A Tripod Thread (yet again).

[5eb]

i've shot a couple of 1,000 shots with the 5D2 and the AF is pretty good, id say its on par with the 40..

i've not done any action shots with the 5D2 just wedding stuff, and with the 40, only thing moving is the bride coming down the isle with father, so again not pushing the 40's AF abilities, but all worked as advertised..

i can only think its your shooting technique messing up something with the AF?.. ive shot faster than a cheetah with a 20D with a x2 tele and shots came out fine..

but if you are concerned about the AF then the MKIII is the one to have, i know a few togs who shoot fast paced action and they swear by it for the AF accuracy.


which lenses are you using?

Well, part of my problems definitely stems from behind the camera! ;-) I haven't really practiced fast moving action in ages and would think that I'd do better now. As you can tell from that, I really don't desperately need the super accurate AF for what I shoot mostly but when I do I do notice the less than perfect tracking of the AF, whatever settings and panning technique I use.

I shoot tele-stuff with a 100-400L and only have another lens for everything else: the 17-55 f2.8. As you can tell from that, I'm just an enthusiast who's done a few weddings for friends and friends of friends - and I love wildlife.

So, you have both, the 40D and the 5D2? I've got one burning question if you do: where do you most notice the full-frame difference? Only landscape or can you actually tell the difference in portraits or tele-zoom shots? I never had the chance to test full-frame, just reading and looking at jpg's.
What about plasticity of the shots? Does that improve and does it come closer to the 1D?

...and againg sorry for having stopped talking about tripods! I love my Gitzo and soon I'll get my reallyrightstuff ballhead! :-)

[HSK]

I have a Manfrotto 190 and (I think) an 039 three way head (or something like that, not a ball head anyway). Got it through sheer luck- I used to work for Jessops and we bought in secondhand tripods. The only one anyone ever sold us was the 190/039, which happened to be exactly what I wanted. Needless to say it was never offered for resale. Serendipity in action.

Anyway, point of this fairly rambling post is that a 190 is a big and bloody solid tripod. You'd have to be really serious to need an 055 over a 190.

In the end Rave, I went for the 055 - but I was very tempted to go back and exchange it for the 190. I'm a little crazy, but 20 quid difference, don't think I'll need to change it for a while now. But yea, it is heavy and quite bulky compared to the 190. I won't be carrying far/often though.

and I got the 488 ballhead.

[HSK]

What lens have you got? I guess it's a tele zoom? If you have the 5D MkII you should really hold off until you can get yourself a REALLY solid ballhead. I have a 40D and a 100-400L lens and with a very big and heavy manfrotto ballhead I still have problems keeping it stable.
I'm saving up for a reallyrightstuff BH-55 (I think that's the name of it) or Acratech one. Expensive but they will keep your camera/lens rock solid and still and will last a lifetime.

I have a Gitzo carbon tripod. I bought it used (can't go wrong there - Gitzo lasts forever) and it's worth having a tripod that has an easy release mechanism for the legs. You don't want to have to spend ages getting the legs out and back in for a photo opportunity...

BTW: happy withe the 5D? I'm thinking about it but am worried about the 3.9fps vs. my 6.5fps on the 40D. ...and no integrated GPS is troubling me...what do you think?

I really wish I could of got a carbon tripod! This one I got in the end is quite heavy/bulky, but I have a bag for it too, and lugging it around like that isn't too bad.

Will you get rid of your 40D? I'd defo say the 5DMkII is suited for the more static stuff, so depend really if you think you'd need that...hmmm

I have a 24-70L, flash, grip etc. But no big lenses yet - but I had my eye on the one you have! (100-400L)

[5eb]

I really wish I could of got a carbon tripod! This one I got in the end is quite heavy/bulky, but I have a bag for it too, and lugging it around like that isn't too bad.

Will you get rid of your 40D? I'd defo say the 5DMkII is suited for the more static stuff, so depend really if you think you'd need that...hmmm

I have a 24-70L, flash, grip etc. But no big lenses yet - but I had my eye on the one you have! (100-400L)

The 100-400L is a great lens, the range is incredible (especially on a 40D!) and sharpness is outstanding - if you get a good copy! Mine was so so until I got it recalibrated and calibrated against my 40D body. the 70-200L is a better lens but hasn't got the range I want. And extender on that lens, I don't know...

I probably won't get the 5D2, too pricey and I really need to clue up on full-frame lenses before. It's fascinating how the lens peculiarities change going from cropped sensor to full-frame (vignetting, etc.)

@Bobster: what lenses do you use with your 5D and which ones are your favourites?