OT: Need tripod recommendation for small camera

craftech wrote on 7/5/2011, 7:02 PM
I bought a Panasonic HDC-TM90K for my daughter. She is an actor.

She will use it to assist in developing several theater projects she and her friends are working on. She may use it to shoot video submissions for her friends as well.

The problem is the tripod. I tend to think heavier, but living in NYC she gets around by subway so she tends to think "portability".

I know that some of you have this size camera so what do you recommend for a tripod?

It can be a separate set of legs and a head or a combo.

Thanks,

John

Comments

ushere wrote on 7/5/2011, 8:17 PM
portability and usefulness don't sit together comfortably in a tripod.

then again, if it's just to stick a camera on to do screen tests, anything will probably do. if she wants pan / tilt, well that's a whole new ball game.
Byron K wrote on 7/6/2011, 1:49 AM
For portability I've used a carpenters clamp w/ a ballhead with much success.
Most of these clamps comes with a hole at the end for a 1/4 threaded screw or wing-nut to secure the ball head. The ball head used in this picture was a cheap $3 aluminum tripod, I took apart and re-threaded (tapped) w/ 1/4 standard thread.

http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/uu208/bk-vegas/ballclamp.jpg

This is the smallest clamp I'd recommend. Though the smaller clamps work, I've broken the tightening levers on the smaller ones by clamping them to tightly.

I did this (my first attempt ) timelapse out my backyard using this clamp on a pretty windy day and didn't want to use a tripod at risk of it toppling over while I wasn't around. The TM700 was clamped to a table which held up quite well. (;



craftech wrote on 7/6/2011, 3:24 AM
Thanks for the replies.

The clamp is very clever Byron. I think it would be limited for her for what she wants to do with it. There would definitely be times when there would be a camera operator that would need to pan and tilt.

The camera is not unlike the TM700 in weight and size. But she definitely needs a tripod.

She will have to carry everything up and down flights of stairs in apartments, up and down subway platform stairs, in and out of very crowded urban areas. Everything she needs she will have to be able to carry in one trip from Queens to Manhattan. That means backpack plus hands. Maybe she could use a wheeled luggage case.

I was looking at these legs combined with this head.

The combined weight would be 7 1/2 lbs and it would be 30 inches though. The legs are rated for a 15 lb camera and her camera only weighs 8.6 ounces.

John
farss wrote on 7/6/2011, 4:29 AM
We have a Miller DS5 head on Miller legs for our HC5. I bought it 2nd hand at auction at a bargain price of $300. I think that combo is going to be way over your budget and it's not all that light either.
We've also had that camera on a Miller Compas 15, that setup is around $3K and the extra weight does really help but it'd be absurd to buy such a rig for a small camera.

All this serves is to highlight a real problem, the manufacturers still haven't read the memo about small, cheap(ish) cameras that need good sticks at a sensible price. The light weight cameras are more of a challenge than a broadcast shoulder mount monster. Maybe this is an engineering problem with no solution, if someone does get a product to market they'll make a tidy sum.

Bob.
Laurence wrote on 7/6/2011, 6:30 AM
If you are talking about young girl hauling it around on a subway along with the camera and a bunch of other stuff, I would just give up on trying to do pans and zooms. A cheap really light tripod that you can fix in one position is what she needs. Get one that is light and folds up really small. A tripod that is good enough for pans and zooms will be big and heavy and would have to be locked up at the theater (or wherever she does this).
richard-amirault wrote on 7/6/2011, 6:30 AM
For carrying a tripod around ... it's a *lot* easier if it has a strap or is inside a bag with handles or a strap. A "naked" tripod can be a pain to carry if you are also carrying other things as well.
craftech wrote on 7/6/2011, 6:42 AM
Check that:
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Looks like a great deal, but it is only 55" tall when extended. They have the same one on eBay.

Thanks though,

John
farss wrote on 7/6/2011, 6:46 AM
Now that I think about it here is one that'll come as close as you'll get, the http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&N=0&A=endecaSearch&InitialSearch=yes&Q=&Ntt=Libec+Th-650Libec TH-650][/link]. At $189 from B&H it's not a bad deal.
We put these out with our palmcorders and they're pretty light and they do have a proper video ball head so it can be levelled as easily as any video tripod. This is not a real "fluid" head but it gets the job done. The legs are far from "pro" but if you avoid leaning on the camera too hard they will not flex. We have around six of these and they've mostly survived a few years of being knocked around in the rental business.
Another plus is they do have spikes with rubber buffers that can be screwed out of the way so they'll work fine on carpet and smooth floors. You pretty much get a tripod that pays homage to the real deal.

Bob.
plasmavideo wrote on 7/6/2011, 6:55 AM
Ok guys - don't kill me for this cheap recommendation, but . . . .

I accidentally found a small tripod at a local camera store that has an amazingly smooth pan/tilt (almost fluid like) head for less than $100 that I'm using on a small TM700 camera. I was totally blown away with the feel.

It's light as well, and might be perfect for this application. Truly, it does very smooth pans.

It's the Promaster 7450 tripod. I've seen them on Amazon.
UlfLaursen wrote on 7/6/2011, 7:10 AM
I have one of the Libec TH-650 for smaller cams and I like it a lot, and Bob is rigth, it's pretty light.

/Ulf
craftech wrote on 7/6/2011, 7:15 AM
Now that I think about it here is one that'll come as close as you'll get, the Libec TH-650]. At $189 from B&H it's not a bad deal.
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Thanks Bob. I am checking that out right now. Some of the User Reviews at B&H are a little scary, but your's and Ulf's recommendations count for more with me.

Bob and Ulf. Do you find that the 59" height is too short for shooting video?

John
craftech wrote on 7/6/2011, 7:18 AM
I accidentally found a small tripod at a local camera store that has an amazingly smooth pan/tilt (almost fluid like).........It's the Promaster 7450 tripod. I've seen them on Amazon.
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Thanks Tom. I wonder about the ones with the plastic braces in the center. They look like they could break easily. I had a Velbon years ago that was like that. How does it look to you?

Thanks,

John
farss wrote on 7/6/2011, 7:51 AM
"Some of the User Reviews at B&H are a little scary"

There's only one for the Libec :) OK, yes the bag will fall apart with use, get over it and buy a good Manfrotto tripod bag. The Miller bags that house $3K tripods don't last all that long either come to think of it.

"Do you find that the 59" height is too short for shooting video?"

I could live with it if I had to. What I wouldn't be at all happy with is a rig that didn't have a proper claw ball and bubble to get the head level quickly. I'm not much chop as a cameraman but no one can say my shots have a lean on them. That's one thing I do have a phobia about.

Bob.
craftech wrote on 7/6/2011, 9:05 AM
Thanks to everyone.

I ended up ordering this one.

Reviews were good. Size good. Just need a bag and she's all set.

Thanks again,

John
plasmavideo wrote on 7/6/2011, 9:47 AM
John, so far - so good. I haven't ha any problems with the hardware, although I don't use it everyday. The main reason I bought it was on impulse, as I was surprised with how smooth it was.

I have a junker Quantaray that I used as an oddball fixed tripod for wide shots at church productions, and as a cheap lightweight portable for family use, and this Promaster was SO much nicer and lighter, and I can also pan reasonably well with it.

I'm not sure about how it will hold up long term, but I don't drag 'em through the mud much!

The SLIK looks good too.

Good luck to your daughter.
musicvid10 wrote on 7/6/2011, 10:06 AM
While we're on the subject, what's a good miniature fluid head (addon or tripod) that would work well with pocket cams, GoPro, etc.?
reberclark wrote on 7/6/2011, 10:35 AM
Have you considered a GorillaPod? I have one that handles my Canon HF100 just fine:

http://joby.com/gorillapod


craftech wrote on 7/6/2011, 11:33 AM
While we're on the subject, what's a good miniature fluid head (addon or tripod) that would work well with pocket cams, GoPro, etc.?
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If you don't need a quick release, this one.

If you do need a quick release, this one (only weighs 1 lb.), or this one.

Read the user reviews.

John
crocdoc wrote on 7/6/2011, 3:55 PM
I have nothing to add in terms of recommended equipment, but just wanted to add this: What a good father you are!
craftech wrote on 7/6/2011, 4:22 PM
Thanks cd. That means a lot to me.

John