Ok, so it took a while (thanks to all who gave input), and now I've narrowed down my options to two sets of legs which include the half bowl leveller for my fluid heads to attach to. i will list the specs. The main difference is that one is 547B has a mid level spreader, and is your typical pro video tripod type legs, whilst the 745XB has standard tripod legs like you would expect for stills.

Manfrotto 745XB
Load Capacity: 15.4 lbs (7 kg)
Maximum Height: 55.1" (140.0 cm)
Minimum Height: 12.2" (31.0 cm)
Leg Stages/Sections 2/3
Folded Length: 25" (63.5 cm)
Weight: 5.3 lbs (2.4 kg)
Flip Lever Leg Lock w Independent Leg Spread

Price £175

Manfrotto 547B
Center column: no center column
Closed length: 86 cm
Colour: black background Color
Head bowl: 60mm
Leg cross-section: round
Leg sections: 2 number
Legs tube diameter: 16. 20 mm
Load capacity: 15 kg
Material: aluminum legs and technopolymer
Maximum height: 142 cm
Minimum height: 79.50 cm
Spreader: mid level - fixed arm length
Weight: 2.30 kg

Price £193

Obviously, the 547B has a much larger load capacity. But I'm fairly lightweight, I don't expect this to be an issue. I plan to mount a small slider on it too, and so the min height of the 745 would allow me to get much lower to the ground options (which i will likely use). I also feel slightly swayed by how the appearance of the 547 would give me more 'street cred'.

Anyone fancy pushing me one way or the other? I'm rather indecisive!

Hi Clive,

Me again. Seems that there's nobody else who wants to "bite" at the moment.

Don't put too much stress on their max payloads. I wouldn't like to have 15kg of camera on that 547B tripod.

It might be worth calling Calumet in Belfast (I think they're on Boucher Road) to see if they have any of these in stock for you to look at. I know the 745XB kit is "OK" (just "OK") for me with my 2kg Sony NX70E setup, as in they support it OK.

I've no experience of the other legs. I wouldn't worry that they look "more pro"... in fact, they look more lightweight to me. At this price range, it's probably not going to be a lot of difference.

Clive..............

See my comments in your other post, both systems have exactly the same drawbacks with safe guarding your investment.

If you have any intention of continuing to grow in this business, I couldn't recommend either set of sticks.

You'll be in infinite incremental mode, the most expensive way to get from A to B known to camera support.


CS

I understand the future proofing idea, but I don't reckon that will ever take me to a level where my rig will be massive and still DSLR (maybe Black Magic someday) based.

My heads are all Weifeng 717s. I appreciate the advice about building my business thoughtfully, but with my heads I have absolutely no issue with the quality of my panning etc... I really just needed to find bowl leveller tripods that included the half bowl for my heads to attach to. These two manfrottos fit the bill and the budget.

My head weighs 1.3KG, Camera weighs 0.5KG, Lens weighs 0.4KG, Slider weighs 2KG
Totalling 4.2kg.

Even with my ideal Camera and lens upgrade, the load would only total 5.1kg

Chris, I know I may eventually look to upgrade again, but feel that I can create the results for my needs with either of these sticks for the foreseeable future.

Besides, even if the BBC call me, I'm sure they have their own gear!

I have a set of 756B legs, which look to be an earlier version, of your first option, the 745XB legs. I've had them a very long time, but when I pick them up nowadays, they seem heavy for such little legs, and they are none to firm when anything near fully extended. Having said that, together with its little 701RC2 head, it works surprisingly well with a little Sony HC1, and the 50mm leveler is obvioulsy a big plus factor.

I've been using my big CF legs with a 516 head to shoot video with a DSLR. When I have a hydrostatic ball head on those legs, they are still noticeably lighter than 756B, yet way way firmer, and it extends to over 6'.

When I think about it - although this a kind of round about way of looking at things - I wouldn't dream of shooting stills with the 756B legs, but at low to medium focal lengths, and with a small camcorder, you could get a way with it.

I can't say much about the 547B legs, except that two stage legs are not going to be so easy to travel with.