Stability - RB67 Pro-S stability

[Travis Nunn]

Giottos is the tripod I bought that steered me towards buying another tripod.

 

[CGW]

Manfrotto and Gitzo probably outsell them all. Why's that, I wonder?

I'm not getting an impression of unanimous satisfaction with the CF product sold by Induro and rebadged for other brands.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Feisol and Induro are two very distinct companies. I don't know which other brands are made by Induro, but my personal experience with my Induro label tripod is one of total satisfaction. Maybe they sell a cheaper-grade of tripod to off-brand labels, which would be why people are dissatisfied with those products- they're built to a price, not to a standard. Is the finish on my Induro as sexy as a Gitzo? No, but it is equally as functional, and at half the price I'll give up the sexy.

 

[CGW]

Feisol and Induro are two very distinct companies. I don't know which other brands are made by Induro, but my personal experience with my Induro label tripod is one of total satisfaction. Maybe they sell a cheaper-grade of tripod to off-brand labels, which would be why people are dissatisfied with those products- they're built to a price, not to a standard. Is the finish on my Induro as sexy as a Gitzo? No, but it is equally as functional, and at half the price I'll give up the sexy.

But what about repairs/replacement parts? That's why I buy Manfrotto.

Some believe the Benro/Induro/Amvona Dynatran/Adorama Flashpoint products are basically the same so-so quality(Chinese-made?)CF tripods offered at different price points in different markets.

I know here in Canada that several large retailers push them because they have a fatter margin than Manfrotto products. Same thing explains their enthusiasm for Sigma lenses. Caveat emptor, as usual.

 

[fmajor]

CGW - good point on the repairs/replacement parts... The Feisol Warranty requires a (no doubt expensive....) shipping to their Factory in Taiwan for inspection/warranty proposal..... advantage Manfrotto....

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Just a word on Sigma lenses - they make lenses under contract for some of the major brands, like (ahem) Nikon. I've seen plenty of sports and wildlife photographers who rely on Sigma lenses for a living - their big fast glass is as good as Canon's L or Nikon's fast primes. And it costs less.

As to repairs on my Induro, I have little worry that it will fail under warranty. And because I bought it from a local retailer, I can walk in to their shop and if it has to go back to Taiwan, they'll handle it and make sure I'm not stranded while it's off being serviced. I agree that the Amvona/Dynatran/Adorama discount tripods are cheap knock-offs and aren't worth the price. But before you go bashing a product you haven't tried, take a good look at an Induro 8x carbon fiber legset. They don't have the glossy finish of the Gitzo, but they have the same anti-rotation legs, the anti-rotation center column, the same high-quality carbon fiber tubes, the interchangeable spiked and padded feet. And they're 30-50% cheaper. An Induro CT-314 is NOT the same thing as an Amvona. Neither is a Feisol. They're in a totally different league.

If you're buying a Feisol tripod, talk to Kerry Thallmann, the US importer for Feisol (www.reallybigcameras.com). He's a contributor here and on Large Format Info. For a lot of warranty service, he can probably support you without having to ship it to Taiwan and back. If it's major (a leg tube breaking, for example), it probably would have to go back, but still ask.

 

[CGW]

Just a word on Sigma lenses - they make lenses under contract for some of the major brands, like (ahem) Nikon. I've seen plenty of sports and wildlife photographers who rely on Sigma lenses for a living - their big fast glass is as good as Canon's L or Nikon's fast primes. And it costs less.

As to repairs on my Induro, I have little worry that it will fail under warranty. And because I bought it from a local retailer, I can walk in to their shop and if it has to go back to Taiwan, they'll handle it and make sure I'm not stranded while it's off being serviced. I agree that the Amvona/Dynatran/Adorama discount tripods are cheap knock-offs and aren't worth the price. But before you go bashing a product you haven't tried, take a good look at an Induro 8x carbon fiber legset. They don't have the glossy finish of the Gitzo, but they have the same anti-rotation legs, the anti-rotation center column, the same high-quality carbon fiber tubes, the interchangeable spiked and padded feet. And they're 30-50% cheaper. An Induro CT-314 is NOT the same thing as an Amvona. Neither is a Feisol. They're in a totally different league.

If you're buying a Feisol tripod, talk to Kerry Thallmann, the US importer for Feisol (www.reallybigcameras.com). He's a contributor here and on Large Format Info. For a lot of warranty service, he can probably support you without having to ship it to Taiwan and back. If it's major (a leg tube breaking, for example), it probably would have to go back, but still ask.

Retailers love cheapo Sigma lenses for the mark-up and they sell tons relative to fast telephotos.

Same goes for Induro. Retailers in my area make more from them vis-a-vis Manfrotto.That affects their pitch and you'd be naive to think otherwise. I doubt, though, that warranty and parts via Taiwan is a selling point.

Don't presume to know what I've seen or used. I'm not keen on replacing my Manfrotto CF tripods with Induros. They're not universally loved and I'm not certain they'll be around for the long haul. I guess it's all about how you spell "false economy."

Gitzo carries a lifetime warranty; Benro/Induro backs theirs for 5. YMMV, no?

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Short version of my purchase experience - I did my research online before ever talking to a salesman. I then went in the store and played with it without the assistance of a salesman. Nobody pitched me on it. The Manfrotto carbon fiber tripods were too skinny and not rigid enough for my use - I need to be able to put large format cameras on top. I can do that with my Induro, I couldn't do that with a Manfrotto. The Manfrotto carbon fiber tripods have that turn-the-column-sideways feature that makes the center column wiggly by comparison to a column which isn't reversible. Oh, by the way, the warranty on the Manfrotto you opted to buy instead of the Gitzo is the same as the Induro - 5 years. And do you require other people to make your decisions for you? That's the implication of "not universally loved".

You're also missing my point about Sigma lenses. You're arguing they're cheap and not as good as major brand lenses. With some of them that may be true, but there is also variation between major brand lenses as to which particular focal length from Canon vs Nikon vs Pentax is better. And, as I pointed out, some of the lenses with the Nikon label (I know this to be true for Nikon, who is the smallest of the big name camera manufacturers and doesn't have the capacity of the others - it may be true of Canon or Pentax as well, or even Konica/Minolta) are actually made under contract by Sigma. So saying that a Sigma is inherently inferior to a Nikon/Canon/Pentax/Minolta is false. In some cases, they actually ARE Sigmas. They just change the barrel design from the Sigma house-label lens so it looks like a Nikon/Canon/Pentax/Minolta.

 

[Travis Nunn]

I guess my whole stance on the subject is find what will do the job well (that means lasting for years, as well) do your due diligence and go with what you're comfortable with. Obviously Scott and I are very comfortable with brands that perform at a high level that don't necessarily have the glamorous name. If you're not comfortable with a company that doesn't have a history as long as Gitzo or Manfrotto, don't buy it. Both of them were newbys at one time, too.

One thing I can say about my Feisol tripod....it fared much better than my camera did after it took a trip down a thirty foot cascading waterfall

 

[fmajor]

Sorry, as the OP, i wasn't meaning to start a Brand Dispute on which/whose tripod is unequivocably "best". Sorry if that's been implied by me...

I'm just a guy who likes photography - a novice at best - and am trying to do 'due diligence' in researching good options. At the start of this thread i knew hardly anything about tripods. Now, i've gained some knowledge THANK YOU!!!! and am beginning to form an opinion on what my options are given this years very limited photography budget.

My first 2 links were just 'hopefuls' based strictly on budget limitations - hoping to choose the best pile of _____ from the available piles of ____. I though carbon-fiber was carbon-fiber and most could handle the job...

I'm not into 'glam', high-brow, name dropping anything...just gear that works.

To wit, for cameras I shoot a Mamiya RB67 Pro-S, Minolta SRT202 and XD-11. My sleeping bags are Western Mountaineering, tents are Integral Designs or Marmot and packs Gregory Mountain Products. My ropes are Sterling, ice tools are DMM, harness is a Petzl, most 'biners are Petzl, my crampons are Black Diamond and boots LaSportiva and Alpina.

My Gore-Tex parka is a Cabelas "Guide Wear". It is the best G-Tex i've ever seen in 30 years of outdoor pursuits and i've had every hi-end brand made except Arcteryx (i simply refuse to buy their over-priced poser-wear).

So, obviously i'm not into big names. I do, however, prefer gear that flat-out *works* without fail. If a Manfrotto, Feisol, Induro, Giotto's, Gitzo and whoever else makes a good, hard-core tripod (that fits my criteria) that's not gonna sh*t the bed when i need it most - great!!! With so many great, quality manufacturers, it's all the better for us who *need* their gear to not fail!

Where i currently live, good readily-available-options (for most anything) are very, very limited and it's difficult/expensive to get things sent here. I'd rather pay once/cry once and have something that will do the job.

 

[johnnywalker]

I have an induro Adventure Series Tripod, and find it more than adequate for my RB67. It's a well-made, rugged tripod.

 

[CGW]

Short version of my purchase experience - I did my research online before ever talking to a salesman. I then went in the store and played with it without the assistance of a salesman. Nobody pitched me on it. The Manfrotto carbon fiber tripods were too skinny and not rigid enough for my use - I need to be able to put large format cameras on top. I can do that with my Induro, I couldn't do that with a Manfrotto. The Manfrotto carbon fiber tripods have that turn-the-column-sideways feature that makes the center column wiggly by comparison to a column which isn't reversible. Oh, by the way, the warranty on the Manfrotto you opted to buy instead of the Gitzo is the same as the Induro - 5 years. And do you require other people to make your decisions for you? That's the implication of "not universally loved".

You're also missing my point about Sigma lenses. You're arguing they're cheap and not as good as major brand lenses. With some of them that may be true, but there is also variation between major brand lenses as to which particular focal length from Canon vs Nikon vs Pentax is better. And, as I pointed out, some of the lenses with the Nikon label (I know this to be true for Nikon, who is the smallest of the big name camera manufacturers and doesn't have the capacity of the others - it may be true of Canon or Pentax as well, or even Konica/Minolta) are actually made under contract by Sigma. So saying that a Sigma is inherently inferior to a Nikon/Canon/Pentax/Minolta is false. In some cases, they actually ARE Sigmas. They just change the barrel design from the Sigma house-label lens so it looks like a Nikon/Canon/Pentax/Minolta.

Jeesh, chill. Due diligence is necessary. We both did it. Many don't, though. I can get parts/repairs quickly for Manfrotto products in Toronto. I like that.

Re: Sigma. Commissioned sales guys love 'em. They're not selling hi-end glass to the first-time DSLR buying sheep; they're selling crap, slow variable aperture zooms pitched as bargains relative to Nikon/Canon/Pentax/whatever glass. Resale on these blows relative to branded glass at trade-in time. Cosina made lenses for Nikon, too. No sleep lost over this non-news/old news item.

 

[chung]

Calumet makes inexpensive carbon fiber tripods.

These are relatively new.

They are sturdy and cost less than 1/2 of the better known brands like Gitzo or Manfrotto.

 

[chung]

This is the link for Calumet tripods.

http://www.calumetphoto.com/eng/bro...s-accessories/camera-tripods/_/brands/calumet

 

[CGW]

This is the link for Calumet tripods.

http://www.calumetphoto.com/eng/bro...s-accessories/camera-tripods/_/brands/calumet

Pix look the same as the CF Induros, even the blurb is reads similarly.

BTW, unless I'm mistaken, the price difference between the Induro/Calumet(Induro?)/Manfrotto CF tripods is negligible--not 50% less.

 

[John Koehrer]

I haven't been in the camera trade for long*
But your statement is the first I've heard suggesting Nikon used Sigma as a subcontractor. We know Leitz used Minolta for a couple of their lenses. Voigtlander & Zeiss are Cosina but again.
I'd go along with CGW regarding quality and price structure.

*thirty years.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Nikon was using Sigma as a subcontractor for things like the kit 35-80 zoom lenses, which were high volume lenses that Nikon would have had a challenge delivering on time. Nikon, being as small a company as they are (relatively speaking) has always had some difficulties with volume production - I can't count the number of sales we lost because lens X was on back-order from Nikon for six months. Farming out production of the cheaper, volume lenses makes business sense - why tie up your lens grinding lines to make those lenses when you're having trouble getting your high profit margin, low volume optics out the door in a timely fashion? At least that was what I heard when I was working at Coopers Camera Mart in Baltimore (May it rest in peace). And I've been in the camera trade for almost 20 now.

 

[CGW]

Nikon was using Sigma as a subcontractor for things like the kit 35-80 zoom lenses

Guess that's what accounts for its dismal reputation...

 

[fmajor]

Alright, after much reading/studying/asking/searching considering point and counter-point regarding a "reasonable" tripod solution, i've come to the end of my dilemma!!!

I've decided, for now, to go 1st with a good, solid support base-leg set:

http://reallybigcameras.com/Feisol/Tournament_Class.htm

and will choose the CT-3342 (and get the long spikes for it).

As to a head-unit, i'm going with a "just good enough" ballhead unit (w/machinist support on stand-by).

Thanks for all the help/tips/considerations and dialogue.

Now, to contact Kerry at really big cameras.....

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Congrats on your decision. I'm sure you'll be very happy with it, brand fetishists comments aside. Ball heads (unless they're rather petite) are more than adequate to support an RB67. The reasons I've found to move away from a ball head were A: I needed something with more precise panning control for shooting panoramics and B: I needed something that could handle my very large and ultra-large format cameras.

 

[fmajor]

Thanks!

I'm pretty stoked to get the order in - though i've gotta figure out how/when i can get it over here..... shipping here would be at the least expensive and a gamble if i'd *actually* receive it...

If i have problems w/the cheapie ballhead i have friends in the engineering business who also have access to CNC machines, race-quality materials (i'm from Michigan - automotive central), etc and i'm *sure* they could come up w/something durable enough for me - just for the fun and challenge it would present....

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Just talk to Kerry - as soon as he has it in stock if he doesn't already, he'll get it out to you and you'll have it in your hot little hands shortly thereafter.

 

[fmajor]

Yea WOOT WOOT!!!

I contacted Kerry @ reallybigcameras.com, ordered my http://reallybigcameras.com/Feisol/Tournament_Class.htm tripod (which he had in stock!!!)!!!

Now, i've gotta figure out how to get it to me over here in Europe... Anyone heading to Europe in the near future?!?!??

Thanks so much for all the help - i'm really excited about getting my first *serious* tripod!

 

[fmajor]

Ancient Thread Revival -

Tomorrow i'll be picking up the Feisol CT-3342 carbon fiber tripod and Manfrotto 498rc2 ballhead i ordered so looonnnnggggg ago - I can hardly wait!!!!

I'll probably do a bit of a eval/review of it in a new thread, but not sure where to post it.... The "Miscellaneous" thread perhaps?

Anyone else here use a Feisol carbon fiber tripod? What are your thoughts/opinions of it?

Thanks again everyone for all the help!

 

[CGW]

Ancient Thread Revival -

Tomorrow i'll be picking up the Feisol CT-3342 carbon fiber tripod and Manfrotto 498rc2 ballhead i ordered so looonnnnggggg ago - I can hardly wait!!!!

I'll probably do a bit of a eval/review of it in a new thread, but not sure where to post it.... The "Miscellaneous" thread perhaps?

Anyone else here use a Feisol carbon fiber tripod? What are your thoughts/opinions of it?

Thanks again everyone for all the help!

Try it but you might find the RC2 plate a bit small for your Mamiya RB67. I did. Manfrotto makes various quick release adapter plates that screw onto your ballhead. The old style hex plate model may still be available:

http://www.manfrotto.com/product/8374.56.76907.0.0/625/_/Hexagonal_Plate_Adapter