Tripod guide
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Manfrotto MT055CXPRO4 Carbon Fibre £349
GitzoGT2532 Mountaineer Series 2 Carbon eXact £659 Combining great stability with portability the GT2532 is aimed at professionals and demanding amateurs. Admittedly, it costs more than many of us spent on our first car, but the build quality means you’re buying for life. On the subject of stability, the GT2532’s legs are a chunky 29mm at the top, making them less likely to flex and cause vibrations, than thinner versions. This guarantees shake- free shooting with kit up to a maximum 18kg, but the tripod weighs just 1.67kg. The GT2532’s centre column can be removed and reversed, and the legs splayed for a minimum vertical shooting height of 16cm, while the maximum is 166cm with the centre column extended (138cm without). It packs to a respectable 65cm and the legs use Gitzo’s G-Lock twist- style for extremely fast operation while also protecting against dust or grit. Even greater stability can be achieved by hanging a weight (or a full camera bag) off the hook at the bottom of the centre column and its feet are removable, allowing other accessories, such as spiked feet or snow/sand shoes to be fitted.
MeFOTOGlobeTrotter C2350Q2 £315 MeFOTO specialises in travel tripods, so as you’d expect, the Globetrotter is versatile, small and light. Unlike many of the options listed here, it comes with a Q series ball head, along with a quick-release plate allowing you to get your camera on and off fast. The QR plate is of the Arca-Swiss type, so compatible with other set-ups. Together with the head, it weighs 1.7kg and can support up to 12kg. Composed of five sections, its legs have rubberised twist locks making for a fast set-up as well as a level of water and dust resistance and the centre column and one of the legs can be removed and combined to form a 163cm monopod. With those five sections and the ability to invert the legs, the Globetrotter measures only 41cmwhen folded, while the greatest shooting height is 163cm (140cm without centre column) and the lowest (without reversing the centre column) is 41cm. Also included are an integral bubble level and carrying case and for the fashion conscious, the Globetrotter is available in red, green, blue, and titanium silver finishes as well as the regular black.
Sirui S-1205-N £340
This remarkable tripod weighs just 1.1kg and collapses to a packed length of 45cm. Impressive enough, but thanks to its innovative design it can be flat-packed to a depth of only 4cm, via the red ‘unlock’ button, for easier travel and storage. However, it also offers excellent stability, supporting a maximum load of 12kg – more than enough for most set-ups. The five-section legs allow shooting heights of 17cm to 141cm to be employed (120cm without the centre column), and one of them can be quickly removed to function as a monopod, reaching 154cm in height. Both its regular centre column and shorter variant can be inverted for low-angle shooting and the S-1205-N uses twist-type leg locks, which loosen with a half turn, offering plenty of speed when striking the tripod. Two leg angles are offered for easier levelling on uneven terrain and the monopod leg features a foam rubber grip. There’s a hook on the centre column to add more stability via a weight if required and it also comes complete with a strap and carry case.
This four-section tripod is by no means cheap, but worth every penny and then some. A highly adaptable set of legs, it has a good maximum working height of 170cm (140cm without the centre column extended), and being composed of four leg sections it packs down smaller than its three-section cousin (at 54cm vs 61cm); which could be the difference between fitting it in a suitcase or not. It’s not the lightest here at 2.1kg, but is strong and durable thanks to its magnesium-alloy castings. A big update from the previous 055models are the QPL (Quick Power Lock) levers on the legs which allow not only easier opening of the leg sections when working one-handed, but also a more stable and rigid shooting platform. There’s also a bubble level built in to the top of the centre column, helping you keep shots on the level, but perhaps best of all is the 90° centre column mechanism. This lets you use the centre column in the normal vertical position, or horizontally without removing it, or moving the tripod itself and also allows shooting down to a worm’s-eye 9cm.
SPECS
SPECS
SPECS
SPECS
LEG SECTIONS 5 MAXLOAD 12kg WEIGHT 1.7kg
LEG SECTIONS 5 MAXLOAD 12kg WEIGHT 1.1kg
LEG SECTIONS 4 MAXLOAD 9kg WEIGHT 2.1kg
LEG SECTIONS 3 MAXLOAD 18kg WEIGHT 1.67kg
MAXHEIGHT 163cm MINHEIGHT 41cm CLOSEDLENGTH 41cm
MAXHEIGHT 141cm MINHEIGHT 17cm CLOSEDLENGTH 45cm
MAXHEIGHT 170cm MINHEIGHT 9cm CLOSEDLENGTH 54cm
MAXHEIGHT 166cm MINHEIGHT 16cm CLOSEDLENGTH 65cm
CONTACT www.mefoto.com
CONTACT en.zssirui.com
CONTACT www.manfrotto.co.uk
CONTACT www.gitzo.com
www.absolutephoto.com
Issue 16 | Photography News
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