Which Tripod for 5D? 501 or 503 head with 525MVB?
 

Hello all -

I'm getting a tripod soon - and I really don't know jack about video tripods. I have all kinds of still tripods... but they aren't so still when I am shooting video....

I know there are a ton of posts on the 501 or 503 - but they all seem to be for heavier cameras and I don't want to get a fluid head that doesn't work with the lighter camera. Does it make sense to go with the 501 and the 525?

I'm not an expert, but some of my lenses push the 5DII over 5 pounds easily. The 501 wouldn't do very well with medium to large lenses.

I agree. I just got my 70-300 IS lens. Not only is it heavy on the camera, but it's not as balanced as a typical camcorder. Unless you always use small lenses, the 501 isn't up to the task.

503 isn't a bad choice for wide to slight telephoto focal lengths. it's relatively inexpensive, lightweight, has variable drag on both tilt/pan, and would accomodate a variety of setups. if you go with the 503, i'd suggest putting a 75mm bowl adapter on it as it'll make leveling easier. put the head on some heavy-duty carbon fiber photo sticks, and you have a very light, portable setup. if you're planning on doing a lot of work on the telephoto end of things, i'd suggest looking at something else.

I won't be shooting real big lenses - mostly 24-70 and maybe a 70-200.

The design of a video head allows for fore- and aft adjustment to get the centre of gravity in just the right place to allow the camera to stay level when you let go of the pan handle. Using an SLR with glass poking out the front means that you have to keep it level with pressure from the pan handle. This will be really annoying, and when you lock off and unlock the tilt on these heads it always jerks - so maybe adding a weight to the back (or attaching some weight to the pan bar) may well hel a bit. Having a bigger head is rarely a problem - the bigger they are, the better they are designed and of course, more expensive.

I use rails and clamps from Really Right Stuff that allow balance by moving the camera system back and forth. With the 70-200 use the mount on the lens.
I like still camera quick release attachments, but for a bigger head I like the Gitzo G1380 head. It's replaceable spring system allows for weights from about 2-20lbs. Since the 5DII allows both tiny and huge lenses a big range may be important.
If I were buying both sticks and head new I would also look at Satchler. A FSB6 head and sticks kit.

For even small heads like the 501 and 503 you can get a longer QR plate called something like the 501PLong to allow a couple of inches of movement to get a camera in balance. I just hot a Libec H22 and the Bogen QR adapter to keep the same mounting plate as my monopod and old 503 head (now my backup). This way I can use any head I want with the long plate and the QR Bogen adapter only weighs about half a pound. It actually fits perfectly atop the Libec and now I have Bogen compatibility with Libec smoothness.