Bogen Manfrotto 501HDV or 503HDV head ?

Joe999

Joe999

My existing tripod and head is supercheap ($70 for the tripod and head with a built in LANC controller for my Canon XH-A1)-- I need to get a Bogen/Manfrotto setup. OK so my friend says go with the BM 503HDV which is much better than the 501HDV head, but the price difference between the two is substantial. Is the 503 really that much better of a head? :huh: My need is a fluid head and tripod that will let me make several short films in 2008, my first films, and I do not want jerky motion during panning and tilts. If I really need the 503 head I will go that route, but if the 501 will suffice I would of course like to save some cash (seeing that I just shelled out $1100 today ordering a crane, crane stand, LCD monitor for the crane, and Varizoom controller). Or is there an alternative to the 501HDV/503HDV I should consider, in the $300-600 price range (for head and tripod)?
 
Last edited:
Sort by date Sort by votes
Addendum to my original post: OK deciding on the 501 or 503 heads is important, but also as I look at combos on B&H for Bogen/Manfrotto, I see tripods that do not have the center bracing but that can take a shot from as low as 4 inches which it seems would be nice for extreme low angle shots, whereas the tripods with the center bracing can not do that but I would think would be much more stable? Thoughts on one type of tripod versus the other?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
If you go to: www.bhphotovideo.com

You can find Bogen/Manfrotto tripods for under $300. The cool thing about Bogen's are that they are the "Toyota" of tripods. They aren't Vinten's, but they aren't the cheap ones you would get at Best Buy either. They are a good mid-range tripod.

Plus they are sturdy. Whether you want/need that center brace I suppose would depend on what you are going to do with the tripod and how much weight you would be planning to put on the tripod. The difference between having a tripod carry 8.8 lbs and 13 lbs is noticeable, but if you want to be safe, then you can pay the extra dollars.

I am assuming......that you would need your tripod to carry your camera, an on camera light and a shotgun mic. For that you probably won't need the brace in the center of the tripod. My Bogen/Manfrotto will hold all of that and cost about $300.

Get what you can afford and just make sure that your tripod can hold the weight of your camera and mic and light. If it isn't 13lbs, then maybe you could go with a less expensive one, but it will still be a very good tripod.

...by the way, the prices were based on tripod systems at B&H. I decided to look for a tripod system with a fluid head. Make sure you click on the "sort by" button and click "low to high" which will give you prices from the lowest to the highest.

-- spinner :cool:
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Would this Bogen/Manfrotto tripod and 503HDV head be overkill?
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=WishList.jsp&A=details&Q=&sku=496825&is=REG
I want a sturdy tripod for my Canon XH-A1, potentially an on camera mic and light, and most certainly an on camera TFT LCD monitor, plus also extra battery packs that fit on top of the camera. I also want to buy a head and tripod that might be good in 2-4 years for a heavier digital HD camcorder should I move up from my XHA1. Anything potentially bad about that tripod and head combo?

I have a "fluid head" tripod now, as I originally posted, but it cost me $80 (Giotto brand) and also has a built in LANC controller on the pan handle; I have to believe its fluid head is pretty much junk for that price.


spinner said:
If you go to: www.bhphotovideo.com
You can find Bogen/Manfrotto tripods for under $300. The cool thing about Bogen's are that they are the "Toyota" of tripods. They aren't Vinten's, but they aren't the cheap ones you would get at Best Buy either. They are a good mid-range tripod. Plus they are sturdy. ...
Click to expand...
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top