Best Tripod for Macro on Difficult Terrain

[drdan]

I also need to replace my $20 Walmart tripod which is missing some important knobs. I do a lot of macro of flowers etc at ground level. The only way my tripod works for that now is to prop it on it's side on a small box. I also take a fair amount of landscape pics on rocky, uneven terrain.

I was thinking of the Benbo Trekker MK2. Anyone have experience with this one or a different suggestion? My Sony 717 weighs 1lb 8oz plus filters and remote.

 

[photobug]

Dan, I have a Velbon Victory 550 that works pretty well. They run around $75 or so. Nice mid-range tripod. Doesn't weigh a ton, pretty sturdy, though I find I need to press down on the tripod shooting with the istD because it doesn't weigh much.

It'll get down to around 6" or so with the legs spread (with the center column extension removed). And it's black too, so you don't get reflections off of it either.

 

[chris]

I used to have a Benbo, possibly the MK1, which I used on all sorts of uneven surfaces, restricted areas etc and never had any problems with it. The ability to adjust each leg independently of the others lets you use set ups such as having two legs on the ground and one up a wall or rock face or have the head down at ground level.

I used mine with a large Benbo ball and socket head that could be locked solid and didn't move even with a big medium format camera mounted on it.

The big draw back with the Benbo was the weight but if you can carry it around then it is a superb camera support. You do have to be a bit careful though - loosen off the bolt when the tripod is all set up with your camera on it and you may just see all your gear collapse in a heap.

 

[malachite]

Benbo owns in the Spiderman catagory but Bogen comes in second with the new (for me anyway) centerpost that you can remove from vertical and put it in horizontally like the 3021 to get in close and low. And with legs that can go almost straight out horizontally you can get the thing anywhere. I'm thinking I should start taking out my digi point and shoot and snap a few of the goofy places and posistions I get my tripod in. We could start a new Photo Themes thread

 

[airgunr]

FWIW, I've been saving for the Bogen 3444, the carbon fiber makes it more expensive but much lighter too.

 

[usayit]

I wouldn't recommend any of Bogen/Manfrotto carbon fiber tripod legs. They are 4-5x the cost of their similar aluminum designs and only save you about 0.5 lbs. For that kind of cash and if weight is ~that~ important to yah, look towards the Gitzos. Some weigh in at under 2-3lbs. I'd get one if I had money to burn.