Sony A-Mount Which tripod should I get?

[1971Chevelle]

I recently purchased a used Vanguard Alta Pro 2+ carbon fiber tripod, with the GH-300T pistol grip head. The thumb lock is really hard to engage if you have the tension on the ball turned higher. So, I am returning it (plus the rubber came off of the thumb lock).


My question is if it is supposed to be that hard to operate? I am looking at the Vanguard ALTA PRO 2+ 263AGH Aluminum Tripod with the GH-100 pistol grip head. Will I have the same issue with that one (it is new, not used)?


The other one I am looking at is the Manfrotto MT190CXPRO4 Carbon Fiber Tripo with the 322RC2 pistol grip head. Which one will work the best? I do like the dual slot setup on the Vanguard, but I am concerned about the thumb lock. The strange thing is that the originasl GH-100 simply had a button to release the ball to move it - I don't know why they changed it.


The reason for the pistol grip is the need to change the camera position several times, as I am photograping items to list online, so I need the speedy adjustment. The links to the two tripods are below. I will be purchasing through B&H, as I have their credit card, so I can get 6 months same as cash. Let me know what you think. Thanks in advance.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1346935-REG/vanguard_alta_pro_2_263agh.html


https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1013388-REG/manfrotto_190cxpro4_carbon_fiber_section.html

 

[Ralph]

I am a walking nightmare and with arthritis and bad back and knees.
I bought myself a monopod and Tripod and to be honest with you
the tripod has only ever to get moon shot but I can manage them handheld as well.
I am now going to take the extra weight out of the back of the car and not even use them.

But I hope you find your answer on this as I just could be weird. So listen to the
more experienced people here on this subject.

 

[iamdlewis]

After owning a Manfrotto tripod I have concluded that it was a mistake. It wasn't so much that it was a bad tripod it was more so that they have unique clamps and require their own plates which are not compatible with others.

You may never own another tripod or head unit so this might never be an issue for you, just something to keep in mind.

 

[DaveC Oz]

I have three tripods in all. I first got a Vanguard Espod 240 aluminium tripod with a pistol grip head, I found this type of head restricted my camera angles a little too much, it also was not as stable as I wanted. Next was an aluminium Benro Roadtrip Pro, good tripod but I found I prefer lever lock legs, also all of the knobs on the ball head were fairly close together and similar size and shape. This nearly resulted in an accidental camera drop several times when shooting in the dark. I still use this tripod a little, but my go to tripod these days is a carbon fibre Heipi 3 in 1 travel tripod. It has differing controls for the ball head, pan, and camera lock, and it's lightweight but sturdy, and fits very nicely on the side of my camera bag. What suits you may be quite different, but good luck with your quest for the ideal tripod for your needs.

 

[Richard A]

After owning a Manfrotto tripod I have concluded that it was a mistake. It wasn't so much that it was a bad tripod it was more so that they have unique clamps and require their own plates which are not compatible with others.

You may never own another tripod or head unit so this might never be an issue for you, just something to keep in mind.

As far as I remember, back in the day when I bought my Manfrotto tripod, they were the only ones with a quick release clamp & plate & were the standard. I now have a Ulanzi travel tripod with an Arca Swiss compatible clamp & I have to say that the Manfrotto system inspires a lot more confidence. In my opinion anyway.

 

[iamdlewis]

As far as I remember, back in the day when I bought my Manfrotto tripod, they were the only ones with a quick release clamp & plate & were the standard. I now have a Ulanzi travel tripod with an Arca Swiss compatible clamp & I have to say that the Manfrotto system inspires a lot more confidence. In my opinion anyway.

My issue is that you have to make sure that whatever camera/lens you are going to use with a Manfrotto that you have a plate that works with their heads. If you switch between using a gimble head and ball you basically need to change out the plate every time. There is also the additional cost to making sure that you have enough of the plates so that you know you have one when needed. There is also the additional pain of making sure that other accessories are compatible with the Manfrotto setup.

I'll agree that the Manfrotto design does give high confidence. That said it is still quite easy to ensure that a camera is stable on any head unit and everyone should be checking every time regardless of make.

 

[1971Chevelle]

I ended up finding a used Vanguard Abeo Pro 283CGH carbon fiber tripod with the original version of the GH-300T pistol grip head on it (it should be here tomorrow, so I can put it through its paces on Thursday). This one just requires you to squeeze the 'trigger' in order to reposition the camera. It should work very well for my needs.

 

[FowlersFreeTime]

I ended up finding a used Vanguard Abeo Pro 283CGH carbon fiber tripod with the original version of the GH-300T pistol grip head on it (it should be here tomorrow, so I can put it through its paces on Thursday). This one just requires you to squeeze the 'trigger' in order to reposition the camera. It should work very well for my needs.

probably a great choice. I remember following a food photographer on youtube who also used a pistol grip head like that for quick and easy adjustments.

 

[davidzvi]

Your mileage may differ, but I would not get that kind of head for product shoots. I had, sold, and will be getting a geared head again. The one I had was an old Manfroto 410, one of the reasons I got rid of it was it's big and heavy. But I miss its ability for micro-adjustments. I will be replacing it with Benro GD3WH or something similar.

 

[Richard A]

I had a couple of mates who swore by these pistol grip heads but I never liked them. Then again, I was thinking about a geared head but the best ones are outrageously expensive & they all seem to wear after a while from comments & reviews I have seen. I have decided to stick with my old Manfrotto 141RC 3 way head. I have been using it a bit lately & it’s perfectly fine to be honest.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

I seldom use a tripod, so perhaps there's some knack that I'm missing, but I took an instant dislike to ball heads (which seem to have become the default standard) I don't think I would want anything that is based on a ball. Even for my seldom-used tripod I swapped out the came-with-it ball for a an old-fashioned pan/tilt head.

I'm told that many agree with me. Plainly though, many don't. Each to their own: enjoy your choice!

 

[Richard A]

I have never liked ball heads either, to be honest. Having said that though, the more recent ones are a huge improvement over older designs. The one on the little Ulanzi travel tripod I bought recently is quite useable.

 

[davidzvi]

Well, that's 3 that dislike ball heads.

I went for an old pan/tilt to the Geared 410. Not to a could ball heads for size/weight. I have a small mefoto day trip and a larger road trip. Both came with ball heads. They are functional. But I'll get a Benro GD3WH for the road trip when I'm home and weight/size aren't an issue.

I have not read that gear heads wear after a while, but then I probably wouldn't be using so much that I really have to be worried about it.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

gear heads

That kind of engineering is very seductive, and I'm sure I'd want one if I was more of a tripod user!

Practical question: do they have a gear-release function, so one can make large changes quickly, or does one jut have to spin and spin and spin the wheels?

 

[davidzvi]

That kind of engineering is very seductive, and I'm sure I'd want one if I was more of a tripod user!

Practical question: do they have a gear-release function, so one can make large changes quickly, or does one jut have to spin and spin and spin the wheels?

They all have something like this. I like them for stills, it's just so easy to level and shift a little here, a little there, etc