sisko67

I have a manfrotto 294 tripod mow and I find at times it could be a bit more sturdy. I plan in the near future to purchase a gimble and possibly a 400mm lens. I have found a used Bogen 3051 Pro Tripod for sale. I have checked reviews on line and other than being a tad heavy, most are favorable. The price for the tripod is $150.00 and I wonder if that is a fair price and does any one know if there are parts still available? Also from what I have read here on UHH about tripods Bogen are good tripods.. Thanks

romanticf16 Loc: Commerce Twp, MI

Bogen was a US importer of Manfrotto products, renamed to their brand.

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

I would avoid it. It's intended use was for medium to large format cameras in a studio. Heavy gear, but short focal lengths. I had one, with a 3047 3 way pan and tilt head, and it would not hold a 135mm lens steady. So you can forget about a 400mm lens. And please understand it has nothing to do with the load capacity. It has to do with the rigidity and its ability to dampen vibrations. Seriously speaking, as one who has been there and done that - if you really want to properly support a 400mm lens, even if it is a lightweight 80-400 or something on a bigger scale, the requirement is the same. You will need a substantial tripod. I suggest you visit the Really Right Stuff website, and read their three page article on tripod selection, then visit the Gitzo site download their catalog. I think it is on page 12 or 13 - but look for there rating system. In similar fashion to RRS, they suggest a specific range of tripod for specific focal length, as it should be.

A 400 mm lens on a full frame camera requires a Gitzo Series 4 or 5, or a RRS Versa 2 series. Both mfgrs make the point that longer lenses amplify vibrations, thus require sturdier tripods.

If you were to buy the $150 Bogen, you will just be adding $150 to the price of the tripod that the 400mm lens requires. I would stay away from it unless you are using it for it's intended use - short focal lengths in studio. BTW, if you're thinking macro, you can forget about that as well, Moving in really close is just as vibration amplifying as using a long telephoto. You need a very rigid platform for that as well.

Expect to spend in the range of $1500 to $2000 for adequate support for that 400mm lens. If anyone tells you otherwise, they either don't know or are pulling your leg, but more than likely they just don't know what the benefits are of an adequate tripod and head. Best of luck, and don't dismiss the used market - you can find some bargains there. Just steer clear of the "I have a $75 Dolica tripod that I bought from Amazon and it's real sturdy" kind of advice. It's only gonna cost you in the long run.

Here is the link to part 1 of the RRS paper on tripod selection that explains everything you need to know.

http://blog.reallyrightstuff.com/choosing-a-tripod-part-1/

I am not suggesting that you have to spend that much money, just suggesting that for the correct solution you will. Obviously if you tolerate a greater amount of blurred images than I do, then you will settle for less capable gear, which would put you in the $1000 range.

sisko67

romanticf16, thank you for your input!

sisko67

Gene51, thank you vey much for your input. I have read to the link for RRS and read the entire article, i must say it was very informative. The only problem his is I am not a pro and I don't every expect to be one. I too like sharp photos, but at this time I can't afford such an expensive tripod. I will continue to look and read and maybe in the future. Again thank you for your concern about wasting money on equipment that will not help me!

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

Very rational decision, and thanks for following up on my suggestion. With that out of the way, I will tell you my story. In 2006 I bought a Gitzo Series 3 Carbon to use with a D200 and a Sigma 50-500. I read on the Gitzo site that I should have purchased a Series 5, but I could not justify the $900 they were getting for it, so I opted for the $550 Gitzo - after all it was a good tripod brand. And it is. as long as you don't under buy. But my dilemma was cost justification. Sadly I returned it, and waited until this little known brand, Feisol, came out with their new product - their CT3X72 series. A month after I returned the Gitzo, I received a bran new Feisol CT3472. With its 37mm top tube diameter, it was only 1mm less (I think) than the $900 Gitzo. I took it out and was totally pleased with my 500mm lens (on a cropped sensor it was 750mm). Seven years later, I haven't looked back. I continues to serve me well, and it is more rigid than the Series 3, though not quite as rigid as the Series 5, but close enough to make it work for me. I now use a D800 with a Nikon 600F4 - with no complaints. I shoot lots of wildlife that moves around - so I did not need a locking gimbal solution like the Wimberley or similar gimbals. I opted for the Mafrotto 393 which also has served me well, and I also use a Arca-Swiss Z1 Ballhead.

You can see some of my work at https://www.flickr.com/photos/gene_lugo/

and on my website: http://www.gyphotoworks.com/

I got away for $750 for my tripod and gimbal - and have nothing but good things to say about it.

sisko67

Gene51, thanks for the additional information. I guess you think I can't type from my reply. I can, but some times my fingers go too fast and I don't always check what I typed. Well from now on I will do only one thing at a time. I did go to your web site and man the picture you have posted blew me away with their sharpness. I understand why you gave me the information you did and I can tell you are fussy about sharpness. Again thank you and I guess I will have to just use what I have for now and save up.