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Digital Video Forum Discuss camcorders, HD video, HD DSLRs, video editing, DV software, and video techniques. Your DV forum moderator is Skyman.
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  1. #1
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    Need help buying a tripod

    Hello friends,
    I have a Canon Optura 30 and I would like to record my table tennis game basically to review my stroke action. Can someone suggest a tripod for my camcorder? It is something specific that I should buy or can i buy anyone?

  2. #2
    Moderator Skyman's Avatar
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    Re: Need help buying a tripod

    welcome to the boards! you are talking about two of my favourite pastimes, video and table tennis! (I was never great at the latter, but I did captain my school team to fourth in the state titles) since the camera will be stationary and you will have the luxury of setting it up before you start play and packing it down afterwards, almost any tripod that will stand still will do the job (many of the cheaper ones wouldn't) having said that footwork can shake the floor a lot, especially if you are playing a "stomper" so I would aim a little higher up the list. the two biggest brands in video tripods are manfrotto (north america often calls these bogen) and miller. The heavier the tripod the better, i would say nothing lighter than a manfrotto 055 (it may feel like overkill now but when you start chasing the action believe me it is a lightweight. Again under normal cicumstances I would say invest a bit of money in a good fluid head, I am guessing that if all you want is stroke analysis, then a regular 3 way head would work, but this would really let you down as soon as you want to do any more than have the camera sitting steady. in an ideal world you will want to use the camera in a number of locations (front on is the best as this is what your oponent sees, so if you are telegraphing your shots you need to know how, but you also need to know what is happening below the line of the table, especially if you are a looping player. also if you are practicising against an opponent you may find they opstruct the cameras view. for these reasons i would be gathering footage of you playing from every side. Let me know how you go.

    incidentally If you are planning on attempting to follow the game with the camera, or will use it for more than table tennis, then I would get heavier still legs and pay a little more for a more smooth fluid head.

  3. #3
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    Re: Need help buying a tripod

    thanks a lot skyman. but one of my important questions is that if i buy a manfrotto or miller will it definitely fit my camcorder which is a canon optura 30? how much should i pay for a tripod given that i probably wouldn't be using it much for moving the head etc. since I going to be playing and the camera is going to be stationery?

  4. #4
    MJS
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    Re: Need help buying a tripod

    I've got four of Manfrotto 3021 legs with 700CR2 heads for MiniDV camcorders at the studio and they have been quite good. Check out the following link. They've survived use in a High School video lab and are still working great.
    http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...gs_Black_.html

    The following is the 055 Pro that Skyman suggested with the same head. The 055 seems to have replaced the 3021, they have very similar stats. Either way would make a great choice.
    http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...gs_Black_.html
    Michael
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  5. #5
    Moderator Skyman's Avatar
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    Re: Need help buying a tripod

    the only thing that is standard in photography / video is the size of the tripod thread. any brand / make of camera will most definately fit any brand of tripod. incidentally i use a manfrotto 075 with a 136 fluid head and 181 dolly for my video stuff which is mostly done on a tiny panasonic gs 30, so there is no such thing as overkill. for my still photography I use an 055 with an 029 three way head and when i need to do video but travel light i put my 136 head on the 055. it works ok but i much prefer the 075!

  6. #6
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    Re: Need help buying a tripod

    Quote Originally Posted by MJS
    I've got four of Manfrotto 3021 legs with 700CR2 heads for MiniDV camcorders at the studio and they have been quite good. Check out the following link. They've survived use in a High School video lab and are still working great.
    http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...gs_Black_.html

    The following is the 055 Pro that Skyman suggested with the same head. The 055 seems to have replaced the 3021, they have very similar stats. Either way would make a great choice.
    http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...gs_Black_.html
    these products are over $200. I don't want to do professional photography. I just want to record my game so that I can view my strokes. Is there anything cheaper like under $60 or so. since you say any kind of tripod would fit any kind of camcorder.

  7. #7
    MJS
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    Re: Need help buying a tripod

    Unfortunately I haven't bought a tripod in the under $200 category in over 20 years, sorry about that. I shoot both for pleasure and profession and have done so for more years than I care to remember. I do believe that Slik makes some good tripods in your price range. A fluid head will serve you quite well for video.

    Good luck with your choice.
    Michael
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  8. #8
    Moderator Skyman's Avatar
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    Re: Need help buying a tripod

    As I said in my first post assuming the playing surface is stable so that foot stomping doesn't shake the ground, any tripod will successfully hold the camera stationary. the more expensive ones come into their own with heavier cameras and using them to track things. there are so many brands of cheap tripods out there i wouldn't even try to recommend a particular one. slick and velbon are ok but may be pricey depending on size. I have also seen a manfrotto copy branded as a giotto but it may not have had a video head. again as i said a 3 way head will be just fine if you don't ever want to pan your shots, so for the use you describe it would be ok. incidentally most of the cheap ones have a hybrid head, not really fluid, but fluid styled with a bracket that can tilt to give a vertical shot for use with still cameras.

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