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Tripod help


Dory Breaux DP

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Talk to me about tripods people. I need something that I can get REALY low to the ground, as in less then a foot, so no center tube. I guess that means no spreaders either. I don't wanna blow my budget on a tripod, so I'd like to stay under 400 bucks. I personally have worked with Bogens and LOVE them, although only with video. I know they have removable spreaders, so I am considering one.

 

Thanks,

Dory

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Why cant centre tube style tripods get low ?

 

I have Manfrotto (Bogen) stills style legs here where you simply flip the centre tube upside down and hey presto you can get your camera as close to the ground as you like - Theres a bit of jiggling involved due to the relative sizes of cine cameras over stills (even 8mm is larger then your average medium format) so maybe they aint great for pans etc... (think Microcosmos :lol:)

 

 

Of course a God tripod will do everything you want (including feeding/walking your dog whilst on holiday)

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Why not just get a god tripod and save the hassle?

 

I'm not sure what camera you're hoping to support, but from your previous posts it sounds like you've been shooting with smaller cameras.

 

See this link

 

Not to spam, you're welcome to find a lower price elsewhere and purchase it.

 

You could bring the price down further by getting those legs with a Bogen 501 head.

 

As for getting down less than a foot, you're not going to find much in that price range that doesn't have longish tiedowns or odd mountings or have legs with center tubes. You'd be best suited with a Sachtler DV4 or Panther T4... but those live in the $1000+ range, but you can always mount them to a hi-hat with a 75mm bowl.

 

If you want professional results, use professional equipment, otherwise you'll get prosumer results.

 

A hi-hat + fluid head + camera will typically bring a camera's optical axis near a foot. Baby or normal legs spread almost completely out will do the same, but would be hard to operate around. Otherwise you may just want to use a sandbag or a cine saddle.

 

Good luck,

nathan

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Many tripods have removeable heads, so you can mount them onto other "platforms" like hi-hats.

 

How are you going to operate your K-3 when the eyepiece is that low to the ground? Lie on your stomach and try to twist yourself around to follow the action?

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I'm not sure what camera you're hoping to support, but from your previous posts it sounds like you've been shooting with smaller cameras.

 

See this link

 

Not to spam, you're welcome to find a lower price elsewhere and purchase it.

 

You could bring the price down further by getting those legs with a Bogen 501 head.

 

As for getting down less than a foot, you're not going to find much in that price range that doesn't have longish tiedowns or odd mountings or have legs with center tubes. You'd be best suited with a Sachtler DV4 or Panther T4... but those live in the $1000+ range, but you can always mount them to a hi-hat with a 75mm bowl.

 

If you want professional results, use professional equipment, otherwise you'll get prosumer results.

 

A hi-hat + fluid head + camera will typically bring a camera's optical axis near a foot. Baby or normal legs spread almost completely out will do the same, but would be hard to operate around. Otherwise you may just want to use a sandbag or a cine saddle.

 

Good luck,

nathan

Thanks, that one looks pretty nice. The reason I dont want to use a Hi-Hat is thats another thing to carry around with me, and I want to keep the amount of gear to a minimum.

Many tripods have removeable heads, so you can mount them onto other "platforms" like hi-hats.

 

How are you going to operate your K-3 when the eyepiece is that low to the ground? Lie on your stomach and try to twist yourself around to follow the action?

Not quite ;) .

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Take a look at the larger Gitzos. They have a 100mm cup and can accomodate pretty beefy heads. They have little tabs that release the legs and will squat down to about 8" above the ground. Sandbag the legs and you have a quick hi-hat.

 

John

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