hi. i'm looking tripod and head for my eos elan. i choose 074 manfrotto tripod and 229 3 way pro-head manfrotto. is this a good choice? thanks. bye.

-- krzysiek szarek (Krzysztof_Szarek@leoburnett.com.pl), July 24, 2000

Answers

to me this seems like a pretty heavy duty combo. geared center column, levels on both the tripod and the head, huge hex plate for the q/r, super sized 3 way head etc. i guess if this is mainly for studio use it would be ok. the head does seem a little big for the eos elan. but it also depends on what lenses will you be using. i've always opt for smaller and lighter combinations, cuz i don't have a studio where i can have stuff set up all the time. also personally i like ball heads better than 3 way heads. hope this helps...

-- howard shen (hshen@lsm.org), July 24, 2000.

I just bought 055C legs + 329 head for my EOS5. I was choosing between 229 and 329, the 229 operated more smoothly, but the 329 was a way lighter and more compact. I think this is a great combination for outdoor photography. You may also want to check out 055NAT legs.

-- Peter Larin (Pietro99@mail.ru), July 25, 2000.

Krzysiu,

I'd agree with the previous posts that the combination you have in mind is a bit on the "overdoing" side for the 50E- unless you plan to have those really big and heavy lenses attached. Also, if you have a studio and plan to use it indoors it may be fine but believe me, you would very soon start hating carrying such a big tripod anywhere in the field. Even the best tripod in the world will do nothing to your photography if you leave it at home or in the car.

My choice of legs was one of the Manfrotto "55" series, namely the 455 (Triminor Duo). Similar to 055 or 055NAT with their benefits: adequate max load, independently spread legs, goes low to the ground, and brings the camera to my eye level (I'm 180cm tall) without extending the center column. It's sturdy and stable enough for my 35mm gear with "normal" (i.e. not big "L" glass) lenses. Also, not too heavy and cumbersome to carry in the field.

An additional nifty thing about it is that it allows for removing the center column and placing it horizontally in the groove on the top plate. So, you get a nice side arm to extend your camera's reach (e.g. it gets your camera even lower to the ground for macro shots). Additionally, for macro you can slide the column in its groove back and forth and have a "quick and dirty" makeshift macro focusing rail- not as good and precise as the real thing but it works reasonably well and is very convenient. The tripod comes with two center columns (short and long) and sells for about 470PLN (110 USD for you non-Poles) at the Warsaw Photo Fair (from your email address I assume you live in Poland, probably in Warsaw, right?).

For nature photography (esp. involving moving subjects) a ballhead is probably better than a 3-way head. For precise adjustments when shooting stationary subjects a 3-way head (esp. the geared version) is fine. Some people recommended the Manfrotto's "grip release head" but I've never trusted it too much. When working in the field, a head with a quick release plate is very convenient.

Powodzenia! Piotrek

-- Piotr M. (mikolaj@pcwarsaw.waw.pl), July 26, 2000.