Bought my first tripod... Head advice?

Hey all,

Purchased a tripod today. Slik 400DX. Seen it a little while ago and it seemed pretty perfect to me (if not a little on the large side when at it's minimum size).

Anyway, the head is the usual 3 way combo head and it has the screw for srewing the camera on to (in a ploy to make you buy a seperate head obviously).


So anyway.. My brilliant idea was to stick the Joby Ballhead from my Gorillapod onto the head of the Slik 400. Theoretically, giving me the benefits of both a pan/tilt head and a ballhead at the same time.


However, I was wondering if I'm possibly setting myself up for some obvious error that'll end up damaging everything that I haven't thought of just yet?

Cheers

pixbyjohn

Which camera are you using with it.
If you have too many "swivels and ball joints" they tend to become hard to manage while out and about.

I'll be using it with either a Canon 20D + 18-55mm lens (kit lens) or an Olmypus E-420 + 40-150mm lens.


Photo of it with the Olympus on it, to give an idea what it's like with the Joby head;

sikahunter

looks like a good idea

Slidinginfinity

2 quick releases just dose not seem like a safe bet.

DaireQuinlan

Slidinginfinity wrote: »

2 quick releases just dose not seem like a safe bet.

yeah, plus it looks wobbly and unstable and probably prone to slippage and shakeage and all the stuff that you spent a bit of money on a tripod for in the first place to avoid

ihastakephoto

I think you should pick one or the other, sure it only takes a minute to change them if needed, that set up as is, will allow too much creep

Well what would you guys recommend, then?

Honestly... I don't want to spend a fortune on a tripod head. As it is at the moment, it's not too bad. No real wobble or such issues. That said, I do need to tighten the Joby ballhead-connection-thingies that are screwed into the bottom of the camera regularly enough..

pixbyjohn

ihastakephoto wrote: »

I think you should pick one or the other, sure it only takes a minute to change them if needed, that set up as is, will allow too much creep

I agree. I think you will soon find that 1 or the other is sufficient for your needs. Those nice cameras and lens deserve your tender loving care.

pixbyjohn

Deleted User wrote: »

Well what would you guys recommend, then?

Honestly... I don't want to spend a fortune on a tripod head. As it is at the moment, it's not too bad. No real wobble or such issues. That said, I do need to tighten the Joby ballhead-connection-thingies that are screwed into the bottom of the camera regularly enough..

You already have the tripod head without the Joby, the quick release plate on your head screws directly to the underneath of the camera.

pixbyjohn

Deleted User wrote: »

Hey all,


Anyway, the head is the usual 3 way combo head and it has the screw for srewing the camera on to (in a ploy to make you buy a seperate head obviously

I don't really understand why you would want another head

ihastakephoto

put the joby back on its legs and use the pan tilt head that came with the slik.
play with it for a while, if you feel that its taking you too long to level a frame and you miss the speed of a ball head then invest in a good ballhead (one thats rated to take your heaviest lens/camera combination)

Fair enough.. I'll stick with the quick release on the Slik itself. I just enjoy everything being interchangeable. Using the Joby head meant I could use both cameras on the tripod without any hassle (I have two of the quick-releases, one for each camera).


Anyone able to tell me how I buy a tripod bag? Is there anything that makes one bag better than the other, etc.? (I'm assuming there is! There always is! :mad: :P )

pixbyjohn

You can always unscrew the pan and tilt slik head and take it off and put the Joby on your slik tripod if you want. I think !

ihastakephoto

do you need a tripod bag? where will you be traveling with your tripod? I bought a separate bag with mine, but end up using the tote bag that came with the tripod, it generally gets lumped into the boot of the car and when I brought it abroad, I ended up sticking it in my suitcase so it didn't cause hassle in hand luggage.
figure out what you need it for then go into a bricks and mortar and ask about them, then check prices online...

ooh, that was 4 cents worth in total.

Slidinginfinity

Deleted User wrote: »

Anyone able to tell me how I buy a tripod bag? Is there anything that makes one bag better than the other, etc.? (I'm assuming there is! There always is! :mad: :P )

Just any old tripod bag will work, as long as it is big enough.
Mine came with one that I almost never use. I would recommend a strap over a bag.

What's the difference between a strap/bag?

I have no car, and I tend to walk everywhere, so I'd like to be able to fire the tripod over my shoulder and not care about it. I must pick up a lowepro bag though. I've been meaning to get a computrekker for a while, and I think that'd hold my tripod for me whilst I mooch about the place.

dakar

Well with the strap, you won't need to take the tripod out of a bag every time you want to use it when out and about

Incidentally, the Computrekker is a great bag, but very big for 'mooching about', particularly heavy if it's full of kit. I tend to use mine for storing everything and decanting just what I think I might need for a day's photographic mooching into a smaller bag, I have a Lowepro Orion or a Crumpler shoulder bag for day to day stuff.

Edit : oops glitchy multiple posting! Sorry....

Yeah, I was looking at the computrekker more so for storing things at home and if I ever travel anywhere.

I tend to have an empty bag when out and about. I carry two cameras 80% of the time (each shoulder) so I wouldn't really need a bag when out and about. Some way to store my tripod when walking around would make me a happy person.

I can see the pain in the ass that a bag could be for a tripod, but I wouldn't fancy a tripod strap in the rain? And we are in Ireland...


I think I'll just pick up a computrekker and see how I fair out with that. If it stores my tripod OK then I'll not bother with either a strap or bag for the tripod.

rowanh

I was looking at tripods on ebay, for about 30 sterling you can get a used manfrotto 222 or for about 50 you can get the 322rc2, not sure if that would be more than you want to spend though or if they would fit your tripod, can you take the head off yours?

cnocbui

pixbyjohn wrote: »

You can always unscrew the pan and tilt slik head and take it off and put the Joby on your slik tripod if you want. I think !

Second that.

I have a multi axis head and one with a ball. I fit whichever one seems most suitable for the type of shooting I anticipate.

Slidinginfinity

Deleted User wrote: »

I can see the pain in the ass that a bag could be for a tripod, but I wouldn't fancy a tripod strap in the rain? And we are in Ireland...

If it rains, I just give mine a good wipe at the end of the day. I hate carrying around a wet bag.

I just made my own DIY tripod strap. Pretty crap looking, but it does the job. I'd like to get another strap so I could wear it and it'd fall into the centre of my back (like a backpack) but I'll see how I get on as it is at the moment.


Gonna feel like a tool with a tripod and cameras on me walking around now. I'll have to get used to it.


Cheers again guys for all the advice and help

Slidinginfinity

Deleted User wrote: »

Gonna feel like a tool with a tripod and cameras on me walking around now. I'll have to get used to it.

I've done it in Prague, Berlin and Italy, with the wife calling me camera nerd the whole time.:D