TRIPOD COMPARISON
I have been packing way to much weight for an old guy. I need to lighten my load so I can keep up with my hunting partners. Much of the excess weight is in video equipment and tripods. I have been packing a miller 1501 with a miller DS20 head. It weighs in at about 10 lbs. I also carry a sony hxrnx5u digital video camcorder with four batteries, to put on the tripod. As I have passed fifty I have found myself taking my wifes bog pod instead of the big miller. The bog pod is not adequate for the camcorder, but it is much lighter. So I am now at the point of acquiring a new tripod. I have read all the reviews on Roksilde, and other places, and I still do not have a new tripod. However, I have compiled some information that may be helpful to others. Here it is.
Manufacture--- capacity-- height -- weight -- folded length -- legs -- price-- carbon /alum
gitzo 0541----- 11 lbs------ 55.9----- 1.7 lbs---- 18.9-------- 4------ 540--- carbon***
gitzo 1531--- - 17.6-------- 61------- 2.5------- 24.4-------- 3------ 620--- carbon
gitzo 1542t---- 15.4--- ---- 58.7----- 2.2------- 16.7-------- 4------ 820--- carbon
induro ct014 - - 11--- ----- 55.1------ 2.1------- 18.1 ------- 4 ----- 300--- carbon
induro ct113 - - 17.6 ------ 58.7------ 2.7 ------ 22.8 ------- 3 ----- 327 --- carbon
benro c-0580 - 11 --- ------ 54.1 ---- 2.1------- 17.6 -------- 4 ----- 251--- carbon
benro c-0180 - 13.2 --- ---- 49.6 ---- 1.5 ------- 17.3-------- 4 ----- 288 --- carbon ***
benro c-1580 - 17.6 --- ---- 58.7 ---- 2.6------- 19.3 -------- 4 ----- 290 --- carbon
benro a-0180 - 13.2 --- ---- 49.6 ---- 2 --------- 17.3-------- 4 ----- 107 --- aluminum
benro a-1190 - 17.6 --- ---- 52.6 ---- 2.4 ------- 16.3 ------- 5 - ---- 142 --- aluminum
oben ct-2300 - 11 --- ------ 58.5 ---- 2.2 ------- 21 --------- 3 ------ 300 --- carbon
oben ct-2310 - 17.6--- ----- 62.2----- 2.5 ------ 22.8 -------- 3 ------ 340 --- carbon
slik pro634 -- - 7.1 --- ----- 63.1----- 2.1 ------- 18 --------- 4 ------ 250--- carbon
cullmann
neomax 250 --- 6.6 --- ----- 55 ------ 2.3 ------- 11 ---------- ------- 60 ---- aluminum
vanguard225ct- 6.6 -------- 41.7 ----- 1.8 ------ 13.6 ------- 5 --- ----------- aluminum
velbon
ultra max m ---- 4.4 -------- 54 ------ 2.03 ----- 14.2 ------- 5 -------- 145 --- aluminum***
promastert525 - 13.25 ------ 53-------- 2.3 ----- 14.3 ------- 4 -------- 300
promaster ----- 13.25 ------ 63 ------- 2.6 ------ 21.2 ------- 4 -------- 300
outdoorsman
medium -------------------- 44 ------- 2.4 ------ 18.5 ------- 3 -------- 370 --- carbon***
ball heads
manfrotto
494--------8.82 lbs capacity at 0.71 lbs weight----$78
496-------13.23 lbs capacity at 0.71 lbs weight----$89****
496rc2---13.23 lbs capacity at 0.93 lbs weight-----$100
700rc2----5.51 lbs capacity at 1.15 lbs weight-----$110 video head, pans very nice good for glassing****
It is not a complete list, and I may have missed your favorite, but it dose contain some of the ones listed on Rokslide forms.
Notice that I did not include any tripod which weighed over 2.7 lbs, and I did not include the ones which did not extend to at least 41 inches.
The weight carrying capacity of the tripod is important, because you do not want your tripod to shake in the wind up on some high ridge, just as a huge one is headed out of sight. It also takes a lot more effort to glass for animals all day long if your scope is giggling. This can be as tiring as hiking.
It will be necessary to add a ball head to the tripod also. Than will be my next research project. I am leaning towards manfrotto 700 rc2, or the 494 luke mentions in his Rokslide article Velbon max review.
Check it out.
Some of the tripods are stinking expensive, but the people who have sacrificed to get them are happy with them. I guess they have to like them if they pay that much.
i am leaning towards the gitzo gt0541 or benro 0180 since they hold more weight and are the lightest
i like the manfrotto 496 ball head because it carries more weight and weighs 0.71
i like the 700rc2 because it is a video head, and i carry video stuff
