Talk Me Out of It... (Tripod)

[analog.universe]

But in a practical IQ sense, does a $300 manfrotto setup result in a less sharp image than a $1000 gitzo? The weight and features of my tripod do not bother me (probably because I've not had anything better). I'm quite happy with it. I am, however, very concerned with getting the absolute sharpest image.

There are probably more variables involved in answering that...

I would guess that with certain lenses, at certain shutter speeds, in certain climates, there will probably be no difference at all. But if for some reason you're shooting at like 1/2sec with a 300mm lens in the wind, you may notice that the Gitzo serves you a little better. I'm just speculating though, I don't really know about your manfrotto setup, maybe you'll never notice a difference, maybe you can a see a difference at 1/60 85mm in the studio.

With any pro gear, the price goes up a lot faster than the performance does. So the difference between $200 and $300 for a tripod is probably more than the difference between $300 and $800.

Are there any images you've shot with your setup that you feel are not as sharp as they could be? If you're not running into any problems then it's probably not worth worrying about the differences...

 

[bazooka]

I haven't noticed any issues. Most of my tripod work is done in the 20-100mm range. I use mirror lock-up. I usually use a remote or timer, etc...

I mean, I can imagine someone shooting wildlife at 600mm needing a $1000 tripod and a $500 head, but I wonder if that article mentioned is really geared toward the wide-angle landscape shooter.... and if so, where are the images to prove it? I've only seen "talk". I'm not saying it is or isn't, I'd just like to see some actual images.

 

[Geaux]

I recently got a Manfrotto 055xprob and 498RC2 head. Might not be the priciest, but it was at the top of what I wanted to spend and its leaps and bounds better than the Best Buy 30 dollar junk I had before. I went with Manfrotto so I could use my black rapid with it and not have to switch back and forth between plate on and off.