bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

Tripod discussions are frequent here on UHH. There is no doubt that a heavy, rock steady, full size tripod is frequently useful. I have one.

Based on frequency of use, I have one that is a bit different. B&H says I bought it in 2017 and paid $44! It still looks and feels brand new. I've used it as a "chest stabilizer", slide copy stand and simple handle. It works to hold an LED light. I've used it on a selfie stick to make it stand up. Used conventionally it makes any chair, stool, table or stump into a replacement for the big one.

The price is a little higher now but, for what it does, it is still a good value.

Manfrotto PIXI EVO Mini Tripod

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

I have a bunch of tripods. The lightweight old ones are used primarily for lights or a smartphone. For regular camera use I have three all metal Gitzo tripods and many Gitzo heads. I don't hike and so don't need a light tripod for travel.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Even though I have an excellent Vanguard carbon fiber tripod and Vanguard head, it is too big, bulky, and heavy for me to travel with. I only use it very rarely these days. My tripod of choice is the very compact and light weight Peak Design carbon fiber travel tripod. Unfortunately it's also quite expensive

Over time my gear requirements have changed significantly and I've selected gear that specifically meets my photographic interests. My current camera is the small and light weight Nikon Z fc. I use prime lenses with it almost exclusively and the majority of them are very small manual focus lenses. I realized some time ago that the focal length of the overwhelming majority of the images I've captured were wider than longer and that fast wider angle prime lenses suited my photography goals.

This combination of a compact and lightweight camera, with compact and lightweight lenses, mounted on a compact and lightweight tripod is perfect for me and I am enjoying my photography much more than I have in the many years of lugging around large and heavy gear.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

I've never had a Gitzo. I've read that they are good.

Although I've followed UHH for years and replied to a lot of topics, I rarely start one. Seemed to me like it might be useful or entertaining to start one on the tiny end of tripods.

MrBob Loc: lookout Mtn. NE Alabama

Who still uses a Bogen 3021... ? OR a matching 3018 Monopod... ? ME !

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

I wanted one of those years ago when I was on a tight budget. Never got a Bogen.

mizzee Loc: Boston,Ma

I love my Peake Design tripod, which is significant because I don’t like tripods! I also have a Benro carbon fiber tablepod that’s handy and fits in almost any pocket.

Orphoto Loc: Oregon

Bspraue...my usual warhorses are series 3 gitzos. Like you sometimes i need to be on the ground. I picked up a tiny 3 section carbon one made by Koolehaoda off Amazon a couple of years ago. It is very sturdy and performs fabulously. When preparing for use I spin my full sized Markins ballhead off and attach it to the little guy. At only 8" long it fits easily inside my pack when expecting to be low.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

So far, most of the responses are about favorite full sized tripods.

My thought was a possible exchange about small to tiny tripods.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

A couple of us mentioned the very compact Peak Design tripods. I forgot to mention I also have a much smaller, much lighter and even more compact Benro tripod which is occasionally useful but it is much shorter and much less stable than the Peak Design when fully extended. I don't tend to use it much because of its limitations, but my very light kit will work on it. Even though it is aluminum, I believe it weighs less than 2 lbs.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

I looked that one up! Now I need $600! The one I started this topic on is certainly less capable, but still smaller and $55!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4h2YDgACqE&t=1s

btbg

What you say here is very interesting to me. Like you I have changed my gear requirements over time. The difference is we have gone the opposite direction.

Sometimes I am envious of people who have been able to go lightweight. It gets tiresome lugging around heavy gear all the time, but that's kind of the life of a sports photographer. Instead of going light I now have a Nikon Z9, A Nikon D85070-200 and a Nikon D5 that I carry around all the time. Two 70-200 f2.8 lens a Sigma sport 150-600, a Nikon Z400f2.8, three flash, Two full size tripods, remote control equipment for all three cameras, and then assorted small zooms like the 12-24 and the 24-70 f2.8 lenses. It takes two bags to carry all the stuff and when shooting baseball it also requires a ladder. Sometimes it takes three trips from the parking lot to the photo shoot.

I'm thinking about going smaller when I retire. Do you ever miss having a big zoom lens for the photography that you do?

MrBob Loc: lookout Mtn. NE Alabama

It pays to listen to those who Know... Gene51 recommended the Fotopro 3 section carbon fiber which has nice thick legs and also the Leofoto heavy duty ball head with QR... Not cheap, but a lifetime investment... For on the go, a Gitzo mountaineer is another ultra lightweight carbon fiber which is not cheap but another lifetime investment. Like a top shelf lens, spend the money once and be done with it !

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

"Do you ever miss having a big zoom lens for the photography that you do?"

Not at all. When I was a Canon shooter, (7D Mark II), I owned a Canon 70-200 F/2.8 L with a Canon 2X Extender. I rarely used the lens, with or without the extender. The two lenses I used the most were the Canon 15-85mm F/3.5-5.6 IS USM zoom lens and the Canon 35mm f/2 IS USM prime. Even with the 15-85 the majority of my images were at 50mm or wider. I shoot only static images, many in low natural light.

My preferred lenses these days are my three Voigtlander fast manual focus prime lenses designed specifically for the Nikon Z mount, the DX D23mm f/1.2 Nokton, the DX D35mm f/1.2 Nokton, and the FX 40mm f/1.2 Nokton. The two DX lenses are tiny and weigh a bit less than 8oz each. the 40mm FX lens is not much bigger weighing in at a bit over 11oz. All these Voigtlanders have electrical contracts and pass metadata and aperture to the body like an AF lens The only AF prime I use is the DX TTArtisan 28mm f/2.8 which, like the Voigtlanders, has a metal barrel and is quite tiny weighing a bit over 3 oz. I also have a few other TTArtisan MF primes. I really enjoy using manual focus primes on my retro Nikon Z fc body.

cmc4214 Loc: S.W. Pennsylvania

I have a Benro Bat zero (16.4" max, 11.81" folded length) tripod, and I really like it.
It also works well as a chest pod.