GHW3 Loc: San Antonio, TX

I have done some research and am purchasing a Vanguard 263 tripod. My question is this... Do I go with the pistol grip or the standard head? The pricing is not much different and IF the pistol grip adds more versatility and ease, I will go that direction. I am interested in mostly landscape and nature photography and will also purchase a gimbal head for a Sigma 150-600 lens. Also, should I spend the extra money on the carbon fiber or go with the aluminum frame? I will sometimes be lugging my gear for a few miles to get to the shot.

soli Loc: London, UK.

Personally I would go for the standard head. The carbon tripod is lighter than the alluminium, so it could prove useful for your type of photography. Good luck.
Soli

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

Sorry to say, but if that's the tripod you've chosen to buy you should save you money until you can afford one that will be sturdy enough to support your 150-600. Check out the Really Right Stuff or Gitzo websites or contact Carter at Camera Cottage. Best of luck with whatever you choose to do.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

Yeah, I was going to wait until I could afford a Hasselblad,but I decided I didn't have to go nuts. I agree that perhaps a little more stability may possibly be in order.

Orso Loc: St. Augustine, FL

I've used both a standard head and pistol grip. I would stick with the standard head. I found the pistol grip to be a little more bothersome when adjusting it to the angle I wanted.

Dr.Nikon Loc: Honolulu Hawaii

Carbon fiber gimbal and tripod .. Weight factor .., No center colum .. That's what I use .... Occasionally my Carbon fiber Sirui 426-s

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

You are about to add $250 to the cost of the tripod that will actually serve your needs and not vibrate and spoil your shots. I am going to take a wild guess and say that you are using a crop sensor camera - how do you expect this tripod to hold a lens with a 900mm (or 960 if Canon) steady with that tripod?

I think you need to do more research.

You can start here:

http://bythom.com/support.htm

Then you definitely need to read this:

http://blog.reallyrightstuff.com/choosing-a-tripod-part-1/
http://blog.reallyrightstuff.com/choosing-a-tripod-part-2/
http://blog.reallyrightstuff.com/choosing-a-tripod-part-3/

And the Gitzo tripod catalog - which you can download Here

Eventually you'll come to several realizations:

1. That when a manufacturer sells a tripod like this - http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/TQC-14-Quick-column-series-1-tripod for $900 and only recommends it for use with 200-300mm lenses, there is no way that your $250 tripod is going to be stable with a 900mm lens - ever.

2. That for any lens longer than 600mm you will need a very substantial tripod, equivalent to a Gitzo Series 5 or RRS Series 4. These start at around $1000 and go up from there. And you still need to add a head, which can be as modest as a Manfrotto 393 for $!90 (I have used this for 10 yrs with a 600mmF4 with zero issues at all), or if you need locking, a Wimberley, or Wimberley knock off - which start at around $250 and go up to over $1000.

3. That the Sigma lens has excellent stabilization, and if you decide to hand hold it, you will be able to shoot down to 1/25 sec at maximum magnification, and still get sharp images. (See attached) And you may not actually need to throw away $250 on a piece of equipment which only has value to some company's sales and marketing group, and could actually result in damaged equipment when (not if) it fails.

4. That a $250 tripod is the equivalent of buying an Eastern Block Yugo vehicle, when what you really need is a car.

Putting a camera with a Sigma 150-600 reminds me of the last attached image - just because you can doesn't mean you should.

Ok, I am being very sarcastic and using this opportunity to have a little fun at your expense. But seriously, don't waste your money. You don't need to buy a $1000 or higher tripod. But you should be looking for a tripod with a top tube diameter no less than 37mm (like my Feisol CT3472, or a CT3372 - $500 without the rapid leg lock option) if you expect to get decent results. Less than that and your percentage of keepers goes down.

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DaveHam Loc: Reading UK

If you are going to buy Vanguard BEWARE. We bought two of their tripods; one Alta Pro and another larger Tracker model. Both suffered within a very short time with the leg to head collar attachment breaking because the material used appears to be based on the cheapest of ten quotes. Trying to get any support out of Vanguard has proven impossible so now we use them to illustrate what not to buy on workshops. At that they work really well.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

I wonder how many of us bought our second tripod because we didn't get it quite right with the first?

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

The only way for you to really KNOW is to put them in your hands. I would strongly suggest you get yourself to a larger camera store and try them all out. That is the ONLY way. If all you are going to do is landscape I have always used a ball head as it give me the freedom to get the exact angle I want. Sometimes the grip on a pistol grip can get in the way or feels awkward in my hands. I went to B&H once and tried most of the tripod heads. It took me about 2 hours to pinpoint the ball head that was JUST right for me, felt like Goldilocks.

pahtspix

I own a D500 Nikon/ 150-600mm Tamron G2, and I am using the Vanguard 263AT aluminum version with a MOVO Gimbal head..No problems or issues and excellent results with small birds..

jar Loc: North New Jersey

Own that tripod with pistol grip. its too light to handle the lens. Its only good for standard lens.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

I think that you are indeed fortunate to place over 9 pounds on a tripod rated for a little over 15 pounds!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I have a pistol grip stored in my "Tripod" storage box. I prefer using the tilt & pan.

pahtspix

The pistol grip on the Vanguard 263 will only give you an 8 degree rise going vertical..If you are into birds in the sky as well as elswhere, get a Gimbal head. I know Vanguard shows you how to do a convoluted switch of the head position, but it's very awkward and slow to do. You will not be happy with a ballhead with this lens either..At the very least. I would get a monopod with an arca plate, or a full gimbal head for your tripod..