This particular tripod is good for compact cameras and small DSLRs. If you want a more stable and taller tripod then you can try this one http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/New-Manfrotto-MK-Compact-Action-J… for $84.96. Additional $9.95 if delivered to you.
I can't claim to be an expert but having gone through the same exercise I can offer my opinion.
There are several things to consider:
1. Weight. Are you going to hike with this or is it just going to be live in your house/boot? Lighter is not always better however as heavier tripods are sturdier and can hold up heavier kits.
Height. This is related to weight since taller = more material = heavier. Don't trust the max listed height. In general you only want to look at the height with centre column lowered. A higher centre column means less stable camera and defeats the purpose of the tripod in many cases. A lot of travel tripods achieve a tall listed height because their centre column can be raised. Also, the taller the tripod, the larger the footprint (cos physics) to achieve same level of balance. Figure out how high you need it (e.g. eye level? Chest level ok? Will you need invert column for macro shots in which case you should consider the minimum height)
Type of connector. This is quite important. Most cheap tripods have a fixed head, but it is usually better to have removable heads so you can change a ball head for stills and a pan/tilt for video. Also note that manfrotto heads uses their own plate system (not arca swiss).
With all that said here are the ones I considered:
2.MeFoto daytrip/roadtrip/globetrotter. Might be over your budget but we'll reviewed travel tripods with detachable head and removable leg to form monopod
Sorry for lack of links but on phone atm and formating is a pain. You can find all of them on ebay.
Heya, hope you don't mind offering some advice as you seem knowledgeable in this area.
What would you recommend for my use if I'm mainly using it for timelapse footage and trying to keep it under a decent weight for travelling? (probably around 2kgs or so max?
I don't do pan/tilt type shots as I rather do that with a gimbal. I'm shooting with a GH5, and occasionally a 5dm3.
Cheers!
I think it would depend on whether you are shooting urban or nature. If you are in nature then you will probably want ones with reversible spikes on legs (for added stability) whereas in urban areas you won't need those. I would probably get one that allows you to add weight to the tripod either via a hook on the center column or get a bag like this which will allow you to use your camera bag (or if you are in nature, rocks) as counterweight to increase the stability of your set up.
So basically, find the lightest tripod that can support your kit and then use something else to increase weight and stability of tripod when you use it.
Most tripods now have a carbon fibre and an aluminium version, with the carbon fibre usually being 100-300 grams cheaper but at 150-200% the price. The decision of which one to pick depends on your individual value assessment.
The mefoto range is fairly well regarded for travel tripods. For example, the mefoto roadtrip (weighs ~1.8kg rated for 8kg load with 53 inches with legs extended only and has spikes and centre hook) or globetrotter (~2.2kg, rated for 12kg load with 55 inches with legs only and also has spikes and centre hook) should be sufficient for micro 4/3 kits. A secondary consideration would be if you are using the 300/f4 or the 100-400 you may want to mount them on a separate monopod as well.
An alternative brand to mefoto that I have come across is benro. They have too many models for me to recommend one but you can explore their website to see what they have to offer, and I am aware of at least one Australian retailer which have competitive prices (unlike the mefoto where imports are way cheaper than local).
Finally, Zomei also make what are essentially knock offs of the mefoto range and represent very good value for consumer level users (like me!). You can get carbon fibre versions from ebay for less than $180 and these are pretty well reviewed on amazon - but for the love of God throw away their tripod bag. It is ugly as sin. They also have a range of models and are marketed under a few brands.
Of course the larger photo accessories companies (e.g. Manfrotto, Gitzo) will also have exceptional travel tripods but those are out of my price range so I know very little about them :D
Thanks for the amazing recommendations. Took me awhile to read and review all those suggested tripods. Just went ahead with the Zomei as it's 1.3kg weight was the most attractive and from youtube videos, people who used a heavier camera/lens than me were fairly happy with it. Only a tad disappointed it's not a dring plate.
The tripod bag is okay, i can live with it, the purple ball head protector bag though, cringe :P
Thanks heaps mate!
Thanks heaps mate !
Nice!
I don't mind the red
Max load capacity for both tripods listed above seem to be at 1.5kgs.
Does anyone know whether it'll still perform decently if you exceed that weight? I've got a 5dm3 (860g) and GH5 (750g) and assuming heavier lens are about 1kg, I can assume my future heaviest use would be about 1.5-2kgs. Is this still going to operate well enough and what sort of buyers remorse am I going to get with going with this?
I'm looking for a light tripod for travel purposes as 7kgs hand carry is hard to manage with laptops, drones, camera, lenses etc.
Appreciate some advice!
IMO using a lightweight tripod like this for a large FF camera is going to be unstable. Unless you have the camera absolutely level and balanced the ball head will slip with the weight - so if you want to angle slightly up or down, or have a larger lens with a offset (to the front) load, the camera will just creep in that direction.
In most cases, tripod manufacturers seem to over-rate their tripods and heads, so if they say 1.5kg, it means that 1.5kg is probably about the maximum in perfect conditions. A more realistic load would probably be 1kg.
I think my Sirui N2204X + K20X ball head (weighs about 1.9kg & is only 46cm long folded up - this little Manfrotto is about 1kg and 39cm, so lighter, but not much shorter) is rated for around 30kg - do I think it could hold 30kg - very doubtful. I still have a lightweight aluminium tripod (more sturdy than this Manfrotto) and it was definitely not up to my 70D + 100-400mm zoom, and was VERY marginal with the 70D + 24-105L.
I can be wrong but I would over dimension a tripod to get more stability cause it is the main purpose of having a tripod.
On the other hand, if it is going to be your travel tripod where weight is critical and you can compromise a bit on how stable it is, then go and get one.
Can experts suggest something that's best value for money for both video and photo shoots ? Budget is <125$ after discount.