Tripod for GL2?

Jeff Toogood · July 18th, 2004, 07:18 PM

for $59.99 I highly doubt it has a fluid head.

I don't think there are any sub $200 systems that have a fluid head. Sorry.

Nick Reed · July 18th, 2004, 10:28 PM

I don't think there is a fluid head for less than $500 (head alone).

I recommended this pod to another GL2 owner and he said he was very happy with it. It is the Davis & Sanford, sold by B&H for $150. I just happened to see it one day in a camera shop and thought the head was much better than the standard Velbon and such.

There are two models. The ProVista with double tubes and the Super Brace, with single tubes.

ProVista...

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=223630&is=REG

Super Brace...

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=NavBar&A=getItemDetail&Q=&sku=229577&is=REG&si=feat#goto_itemInfo

Chris Thomas · July 19th, 2004, 12:34 AM

I just got Manfrotto 055CL legs and a 501 head for $340 CAD (around $250 US), and I am very pleased with it. I had a look at the Manfrotto 128RC head too, and thought that it was a good one as well, and a little more than $80 cheaper than the 501. You could put that on the Manfrotto 190 CL legs for under $200 US, and likely get much better results.

I upgraded from a Velbon CX586 mini-pro fluid head that I used with my old handicam, and the new setup is way more stable and fluid with the GL2.

Ron Severdia · August 8th, 2004, 02:04 AM

I got this one for my GL2

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=NavBar&A=getItemDetail&Q=&sku=283759&is=REG&si=spec#goto_itemInfo

And it's great. Out of all the tripods I researched, it's the tripod that folds down the smallest and adjusts to the highest shooting height. So it's pretty portable and still gives good height. The legs are all independent (which is a must for a decent tripod), the quick-release plate is handy, and the head is pretty smooth for panning (3-way). Helluva deal for $113 and Bogen quality.

Stephen Sobel · October 22nd, 2004, 05:24 PM

Does anyone have experience with the Gitzo G-1228 tripod legs? How about the Gitzo G-2380 video fluid head? I'm considering them as a combo to take while hiking.

Alternatively, is anyone familiar with the Manfrotto (or Bogen?) 3443 legs? How do they compare with the Gitzo legs above? Would the Gitzo head above work with the Manfrotto legs? If not, is there a comparable Manfrotto video head?

Ken Tanaka · October 22nd, 2004, 11:03 PM

Stephen,
I use the Manfrotto 3443 CF legs for still photo work. It's a nice, light and compact tripod for photography.

But the problem with trying to use this, or the Gitzo, tripod for video work is that they're not really well designed for this application. Both have center columns and no accommodation for video-style heads, the better of which require bowls to accommodate their quick-leveling features. Also, photo tripods do not require the same degree of torsional rigidity that video/film tripod must have in order to prevent movement during pans and tilts. Basically, most photo legs just have to resist gravity and little else.

So I'd strongly recommend that you shop for a tripod and head specifically designed for video work. Bogen/Manfrotto makes several good models and combinations for relatively moderate budgets and loads (such as the GL2). Browse through this section to get some opinions (we have hundreds).

Stephen Sobel · October 23rd, 2004, 12:50 PM

I don't recall if it was the Gitzo web site or not, but I thought I saw somewhere the Gitzo G-1228 legs worked for video as well as still photography.

Do you know how the Gitzo or Manfrotto compare to the Libec M20?

Stephen Sobel · October 23rd, 2004, 07:22 PM

Has anyone used the Gitzo G-1348 legs?

Alan Craven · October 24th, 2004, 01:32 AM

I have not noticed the torsional rigidity problem Ken refers to with my G1127 legs, but the very lightness of the legs means that they tend to move on smooth surfaces when panning - Newton's third law and all that. Hanging a weighted bag from the centre column helps.

When I bought them I tested the torsional rigidity against similar Manfrotto and Velbon legs and the Gitzo were markedly superior. Perhaps French carbon fibre has something the others do not!

A solution to the rapid levelling problem is the Manfrotto Compact Levelling head (Cat. no. 438 in Europe, Bogen code 3502 in USA).

The problem then, of course, is that adding extras like this cancels out the weight gain of those lovely expensive carbon legs.

Jay Stevens · March 22nd, 2005, 09:46 AM

Purchased the 3126 head yesterday then took it outside to test it. Feels good but I noticed on playback that the pans and tilts were kind of jumpy or uneven/inconsistent speed. Is it just me, the operator, who needs more practice or is it the head itself? What are some suggestions for the GL2 if you want smooth action while shooting short films? Is this a good head for this type of shooting(movies, drama, etc.)?

Jay

Mariano L. Honrado Jr. · March 22nd, 2005, 01:59 PM

Hello Jay:

The most important feature or rating of tripod and head combos is its max load. In my experience I would set that, at least, at twice the weight of the camera. The 3126 is rated at 8.9 lbs. and seems plenty enough for the GL2 to keep it stable. I assume you've got enough tripod capacity for BOTH the head+camera combo.

The issue of jumpy pans and shifts are more likely related to the "locking" screws' tension. For a completely fluid (pun intended!) experience I normally keep them loose since good heads have a certain amount of spring-loaded resistance for smooth starts and stops. If you keep those screws too tight then you intend to lock down the camera and prevent its movement. Coupled with spring resistance, normal friction will cause those jumpy pans and shifts.

Mabuhay!

Mariano

Kelvin Kelm · March 22nd, 2005, 04:08 PM

I recently purchased a 700RC head (one step above the 3126) that had a noticeable stick at the beginning of the pan. I took it back to the store and got a second one that worked perfectly - very smooth.

Mike Donley · March 23rd, 2005, 09:22 AM

Were you zoomed in? Slight imperfections in controling pan or tilt will be more noticable if you are zoomed in. When zoomed in tight, even touching the handle might cause a little jiggle in the image. So it takes a VERY light touch to get smooth pans and tilts when zoomed in.

Jay Stevens · March 23rd, 2005, 05:14 PM

Thanks for all the input. MARIANO, do you own the 3126??? If so, have you shot any movie stuff with it and how does it look? Is it as smooth as any higher priced head if I do leave the screws all the way loose? Thanks,

Jay

Mariano L. Honrado Jr. · March 24th, 2005, 12:43 AM

Hello Jay:

I actually use a 701RC2 fluid head sitting atop a 055WNB tripod. It has a neat feature that allows the mounting plate to be moved forward/backward in order to "balance" the camera (i.e., in theory, locks the shift/tilt even if the locking screws are not tightened).

I only tighten the locking screws ever so lightly just to prevent "drift" but, of course, pan and tilt against the spring load. I do get smooth footage. During wedding vows I like to tighten the screws for a rock-steady framing.

Cheers and Mabuhay!

Mariano

July 18th, 2004, 07:18 PM	#61
Jeff Toogood Major Player Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: St.Thomas, Ontario, CANADA Posts: 428	for $59.99 I highly doubt it has a fluid head. I don't think there are any sub $200 systems that have a fluid head. Sorry. __________________ Toogood Studios

August 8th, 2004, 02:04 AM	#64
Ron Severdia New Boot Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: San Francisco Posts: 13	Bogen Manfrotto I got this one for my GL2 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=NavBar&A=getItemDetail&Q=&sku=283759&is=REG&si=spec#goto_itemInfo And it's great. Out of all the tripods I researched, it's the tripod that folds down the smallest and adjusts to the highest shooting height. So it's pretty portable and still gives good height. The legs are all independent (which is a must for a decent tripod), the quick-release plate is handy, and the head is pretty smooth for panning (3-way). Helluva deal for $113 and Bogen quality. __________________ http://group101sf.com/ http://group101films.com/

October 22nd, 2004, 05:24 PM	#65
Stephen Sobel Major Player Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 408	Tripod for Canon GL2 camcorder Does anyone have experience with the Gitzo G-1228 tripod legs? How about the Gitzo G-2380 video fluid head? I'm considering them as a combo to take while hiking. Alternatively, is anyone familiar with the Manfrotto (or Bogen?) 3443 legs? How do they compare with the Gitzo legs above? Would the Gitzo head above work with the Manfrotto legs? If not, is there a comparable Manfrotto video head?

October 22nd, 2004, 11:03 PM	#66
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Stephen, I use the Manfrotto 3443 CF legs for still photo work. It's a nice, light and compact tripod for photography. But the problem with trying to use this, or the Gitzo, tripod for video work is that they're not really well designed for this application. Both have center columns and no accommodation for video-style heads, the better of which require bowls to accommodate their quick-leveling features. Also, photo tripods do not require the same degree of torsional rigidity that video/film tripod must have in order to prevent movement during pans and tilts. Basically, most photo legs just have to resist gravity and little else. So I'd strongly recommend that you shop for a tripod and head specifically designed for video work. Bogen/Manfrotto makes several good models and combinations for relatively moderate budgets and loads (such as the GL2). Browse through this section to get some opinions (we have hundreds). __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

March 22nd, 2005, 09:46 AM	#70
Jay Stevens Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 75	GL2 tripod head Manfrotto 3126 Purchased the 3126 head yesterday then took it outside to test it. Feels good but I noticed on playback that the pans and tilts were kind of jumpy or uneven/inconsistent speed. Is it just me, the operator, who needs more practice or is it the head itself? What are some suggestions for the GL2 if you want smooth action while shooting short films? Is this a good head for this type of shooting(movies, drama, etc.)? Jay

July 18th, 2004, 10:28 PM	#62
Nick Reed Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Las Vegas, Nevada Posts: 78	I don't think there is a fluid head for less than $500 (head alone). I recommended this pod to another GL2 owner and he said he was very happy with it. It is the Davis & Sanford, sold by B&H for $150. I just happened to see it one day in a camera shop and thought the head was much better than the standard Velbon and such. There are two models. The ProVista with double tubes and the Super Brace, with single tubes. ProVista... http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=223630&is=REG Super Brace... http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=NavBar&A=getItemDetail&Q=&sku=229577&is=REG&si=feat#goto_itemInfo

July 19th, 2004, 12:34 AM	#63
Chris Thomas Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Burlington ON, Canada Posts: 118	I just got Manfrotto 055CL legs and a 501 head for $340 CAD (around $250 US), and I am very pleased with it. I had a look at the Manfrotto 128RC head too, and thought that it was a good one as well, and a little more than $80 cheaper than the 501. You could put that on the Manfrotto 190 CL legs for under $200 US, and likely get much better results. I upgraded from a Velbon CX586 mini-pro fluid head that I used with my old handicam, and the new setup is way more stable and fluid with the GL2.

October 23rd, 2004, 12:50 PM	#67
Stephen Sobel Major Player Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 408	I don't recall if it was the Gitzo web site or not, but I thought I saw somewhere the Gitzo G-1228 legs worked for video as well as still photography. Do you know how the Gitzo or Manfrotto compare to the Libec M20?

October 23rd, 2004, 07:22 PM	#68
Stephen Sobel Major Player Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 408	Has anyone used the Gitzo G-1348 legs?

October 24th, 2004, 01:32 AM	#69
Alan Craven Major Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: York, England Posts: 518	I have not noticed the torsional rigidity problem Ken refers to with my G1127 legs, but the very lightness of the legs means that they tend to move on smooth surfaces when panning - Newton's third law and all that. Hanging a weighted bag from the centre column helps. When I bought them I tested the torsional rigidity against similar Manfrotto and Velbon legs and the Gitzo were markedly superior. Perhaps French carbon fibre has something the others do not! A solution to the rapid levelling problem is the Manfrotto Compact Levelling head (Cat. no. 438 in Europe, Bogen code 3502 in USA). The problem then, of course, is that adding extras like this cancels out the weight gain of those lovely expensive carbon legs.

March 22nd, 2005, 01:59 PM	#71
Mariano L. Honrado Jr. New Boot Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Manila, Philippines Posts: 8	Hello Jay: The most important feature or rating of tripod and head combos is its max load. In my experience I would set that, at least, at twice the weight of the camera. The 3126 is rated at 8.9 lbs. and seems plenty enough for the GL2 to keep it stable. I assume you've got enough tripod capacity for BOTH the head+camera combo. The issue of jumpy pans and shifts are more likely related to the "locking" screws' tension. For a completely fluid (pun intended!) experience I normally keep them loose since good heads have a certain amount of spring-loaded resistance for smooth starts and stops. If you keep those screws too tight then you intend to lock down the camera and prevent its movement. Coupled with spring resistance, normal friction will cause those jumpy pans and shifts. Mabuhay! Mariano

March 22nd, 2005, 04:08 PM	#72
Kelvin Kelm Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Katy, Texas Posts: 49	I recently purchased a 700RC head (one step above the 3126) that had a noticeable stick at the beginning of the pan. I took it back to the store and got a second one that worked perfectly - very smooth.

March 23rd, 2005, 09:22 AM	#73
Mike Donley Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Shreveport, LA Posts: 96	Zoomed in? Were you zoomed in? Slight imperfections in controling pan or tilt will be more noticable if you are zoomed in. When zoomed in tight, even touching the handle might cause a little jiggle in the image. So it takes a VERY light touch to get smooth pans and tilts when zoomed in. __________________ Mike Donley

March 23rd, 2005, 05:14 PM	#74
Jay Stevens Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 75	Thanks for all the input. MARIANO, do you own the 3126??? If so, have you shot any movie stuff with it and how does it look? Is it as smooth as any higher priced head if I do leave the screws all the way loose? Thanks, Jay

March 24th, 2005, 12:43 AM	#75
Mariano L. Honrado Jr. New Boot Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Manila, Philippines Posts: 8	Hello Jay: I actually use a 701RC2 fluid head sitting atop a 055WNB tripod. It has a neat feature that allows the mounting plate to be moved forward/backward in order to "balance" the camera (i.e., in theory, locks the shift/tilt even if the locking screws are not tightened). I only tighten the locking screws ever so lightly just to prevent "drift" but, of course, pan and tilt against the spring load. I do get smooth footage. During wedding vows I like to tighten the screws for a rock-steady framing. Cheers and Mabuhay! Mariano