For #1, are you right or left handed? I have mine on the right - but I'm right handed.

The Sony tripod sounds good but if they are no longer available...

Just called the local photo dealer and they have a Pro Master SHD Video Tripod with a 2-way fluid pan head for about $120. Heavy duty and can adjust to 76 inches tall... so I'm going to look at that one this after noon.

Any other suggestions would be good.

Regarding L&R handle... I'm right handed so I seem to want the handle on the right... but a double handle would be good so you could use either hand... or both hands.

Just didn't know if there was a standard side for the handle.

Thanks for the comments folks.

1) Any tripod head worthy of putting a video camera on lets you fit the pan handle on either side of the head. In fact in some setups camera operators use two pan handles.

2) I don't know what your "budget" is but the cheapest tripods with a good pan/tilt head start at around the $1,000 mark. If it's going to take a beating then it's money very well spent and if you no longer need it you can pretty much sell it for what you paid for it. On the other hand a cheaper tripod looses almost all its value as soon as you take it out of the store.

The Miller Solo legs are fantastic. Not too keen on their cheaper heads though in general but my second hand DS5 is doing very well so far with my wife's HC5 on it.

"Studio" tripods start at around $10K depending on features but I doubt you need spend that kind of money.

Thinking about this I did seen a half decent Chinese tripod with a real fluid head at NAB last year for around USD 500. I know these are now on sale in the USA. If you're interested I'll track down the reseller, I did see their website a week ago.

Bob.

Bob, I'm going to check out this $120 model this afternoon. They say they have sold a number of them to video production outfits/people and they have been happy with them. I'm sure it is not nearly as good as the $500 unit you mentioned... or the $1k+ units.

If it is easy to find a source for the $500 unit I'd be interested in checking them out... as I'm sure others would.

Thanks.

Hello again Will,
yes... not only at the Sony store, but everywhere else it appears... it has been replaced by the VCT series beginning at just over $300... (sigh)
* * *
I did take a look at the Davis & Sanford model... I have one sitting in my shopping cart at Adorama for $129 until I get your review from the one you're going to see today... (grin)
Looks like a winner to me... I have an event coming up that has haunted me over not getting the backs of people's heads out of the shot during the presentation ... I think the 78" reach might eliminate much of that ...

I also found a tutorial in the reviews about making that fluid head a little more fluid...

open and clean

With that problem solved, I might just go ahead and order that tripod anyhow ... it appears the only problem is the sticky panning... sturdy construction and easy setup makes it a shoe-in for me...
* * *
Waiting for your evaluation or comments on this guy ... (grin)

Until that time... Earl J.

I've been using a Davis & Sanford for a few years. Best value in a less expensive tripod.

"less expensive" and "take a beatiing" are not something that usually go together. You may get lucky with something for $120 .. or you may not.

Then again "expensive" and "beating" are relative terms.

I use a Manfrotto with a 501HDV head (for my Canon GL2) and love it. Under $500

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/563812-REG/Manfrotto_501HDV_028B_501HDV028B_028B_Tripod_System.html

As far as handles .. mine can be switched to either side .. I'm right handed so I have it on the left .. so I can operate the camera with the right hand. Yes, you can get a controller that will mount on the handle but I don't have a need for one. Manfrotto sells extra handles so that you can have one for each hand. I would think with two handles it would be much better to have that controller because the extra handle would "get in the way" a lot when trying to reach the camera controls.

Here you go:

http://www.lumieretech.com/store/home.php

and here's a video review someone from DVInfo kindly put togther:




Definately not Sachtler quality but they did feel pretty reasonable when I tried them out. Pan and tilt felt smooth. Didn't really have much of a chance to checkout how rigid the legs are or how solid the leg locks were. I did get the generally feeling that the Chinese manufacturer had go the right ideas about how to build a decent tripod though.

As I said before a good tripod is an investment. Cameras are an expense. A good tripod will last a lifetime, we had some first generation Millers, almost as old as me, and they still worked perfectly when we sold them off on eBay. They went for nearly as much as a new unit. Unfortunately Miller's quality has not been so good over the last decade or so.

I'd suggest you take your camera along to a serious video dealer. Put it onto a good Vinten or Sachtler and see the difference. At least you'll know what you're missing out on. There's nothing silly about putting a $500 camera on a $2,000 tripod. We've done it a few times for stage shows. Yeah, we get a few comments but the improvement in image quality is obvious.

Last year I spent some time going through 15 hours of a client's wildlife footage. Most of it was useless and what killed all the great shots was his cheap tripod. In the end the cheap tripod blew over in a strong wind wrecking his camera. So much for it being cheap.

Bob.

Thanks everybody for all the comments.

I went ahead and bought the Promaster SHD Camcorder Tripod today. They quoted me $119.95 on the phone but corrected the price to $105 at the local camera shop. (SHD stands for Super Heavy Duty)

Here is a link to the tripod...
http://www.wolfes.com/eshop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=1555

For this project and the price I like it. The two-way fluid head seems to give me the smooth pan's. However I haven't tried it with a cam yet. My test is to put my finger at the end of the arm and push with minimum force to get the thing rotating. The other non-fluid head models I played with gave a little jerk at the start... and would simply not pan smoothly.

I'll shoot some video with this tripod tomorrow and let you guys know how it worked in the field.

It seems very well built and the lit tells me it will hold 15.5 pounds.

I also like the 76.2" height.

Yes more expensive tripods are probably better but for this project there will be lot's of in & out of the truck. Quick setups & teardowns... Then tossed in the vehicle and away to the next location. If it just gives us smooth pans for the project then we will be happy. I would hate to subject a really nice (expensive) piece of gear to this project.

I'll let you all know how it goes tomorrow.

Bob, I watched the video. Surely a cut above what I ended up wih for this project. I may have an application for that in a couple of months.

Earl, the link in your email didn't work.

Thanks again to everybody for their comments.

Just to be perfectly clear, the chance of getting a true "fluid head" tripod for $120 is zero. Most likely what you'll get for that price is a head with some grease between two teflon sheets. This is typically called a "fluid effect" tripod, not that there aren't some really nice fluid effect tripods, they just aren't true fluid head tripods and should not be advertised as such.

I use a Manfrotto with a 501HDV head (for my Canon GL2) and love it.

I got this too, and I love it also.

/Ulf

I know this combo will not meet the demands of the Pros in this forum, but it works fine for my little Canon HG21. I went thru 2 el cheapo tripods before finding this combo which seems to meet all my needs at $240.

Manfrotto 128RC QR Micro Fluid Head: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/553886-REG/Manfrotto_128RC_128RC_QR_Micro_Fluid.html
Manfrotto 190XPROB Pro Aluminum Tripod Legs: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/479927-REG/Manfrotto_190XPROB_190XPROB_Pro_Aluminum_Tripod.html

...Jerry

Hello Will... and our favorite Latin lurker, et al.,

apologies all ... open and clean should work now... scroll down that page to the first review/comment...

As the directions make very clear, it is exactly as John Cline indicates - no real fluid ... just a bit of grease over a couple of smooth surfaces...

I'll go take a peek at the Manfrotto links provided above...

Until that time... Earl J.

Hi Will.

A similar Sony Tripod, the VCT-80AV is available if you are looking for an inexpensive one with LANC. This one is not pro by any means, but the head is fairly smooth never the less. It is lightweight and comes with a carrying case. I've been pleased with mine for a lightweight DV camera.

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_158VCT80AV/Sony-VCT-80AV.html?search=tripod&ssi=0

None of those cheap tripods have any sort of leveling ball mechanism. You're going to spend forever leveling the tripod between shots. The lowest cost Manfrotto I would go for would be more like http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/504855-REG/Manfrotto_745XB_745XB_MDeVe_Aluminum_Video.htmlthis.[/link]

If you already have a tripod without a leveler, I'd be looking at some of http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=tripod+leveler&N=4289361368these.[/link]

Earl,

The above referenced Manfrottos aren't real fluid heads either. I have a 501. It's made of plates with grease between them and there have been several threads regarding the Manfrotto 501 and 503 so-called fluid heads "sticking". Mine sticks on tilt when in one position for more than 10 minutes. It produces a jerk when I try to move it. Some don't have the problem, but many do.

John

Sticking is a big problem, one of my tripods has a Manfrotto 503 head on it and it sticks, too. (Although not as bad as the 501.) The sticking can be made less severe if you excercise the head before use. I sit there and briskly run the handle in a circle for three or four minutes to excercise it both horizontally and vertically. When asked, I just say that I'm pumping it up. True fluid heads don't stick. You do get what you pay for.

Thanks John,

I have tried that, but when shooting stage productions I do more panning than tilting. No matter how much I have messed with it, the 501 will stick on tilt when I have to tilt. Even with the tension all the way off. I have learned to use two hands to break it loose to minimize the "jerk". I'll probably spend a lot more for a "real" fluid head next time and use the Manfrotto for a stationary camera.

John

John, my .Sachtler only needs "priming" in cold weather.
I can't speak for the 500 series but chance it needs to be sent in for repair?

Do you have cold (below 50's) temps and does it operate correctly if warmed to
70's F?

My 503 has had the sticking problem ever since it was brand new. I mostly use it for locked-off shots.