Need Help! "the best" real estate photography Tripod and head combo ! (Under$1100)

[Rentalking]

Hey guys,

For a living i mostly shoot real estate and have been meaning to upgrade my totally cheap and crappy tripod for a while. I am looking to ideally spend no more than $1100 for the tripod and head. Also hoping to capitalize on cyber Monday for this so if you have specific deals in mind in addition to the make and model of tripod and head you are recommending that would be greatly appreciated!



Also curious to know if the bulk of real estate shooters prefer a gear head or a pistol grip?



Finally while I mostly shoot real estate for money I been working on my portrait portfolio and am in the process of putting together a little home studio and ideally this tripod combo that would be best suited for real estate shooting would be congruent with the needs for portrait photography.



Thanks in advance !

 

[480sparky]

There is no such thing as 'the best'. Of anything.

If there were, it would be the only one on the market and everyone would be using it.

 

[Derrel]

I consider this tripod to be the best tripod for portraiture, because of the unique manner it uses to lock and unlock and therefore to adjust the legs; this tripod, unlike any other on the market is often referred to as the "Manfroto automatic tripod".

This video Manfrotto 058B Triaut Kamerastativ - YouTube

shows the speed and ease of height adjustment that can be had by squeezing a trigger system, and either lifting up or pushing down on the tripod, then just...letting go to lock the height adjustment...not dinking around with six, or nine, individual leg locks.

There is no other tripod that works this way. This tripod is solid and heavy and stable. As for tripod heads--there are many different heads. I do not think the pistol grip heads are as steady as the traditional pan and tilt type heads, which are very slow to adjust, but which lock very tightly, and do not have the long "neck" issues that add to instability.

As far as tripods go, a tripod can be used for long-duration, timed exposures, which puts a premium on stability and minimal susceptibility to vibration; it can be used for long-distance hike-in work where lighter carrying weight is a priority; in portrait work, the ability to get the precise, proper camera height is a priority, and to be able to achieve different heights FAST is what makes the 058B such a great tool. A tripod is ***not*** all about "freedom from camera movement" when it is used for portraiture, but instead is a way to get the camera placed, and held in place at just the right height and positioning, and the exposures are fast enough, or made with electronic flash, so the tripod for portraiture is serving a basically very different role than it is in say, nightime work done with slow, timed exposures, or in landscape work with multiple, stacked shots, so the pistol grip type head (while not optimal for critical work demanding precise register and the maximum amount of stability) is going to be a very FAST, and easy-to-adjust solution for portraiture work.

 

[goodguy]

I consider this tripod to be the best tripod for portraiture, because of the unique manner it uses to lock and unlock and therefore to adjust the legs; this tripod, unlike any other on the market is often referred to as the "Manfroto automatic tripod".

This video Manfrotto 058B Triaut Kamerastativ - YouTube

Wow Derrel, that's not a Tripod, that's a tank disguised as a tripod and even giraffe can shoot with it.

 

[Derrel]

What is NOT shown is how this tripod can support the camera around a foot above the ground, with the legs splayed out totally wide, and yet how it can then be brought up to eye-level, or any height in between, in 10 seconds, and locked and ready to frame and shoot. The biggest issue with twist-lock leg style tripods is that in order to make a major height adjustment, three, or six, individual, separated leg locks must be manipulated, all at different heights, spread around the perimeter of the three individual legs; with the 058B, one just squeezes the top-mounted trigger system, and the legs can be adjusted and LOCKED back down in typically about 1 to 2 seconds time. A major downward shift can be accomplished with a squeeze and a 1-second push and let go. This eliminates the huge PITA that manipulating three, or six leg locks puts on a portrait shoot, or a family shoot. The tendency in using a landscape-optimized, carbon fiber pod with screw-lock legs and three sections means that there's a huge tendency to just say, "Screw it....the tripod is set up well enough...", while ignoring the fact that no, it really is **not** positioned optimally.

A lot of people will shoot 3/4 and full-length shots with the tripod near eye level, after having done head and shoulder or bust portraits at the proper, near eye-level height....because.....it's too slow to drop the pod down to waist-level for the proper camera height. The 058B eliminates that kind of improper camera positioning by making a DROP/shoot/re-elevate an almost effortless and FAST, seamless operation.

Unless you've actually owned and used this kind of a tripod, it's difficult to truly comprehend what this means to your shooting style. It's fashionable to bash this device--if you've never owned one, and have no idea of what one-touch adjustment or massive height-shiftinmg in seconds actually brings to tripod-based shooting. It's the equivalent of muzzle-loading rifle technology versus scope-sighted, semi-automatic action with 8-round magazines...

 

[The_Traveler]

I use a Manfrotto tripod head and I'm not crazy about it because the locking cam loosens over time and thus the L bracket can wiggle unless I notice.
I would go with a different brand head (not a ball unless its a Burzynski (sic?).