Tripod suggestions?

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Tom_McC
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Aug 26, 2017 7:49 am
Location: Salisbury UK

Tripod suggestions?

Post by Tom_McC »

Hello.
My trusty Manfrotto 055 has self destructed (again) and I'm tempted to get something better. Can anyone suggest a good tripod for Macro? I tend to get down with the plants and am getting more into stacking. The really right stuff Versa equipment looks good - small and sturdy -but is rather expensive in the UK. Should I just replace my carbon Manfrotto? Any advice gratefully received!
Tom McC

physicsmajor
Posts: 108
Joined: Sun May 10, 2020 12:56 pm

Re: Tripod suggestions?

Post by physicsmajor »

Weight rating of the tripod is probably the biggest sticking point. Weigh your stacking rig with everything you ever intend to mount up on top simultaneously, then add a bit for good measure. Is it relatively centered over the tripod mount? If not, add maybe another 50-100%.

For example: My rig is off center and heavy; the repurposed stacking sled itself weighs about 11 lb - that's before camera and Arca Swiss rails and SM2 adapters or lenses. I have it on top of a beat up old heavy duty steel/Al Manfrotto rated for 19.8 lb, and it would NOT work on anything rated less. A benefit to this weight is innate damping. Needless to say though, it really isn't portable!

So beyond "the one you have", I'd suggest you define the lower bound of satisfactory in terms of weight rating, identify a few specific options which seem to meet your needs, and then lurk on the big sites for sales on new or closeout gear - or small sites for local deals like CL - until a decent deal appears.

seta666
Posts: 1071
Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2010 8:50 am
Location: Castellon, Spain

Re: Tripod suggestions?

Post by seta666 »

I used to own a stabil macro, I did not really like it. I moved to a berlebach mini together with manfrotto 410 junior, could not be happier!!

Wood absorbs vibrations, does not vibrate like those hollow tubes. I used on top of that a aluminium plate with a newport aluminium 1" rail, a couple of articulated arms for light diffusers/reflectors, a novoflex focusing rail and a EOS 5D mkII with Canon MP-E and it works well,

I tend to place subject and Backgrouns/ extra light diffusers on a second tripod, a velbon ultra mini with three small articulated arms

As portable as it can be.
The set up
Image
The result, 4.5X
Image

Tom_McC
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Aug 26, 2017 7:49 am
Location: Salisbury UK

Re: Tripod suggestions?

Post by Tom_McC »

Dear Physicsmajor and Seta666.

thank you very much for your helpful responses. As I need a fairly portable piece of kit I've bought a Sirui R-3213X Carbon. It seems pretty rigid and with a manfrotto geared head I can reliably capture what I need. Sadly I couldn't get the geared head off my old tripod and had to buy a new one :-( I was astonished at how much weight these newer tripods can support - after Physicsmajors advice I weighed my kit and it came to 3kg!! (Nikon 750, 105mm macro lens and Stackshot) so I think the extra load bearing capacity of the tripod (over 20kg!) says something about its rigidity. Now to take some pictures!!!!!

Many thanks to you both.
Tom
Tom McC

Doppler9000
Posts: 111
Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2011 3:56 pm

Re: Tripod suggestions?

Post by Doppler9000 »

For future reference, speedgraphic has very good pricing on Novoflex gear. The Triobalance tripods, for example.

https://www.speedgraphic.co.uk/carbon_f ... 773_p.html

Tom_McC
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Aug 26, 2017 7:49 am
Location: Salisbury UK

Re: Tripod suggestions?

Post by Tom_McC »

Very useful, Doppler9000.
Many thanks!
tom
Tom McC

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