On Tue, 21 Oct 2003 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > I am fairly tall, so I need one that goes to at least 55" or 56" with the > column unextended (even taller would be better, but that height would be okay). I > also don't have a lot of upper body strength so I am trying to get one as > near to 2 lb. (or less) as possible. Weight is a big factor.
For macros you really want a stable tripod. Heavier tripods are more stable. With macros you often need to shoot at a very small aperture to get a reasonable depth of field, and small apertures usually require long exposures. A lighter tripod isn't likely to be very stable for those long apertures. If you need a lightweight tripod the best one that I've used (and now own) and which is mostly inside your pricing area is the Velbon Maxi 343e. It is a little flismy but tall and light and gets very compact. This is the tripod that I take with myself on vacation. It isn't the ideal macro tripod though because the leg locks only have one angle position and it isn't the most stable thing in the world. My other tripod is a Slik 444 Sport II. I don't think that this one is made anymore, but it is a nice unit that they shouldn't have discontinued. It is shorter than most tripods but folds up pretty small as a result (and also because it has 4 leg sections instead of 3). It weighs 4lbs which is a little heavy and the included head was a video-style 3-way panhead that just isn't that great for photography. It is nice for macro work because it has a reversing center column and 3 leg angles and you can get the camera really close to the ground. These were about $100 when they were available. > Here's two of the cheaper ones at Adorama I've been eyeing: Slik U6600 and > Velbon DF-40. > > The above two have geared centered columns. Not totally sure what that means. A geared center column means that you turn a crank to raise and lower the center column. The other option is one that is held in place with friction and just slides. Since I rarely extend the center column I don't really care which type my tripod has. At one point I owned a Slik U-series tripod and it really was a waste of money. The head broke after about 3 months of occasional use. The head was designed for video use and not replacable. This was 6 or 7 years ago, I don't really know if things have improved. > 3. Quick release (not sure if all brand quick release are equal)? They aren't. I personally don't care too much about a quick release since I normally use a ballhead. It is very quick to mount or remove a camera from a ballhead without a quick release. Just release the tension on the ballhead and spin the camera platform while the tripod and camera stay in place. > 4. Pick up some height on extended column? (Or is extended column a bad idea)? It is a bad idea, especially on a lightweight tripod that won't be too stable to begin with. Here are links to the products that I'm using: Velbon MAXI 343E: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=224890&is=REG Benbo Compact Ballhead with Panning Base: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=248233&is=REG This is a great compact ballhead with a pretty good feel. The one that comes with the 343E isn't terrible and will probably work fine for you though. Slik 444 Sport II: (I've never heard of this seller and can't recommend them, they just came up on an eBay search: http://www.hotbuyselectronics.com/slik_444_sport_ll_tripod.htm alex
