Tripods - how sturdy does it need to be?

[IAMB]

Tripods from the good old days could be pretty big because photographers back then weren't a bunch of namby pambies like we are now. [img]/emoticons/emotion-2.gif[/img]

I think photographers back then if given the option of tripods that collapsed to 1/4 of the fully extended size and less then 1/2 their weight and still supported there camera the same would have gone with the ones we use today but thats just what I think [img]/emoticons/emotion-5.gif[/img]
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Yup... and your parents would have taken the bus to school instead of walking in the snow uphill both ways.

[Bombsight]

Advantages of one over the other? ........ Ballhead Vs. 3 way pan/tilt .... sorry if we coverd this elsewhere.[A]

[Ehcalum]

Ballhead:


simple workings, good support of weight, compactish. Kind of a pain to keep perfectly level and rotate unless you have a panning base (more $$), may become unscrewed from tripod if it lacks a locking feature.


Panhead:


independent movement of axis without throwing the others off, usually cheaper, good weigh support, best for video. Big annoying leavers, not as easy to operate as a simple ball head, harder to fine tune in a position.

[Bombsight]

So the ultimate setup would be a Wimberley Gimbal for action &amp; a 3way pan/tilt for everything else ....Including panos?


.... and if so, a great addition would be a nodal slide, plate&amp; L bracket from RRSfor the pan/tilt setup?

[clemmb]

It depends on what you are putting on it. I started with a very heavy Bogan. I could sit on it and it would hold me up. I am over 200lbs. I am not telling how much over. I had a Bronica at the time. I let my 2 year old son play with it. He liked to put a blanket over it like a teepee. He broke one of the legs off. I have no idea how he did this. My dad always said I could tear up a steel ball. My wife thought he was terrible to say that till my son came along.


Bottom line, if you are letting your 2 year old play with it, it needs to be stronger than a steel ball. LOL


Mark

[Bombsight]

I've been told I could muck up an anvil. [^o)]


.... but screw him, hes only my boss.