Twomanycameras
New Member
Hey....want a camera bag? I have like 30 of them.... 
Three-legged GAS
- Thread starter RDKirk
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- monopods photography tripods
Well Bonded
POTN Refugee
I trimmed my gear back years ago, all I have for tripods are a rather HD Manfrotto with a real nice fluid head for video and a much lighter Manfrotto CF tripod for stills.
The only thing I want to add is a dolly for the HD video tripod, once I have it setup with power and monitor it is somewhat difficult to move around the studio, a dolly would solve that problem while adding the ability of horizontal movement while shooting.
Well Bonded
POTN Refugee
Mark A.
New Member
I have everything in spreadsheets.
I have tripods, monopods, and one 'ground skimmer'.
I liked the 'Leo' (Generation 1) tripod from 3 Legged Thing so much that I bought a spare, just in case anything happened to the one that actually gets used.
Is that GAS?
I use my Gitzo GT3541L the most. It has an Arca-Swiss Monoball Z1 Ball Head on it.
I have a sling for it, 'stone (balast) hamock', spikes, rubber boots, and even Gitzo "all weather tripod shoes" for it.
Is that GAS?
Every tripod, monopod, and the ground skimmer has its own head, except for the (vintage) Professional Junior wooden tripod.
Joby Focus
Bogen Tripod (studio-type)
Gitzo GT3541L Tripod
(Vintage) Camera Equipment Inc. Professional Junior wooden tripod
Really Right Stuff TFA-01 Pocket 'Pod package with BC-18 MicroBall
One, home-made ‘ground skimmer'
Gitzo Traveler 6x Carbon Fiber Monopod
Manfrotto Self-Standing Monopod (Black)
Oben Monopod
The images are of the vintage, Professional Junior wooden tripod being used during the solar eclipse on August 21, 2017:
5D1_0249 by Mark A. photo, on Flickr
5D1_0261 by Mark A. photo, on Flickr
And of the Really Right Stuff TFA-01 Pocket 'Pod. The camera's plate is from Pro Media Gear:
DEF_0946_3 by Mark A. photo, on Flickr
I have tripods, monopods, and one 'ground skimmer'.
I liked the 'Leo' (Generation 1) tripod from 3 Legged Thing so much that I bought a spare, just in case anything happened to the one that actually gets used.
Is that GAS?
I use my Gitzo GT3541L the most. It has an Arca-Swiss Monoball Z1 Ball Head on it.
I have a sling for it, 'stone (balast) hamock', spikes, rubber boots, and even Gitzo "all weather tripod shoes" for it.
Is that GAS?
Every tripod, monopod, and the ground skimmer has its own head, except for the (vintage) Professional Junior wooden tripod.
| Joby Gorilla Pod |
Bogen Tripod (studio-type)
| Equinox Leo Carbon Fiber Tripod System & AirHed Switch Ball Head (gets used) |
| Equinox Leo Carbon Fiber Tripod System & AirHed Switch Ball Head (spare) |
(Vintage) Camera Equipment Inc. Professional Junior wooden tripod
| OBEN CTT-1000 CARBON FIBER TABLETOP TRIPOD |
| OBEN CTT-1000L CARBON FIBER TABLETOP TRIPOD (a taller one) |
One, home-made ‘ground skimmer'
Gitzo Traveler 6x Carbon Fiber Monopod
Manfrotto Self-Standing Monopod (Black)
Oben Monopod
The images are of the vintage, Professional Junior wooden tripod being used during the solar eclipse on August 21, 2017:
5D1_0249 by Mark A. photo, on Flickr5D1_0261 by Mark A. photo, on FlickrAnd of the Really Right Stuff TFA-01 Pocket 'Pod. The camera's plate is from Pro Media Gear:
DEF_0946_3 by Mark A. photo, on Flickr
Well Bonded
POTN Refugee
Well I finally found a dolly at a price I was willing to pay, it is a Bogen 3067 which is the same one that some thief stole from me at a political event up in Boca Raton Florida, at the time I had two of them, but only a single tripod, the second tripod my helper carelessly backed his truck over and ruined it, he had set the tripod against the back door of his van, he was up front talking on his phone (plus probably burning one) and forgot about the tripod.
He started his van backed up and ran over it, I wasn't too happy about that, he offered to pay for it but I wasn't paying him a lot and he really couldn't afford to pay for it anyhow so I told him just take the head off put everything in your van this time and I'll toss it in the scrap pile when we get back to my place.
However you are going to pay for a twelve pack as punishment.
Then being down to a single tripod I sold the dolly on e-bay and after my second was stolen I had none.
The new dolly is now supporting my old but still working Manfrotto 3036, a heavy and sturdy tripod and when clamped into that dolly is really nice and easy to work with allowing me to do some really nice moves that I could not do with the camcorder on my shoulder.
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Well Bonded
POTN Refugee
Then last week I came across a really deal on a used tripod from Adorama it is a Manfrotto 546B with the same MVH502A fluid head same as on my 3036 tripod.
But the best part about it is the carrying bag, I can sling it over my shoulder and it stays by my side versus the 3036 which I would carry on my shoulder turning into a battering ram which can be dangerous.
A very true story, I was heading to McCook, Illinois to cover GM EMD (Electro Motive Division) 75th Anniversary, I had a short layover at Chicago O'Hare International Airport and had just enough time to down a couple of screwdrivers and get on the next flight.
So I was sort of hustling, now at the time O'Hare had these things that where like escalators only their where horizontal and would move a person through the airport without having to walk or run, which is what I was doing with a rather heavy tripod on my shoulder, just as I was getting on one some ditz cut right in front of me and I jammed the legs of the tripod right between her shoulder blades.
She went down hard, I'm standing there trying to help her get back up being careful where I was putting my hands while thinking I'm going to miss my next flight while filling out police reports.
She turned around trying to catch her breath and apologized for cutting in front of me, she was in a hurry too and was going to the same event I was heading for and was going to be on the same flight as I.
Small world.
The little two engine puddle jumper we where going to fly on had two seats on each side of the plane and everyone had to pick their own seats as they boarded, she couldn't handle sitting by a window while flying and I always tried to sit by the window, so that worked out well.
I struck up a bit of a conversation, I also noticed the ring and she confirmed she was married so that door was closed, none the less we agreed to work as a team which worked well, I had a rental car already paid for she didn't rent a car thinking she could use mass transit, not exactly a good choice.
At the airport I picked up the rental then dropped her off at her hotel and asked if she would go out with me for dinner, she thought about it and agreed that would be nice and we did the same for breakfast and lunch.
Later on my flight back home I was thinking about what happened chuckled and thought what a caveman photographer way to pickup a woman, smash them in the back with a tripod and then it's out for dinner.
But the best part about it is the carrying bag, I can sling it over my shoulder and it stays by my side versus the 3036 which I would carry on my shoulder turning into a battering ram which can be dangerous.
A very true story, I was heading to McCook, Illinois to cover GM EMD (Electro Motive Division) 75th Anniversary, I had a short layover at Chicago O'Hare International Airport and had just enough time to down a couple of screwdrivers and get on the next flight.
So I was sort of hustling, now at the time O'Hare had these things that where like escalators only their where horizontal and would move a person through the airport without having to walk or run, which is what I was doing with a rather heavy tripod on my shoulder, just as I was getting on one some ditz cut right in front of me and I jammed the legs of the tripod right between her shoulder blades.
She went down hard, I'm standing there trying to help her get back up being careful where I was putting my hands while thinking I'm going to miss my next flight while filling out police reports.
She turned around trying to catch her breath and apologized for cutting in front of me, she was in a hurry too and was going to the same event I was heading for and was going to be on the same flight as I.
Small world.
The little two engine puddle jumper we where going to fly on had two seats on each side of the plane and everyone had to pick their own seats as they boarded, she couldn't handle sitting by a window while flying and I always tried to sit by the window, so that worked out well.
I struck up a bit of a conversation, I also noticed the ring and she confirmed she was married so that door was closed, none the less we agreed to work as a team which worked well, I had a rental car already paid for she didn't rent a car thinking she could use mass transit, not exactly a good choice.
At the airport I picked up the rental then dropped her off at her hotel and asked if she would go out with me for dinner, she thought about it and agreed that would be nice and we did the same for breakfast and lunch.
Later on my flight back home I was thinking about what happened chuckled and thought what a caveman photographer way to pickup a woman, smash them in the back with a tripod and then it's out for dinner.
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Nick5
POTN Refugee
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“Screwdriver”….. atta boy.
Well Bonded
POTN Refugee
It's the only hard booze I drink, very rarely though my stomach cannot handle the combination of the fire water and the OJ and I had better eat a nice dinner with it or the next day is going to be real rough.
Once a month I take my wife out for dinner, that way I get a night off not having to cook dinner and we get something different most of the time it is a pizza or Outback.
To begin with I will order a screwdriver to have with the bread and soup, then when dinner is served I will have a second one, now my wife really doesn't like driving but we have a deal, I drive to restaurant and she drives home.
I don't get smashed on two screwdrivers and could drive without a problem, but technically right after dinner I would have a BAC over the legal limit and in Florida to hire a attorney to get out of a DUI will cost between $15K to $25K, that's money I have no desire to spend.
As such if I drink even a couple of beers it is zero driving for at least 12 hours.
Well Bonded
POTN Refugee
Now for a update on my gear.
I run light as such my current setup is two Canon 60D's I prefer 2 of the same bodies versus having 2 different bodies, the only lens's I have are a Canon 70-200 1:4 USM and a Canon 18-55 STM what ever that means.
On the dedicated video side I'm sticking with my Sony HXR-MC2500 it is a nice shoulder mounted camcorder that produces very nice content, if I do the work properly.
And that is going to be about it, if I need a different lens for a project I rent from a company named Lensrentals, most of their prices are fair, they ship quickly plus their lens's arrive in real clean and good shape.
For as seldom as I need other lens's I cannot justify buying anymore when I can simply rent what I need for a week.
Having been in a few camera clubs I have met too many people who have bags filled with lens's just for virtue signalling, yea it is kinda cool to have a bag with $25K+ of lens's in it, but if those lens's are not paying for themselves within 3 years, it is not a investment as many claim it is, it's simply virtue signalling, a childish game of look at, me look at me, I have more stuff than you do.
I cannot play that game, I own only what I need.
Quad
POTN Refugee
Definitely a love hate relationship with tripods. They frequently improve my photos though. I have three that get used for different uses. Very tall, fairly light weight but still sturdy and the better all rounder that gets the most use. I have a fourth, the small lightweight travel tripod that is a lesson in asking for too much.
Way back in the 80's when I sold cameras I kept a loaner in the shop for when people complained that the camera they bought took very poor quality photos. The tripod always remedied that camera's problems. Then people were more open to discuss handholding technique. So I am grateful to them for that sales help.
I remember someone on POTN saying they left their tripod standing in a field. Sometimes you just take them for granted I guess. But that tripod (story) and a forgotten battery did get me in the habit of taking one final look before I leave a site for something I set down for just a second.
Way back in the 80's when I sold cameras I kept a loaner in the shop for when people complained that the camera they bought took very poor quality photos. The tripod always remedied that camera's problems. Then people were more open to discuss handholding technique. So I am grateful to them for that sales help.
I remember someone on POTN saying they left their tripod standing in a field. Sometimes you just take them for granted I guess. But that tripod (story) and a forgotten battery did get me in the habit of taking one final look before I leave a site for something I set down for just a second.
Reheat module
POTN Refugee
I have just 2 tripods (although a third would match the legs); firstly a 30+yr old Benbo1 which is rugged, heavy and a beast at times, alongside a Manfrotto MT057C3. My wife however pips me, when she returned home a year ago from a visit to a local Charity Shop where she bought a Benbo Trekker along with a Manfrotto 680B Monopod and attached Manfrotto 486RC2 head, all for the princely sum of £12. Then she had the audacity to ask me if they were a bargain... Now that's Witchcraft...
