budget tripod for EX1r? (UK)

[Federico Perale]

i saw this Manfrotto 501 HDV (B. Hague & Co. Ltd Manfrotto

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

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

thanks
Fed

[Federico Perale]

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

Q3 Fluid Head Tripod

[Marcus Durham]

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.

[Robert Young]

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.

[Federico Perale]

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

[Marcus Durham]

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

[Paul Cronin]

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.

[Duncan Craig]

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.

[Andy Wilkinson]

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.

[Paul Cronin]

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.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

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...

[Stuart Wilson]

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

[Marcus Durham]

Originally Posted by Duncan Craig

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.

[Craig Seeman]

Originally Posted by Federico Perale

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.

[Federico Perale]

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