Tripod- Center column or no center column?

[Atlas12]

Looking to get a new tripod.

Center column or no center column?
I have to adjust the height on my binos and spotter when going from looking up high to down low. Column makes that quick

No column makes it more stable, folds a bit tighter, and the top plate is usually a smaller diameter.

Opinions?

Edit: 3AM Youtubing led me to the FLM CP30
Also considering a Vortex ProGT.

 

[Low_Sky]

Center column for sure if you intend to spend a long time behind the glass. Makes it much easier to get the right height.

I use a Sirui tripod (can’t recall the model but it’s obsolete now anyway) that came with a long and short center section. Short is effectively “no” center section, but gives me an inch or two of adjustment range. I carry the short section for weight/space, and the long section as needed for adjustability.


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[Where's Bruce?]

Column for bigger glass.

 

[HankNM]

I just got a Siriu with center collum & legs fold back to a compact bundle along collum. Way more adjustable.

 

[Cactus kid]

Center column is a must.

 

[Blockcaver]

I remove the center column on my Slik Sprint Pro II ...provides for a weight savings (3.2 oz). (You can screw it on or off in seconds.) Also because it gets in the way of your legs when you are sitting under the tripod which is how I use it in open sheep country...tripod legs kicked out to a wide basal area, and no column extension for max stability.

For my purposes, I could (probably should) just cut it down to about 4" or 5" long versus the stock 11-1/4" and leave it on, mainly to get a bit of extra height when I infrequently use the tripod standing to see over willows caribou and moose hunting.

 

[Middleofnowhere]

I’m going to say “NO” Center column. Much more stable at height and you can get the tripod much lower to the ground without the column You’ll have a slight weight increase for same height in equivalent tripods, but stability worth it in my opinion.
I spent big and went with the American made RRS, I wanted the versatility shoot as well as glass. It stands 68” tall. I can remove two leg sections and get the weight down for backpacking.

The wind was whipping and my image perfectly stable with this set-up.

 

[mtnkid85]

Yea, I leave mine at home for the weight savings 99% of the time. It is really nice when I do use it though.

 

[bradb]

Center columns are not very stable at all. I run a RRS like above

 

[eaglemountainman]

No center column

 

[Sportsman]

Buy with center column only if removable. I like that I can setup lower without it.

 

[briscoetab]

I like no center column because when I use a center column it just makes the tripod too unstable for my liking especially with spotters. If you have a fairly stable tripod all your doing by having a center column is making it pretty unstable. If your already running something like a cheaper aluminum bipod or really light fiber carbon tripod probably doesn’t make a huge difference because most of those are already so unstable anyways adding the center column probably not that noticeable. I guess if you want to run a center column but only extend it an inch or two probably will have little effect as far as stability but extend it very far and it will especially in the wind, which it seems like I am always in the wind

If you are not going to run a center column you do need to make sure the tripod wills get to the height you want without it. That is something that I’ve seen, tripods with/without a center column or removing the center column makes it to where using the tripod standing is super uncomfortable because you have to bend over so far. I’ve seen tripods with center column fully extendedthat are just too short to use standing unless you are like 5’4”. Don’t know why they make them in thatheight range, either make them shorter to use for sitting or kneeling or make them longer.

Ohh I also run a ball head, which is heavy but between ball head and adjusting the legs individually I have no problems fine tuning the height quickly to get comfortable in any position.

 

[Brian Fahs]

I’m going to say “NO” Center column. Much more stable at height and you can get the tripod much lower to the ground without the column You’ll have a slight weight increase for same height in equivalent tripods, but stability worth it in my opinion.
I spent big and went with the American made RRS, I wanted the versatility shoot as well as glass. It stands 68” tall. I can remove two leg sections and get the weight down for backpacking.
View attachment 192430View attachment 192431
The wind was whipping and my image perfectly stable with this set-up.

That is one bad ass looking setup.
I would think any game that is in season would be waving white flags on that hill you are looking at.

 

[Brian Fahs]

My slik 634 has a center column but it consists of 2 tubes screwed together. It can be shortened up nicely by removing the long portion of the tube and using the short piece.
Nice to have options.

 

[manitou1]

I remove my center and use the short one that came with it. I use my tripod for a shooting platform in the prone with a "Y" yoke. The long center post will not allow this.

 

[briscoetab]

This is my setup, don’t really care for the Manfroto, to heavy and don’t like the leg adjustments. The other is a Leofoto which I hope to replace with an RRS but won’t be very soon. I will pack the leofoto, it is kind of heavy but super stable and it does have an extension column that will screw on to the top and give an extra like 3-8” you can adjust.

 

[Atlas12]

Well shoot, I've been lurking for years but don't have enough web cred to PM anyone.

Thanks a lot for all the replies!

Middleofnowhere , The FLM CP30 setup I'm looking at is very similar to your RRS. Narrow top of tripod, and no center column makes the legs fold up to a really narrow cylinder.
I really REALLY like that setup for shooting. That hadn't even occurred to me, but it seems like a no brainer after seeing it.
That would basically replace a bipod even for prone shooting and be more versatile for everything else.
Do you find much of a draw back when needing to adjust the height when glassing up steep hills, to down steep hills?
(Thank you VERY much for the photos in your reply. Every time I look at it, I find something else useful. Like I hadn't considered just spreading the legs more to adjust height up and down. So much simpler than unlocking 3 legs and moving, as they tend to jam when you try and push it down.)


Briscoetab, that might be the same Manfrotto I'm running right now. Its god awful heavy, the legs are clunky, and the center column... contraption has got to be the most convoluted thing I've ever seen in my life. Everytime I take the column out 6 pieces falls off the tripod.
You're damn right on the height though. I've gotten to the checkout screen on 3 different tripods before double checking, and the height is 7" shorter than I need.

Where's Bruce? why do you recommend a column for using bigger glass?

 

[NeedleCrook]

I’m going to say “NO” Center column. Much more stable at height and you can get the tripod much lower to the ground without the column You’ll have a slight weight increase for same height in equivalent tripods, but stability worth it in my opinion.
I spent big and went with the American made RRS, I wanted the versatility shoot as well as glass. It stands 68” tall. I can remove two leg sections and get the weight down for backpacking.
View attachment 192430View attachment 192431
The wind was whipping and my image perfectly stable with this set-up.

I saw that second picture and thought you had to be from California. That’s a nice set up. I’m using the anvil 30 on a leofoto tripod for now.

 

[Atlas12]

I don't run a tripod edit: bipod, so I decided to go the FLM CP30 without a center column.
It should turn into a really nice rifle rest, even when close to prone.

 

[pyrotechnic]

I've been running a RRS 23 with their BH40 ballhead without the center column for about a year and this spring ordered the column for it. I got so tired of constantly dicking with the legs to adjust the height.
On top of of that it wasn't quite high enough for me to comfortably use standing. I'd need the L version for that.

The center column has definitely added a bit of weight. I'd probably just shoot off my pack in the prone if I could get that low so that point is moot for me.

I haven't noticed any major stability issues using the column but I'm glassing with 15s, not a big spotter. It's not quite as stable to shoot from, but I use it for glassing 99.9999% of the time and I was over it.