Small Tripod Suitable for traveling

Cabaal

I'm off on my honeymoon in Sept/Oct of this year and I'll be bringing along my camera of course but I'd like to (weight and size permitting) bring a tripod just in case for night shots etc.

I have a lovely tripod but its not suitable at all for the amount of traveling I'm doing as its too large so I'm looking for a small and light tripod which is suitable for say a 400D w/battery grip and a 24-70mm lens.

Anyone have any recommendations>?

PoleStar

Has to be a gorillapod!

There are a number of sizes which will suit anything from a compact to a larger dSLR with a zoom lens on!

Got one myself and they arent too bad.

I think that place on camden street was where I got it.

Ricky91t

PoleStar wrote: »

Has to be a gorillapod!

There are a number of sizes which will suit anything from a compact to a larger dSLR with a zoom lens on!

Got one myself and they arent too bad.

I think that place on camden street was where I got it.

Gorrilla pod!No way...I used one with a 20D,grip and sigma 20-40 f/2.8(same size as 24-70 i'd assume) and the thing could not hold it,Bought it while i was on holiday and top it back to the shop about 2 hours after purchase

Unless they've made a better one in the mean time?

mrmac

Poor mans / travelling light camera support.

Make yourself a cloth bag, about A4 size, with a zipper.
Bring a sealable food bag - roughly the same size.
It's packs away in your luggage nice, flat and light.

Whenever you get to your destination, fill the food bag, about 1/2 to 3/4 full, with dried beans, and pop inside the cloth bag. You can use rice if you can't find beans.
You can mould the bag into shape, if you want to point the lense up or down.
It would be useful to bring a hotshoe, spirit level with you, for using with this.

http://www.focalprice.com/Compact_Bubble_Lever_for_Digital_Camera_Green_DI165G_5678.html

Allow a few weeks for this to arrive - or you can borrow mine

You can empty the bag again, to bring it home.

HTH.

Cabaal

This seems ALOT more suitable then the gorilla pad,

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/product/default.aspx?sku=1029564

anyone used one?

PoleStar

Maybe the Pod used was the small one. Ive used the dSLR zoom one and found it great.

Cabaal

Seems the Pro version of the tripod above seems better
again anybody used these?

Can also use the tripid to protect the camera by rolling it up and around the camera

CabanSail

I have the Gorilla Pod & have found it to be very useful. You do need to get the SLR Zoom one, which is the largest of the three sizes. I hung the D300 with a Sigma 10-20 off a rail with the Gorilla Pod to take this shot.




I had a look at those Optera's at PhotoFest this year. They look the business. They were not available when I bought the Gorilla Pod otherwise I probably would have got one of them instead.

DaireQuinlan

Apologies for the brief off topic post, but thats a lovely shot, cabansail.

Is that Kilmainham Cabansail?

CabanSail

Yes - Kilmainham Gaol. It was a shot that was in my LIPF Panel & it is also in the current Exhibition at the Gaol.

CabanSail

I got mine from 7 Day Shop but they don't seem to stock the new big one yet.

The SLR Zoom one has been fine for the D300 with the Sigma 10-20 & Nikon 18-200. It's just a bit of practice to get it stable. I have also used it as a normal Tripod, but it will not shoot Portrait like that. I have a Leather Pouch which a wear around my waist. I am able to load into it Gorilla Pod, SB600, 2 lenses (10-20mm, 18-200 or 50mm), spare batteries, Spare CF Cards, Remote flash lead, Filters and a pen & some cards. Takes into account most situations you will come accross waling around

Ricky91t

PoleStar wrote: »

Maybe the Pod used was the small one. Ive used the dSLR zoom one and found it great.

Mine was for DSLR...

Cameraman

I also recommend the gorillapod - just make sure you get the right model for your camera.

The big advantage of it over the other mini-tripods etc. is that you don't need a flat surface to use it. You can wrap it around pipes, railings, gates etc.

Cabaal

Cameraman wrote: »

I also recommend the gorillapod - just make sure you get the right model for your camera.

The big advantage of it over the other mini-tripods etc. is that you don't need a flat surface to use it. You can wrap it around pipes, railings, gates etc.

I've been looking at the one CabanSail suggested, it looks good
I may just have to place an order for it

Cabaal

CabanSail wrote: »

I had a look at those Optera's at PhotoFest this year. They look the business. They were not available when I bought the Gorilla Pod otherwise I probably would have got one of them instead.

Given you had a look how would you think they compare to the Gorilla?
specially the 460 pictured above (one with the large zoom)

CabanSail

I only had a quick play with it (as the actress said to the Bishop) but I really liked it. It would probably have a better grip than the GorillaPod. It is also a bit bigger, so more to carry around, where as my SLR Zoom GorillaPod has the advantage very easy to carry. The GorillaPod is a bit cheaper too.

So each has advantages.

Cabaal

CabanSail wrote: »

I only had a quick play with it (as the actress said to the Bishop) but I really liked it. It would probably have a better grip than the GorillaPod. It is also a bit bigger, so more to carry around, where as my SLR Zoom GorillaPod has the advantage very easy to carry. The GorillaPod is a bit cheaper too.

So each has advantages.

Yeah looks bigger alright, but I figure it wouldn't be as bad as you can fold it up around the camera as a kind of roll cage

So its between the Gorilla Zoom SLR and the Optera 460 now,

LeoB

Saw a nice tripod in Camera centre in Blanchardstown but it was €99. Bit expensive I thought? Think it was Manfrotto, light and compact. I think I will take chance and bring my normal tripod its not a really good one but reasonably ok. I lan a few walking trips around Italy (lake Garda & Dolomites)

_Whimsical_

Is it true that the Gorillapod isn't very good for use as a regular tripod?

I've read that it can be quite unstable unless on a very flat surface where there is absolutely no breeze or small vibration etc. I've also heard someone complain it's annoying and time consuming to adjust into the desired position if you just want to stand it up and use as a normal tripod. I'd be happy to hear this isn't the case because they look great. I've wanted one for ages but those issues have put me off. The Optera one looks almost as tempting now of course!:o

CabanSail

The GorillaPod is not as good as a regular tripod & it does take some time to set up & get stable. To get any height you need to place it on something, like a wall or a bin etc. which may make it less stable again. I would imagine the Optera would be similar. That is missing the whole point of these devices, their advantage is that they are so much better than not having a tripod at all & you can fit them in your pocket. It is a similar debate to the DSLR vs Compact cameras. Having a Compact with you is 100% better than a DSLR sitting at home.