Affordable Very Tall Tripod
 

im looking for a tripod.. i need it to be very tall, at least 2 meters.. ive seen the manfrotto 161mk2b which looks great but its a bit pricey, ideally im looking to spend about half that.. if anyone knows any good alternatives id appreciate any info.. been searching but havent found anything so far..

Also would anyone have any tips on how to avoid vibration off the floor at a live music venue ? i need a high tripod to be able to easily get over the top of people heads and film a band onstage... but at the louder gigs the bass frequencies being so loud often cause the camera to vibrate when im zoomed right in.. Im a bit lost at how to overcome it ??

Hi Randy.................
 

I'd say forget the tall tripod.

If you're not prepared to pay top dollar, at 2 metres plus, it will be all over the place like a dogs breakfast.

Add in that a tripod at a venue like you describe is a recipe for disaster with people falling over legs etc AND that at that height the bass will make the entire structure wobble like a willow in a gale and it's just a plain bad idea.

A better route would be to get hold of a second hand access tower , like this:

Aluminium Mobile Towers ACCESS - Ideal for residential / commercial painting and general maintenance work.Mobile Towers,Aluminium, Aluminium System scaffolding,Scaffolding,Scaffold

It doen't need to be more than about 80 cm high if used with any standard tripod, has straight legs, so very hard to fall over them plus the perimeter can be padded to prevent bumps and punter damage, a wheel at all 4 corners for easy moving AND the platform is strong enough that a standard tripod on a floor spreader can be sand bagged to the platform like glue, thus minimising vibration from bass frequencies.

Remember that the higher the tripod is set, the worse the effects of bass on it will be. If need be, make the tower higher if it means you can keep the tripod lower.

They're easy to assemble/ knock down, light and just dead handy.


CS

Thanks Chris...

I was willing to pay for the tall manfrotto if there was no alternative, but $1000AUD seems overpriced to me for what it is.. The tower is a good idea and myself and my friend had been thinking along similar lines.. But i dont think we could transport something that large, we kinda need a midway solution.

Do you think a smaller raised platform would keep people away from knocking the tripod ? We were thinking about just building something that was still relatively low to the ground but raised us enough so people could see it..

Also the other idea we had was just try a portable fencing system to create a small square around the area of setup, but that was to go along with a tall tripod..

Portable event fence, outfield fencing, barricades & stanchions

or maybe even something like this would be enough ?

Retractable Crowd Control Stand (Each) - eBay, Other Retail Supplies, Retail Shops, Business, Industrial. (end time 08-Nov-09 17:12:36 AEDST)


The problem with the vibration seems to mainly happen when im elevated on a table or when the floor isnt really solid.. It is something thats hit and miss but i would like to have some sort of preparation for it..

I still need a new tripod so i figured a taller one at least gives me the option to raise myself up if needed, but i could keep it low also.. For what we need i think the tall tripod and the fence idea would work the best.. But im just trying to get an idea of cost.. We arent making much money off this so i need it to be affordable..

Maybe it's worth to take a look at these portable standing platforms to raise your camera.

Spider Support Systems

I use a Bogen 28b for theater performances at 70" w/o the column is tall enough to get over heads of ppl

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...ro_Triman.html

if you need something bigger then step up to the Bogen 161

Manfrotto by Bogen Imaging | 161MK2B Super Pro Tripod | 161MK2B

With a head and camera you're looking at 30+ lbs so it should be able to resist vibrations. But if vibrations are coming from an unstable floor then no tripod is going to work.

Ivan.... I had a look at the Spider System.. I was gob smacked it costs $2000 for what it is.. Its a few alluminium legs!!! The same thing if it was to be used for a generic household task would probably sell for $50.. I think that could well be the biggest rip off ive ever seen.. I appreciate your suggestion though im just shocked its so expensive.


Pete.. I had a look at that site.. I live in Australia and the 161 here is around $1000.. Seems i can get it from that website with shipping for $700 or so (depending on the dollars exchange at the time)... So thats really cool... The 28b looks great also.. It says the full height is 89" with the column extended.. But does extending the column make it a lot less stable ? Im fairly new at this (i come from an audio background)..

I had also thought what you are saying about the stability of the floor to be right, if the tripod has weight in it and its on a solid floor it should be ok.. If its a wooden floor thats shakey its going to vibrate regardless...

Have you ever bought anything from that site ? Is the service good ?

B & H is the best place to buy video/photo/audio equipment. They have the lowest prices and the best customer service. B&H Photo-Video-Pro Audio - bhphotovideo.com - Reviews, Ratings and Prices at ResellerRatings

I often use the center column but the higher you raise it the less stable it becomes. I generally don't go over 1 ft. It has really come in handy many times when I need a little more height. Once you set up all you're equipment and find out you need it up an extra foot who wants to pull the camera off and fool with the legs.

Sometimes there isn't anything you can do about the floor stability other times it comes down to knowing the right location. Its generally a problem in old theaters with wood floors that sag under weight of some one walking by. If you watch football games you'll often see it if the camera is on the bleachers and the fans are jumping up and down.

I often find if you can ask or watch someone in your desired type of work what equipment they use. Chances are they've either learned the through trial and error or picked it up from another professional.

BTW, when using a high tripod is you'll either need a step ladder to operate the camera or a Lanc remote, long tripod handles, and external video monitor.

Used a spider pod last night and it rocks! Problem is, 2 more rentals and I could buy the 028B tripod! Might have to build a spider pod clone....hmmmmm. Might not be as easy to setup and transport but it sure won't be $2000! Bet I could make one for $200!
I'll let everyone know how it goes!