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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Tripod + Fluid Best affordable ?

At this point I wouldn't shoot with anything less than the Manfrotto 509HD and 536 legs. You can get away with the 503 and 504, but no where near as good in my opinion.

Go by the weight rating for the head and you'll get a good feeling of what you can use. My rigs land between 15 and 35 pounds usually.
 
Since everybody has a different idaa of what affordable is, why don't you post you budget, and max weight requirement, as in any situation could cover many bases.
 
I would say your bottom level tripod/fluid head combo for the Scarlet would be around $1500. Don't make the choice to go cheap on the tripod only to find out you need to spend another $1000 to get what you actually want to work with. It's an investment. But yeah, it would help to know what your budget is?
 
I like to think about cost vs flexibility/multi-use, and i get a lot from the kessler-crane tripod (http://www.kesslercrane.com/kpod-s/38.htm ) for $600 ... since you can use it for fluid head, jib , flex dolly and table end for a shuttle. Kessler is great for the "mid-range" weight rigs of not over 25 pounds. All my vdslr gear is just too wimpy for my RED setups.
 
Phil Holland said:
At this point I wouldn't shoot with anything less than the Manfrotto 509HD and 536 legs. You can get away with the 503 and 504, but no where near as good in my opinion.

Go by the weight rating for the head and you'll get a good feeling of what you can use. My rigs land between 15 and 35 pounds usually.
Click to expand...

Agreed, but as I have been pinching pennies since my big splurge on Scarlet I have been forced to make do with the Manfrotto 503 I already own. It gets the job done if you keep the camera stripped down, no massive lenses and no high wind situations...
 
If you look around, (Craig's List / Red User / Dvx User), and are somewhat patient, you might be pleasantly surprised what you can get. For instance, on Craig's List I picked up a mint (used for one feature) Manfrotto 526 head (I did have to buy a $35.00 quick release plate for it that was missing) and from our own for-sale forum, I just picked up a Vinten 3772-3 2 stage carbon fibre tripod-w-spreader, in excellent condition. Total cost: less than $1,000.00. I have just purchased RED's Dovetail Plate, Dovetail Quick Release Platform and DSMC Modular Assault Plate and I am totally happy. The cool thing is that I can also use the Dovetail Plate and Quick Release Platform with my Manfrotto 3245 monopod if I don't want or need the big tripod.

____________________________________
Scarlet X # 1859 “Bettie Page”
“… preparing to ‘whip’ the competition …”

Zeiss Lenses:

CY 21/2.8
ZF 28/2.0
CY 35-70/3.4
CY 50/1.4
ZF100/2.0

Nikon Lenses:
G 14-24/2.8
G 24-70/2.8
D 80-200/2.8

Tokina Lenses:

11-16/2.8
 
There are many threads on this subject. Prepare to be frustrated.

You can't get a decent all-around video tripod for the epic/scarlet for much under $2500.

75mm systems are cheaper, but I think their limited load capacities/stability/ease of use would make them more suitable to run-and-gun or really creatively (inconvenient or more expense) stripped down set ups.

One of the cheapest/decent 100mm heads would be the cartoni focus hd at 1K. Not a perfect head but I don't think there's any 100mm close to performance/price. I wasn't too excited about its looks in person, and it's movement was just ok, but I didn't test it extensively.

Legs: Decent video, meaning 100mm legs, with a reasonable height, stable, easy to adjust...I think Miller, Cartoni, Vinten have legs around $1500. Carbon Fiber will be a little more but stiffer. Don't forget the spreader, which will be a couple to several hundred bucks.

You can spend an infinite amount of time messing with different combinations, but tripods are an unforgiving problem of pros and cons, which will waste many hours of your time.

You can save that time and money and just buy one of the libec or sacthler 75mm systems and dealing with lighter loads/weaker stability, or going cartoni for an affordable 100mm system.

If you have a higher budget, go with the higher end Millers, Sachtlers, then the O'Connor systems. I think you get what you pay for, although I would test these head/legs anyways because each may have its idiosyncrasies (or flaws), such as plate, handle, leg, feet, adjustment issue.

FWIW, I went to B and H and played around with some of the heads a few weeks ago, one of the Miller Compass 15 heads was flat-out busted. The pan mechanism was messed up something awful, can't believe a) they allowed that on the floor b) miller's lower end heads were that fragile

But some users here are real high on Miller, no personal experience, but it seems like they're generally using the better, more expensive ones.

Hopefully there might be more options for tripod head/legs in the near future, but prepare to deal with some compromises if you're working within a tight budget.


NO EASY ANSWER FOR TRIPODS
 
We have been testing one of these, and for the money, they are very good. Good fluid head, no problem handling the Epic and most medium weight lenses (we have not tried our 300 or 25-25 on it for obvious reasons) 75mm ball and lightweight legs. Fluid action on the head is quite good. We always have our bigger Cartoni system with us, but I'd have to give this one pretty good marks, especially for its cost and light weight.

About $700, from Lumiere Technology

EI7063A2 Video Camera Tripod Leg&Fluid Drag Head Hight1650mm/65"MaxLoad15Kg/33Lb (on ebay)
 
Call visual products and ask about a rebuilt oconner 50D. Get the handle upgrade. Best deal with highest quality, hands down.
 
Can we get more feedback for the E-Image tripods, in terms of a direct comparison to a well known brand? It seems like the best low-cost solution for the Epic/Scarlet is the Libec RS-350. The E-Image has been around for a while, with minimal discussion, so this is either a best kept secret or a no-brainer to stay away from.
 
Madjid El ayari said:
I am actually wondering at what price start the ok tripod and fluid head , and what are the first prices ok tripod and fluid head for the scarlet .
Click to expand...

I''d say for professional use, plan to start at 2500.00 for the head. You could either get a new Miller 25 or find a good used Sachtler or O'Conner 1030. For Legs take a look at Ronford Medium weights for about 1200.00 or Miller CF's. Great performance for almost 1/3 less than Sachtler legs.

After camera and lenses, support is my next highest priority. It has a profound effect on the quality of your image. You bought a camera that takes ready for big screen images for about 20 grand (after accessories, etc). Why would you think you can buy acceptable support for cheap. Also, if you get a decent pro level tripod, you'll have it far longer than your Scarlet. The investment is much further spread out. Owner tripods can last 10 to 20 years, depending on the use (ie. if you do heavy ENG work, it'll be done in five years or less, which is why finding a good used Sachtler can be tricky). I'd stay away from any and all Manfrotto's. I think the performance isn't worth the aggravation, especially when someone is paying you to get the move right on the first or second take.

Another great thing about shelling out for a good used tripod is that when you sell it, assuming you took good care of it, you'll probably get as much as you paid for it. Brand counts for something.

Here are my recommendations:
Miller Arrow 25 - rarely pop up on the used market. Better off buying new. Great five year warranty.
O'Connor 1030 - occasionally for sale. Act quick. Great head. Won't be cheap if in good condition.
Sachlter 19 or 20 - Workhorse. Standard for broadcast work. Often show up on used market because ENG companies clear out their stock, so beware, maybe in need of maintenance/repair. Also, sometimes the CF legs flex too much.
 
The cheapest acceptable tripod system I found for my Epic is the Cartoni Focus HD for $1500. It can hold my Epic with Canon lenses and even a small V-Mount battery, but compared to an O'Connor or even a Sachtler, the Cartoni is a toy. The tilt lock still allows for some play, unless you tighten the hell out of it, but you risk snapping off the cheap plastic lever. Also, it came with the one-stage aluminum sticks, which screws me at least once on every shoot because the minimum height on those sticks is rarely low enough.
If you need a professional tripod system, go O'Connor, Sachtler, or maybe Miller and be prepared to spend $3-6K. If you just need something for basic shooting setups like sit-down interviews, the Cartoni is fine.
 
Julio Quintana said:
The cheapest acceptable tripod system I found for my Epic is the Cartoni Focus HD for $1500...
Click to expand...

Julio are you still using the Cartoni to date?
Im looking at the Focus HD with carbon sticks system.
I cant go over 2k, its been a struggle trying to figure all this out (new Scarlet owner).
Also, is there an advantages to any of the RED Quick Release Platforms?
Which do you prefer, dovetail or bolt-on.
Ive never had one so no experience period.
 
PatrickFaith said:
I like to think about cost vs flexibility/multi-use, and i get a lot from the kessler-crane tripod (http://www.kesslercrane.com/kpod-s/38.htm ) for $600 ... since you can use it for fluid head, jib , flex dolly and table end for a shuttle. Kessler is great for the "mid-range" weight rigs of not over 25 pounds. All my vdslr gear is just too wimpy for my RED setups.
Click to expand...

But, geesh, it weighs a TON! :smiley:
 
Phil Holland said:
At this point I wouldn't shoot with anything less than the Manfrotto 509HD and 536 legs. You can get away with the 503 and 504, but no where near as good in my opinion.

Go by the weight rating for the head and you'll get a good feeling of what you can use. My rigs land between 15 and 35 pounds usually.
Click to expand...

Phil - do you find the 509 smooth? I can't seem to get mine adjusted to where it will start a pan smoothly without that little "jerk" at the start, when it sort of "un-sticks." Not every time, but too often. :-(
 
Terry VerHaar said:
Phil - do you find the 509 smooth? I can't seem to get mine adjusted to where it will start a pan smoothly without that little "jerk" at the start, when it sort of "un-sticks." Not every time, but too often. :-(
Click to expand...

Mine's smooth and I don't experience that! Is it really cold where you are? That's the only thing I can think of. Give Manfrotto a call/email. Could be something weird.
 
Can anyone here tell me if the Sachtler FSB-8 system do okay against this field?
It weighs under 12lbs but can only hold 20lbs.
 
Phil Holland said:
Mine's smooth and I don't experience that! Is it really cold where you are? That's the only thing I can think of. Give Manfrotto a call/email. Could be something weird.
Click to expand...

Not all that cold here in San Fran. I'll check with Manfrotto and get some guidance. Thanks, Phil.
 
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