I need some advice on which tripod to buy. I travel by Suburban (size is not really a factor) quite often and take mostly portraits, however scenics always seem to pop up. Features I would like: 65" to 70" max height; able to support a Nikon 80-200 2.8 and body well in wind; bubble level; and QR.

My main choices are the Bogen 3021 w/a 3030 head or the 3011 legs. However, I have seen others that appear interesting: SLIK Master Classic, Tiffen ($109 at B&H) sorry forgot model or the Titall ST01 (can remove a leg for use as a mp).

Any advice would help. I'm currently using a cheap tripod which is just not cutting it. Thanks!

-- Justin Espinosa (justinespinosa@aol.com), August 01, 2000

Answers

Go with the Bogen 3021. It will support your equipment without any problem. Of course, since size isn't important (how about weight?) you could go with a Bogen 3046/3047 tripod and head. The only reason I even suggest it is because you mentioned wind. It would definitely be a pain to carry very far, but it would make a 3021/3030 feel flimsy by comparison, and even though it is more expensive, it is still a good value for such a heavy duty tripod. Using the 3030 head on it would make it somewhat lighter and a little less expensive if you prefer that head.

-- Brad Hutcheson (bhutcheson@iname.com), August 01, 2000.

get a bogen, forget everything else (unless you can afford a gitzo). i would go with the 3021. more flexible than the 3011, but a little heavier. for your setup, if you don't extend the center column, you will do fine in the wind, but i don't remember the height of the 3021 without the center column.

just a reminder, neither the 3030 head nor the 3021 legset have a bubble level. personally, i like ball heads. but the 3030 is a nice 3 way head.

in www.photo.net, there is a very informative static page on tripod and heads. highly recomended.

-- howard shen (hshen@ccams.com), August 02, 2000.

Let me indicate you a slightly different choice: I have the Bogen 3401 legset with 3410 pan-and-tilt head. The 3401 leg is very similar to 3021 with the additional capability of attaching the center column horizontally. However, the features I like a lot are that 3401 goes down 2" lower to the ground level compared to 3021 and comes with an additional short center column. Now about the head: 3410 is about twice as expensive compared to the 3030 head - however, it comes with 3 bubble levels (two linear and one circular), the handles are much nicer and easier to operate and the head is a lot sturdier too. It also has graduated scales in all directions. I would recommend the 3410 head very highly

-- Subhasis Laha (slaha@lucent.com), August 02, 2000.

One word of caution against the 3410 head: if you are using a camera with a vertical grip (such as the N90S with the MB-10) along with your 80-200/2.8 Nikkor with the tripod mount, then you cannot mount the lens on this head. However, it is not a problem without the MB-10. This is because of the nature of the QR plate on the 3410 head. I do not know if the same is true with the 3030 head.

I have been using the 80-200/2.8 Nikkor on the 3410 head for a year now and have been very happy, except for one small thing - the thin cork layer on the QR plate gets slightly twisted (rotated) over time. I imagine, the QR plate on the Bogen 3030 will have the same problem. However, it is not a big problem unless the cork gets completely out of alignment or falls off.

-- Subhasis Laha (slaha@lucent.com), August 02, 2000.

In my experience, the Gitzo 224 or 320 provide somewhat sturdier (less flexing at the leg joints)than the Bogen/Manfrotto types. This is due to the fact that the nesting tubes on the Gitzos fit more snugly (less play) than those on the Bogens. Sure the Gitzos cost more, but they will truly last a lifetime. The Bogens use cast metal at the top junction where the three legs meet and this is prone to cracking or fracturing over time, especially if the tripod is dropped. (It has happened to me!) Also the leg clamp levers are prone to breaking. If you do spring for a Gitzo, get a good ballhead- -preferably an Acra-Swiss B1. If you can't afford the B1, then a Linhof Profi II is a good alternative. Cheaper still are the larger ball heads from Kaiser or Giottos. If you get the B1, get the version with the quick release clamp. If you get any the the other heads, buy an Acra-Swiss type QR clamp from Really Right Stuff or Kirk Enterprises. These sources can also supply the matching QR plates for a wide variety of cameras and lenses. I realize this approach is substantially more expensive than the Bogen tripod/head approach, but the results will be far more satisfactory in the long run and the equipment will truly last a lifetime.

-- David S. Cox (dscox@gwi.net), August 03, 2000.

Ive been using a Bogen 3021 since 1994 for wildlife, landscapes, and macro photography. I got the 3047 pan head several years ago, and its little heavier built than the 3030 head that I had been using. The price of the 3021, or 3221 (black anodized) with the 3047 is a bargain, and will give you many years of use. By the way, the 3030 dont have a bubble level, and the QR is a smaller plate than the one on the 3047. If you plan on carrying the tripod any distance, be sure to put some foam pipe insulation on the top portion of the legs for padding. You can pick the pipe insulation up at almost any hardware store. I have the resources to modify my QR plates, and I removed the cork and super bonded a piece of 1/32 hard durable neoprene on the plates I use for cameras and lenses. That cork is useless! Kirk also makes after market machined QR plates for the 3047 that are very good.

-- Jim Bridges (jcbejb@worldnet.att.net), August 04, 2000.

Thanks everyone for your responses. It looks like my budget allows for the 3221 legs with the 3030 head. Thanks for the advise!

-- Justin Espinosa (justinespinosa@aol.com), August 09, 2000.