Need a lightweight travel tripod.. help!

Destin

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Alright guys, I need some help. Normally I know equipment pretty well but there are so many tripods on the market.

I currently use a Vanguard Alta Pro tripod for all of my work, and it's adequate. It's simply too heavy for me to take on longer hikes, especially overnight backpacking trips through the mountains. A large reason for these trips is landscape photography, so leaving the tripod home isn't an option.

I need a tripod that is sturdy enough to hold at most a D500 and tokina 11-16, and it needs to fold down as light and small as possible. I'd prefer it to extend to a decent working height, but I could live without full height as I usually choose lower angles anyway.

Price is an issue at the moment, but if I simply need to spend more money I can save for a bit. If the answer is gitzo then so be it and I'll save and get one for next year.

What would you reccomend?
 
How about a mono pod? Light weight and gives you vertical support. Not as gainly to haul around. When I was hiking years ago. I carried an aluminum manfroto monopod with a small ball head on it. Carbon fiber ones now are much lighter and probably as strong. My second manfroto mono pod actually had a small set of feet inside the bottom. They were just enough to hold the monopod up in position with a camera and small lens on it. In wind it would topple over. It's a pretty good idea. And I used them several times to good effect.
 
I have the roadtrip classic from MeFoto and I really like it. Light, small, folds up, no problem holding my D3300 with a 300mm or my Hasselblad 500CM so it can take the weight it advertises.
 
Here is new version of my old Manfroto mono pod.

MMXPROA3BUS $140 at B&H. Slick and Bembro has similar monopods.

Weights just 2.4 pounds. 22# load rating. Mine came with a rubber tripod head. Not sure if these new ones come. But like a ball head but rubber. Would allow limited camera movements in any direction.
 
You might want to take a look at this: 12 Recommended Travel Tripods

The other thing to consider is where you are going in terms of terrain. When I out hiking it is usually in the mountains of New Mexico/southern Colorado. If I am specifically going for wildlife I don't worry about the weight as I am also carrying an 10lb lens as well and going to a particular spot. If however I am just out hiking I usually just carry this as well as a monopod. Weighs 1/2 lb and will support 18 pounds. There are usually plenty of rocks and other terrain that I can set it on to get my shot. I wouldn't carry it where I live unless I want to shoot from ground level since we are not called the flatlands for nothing.
 
I bought a Chinese tripod. It's VERY close being identical to the mefoto globetrotter but half the cost.

there's pros and cons to it, but can handle my D610, with grip and 70-200 without breaking a sweat (by the body too, not the lens mount). I'm certain it would have handled my 150-600 as well.

I don't like the leg-locking mechanism and there's a bit of play on the vertical shaft.
 
How about a mono pod? Light weight and gives you vertical support. Not as gainly to haul around. When I was hiking years ago. I carried an aluminum manfroto monopod with a small ball head on it. Carbon fiber ones now are much lighter and probably as strong. My second manfroto mono pod actually had a small set of feet inside the bottom. They were just enough to hold the monopod up in position with a camera and small lens on it. In wind it would topple over. It's a pretty good idea. And I used them several times to good effect.

Considered this. But some of what I'm shooting requires 2-3 minute exposures so I really need a solid tripod.
 
In my experience, the descrtiptors of "two- to three-minute exposures" and "lightweight travel tripod" just do not go together. Ehhhh...sounds like maybe you want something old-school, solid, and maybe expensive? Not sure really what the weight and size limit constraints are for you. But agreed, you want a solid tripoid for timed exposure work.

I dunno...I bought an inexpensive Adorama house brand carbon fibeer 'pod on closeout, MIC, $99...with a $300 Gitzo magnesium ball head, it's been good for me for what limited night time work I do...but still, that rig totals $400 (used ballhead price was $300 a decade ago) AND tips the scales at 8 pounds or so all together.
 
I wasn't trying to find a travel one myself, but in a price range under $200, that's really all youre finding.

If I were to do it again, I'd probably look at the new Vangaurd stuff... it appears to look very stout and well constructed, even the pentagon-shafted vertical means zero play, and you can tilt it for unique angles and completely vertical shooting. I like the thumb knobs over completely round ones to allow you to torque them better with your thumb, and the large buttons to unlock the legs look better than most I see on the market and even >$500 price points.

http://www.vanguardworld.us/photo_v..._campaign=Vanguard+Alta+Pro+2+Brand+Awareness


I ended up with the Zomei Z688, I had a $100 Amazon GC burning a hole in my pocket. It's very light and compact when folded up. And seems decent enough for the price, but like I said I dislike the locking mechanism and there's a bit of play on the vertical shaft. Otherwise, it will get the job done. This exact same things has at least 4-5 brand news selling it, including NEEWER.

Oh another huge dislike: The monopod leg has female threads instead of a male stud, so that means you must carry around a little adapter if you plan on using it as a monopod in the field. You have to unscrew the leg, then screw in the adapter stud, then screw the ballhead onto that. That's such a poor design decision, but again, these things are just Chinese copies designed to be cheap and sell to the masses.

If youre going to go with a Chinapod, make sure you get the larger ball-head at 36mm, I don't think I'd want a 28mm one -- especially with a heavier setup.

I'm debating returning the one i got and buying the linked above. I don't care too much about travel size, as I don't often backpack/hike. I'll be using mine indoors and more than likely for studio/product type shots.
 
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When sturdy and light go together, the third leg of the tripo, which is cost, goes up. As an example, Really Right Stuff makes light carbon fiber tripods that are sturdy and strong. They cost several hundreds of dollars. I've seen some light, sturdy tripods for as little as $300. At prices below that they get either heavy or not sturdy enough - at least for me. When I travel, I don't take a tripod along. I want to enjoy the trip, not lug a tripod around so for me travel tripod is a bit of an oxymoron.
 
When sturdy and light go together, the third leg of the tripo, which is cost, goes up. As an example, Really Right Stuff makes light carbon fiber tripods that are sturdy and strong. They cost several hundreds of dollars. I've seen some light, sturdy tripods for as little as $300. At prices below that they get either heavy or not sturdy enough - at least for me. When I travel, I don't take a tripod along. I want to enjoy the trip, not lug a tripod around so for me travel tripod is a bit of an oxymoron.

Oh I absolutely understand that you can't have sturdy, light, and cheap combined. That's why I said I'm willing to spend if needed. For me, photography is what drives my travels and therefore I bring a pretty decent kit along.

As I type this I'm sitting in my car in the adirondack mountains (8 hours from home) 30 yards from my camera, which is set up awaiting the Milky Way to come into view in a few hours. I would be at a better lake that's a ten mile hike into the woods, but my current tripod is too heavy to overnight hike with.

Anyhoo, I just sucked it up and ordered a mefoto roadtrip. Thank you to everyone who gave advice.
 

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