on it for my EX3 and it's certainly good enough for most situations. Sure, there are times when I'd like it to be better - but since I bought it second hand (but in like new condition from a fellow DVinfo member via the Private Classifieds section) for about £100 it's hard to complain!

When I get round to upgrading it I'll spend some big money, but for now the Libec is a great, no frills, very well engineered and solid performer.

Good advice Duncan I have only used the Vinten Vision 100 and the counter balance is great.

I would not use a cheap tripod better to save or cut some other expense and get a good tripod. You will have it for years and it will allow you to have nice movement.

Just to throw in some comments...

I totally agree that a tripod is definitely NOT an item one should compromise on. So, if you can afford it, go for the most expensive one (as in this case, you really get what you're paying for).

Some time ago - having expanded the rig around my EX1 with the 35mm adapter/lenses, the matte box / follow focus, the Marshall monitor, additional 2.2 Kgs PAG battery, etc. - I faced a decision to upgrade my basic Manfrotto 503 (original model) that I used to use with my bare V1E long time ago. I was considering the high-end Vinten and Sachtler models... But with the weigh of my fully-blown rig exceeding 15 Kgs, I finally decided to go for another Manfrotto model - namely, the 526 head on the 545 legs.

Why? Because this kit is good for up to 16 Kgs (head) / 25 Kgs( legs). If I wanted that capacity from Sachtler of Vinten, I'd have to pay 2-3 times more!

And I can assure you - the Manfrotto is working flawlessly. Even though some people say that Manfrotto heads are not "real fluid heads" - this one IS.

Just my $0.2...

I have both an EX1 and an EX3. I use Vinten Vision 6 tripods and find them perfect for these cameras. The movement is very smooth, great counterbalance, which is important for my usage filming sports from gantries, and very reliable. They will hold their value as well. However, as you state, your main use is indoors so this may be overkill, but I'd still try to get a good counterbalance fluid head system within your budget if possible. Its amazing how a smooth pan can improve even indoor shots, this may be harder to achieve with 'budget' heads. Just my tuppence worth.

Stuart

Personally I wouldn't put my EX1 on my Vinten ProTouch5.


Despite receiving dire warnings when I first purchased my EX1, it's actually fine. I'll admit that if there was alot of kit strapped to the camera you will run into problems but for a bare EX1 with a radio mic pack I've not had any issues in a wide variety of situations in 9 months.

That's not to say its what I'd buy today, but its what I already had and had I just gone out and blindly purchased a new tripod it would have been a waste of money.

I mainly shoot at home

I guess my question is to what extent does "home" determine need.

If you mean it doesn't need to be durable because it won't be tossed about by airlines or in a car trunk/boot or careless assistants, that certainly has merit. Maybe the value of a spreader or speed of setup is worth considering too.

On the other hand, that lurch at the beginning or end of a pan, the subtle speed change of uneven movement, the heavier hand pressure needed to keep it even and steady are not location specific.

Try to follow the family pet in the living room with a bad head, or trying to setup a tripod level on the uneven ground of the back or front lawn will be problems that "home" doesn't mitigate.

I think people need to talk about what features are worth sacrificing given intended use.

If all you're going to do is lock down a camera that's one thing. As soon as there's motion and ground involved you have to take that into consideration.

There's nothing like having a good camera made bad by a pan on a cheap head.

We should talk about features rather than just brands so people understand what is valuable and what can be sacrificed. To me, "home" only means that it doesn't have to survive rough travel but even that may not be the case if you live on the side of a rocky hill.

has anyone tried Eimage products?

for example this one is the same sort of price than a Libec LS38

E-image EI-7063-AA Video Tripod Kit - Proactive (http://www.proav.co.uk/Tripods-Supports/Tripod-Kits/p26787_sc497.aspx)

Seeing 'home use' and 'EX1r' in the same sentence is unusual.

Why buy such an expensive camera and stick it on the shittiest, cheapest tripod you hope you can get away with, makes no sense to me!

I'd buy a Canon HV40. a load of lighting kit and a £2000 Vinten carbon fibre tripod instead. And have money left over. You'll get great pictures and they'll be rock steady. No worries about a sticky zoom either!

Duncan i just need a polite opinion, no need for language

the reasons why i have an EX1r are not in discussion here, and i said I mainly shoot at home, not exclusively

I'm using a Monfrotto 503 with my EX1R.
It works great.
I'm not sure what the difference is with a 501 except maximum load.

You will need a 501 PLONG plate if you want to be able to balance your EX1((R) on the tripod. The standard 501 plate will leave the camera frontheavy most of the time. With the long one you can adjust depending on the accesoires on the cam.

But take a look at all the other suggestions.

Federico, perhaps you should add more details as to what you're shooting style is.

"At Home" doesn't really indicate enough since, to many professionals and even serious amateurs, "at home" wouldn't indicate a desire to limit features.

With features or a shooting style in mind then maybe people can make intelligent recommendations. You're not going to get thumbs up on an inexpensive tripod unless you set the parameters by discussing what's important.

Duncan, and others, have expressed the importance of having a good tripod and, given the potential longevity, is not the place to cut corners. If you want to cut corners there it's incumbent on you to explain what corners are OK to be cut.

People here are probably reluctant to recommend a tripod that isn't capable of doing justice to the EX camera. In fact that may be a KEY difference in asking here vs the tripod forum is people here have already made their decisions based on the specific camera and are explain what the choices have been.

You mention price comparisons when you should talk about features and then people can tell you cost in a given class.

Get a good mid-weight range tripod ... you'll not regret it. The 501 is not a true fluid head. You'll notice the difference on a true fluid head if you try one. With a 501 you'll spend way too much time trying to get smooth pans especially when you start to add weighted items to your camera (monitors, matte boxes, etc.) You will need to think along the lines of a miller, 516 manfrotto, vinten ... lots of good ones out there! Invest in a good tripod ... it does help!

I have used the 501 and 503 with other lighter cameras and I wasn't happy with the pan, tilt or balancing. I know there are people using 503 with EX1 though. I found pans didn't have great starts and stops for example. It might be OK if you have to compromise.

I decided on the Sachtler FSB 6 with Carbon Fiber QuickLock legs and I thought this was "baseline." I could have gone a bit cheaper on the legs but any less on the head and I would have felt it would impact on the quality of my shooting.

For me "home" is that most of my shoots are within 1 hour travel from where I live by public transportation. Home includes a shoot area with muslin background and green screen for interviews in an old converted factory with uneven wooden floors so I needed a head that can be easily leveled without have to constantly change the height of individual legs.

I have a 503 which is a bit better than the 501 and will not use it if movement is necessary. I use a miller DS20 w/field legs and have found that can accommodate my EX3 fully loaded.

For those of you who are using tripods with higher weight limits, do you have any difficulty using a lighter camera like the EX1? I'm using a Sachtler Video 14 which has a limit of 33lbs. But I'm shooting with a DSR-130. And that's all I've ever used on it. Is this head to much for a 7lb camera?

For those of you who are using tripods with higher weight limits, do you have any difficulty using a lighter camera like the EX1? I'm using a Sachtler Video 14 which has a limit of 33lbs. But I'm shooting with a DSR-130. And that's all I've ever used on it. Is this head to much for a 7lb camera?

The Sachtler 14 is slated for 15 pounds and up so if you are thinking of something that is fully loaded (Sony EX3. 35mm lens adapter, RR Matte Box, lens, monitor on camera, NanoFlash) all of that comes in around 20 pounds or so ... maybe a bit more (I've never weighed the load) and the Sachlter would be perfect for that kind of weight. The miller DS20 head handles it fine. So, it's a question of weight range. I think the DS20 tops out at around 25 pounds.

Craig,

(I say this in a loving and caring way, BTW)

First:

Posting questions/ comments in a thread that have no bearing on the contents of that thread is commonly refered to as "hijacking" and will, sooner or later, result in a swift kick from someone.

Not my thread so I'm saying squat.

Second:

Asking camera support questions in the other specialised Forums on DVinfo is akin to walking into your local shoe shop and asking them to service your car, it's bound to be a frustrating experience.

If you'd care to start a thread here:

Tripod Sticks & Heads Forum at DVinfo.net (http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/tripod-sticks-heads/)

I would be only too happy to attempt to answer any questions you may have with regard to camera support systems and their use (I do know a little bit about them) but I will not do it in other specialised Forums as it so often ends in tears.

Just a word to the wise.


CS

Get a good mid-weight range tripod ... you'll not regret it. The 501 is not a true fluid head. You'll notice the difference on a true fluid head if you try one. With a 501 you'll spend way too much time trying to get smooth pans especially when you start to add weighted items to your camera (monitors, matte boxes, etc.) You will need to think along the lines of a miller, 516 manfrotto, vinten ... lots of good ones out there! Invest in a good tripod ... it does help!

Getting back to the subject ... think of a tripod as servicing several cameras and if you do, you won't end up buying a tripod for each camera. You might want to think ahead on this and get something that will last beyond your EX1 ... it might cost a bit more than you have in mind but in the end, you will save some money. I own 4 heads and 5 tripods ... only 2 heads and 2 tripods are useful at the moment.
all the best

The new style Manfrotto/Vinten 501 is IMHO good value for the money. There are better tripods but they will cost more money. I agree with what everyone else here has said regarding investing in a good tripod, I've just replaced an old Vision 5 with a new one, the old one lasted 15+ years and is still useable today. But if you need a cheap tripod the 501 certainly represents a reasonable choice for an EX1.

Uff, finally at least one guru has expressed what I've always believed - that Manfrotto tripods are not at all as bad as the general opinion about them :)

Nevertheless, if I were using just a naked EX1 I'd go for something more sophisticated and precise than the 501 - for up to 6 kgs payload, even the best Sachtler, Vinten or Miller systems are not that much more expensive. What happens with a light rig on Manfrotto tripods is this springing back at the end of pans/tilts...

But with a rig weighing some 15 kgs like mine, the Manfrotto 526 head is the best bang for the buck. The shear weigh and inertia of such rig prevents springing back, and smooths all movements out!

Take a look at the Miller Compass 15 head together with the Solo 2- stage carbon fiber legs System: Compass15 Solo 2-Stage Carbon Fibre System (1833) - Miller Camera Support (http://www.millertripods.com/product_details.html?id=240)

WOW thanks so much to everyone for so many opinions...
as soon as I am off from hospital (using iphone these days) i will check out all these models

but I understand it's worth investing a bit more on the tripod....

Fed

My apologies Chris. I wasn't trying to hijack the thread. I'm going to be purchasing an EX1R this summer, but wanted to know if my tripod would work or if I should get a new one. I figured this would be the perfect place to ask. I hadn't even thought of going to the support section. :O

Craig.

Ok I narrowed this down to 2 models, both from Libec

the LS38 and LS22

both have good review, and while the 38 is clearly stronger, I have doubts about the minimum weight requirment, that I believe is 4 Kg versus the EX1r being 2.7 Kg.

on the other hand the LS22 look OK too, but I believe the maximum weight is 4 KG

any suggestion on which of these 2? some say that using the LS38 with a light (sort of) camcorder can create issues

I have experience of both heads (almost).

The LS22 head - I felt it was a bit flimsy for me under my Sony V1E, which is lighter than an EX1. It was OK at wide angles, but really hard to use when zoomed in because the drag isn't adjustable, and I felt unhappy walking away and taking my hands off the camera, even with it locked down.

I had an LS37, the predecessor of the LS38. The LS38 will support it, but if your rig is less than the 4kg minimum you will end up fighting the counterbalance spring on any tilts you make, and there is no counterbalance adjustment.

Whether or not this is a problem for you is open to debate - it may not bother you at all. I've said this on here before until I'm blue in the face, but if a tripod head cannot comfortably counterbalance your camera it will not be a happy experience.

Purely on build quality, the LS-38 wins, leaving aside the possible balance problems.