Compact Carbon Fiber Tripod?

[maddawg]

Just wondering if anyone can suggest a Compact Carbon Fiber Tripod - is there such a thing?

I am heading to Australia and want to pack as light as possible - i run a D300 with the 18-200mm DX VR, Nikkor 50mm F1.9 or Tamaron 11-18mm - so nothing huge but would like a good stable lightweigh Tripod for Travelling.

[Liz]

Just wondering if anyone can suggest a Compact Carbon Fiber Tripod - is there such a thing?

I am heading to Australia and want to pack as light as possible - i run a D300 with the 18-200mm DX VR, Nikkor 50mm F1.9 or Tamaron 11-18mm - so nothing huge but would like a good stable lightweigh Tripod for Travelling.

I'm no tripod expert but here is a link to some at B&H.....


http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...arch&Q=*&bhs=t

More lightweights
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...arch&Q=*&bhs=t

Liz

[fx101]

The Gitzo series 1 carbon pods are probably the best CF pods you can get... unless you pick the basalt series and then you get more sturdiness per pound. Just note that these things are quite expensive so just keep in mind a good leg/head combo can easily exceed $500-700.

[SmartWombat]

How about a Gorillapod ?

[gahspidy]

Adorama has been offering a new line of Flashpoint Carbon fiber tripods that are very resonably priced and feel pretty good as well.
http://www.adorama.com/catalog.tpl?o...ods%20/%20Accs

[Sebastian]

How about a Gorillapod ?

I have a couple of those. They work well in very limited scenarios and are utterly useless in many others. I keep them in my bag because they're light and can sometimes be useful, but overall I would not buy them again. Plus, after a while they get worn and the legs lose the ability to support weight. My big one doesn't hold my DSLR up at all anymore.

I use them for holding flashes at odd angles or for my P&S.

[Skyman]

i have a velbon pmax that i bought specifically to travel with. it has been all over Germany, France, Fiji and lots of Australia. It folds up super small and the twist lock legs are great when you are working in a crowded area and don't have time to be fiddling with a tripod. its height is a little short but good enough 95% of the time. with a heavy dslr and a long lens it can get a little wobbly but a cable release or remote timer will avoid any camera shake. A great little tripod for when my manfrottos are too big or too heavy or both. most often i use it on my 400d with grip and my 70-700f4l so it can handle a reasonable amount of weight.

[Glasstream15]

I have one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Velbon-Carmagn...2377654&sr=8-1

To me it has been great. Very sturdy, light, quick setup. The included pan head is also very good. However I also got a Velbon Ball Head:

http://www.amazon.com/Large-Ball-Hea...2377770&sr=1-2

I am not as happy with it. Maybe I just need to use it more. I have thought about something from Manfrotto or another brand of ball head. But mostly I think I need to use it more.

The tripod though, is great. It's very sturdy, lightweight, appears to be high quality and the snap locks are adjustable for wesr. It would take a bunch to convince me that twice the price will get anywhere near twice the tripod. I'm going to get a Velbon CF monopod also.

[another view]

I haven't kept up with them, and really am not sure what's out there these days. Reason? About five or six years ago I bought a used Gitzo G1228 small carbon fiber tripod, and have had no desire to look at anything else since. As a matter of fact the two other tripods and a monopod I had when this one showed up have since been sold. Apparently this model isn't made anymore, but there are similar ones out there. Because it has four leg sections it's small enough to pack into my sea kayak (with the Arca B-1 head removed), tall enough for me (although at just over 6' I have to bend over a bit) and sturdy for long exposures with a 200mm lens (used carefully, of course). It's also noticably lighter than an aluminum tripod, more rigid and not freezing cold to touch in the winter.

And it's held up very well. Sure, they're expensive but think about the cost of buying and selling less expensive stuff that doesn't work and divide the cost over years of owning the right thing.