Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

The Three Legged Thing is a well-designed tripod, but too flimsy to hold a 600mm (900mm on a cropped sensor) lens steady. Just because it supports almost 18 lbs doesn't mean it will hold it without vibration. This solution would only serve shorter focal length lenses, like possibly 150mm or less. I suppose if you use it without extending the center column or the legs, it would be fine, but the ball head looks very small.

This would be an excellent choice for a packable tripod for a landscape photographer though.

Billbobboy42 Loc: Center of Delmarva

I'm glad I don't need to buy a new tripod right away. The more I learn, the more I get confused. I just took a closer look at the RRS pods. Looks like I would need their Series 3 or 4, but the suckers weigh close to what my old Tilt-All does. Also, RRS specs do not show tube diameter. However, in their price range I assume the leg diameters would be adequate.

So, to accommodate my 150-600mm lens is the reality: that I need a heavy tripod (5lb range)?

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Bill, I think you should spend more time on the RRS website, and download the Gitzo catalog. Both go into considerable detail on why you would need a sturdy (but not necessarily) heavy tripod. You do have a reasonable alternative, though you'd have to take it on faith based on anecdotal experiences - the Feisol CT 3372 or CT 3472 for under $600.

It takes a lot of tripod to hold a 900mm lens steady. Any tripod costing more than $150 will support it (keep it from crashing to the ground), but realistically speaking, you need a solid platform for that focal length. There should be no confusion. If you cheat and get a tripod that is not up to the task, you will be unhappy, and you will regret buying it every time you use it with the 600mm lens. You could end up regretting the Feisol but I would like to share a shot I took with it, using a Feisol CT 3472 (no center column), Manfrotto 393 gimbal, a D300 with a 600mm F4+1.4 TC, at 1/10 sec - in case you don't believe me.

The second shot was with a D800 and a 1.4x TC on a 600mm F4, but this is not as dramatic since there was enough light for me to shoot at F8 and 1/400 sec - same tripod, same head.

As you can see, this tripod can hold things steady. The Gitzo 3541 I returned would never give me these results. I believe that set is now close to $750, depending on # of leg sections and height - and there is only a 2-4 oz savings in weight. The Feisol is the odd duck, but it does have a following of satisfied users. I would avoid the tripods with numbers ending in "1" - they are heavier and do not perform as well.

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Billbobboy42 Loc: Center of Delmarva

Nice shot #1: what bird is that? Looks like it could be a shorebird.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Thanks!

The top one is an immature night heron I believe.

oldtool2 Loc: South Jersey

Yes, a juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron. I got a few shots of one this past weekend.

Jim D

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Good to know - at this stage I can't tell the black crowned from the yellow crowned - Thanks!

oldtool2 Loc: South Jersey

Gene,

The juv. are very hard to tell. I was lucky and had adults close by. The black-crowned has larger whit spots on the wing coverts than the juv. yellow-crowned. The black-crowned has more yellow on the underside of its bill, and the bill is longer and thinner.

First two photos are a juvenile, last is an adult black-crowned Night-heron.

Jim D

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Bill Emmett Loc: Bow, New Hampshire

Hi, You may want to give a call to MTshooter. He owns a camera shop in Montana, and usually has inventory of used tripods, and heads. He can really set you straight on what to buy, and if he has a quality used travel tripod that will fit your needs. Contact him through the "Hog" or www.cameracottage.com.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

These are great - thanks!

jockellis Loc: Cumming, GA

Your Tiltall will probably bring about $100 on eBay. I think that's what I paid a few years ago to replace the one I forgot to take home from a high school baseball game because my 2-year old daughter was running amuck and I had to grab her and take her home. I did a bit of surgery on the head of the first one and it worked well with a 4x5 Calumet. It also helped me get a razor sharp pix of a setting bird with an 800 mm lens that had to be 800 mm long. Tiltall may still be the best aluminum tripod ever made for all I know. I worked at a camera store in 2000-2001 and was not impressed with what we sold.

oldtool2 Loc: South Jersey

Thank you for the compliment, and you are welcome. I enjoy sharing some of my photos.

These are just a few of about 3500 - 4000 shots I took at Forsythe this past weekend. This is a great time of the year to go there and take photos!

Jim D

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

I've been using Gitzo Series 3 Systematic tripods for close to 20 years now.

I have no problem even with my older models (G1325 Mk 2 and G1348 Mk 2) supporting lenses and lens/teleconverter combos upwards of 600mm. 700mm, 800mm even 1000mm combos. No problem. Rock steady.

I gotta admit, the tests I did with 500mm f/4 (8 lb.) with 1.4X and 2X, all on an APS-C camera (i.e.... equiv. to 2240mm on full frame), didn't turn out very sharp. But I'm pretty sure that was due to all the glass involved, as well as shooting subjects over a quarter mile away through a lot of atmosphere. I never faulted the tripod in any way.

To me it's a bit funny that Gitzo is now saying in their catalog "400mm maximum" with their Series 3. That's pretty close to the MINIMUM focal length mine often see. Without a center column, with three section legs, and with a gimbal or a heavy duty ballhead/gimbal adapter on it... Gitzo G1325 was considered THE "go-to" tripod and very popular with many big lens using pros, back when I bought it close to 20 years ago.

Of course, Gitzo would rather sell you a bigger, heftier, more expensive tripod. It probably keeps their lawyers happier, too. I'm way past my warranty period though, so they can relax. (P.S. So long as you register it, Gitzo have a 7 year warranty.)

BTW, the last two Gitzo I bought - a second G1325 w/leveling platform and a G1348 w/rapid column - cost me $375 and $425 respectively, including shipping. They were used but like new, from reputable eBay sellers. I added heads and got carrying bags for them for an average cost right around $500 apiece. (I do plan to replace the cheap gimbal head on one with something better in the future... which will cost more.)