lighten the weight: my Manfrotto tripod ( $199 ) weighs 5.5 lbs; buying a carbon fiber tripid fir $399 will save only a little more than a pound I have a 2.75 lb gimbsl head I use a...

Ed Chu Loc: Las Vegas NV

my Manfrotto tripod ( $199 ) weighs 5.5 lbs; buying a carbon fiber tripid fir $399 will save only a little more than a pound

I have a 2.75 lb gimbsl head

I use a D500 & Nikon 200-500 mostly for bird photography

suggestions on lightening the tripod load? ball head apparently not a good choice

James Van Ells

Thought about a mono-pod? I use one with a rifle support on my 150-600 sigma. That rig weights about 8# with a full frame camera. I have large tripod for still work but use the mono-pod when I walk around.

Ed Chu Loc: Las Vegas NV

James Van Ells wrote:

Thought about a mono-pod? I use one with a rifle support on my 150-600 sigma. That rig weights about 8# with a full frame camera. I have large tripod for still work but use the mono-pod when I walk around.

i have one; not really comfortable with it; maybe if i use it more.....

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

Ed Chu wrote:

my Manfrotto tripod ( $199 ) weighs 5.5 lbs; buying a carbon fiber tripid fir $399 will save only a little more than a pound

I have a 2.75 lb gimbsl head

I use a D500 & Nikon 200-500 mostly for bird photography

suggestions on lightening the tripod load? ball head apparently not a good choice

The Manfrotto tripod is not all that stable. A $400 carbon fiber will be more stable. The correct minimum standard for a tripod for you usage would be one with a 37mm top tube diameter. Anything thinner will be less stable.

On the other hand, I would try using your camera and lens hand held - I shoot a D810 and a Sigma Sport 150-600 (8.5 lbs) hand held anyway. I have a much heavier 600mmF4 which involves a tripod and gimbal every time I use it. I've used the prime and tripod for wildlife and birds exactly 4 times since I got the Sport 3 yrs ago.

James Van Ells

Ed Chu wrote:

i have one; not really comfortable with it; maybe if i use it more.....

Practice helps but as I get a bit older, I need to drag less weight around.

CO

I have a Jobu Jr.3 gimbal head. It weighs only 1.5 lbs. but can support up to 12 lbs. I use one with my Nikon D500 with Nikon 80-400mm lens. Your D500 plus 200-500mm lens weighs 6.99 lbs. That's well within the capacity of the gimbal. It has precision needle bearings and thrust bearing in the tilt axis. They designed a bushing for the pan axis that gives smooth motion with a little dampening. The tilt axis has finely controllable dampening. Jobu makes the Jobu Jr.3 and Jobu Jr.3 deluxe.

(Download)

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Ed Chu wrote:

my Manfrotto tripod ( $199 ) weighs 5.5 lbs; buying a carbon fiber tripid fir $399 will save only a little more than a pound

I have a 2.75 lb gimbsl head

I use a D500 & Nikon 200-500 mostly for bird photography

suggestions on lightening the tripod load? ball head apparently not a good choice

I have that same rig and DO NOT use a tripod for birds in flight. You should try it. Works well for me.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Ed Chu wrote:

my Manfrotto tripod ( $199 ) weighs 5.5 lbs; buying a carbon fiber tripid fir $399 will save only a little more than a pound

I have a 2.75 lb gimbsl head

I use a D500 & Nikon 200-500 mostly for bird photography

suggestions on lightening the tripod load? ball head apparently not a good choice

If a lighter tripod is what you want, look for the lightest and bite the bullet on the cost. Otherwise, save yourself a lot of money and carry the 5.5 lb tripod.

Looking up "lightweight tripods" gets you travel tripods - small tripods with more leg segments. Lightweight Manfrotto: "Light and compact, but comes at the expense of stability."

https://www.techradar.com/news/best-travel-tripod

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS716US717&ei=EdTKXNiFBsGt_QbK3ofwDg&q=lightweight+full+size+tripods&oq=lightweight+full+size+tripods&gs_l=psy-ab.3...5288.7822..9032...0.0..0.88.739.10......0....1..gws-wiz.......0i71j35i39j0i7i30j0j0i8i7i30.vDtAXhU5760

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

I have no problem with the weight of my cameras and lenses.
But I would certainly like to reduce some of the weight on me, and not just a pound or two.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Ed Chu wrote:

my Manfrotto tripod ( $199 ) weighs 5.5 lbs; buying a carbon fiber tripid fir $399 will save only a little more than a pound

I have a 2.75 lb gimbsl head

I use a D500 & Nikon 200-500 mostly for bird photography

suggestions on lightening the tripod load? ball head apparently not a good choice

Here is a pan tilt head that will save some weight for you. - https://www.ebay.com/itm/VH-10-2-Way-Fluid-Video-Tilt-Head-360-Panoramic-Ball-Head-For-Tripod-Monopod/322655168431?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l9372

Here is a better IMO video fluid pan/tilt that will save you a little weight over the gimbal ( remove the handle) - https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sirui-VA-5-Fluid-Ultra-Compact-Video-Head-with-ARCA-Type-Plate/262451765944?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l9372

A tripod with 3 section legs is more weight for stability efficient.

As mentioned, a monopod will provide more weight savings !

For BIF, handholding - if you have good strength and control-abilty for YOUR lens- is the best option.
.

I Derfdog

OMG proof-read before hitting SEND. While it does force me to turn on my brain, it slows the process of getting through the posts.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

DirtFarmer wrote:

But I would certainly like to reduce some of the weight on me, and not just a pound or two.

I'm afraid that's almost impossible.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Ed Chu wrote:

my Manfrotto tripod ( $199 ) weighs 5.5 lbs; buying a carbon fiber tripid fir $399 will save only a little more than a pound

I have a 2.75 lb gimbal head

I use a D500 & Nikon 200-500 mostly for bird photography

suggestions on lightening the tripod load? ball head apparently not a good choice

Sorry... to support a 200-500mm and have the advantages of a gimbal, you simply aren't going to shave off much weight. Anything significantly lighter will be less stable.

I am not sure which Manfrotto you use... But I can tell you that the carbon fiber Gitzo Series 3 Systematic tripods I use with gimbals (one a full size gimbal, the other a heavy duty ballhead + a Wimberley Sidekick gimbal adapter) each end up weighing about 9 lb. total.... with all accessories including leveling platforms, leg pads, carrying case, etc.

Any tripod significantly lighter is also likely to be less stable.... or too short to be comfortable.

Something you might consider is a monopod with a monopod head (tilt only). That can serve a lot of the time and is what I sometimes carry when I don't want to haul around a tripod.

Basil_O Loc: Minneapolis, MN

Have you thought about using some sort of cart to carry the tripod with? I have a friend who uses an old golf bag/hand cart. It does wonders with a heavy tripod. He looks like a fool, but it saves his back and knees. He can go down any trail that he can hike or walk on.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Ed Chu wrote:

my Manfrotto tripod ( $199 ) weighs 5.5 lbs; buying a carbon fiber tripid fir $399 will save only a little more than a pound

I have a 2.75 lb gimbsl head

I use a D500 & Nikon 200-500 mostly for bird photography

suggestions on lightening the tripod load? ball head apparently not a good choice

Panasonic Lumix G9 with Panasonic Leica 100-400mm f/4-f/6.3 lens. That’s a combination that packs the full frame equivalent of 200 to 800mm with six stops of shake reduction into about 1/4 the size and weight and cost of a full frame kit. And, it records spectacular video.

https://youtu.be/CPXUVTW3E3A

https://youtu.be/0po7jYpMCMo

With this, you can use a monopod!