Kinda building the cart up for future purchase, opinions please!

Jose M. Torres-Lopez · June 9th, 2010, 04:43 PM

Hi, you guys keep on saying amazon is just a couple of bucks more, but when I was checking it was 1949 @ amazon and 1740 something @ big value inc. That's the thing I was concern about, but if they., meaning amazon has policy in placeto make sure that I get my merchandise and if not my money back, and they do, I will have to take the dive if the difference is 200 plus, that could buy me another acessory or put money on my pocket, as well as give me a headache too =) tuff choices, I guess ill check closer to my deadline.

Tom Dickerson · June 10th, 2010, 07:40 PM

Jose -

Something strange happened. I responded to you yesterday but its not here....

Anyway, after I placed my order with the Amazon warehouse I received replies from people (from another forum and friends) that its pretty safe to order from Amazon or one of its 3rd party dealers. My only concern - as I mentioned in my post - is that their policy is that you deal directly with the 3rd party dealer concerning returns or warranty.

It was also strange that Amazon's price jumped $125 in a day and Big Values jumped even more....

When you are within a few days of placing your order scout all of the dealers: B&H, Amazon, etc. and go to resellerratings.com to check out any you haven't heard of. You can also post questions on this forum or one of the other popular video forums - most have reputable dealer lists also.

If you are patient I would imagine you will find the HMC40 under $1800 some where.

Man Yip · June 14th, 2010, 02:04 AM

Hey Jose,

If you are still in the market looking for HMC40, I am selling mine because I want to upgrade to a HMC150, let me know. Here is my posting: http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/private-...c40-extra.html

Let me know and good luck.

Denny Lajeunesse · June 16th, 2010, 12:23 PM

If buying new then Contact Jon or Shawn at fullcompass.com

Jon quoted me $1870 for a HMC40.

Deal with bonafide legit dealers. There are a lot of grey market scammers out there.

Man Yip's deal looks pretty good if you are going the used root though.

Jose M. Torres-Lopez · June 17th, 2010, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denny Lajeunesse

If buying new then Contact Jon or Shawn at fullcompass.com

Jon quoted me $1870 for a HMC40.

Deal with bonafide legit dealers. There are a lot of grey market scammers out there.

Man Yip's deal looks pretty good if you are going the used root though.

Thanks for the reply i'll keep them in mind. So you prefer the call-in route then just buy it from the site?

Denny Lajeunesse · June 17th, 2010, 03:23 PM

Price on call in is always better than on the site.

Man Yip · June 17th, 2010, 05:06 PM

Jose, You can save yourself a couple hundred of dollars if you go with the used route. Maybe we can work on a deal? My HMC40 is in perfect condition and it comes with many additional accessories. Let me know.

Jose M. Torres-Lopez · June 18th, 2010, 07:47 PM

The thing is that I am researching now, I won't be ready to buy until maybe 1mo to 6 wks.

If I had the money now, believe me I would have taken it away from you since your first post on this thread! =)

I think that whenever I buy I will buy the HMC40, either a 501HDV head with 351MVB Legs kit or 503HDV kit with the 055XDB Pro legs for $40.00 more than the 501 kit, but I loose the all around legs of the 351MVB Is the step up to the 503HDV Head worth it no matter the legs? I would also buy a couple of 16GB Cards Class 6 and probably I will still have a little bit for an inexpensive UV Filter and maybe a poralizer.

EDIT. Seeing that I will be going for a 420.00 or so tripod set, is there anything I should be looking at on the Libec side of things? Pro's Con's?

Mike Beckett · June 19th, 2010, 03:58 AM

Jose,

The 055XDB do have the advantage of being lighter, from what I can tell. They don't seem to have a bowl for leveling the head, which may make life frustrating for you.

The 351MVB legs are more sturdy, and the kit does come with a bowl leveller. 6kg (14lbs) for the whole tripod may be too much for you. It doesn't sound much until you have carried it around all day!

It depends on your application. If you are travelling long distances with your camera kit and tripod then you may wish to make the sacrifice and go for the lighter model with single tube legs and live with the lack of leveling bowl. If you can drive to your location or don't have to travel too far, the 503HDV kit is worth for the better legs and head.

In the Libec range, the LS-22 would be good for the HMC40/41. A lot of people rave about the LS-38 (which is more expensive). Don't get it - it is rated way too heavy for our little cameras.

You can get the LS-22 in a range of configurations, with ground level and mid level spreader - which you get depends on whether you are working mainly on flat surfaces or not. I personally prefer a mid spreader for flexibility.

The Libecs don't have adjustable friction, which may be a problem. The Manfrotto 503HDV does have this feature.

The Libec TH950DV may also be suitable. It is lightweight and has a LS22 head on it, and might suffice if you don't need ultra solid legs.

Libec in general are good if you are on a budget. The newer Manfrottos have more features (counterbalance adjustment, pan/tilt friction knobs).

I personally use a Sachtler DV6SB with my HMC41. But at $2000 that might be overkill for you!

Jose M. Torres-Lopez · June 19th, 2010, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Beckett

Jose,

The 055XDB do have the advantage of being lighter, from what I can tell. They don't seem to have a bowl for leveling the head, which may make life frustrating for you.

The 351MVB legs are more sturdy, and the kit does come with a bowl leveller. 6kg (14lbs) for the whole tripod may be too much for you. It doesn't sound much until you have carried it around all day!

It depends on your application. If you are travelling long distances with your camera kit and tripod then you may wish to make the sacrifice and go for the lighter model with single tube legs and live with the lack of leveling bowl. If you can drive to your location or don't have to travel too far, the 503HDV kit is worth for the better legs and head.

In the Libec range, the LS-22 would be good for the HMC40/41. A lot of people rave about the LS-38 (which is more expensive). Don't get it - it is rated way too heavy for our little cameras.

You can get the LS-22 in a range of configurations, with ground level and mid level spreader - which you get depends on whether you are working mainly on flat surfaces or not. I personally prefer a mid spreader for flexibility.

The Libecs don't have adjustable friction, which may be a problem. The Manfrotto 503HDV does have this feature.

The Libec TH950DV may also be suitable. It is lightweight and has a LS22 head on it, and might suffice if you don't need ultra solid legs.

Libec in general are good if you are on a budget. The newer Manfrottos have more features (counterbalance adjustment, pan/tilt friction knobs).

I personally use a Sachtler DV6SB with my HMC41. But at $2000 that might be overkill for you!

When you are talking about a balancing bowl (sorry if I sound like i've only owned a $30 tripods, cuz that's the truth) you are talking about what comes down the opposite site of the head on the tripod? I've seen a video in Vimeo which shows the guy "unscrewing" this thing and now I guess leveling the tripod/head. It's like a rod or something. Can you please let me know how to identify it visually?

Well if the Libecs don't have the adjustable drag control of the 503HDV then I guess that's one down for the Libec. I just really want 1. Smooth pan and tilt 2. Pretty stable legs, on the tripod and maybe on myself too =) I can't afford the 503 with the 351MVB legs, but is there any other legs that are less expensive that would offer me a leveling bowl that you might recommend? and when you say the LS38 is rated too heavy for our HMC40 then you are also saying the 503 with the 055XDB legs is too heavy also since they are rated at around 17lbs both right? or are you just talking about the weight rating of the heads?

Thanks

Mike Beckett · June 19th, 2010, 09:55 AM

Jose,

Taking your points in order:

The "levelling bowl" is a half-ball that sits in a bowl shaped hole in the top of the tripod. You will normally want to level your tripod so that horizons are level, and you do this with the help of a little spirit level bubble on the tripod head.

You can see a picture of the "bowl" here: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/188653-REG/Cartoni_L501_L501_Aluminum_1_Stage_Tripod.html
The tripod head has a ball on the bottom that sits in this bowl, and can be lossened, adjusted and then tightened to make it level. There's a knob or handle underneath that you screw up or down to do this adjustment.

If you just want smooth pan and tilt and good legs, then the Libec LS-22 is good. You can work without adjustable drag if you aren't hoping for smooth, slow pans at 12x zoom. That won't be a problem for your music videos.

Regarding the counterbalance rating: the Manfrotto/Bogen has adjustable counterbalance, the Libec LS-38 doesn't. This means the camera will keep "springing up" or down when you try to tilt. The smaller the camera, the worst this gets. The LS-22 does have an adjustable balance, so it won't be a problem.

On cameras like the HMC40, you can get away with a pretty basic tripod. Maximum payload isn't an issue, you'll not get anywhere near 17lbs unless you sit on top of the tripod!

On an approx. $400 budget, and needing a leveling bowl, I would suggest:

Libec LS22: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/688462-REG/Libec_LS_22DV_LS_22DV_2_Stage_Aluminum_Tripod.html
Libec TH-950: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/688667-REG/Libec_TH_950DV_TH_950DV_2_Stage_Aluminum_Tripod.html
Bogen 501HDV: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/487976-REG/Manfrotto_501HDV_351MVB2K_501HDV_351MVB2K_1_Stage_Tripod_System.html- the legs are a bit more sturdy on this one, and it has a balancing bowl.

The cheapest Bogen 503HDV kit with decent legs is probably nearer to $600.

You really can't go wrong with the Libecs for the money, if you are on a budget.

A lot of HMC40 users seem to be happy with the Bogen 701HDV, but I cannot comment because I have no experience of it. A lot of the guys on DVXuser.com seem quite content with theirs.

I think we're veering into territory that is best covered in the tripods form!

June 9th, 2010, 04:43 PM	#16
Jose M. Torres-Lopez Regular Crew Join Date: May 2010 Location: Reading, PA Posts: 30	Hi, you guys keep on saying amazon is just a couple of bucks more, but when I was checking it was 1949 @ amazon and 1740 something @ big value inc. That's the thing I was concern about, but if they., meaning amazon has policy in placeto make sure that I get my merchandise and if not my money back, and they do, I will have to take the dive if the difference is 200 plus, that could buy me another acessory or put money on my pocket, as well as give me a headache too =) tuff choices, I guess ill check closer to my deadline.

June 10th, 2010, 07:40 PM	#17
Tom Dickerson Regular Crew Join Date: May 2009 Location: Mesa, Arizona Posts: 86	Jose - Something strange happened. I responded to you yesterday but its not here.... Anyway, after I placed my order with the Amazon warehouse I received replies from people (from another forum and friends) that its pretty safe to order from Amazon or one of its 3rd party dealers. My only concern - as I mentioned in my post - is that their policy is that you deal directly with the 3rd party dealer concerning returns or warranty. It was also strange that Amazon's price jumped $125 in a day and Big Values jumped even more.... When you are within a few days of placing your order scout all of the dealers: B&H, Amazon, etc. and go to resellerratings.com to check out any you haven't heard of. You can also post questions on this forum or one of the other popular video forums - most have reputable dealer lists also. If you are patient I would imagine you will find the HMC40 under $1800 some where.

June 14th, 2010, 02:04 AM	#18
Man Yip Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 53	Hey Jose, If you are still in the market looking for HMC40, I am selling mine because I want to upgrade to a HMC150, let me know. Here is my posting: http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/private-...c40-extra.html Let me know and good luck.

June 16th, 2010, 12:23 PM	#19
Denny Lajeunesse Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Kelowna, BC [Canada, Eh!] Posts: 257	If buying new then Contact Jon or Shawn at fullcompass.com Jon quoted me $1870 for a HMC40. Deal with bonafide legit dealers. There are a lot of grey market scammers out there. Man Yip's deal looks pretty good if you are going the used root though.

June 17th, 2010, 03:23 PM	#21
Denny Lajeunesse Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Kelowna, BC [Canada, Eh!] Posts: 257	Price on call in is always better than on the site.

June 17th, 2010, 05:06 PM	#22
Man Yip Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 53	Jose, You can save yourself a couple hundred of dollars if you go with the used route. Maybe we can work on a deal? My HMC40 is in perfect condition and it comes with many additional accessories. Let me know.

June 18th, 2010, 07:47 PM	#23
Jose M. Torres-Lopez Regular Crew Join Date: May 2010 Location: Reading, PA Posts: 30	The thing is that I am researching now, I won't be ready to buy until maybe 1mo to 6 wks. If I had the money now, believe me I would have taken it away from you since your first post on this thread! =) I think that whenever I buy I will buy the HMC40, either a 501HDV head with 351MVB Legs kit or 503HDV kit with the 055XDB Pro legs for $40.00 more than the 501 kit, but I loose the all around legs of the 351MVB Is the step up to the 503HDV Head worth it no matter the legs? I would also buy a couple of 16GB Cards Class 6 and probably I will still have a little bit for an inexpensive UV Filter and maybe a poralizer. EDIT. Seeing that I will be going for a 420.00 or so tripod set, is there anything I should be looking at on the Libec side of things? Pro's Con's?

June 19th, 2010, 03:58 AM	#24
Mike Beckett Trustee Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Antrim, Northern Ireland Posts: 1,569	Jose, The 055XDB do have the advantage of being lighter, from what I can tell. They don't seem to have a bowl for leveling the head, which may make life frustrating for you. The 351MVB legs are more sturdy, and the kit does come with a bowl leveller. 6kg (14lbs) for the whole tripod may be too much for you. It doesn't sound much until you have carried it around all day! It depends on your application. If you are travelling long distances with your camera kit and tripod then you may wish to make the sacrifice and go for the lighter model with single tube legs and live with the lack of leveling bowl. If you can drive to your location or don't have to travel too far, the 503HDV kit is worth for the better legs and head. In the Libec range, the LS-22 would be good for the HMC40/41. A lot of people rave about the LS-38 (which is more expensive). Don't get it - it is rated way too heavy for our little cameras. You can get the LS-22 in a range of configurations, with ground level and mid level spreader - which you get depends on whether you are working mainly on flat surfaces or not. I personally prefer a mid spreader for flexibility. The Libecs don't have adjustable friction, which may be a problem. The Manfrotto 503HDV does have this feature. The Libec TH950DV may also be suitable. It is lightweight and has a LS22 head on it, and might suffice if you don't need ultra solid legs. Libec in general are good if you are on a budget. The newer Manfrottos have more features (counterbalance adjustment, pan/tilt friction knobs). I personally use a Sachtler DV6SB with my HMC41. But at $2000 that might be overkill for you!

June 19th, 2010, 09:55 AM	#26
Mike Beckett Trustee Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Antrim, Northern Ireland Posts: 1,569	Jose, Taking your points in order: The "levelling bowl" is a half-ball that sits in a bowl shaped hole in the top of the tripod. You will normally want to level your tripod so that horizons are level, and you do this with the help of a little spirit level bubble on the tripod head. You can see a picture of the "bowl" here: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/188653-REG/Cartoni_L501_L501_Aluminum_1_Stage_Tripod.html The tripod head has a ball on the bottom that sits in this bowl, and can be lossened, adjusted and then tightened to make it level. There's a knob or handle underneath that you screw up or down to do this adjustment. If you just want smooth pan and tilt and good legs, then the Libec LS-22 is good. You can work without adjustable drag if you aren't hoping for smooth, slow pans at 12x zoom. That won't be a problem for your music videos. Regarding the counterbalance rating: the Manfrotto/Bogen has adjustable counterbalance, the Libec LS-38 doesn't. This means the camera will keep "springing up" or down when you try to tilt. The smaller the camera, the worst this gets. The LS-22 does have an adjustable balance, so it won't be a problem. On cameras like the HMC40, you can get away with a pretty basic tripod. Maximum payload isn't an issue, you'll not get anywhere near 17lbs unless you sit on top of the tripod! On an approx. $400 budget, and needing a leveling bowl, I would suggest: Libec LS22: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/688462-REG/Libec_LS_22DV_LS_22DV_2_Stage_Aluminum_Tripod.html Libec TH-950: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/688667-REG/Libec_TH_950DV_TH_950DV_2_Stage_Aluminum_Tripod.html Bogen 501HDV: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/487976-REG/Manfrotto_501HDV_351MVB2K_501HDV_351MVB2K_1_Stage_Tripod_System.html- the legs are a bit more sturdy on this one, and it has a balancing bowl. The cheapest Bogen 503HDV kit with decent legs is probably nearer to $600. You really can't go wrong with the Libecs for the money, if you are on a budget. A lot of HMC40 users seem to be happy with the Bogen 701HDV, but I cannot comment because I have no experience of it. A lot of the guys on DVXuser.com seem quite content with theirs. I think we're veering into territory that is best covered in the tripods form!