Aaah, too many tripods!

JoeBloom

JoeBloom

I just bought one of these:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Manfrotto-M...=UTF8&qid=1366302141&sr=1-18&keywords=tripods

I thought; good price, get the job done. Nah, I was very wrong. I am relatively a new filmmaker, however I have had experience with very expensive tripods in both my old college, and the university I am currently at. I really need a tripod that is suitable for filmmaking and has the basic features you would expect. Such as a level, which that one ^ did not.

I know that Manfrotto tripods are a good way to go, but there is so many, and I really don't know what I need other than something that does the basics a tripod should do and will be of use to me for years to come even as my demands expand in a tripod, in the future I will go for something more heavy duty to adapt to outdoors and whatnot, but for now something lightweight is OK, or not is OK too.

I would like to spend around £50, but I can be pushed higher if it means that the extra bit is just something I need to spend to get what I will need. But, some help in picking out the right kind of tripod for a relatively new filmmaker, on a budget, would really appreciate any information/advice!

Thanks in advance indies.

J
 
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I got one for $300 and it works perfectly so far. No problems and the pans and tilts are super smooth. It's a fluid head. It's a called a Rocketfish, but I threw out the box so don't remember any details about it. The legs can even do the splits along the floor, to do super low angle shots, if you want. And the head can aim straight up, or straight down.
 
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The lowest I'd recommend someone serious about filmmaking is ~$500 for the Sachtler Ace:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/822102-REG/Sachtler_1001_Ace_Fluid_Head_with.html

Your mileage will vary with much lower than that. I used to own a $200 Sony tripod that was really awesome for mid-range prosumer cameras (circa 2003) and even came with a power handle, but I can't find the model, and wouldn't even be certain they still made it.


This is the sort of stuff we tend to work with on shoots with some kind of budget (if $200 made you faint ;)):

http://www.abelcine.com/store/Ronford-Baker-Heavy-Duty-Tall-Tripod/
http://www.abelcine.com/store/Sachtler-9-9-Head-150mm/
 
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MileCreations said:
EIGHT freaking thousand dollars for that head, I did not see that coming! How big is it? Does 150mm mean the length of the base plate?
Click to expand...

150mm is the diameter of the bowl. The legs you use with it need to accept a 150mm bowl (there's also 75mm, 100mm and Mitchell Flat Base). In general, the bigger the bowl, the heavier the payload the head can accept.

In terms of size, I couldn't really give you specific measurements off the top of my head. It's not insanely big - I mean it's no geared head.

Certainly a lot bigger than the kind of heads you see on cheaper tripods.
 
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jax_rox said:
The lowest I'd recommend someone serious about filmmaking is ~$500 for the Sachtler Ace:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/822102-REG/Sachtler_1001_Ace_Fluid_Head_with.html
Click to expand...

I realise that quality equipment is part and parcel of making quality content, but there's also the fact that I'm literally only just now starting to learn this stuff and I need equipment with which to learn on and I'm not getting financed by a big studio. My finances are solely coming from selling off everything I own and can afford to live without. Hell, I'm not even employed at the moment.

Half the reason I'm doing this is because it's been a life-long passion of mine to make movies. As far back as I can remember I've been fascinated by film and have always been a story-teller. I studied professional writing at the tertiary level with the intent of going on to further study and getting a Bachelor's Degree in the arts. The realities of success and my situation, however, made me veer from that path and attempt to pursue every, single other possible option I could dream up to avoid following that dream.

Now I can't find work because I have some health issues and I've run out of ideas to avoid even trying to get into film-making, I figure what the Hell? I'm not getting younger, why not at least give it a shot?

So you say serious, I say, "Holy Christ man, I haven't even gotten a camera yet!"
 
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JoeBloom said:
I just bought one of these:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Manfrotto-M...=UTF8&qid=1366302141&sr=1-18&keywords=tripods

I thought; good price, get the job done. Nah, I was very wrong
Click to expand...

Take the legs you've got and add manfrotto's micro-fluid head:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Manfrotto-Micro-Fluid-Video-Head/dp/B000JLO6RS/

It's cheap and absolutely basic in terms of features - but it has good fluid movement which is ultimately the most important thing and where most cheap heads fall short. If you want a level, just stick something like this on top of your camera:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/iBoutique%C2%AE-Premium-Camera-Spirit-Cameras/dp/B0055ZQDXS/
 
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