I'm trying to decide on a tripod, no this isn't a "which tripod do you suggest" thread. I'm curious if a tripod rated for 11 pounds max, would be good enough for a fully outfitted small camera? I plan on outfitting with full rails, matte box, and possibly monitor. I see the camera body only is 2.2 pounds. Not having much experience with all this, I'm wondering about the added weight on all the accessories? I won't always be fully loaded, so I'm trying to pick a tripod that is good both with a light camera, and loaded down. The rating of my first choice is 11 pounds max, while my 2nd choice is 20 pounds. Although I do worry the 2nd choice, while giving me headroom for the accessories, might not be as good at the light end.

Any thoughts from?

Thanks as always for the advice,
Jeff

My threshold is more dollar related. At some point I want the investment to work today and in the near future. Plan ahead and buy accordingly. If it's below the threshold then I just get what will work, preferably multiple uses like our DSLR and Videocam, and don't worry about too far down the road. GL

Jeff...you are going through the same thought process I did. The camera I plan on purchasing is ~5.1lb with a battery and mic, add to that an LED light~10oz, and an HD-SDI recorder ~1.5lb. This adds up to ~7.2-3lb. Then the Center of Gravity (COG) comes into play. Most fluid head/tripod Max. Capacity calculations are based upon a particular weight + how high (COG) the camera is. The higher the 'load' the less weight the tripod system will handle. The other issue is, the calculation is not necessarily linear. The closer you get to the upper end of the scale, the less movement you can safely get out of the fluid head. I'm sure there are people who can describe this more elegantly, I hope you understand. This is why I chose a tripod/head system with a little more top-end capacity. Be advised, the low-end of the scale is also critical, you don't want to use a camera that is rated too light for the tripod/head.

YMMV,

J.

Hi all

A useful reference tool can be found on our web site, take a look.

Vinten | What Camera, Which Head? | www.vinten.com (http://www.vinten.com/en/what-camera-which-head)

Mr. Harmon...thank you!

J.