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Tripod advice for a 12 lbs. 600mm lens?
  • thepalaliasthepalalias
    Next month Canon is sending me a 600mm L series lens with a 2X converter for evaluation purposes to expand the telephoto end of our operations and I plan to post my findings on my website. However, I normally use a setup designed for much lighter lenses (like the 70-200mm f2.8 or 100-400mm L) and would like to hit the ground running here.

    Does anyone have advice on what additional tripod to buy/rent during the two weeks I evaluate the lens to get the most out of it? Any additional considerations as compared to lighter lenses like the ones mentioned?

    On an another note, does anyone have anything in particular they would like shot/evaluated/compared during those two weeks, accessible within the greater Los Angeles/SGV area?
  • 6 Replies sorted by
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    You can check Nest tripods. 363 one.
    If you'll use pans than video legs are better.
  • thepalaliasthepalalias
    Thanks @Vitaliy_Kiselev, that's just the sort of thing I was looking for.

    Don't suppose anyone in the greater L.A. area has one I could borrow for a day or two to shoot some evaluation footage with? :)
  • chrimsbroomechrimsbroome
    Camlink sell some nice tri-pods. The one I get is £120 and is fluid video head. One thing is its metal not carbon fiber, which is the one you prob need if you really wanna be an**
  • thepalaliasthepalalias
    @chrimsbroome Sorry, I had trouble following that. Did you mean I needed metal or carbon fiber? Thanks! :)
  • chrimsbroomechrimsbroome
    @thepalalias, Metal is good if your just doing short zoom video / photographic shots, but if you like me and you like to see things 4-500 yards away. You need a tri-pod that sturdy and will minimize vibration. Carbon fiber is good for stopping vibration with in turn reduce shake on the photos and videos. As you may find out the further you zoom the more you get shaky image. Camlink make a really good metal fluid head video tri-pod. That costs much less then manfrotto or however you spell it. Another really good tri-pod is one that got very wide spread on the ground. I carn't remember what they call them, something like spider tripods as they spread their legs to get maximum support. You can get one for the same price as the camlink. Can't remember the make though.

    I'd pick the camlink myself, but if you got the money go for manfrotto.
  • thepalaliasthepalalias
    @Chrimsbroome Thanks!

    The tripods I normally keep on me are a Slik 504QF II (can`t really do well with anything heavy, but is the really light when that is important) and another one that is a metal knock-off of some Bogen/Manfrotto design. But I`m not sure which design they knocked off, and I am sure that they made the head a lot more difficult to adjust.

    But sounds like carbon fiber could help. I`ll check with the nearby rental houses if they have any. Thanks again to both you and VK.
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