Cheap tripod now, with good head later, as an upgrade path? at DVinfo.net

Fitz Townsend · June 24th, 2010, 11:51 AM

Hey guys,

I am not a fan of throwing good money on top of bad money. So here's the general question: can you put a decent fluid head on top of a cheap metal tripod? One-man-band operation and all that...

This is what I bought:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/620713-REG/Davis_Sanford_VOYAGER3H_Vista_Voyager_Tripod_with.html
It is metal and seems a decent build compared to everything else I saw in that range.

Will I be able to buy a fluid head when I'm ready, and use it on this thing? Or am I kidding myself? This is for a light, dSLR cam. (The newly mighty gh1)

Fitz

Brian Drysdale · June 24th, 2010, 01:39 PM

It doesn't look like it has a levelling bowl, which makes it slow to set up for video, assuming you can find a fluid head that will interface with it when you upgrade.

The head itself is OK for stills, but pretty useless for anything other than locked off shots when shooting video.

Fitz Townsend · June 25th, 2010, 08:02 AM

Oh man. Ok, more to learn bowls and bases. Didn't know about that before.

I tend to over-research anything I buy, but needed to just get a tripod so I can start working on a project with static shots immediately.

I guess I'll consider it a stopgap and necessary waste for now.

Thanks for helping out a newbie, Brian.

June 24th, 2010, 11:51 AM	#1
Fitz Townsend Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: NYC: Long Island City Posts: 51	Cheap tripod now, with good head later, as an upgrade path? Hey guys, I am not a fan of throwing good money on top of bad money. So here's the general question: can you put a decent fluid head on top of a cheap metal tripod? One-man-band operation and all that... This is what I bought: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/620713-REG/Davis_Sanford_VOYAGER3H_Vista_Voyager_Tripod_with.html It is metal and seems a decent build compared to everything else I saw in that range. Will I be able to buy a fluid head when I'm ready, and use it on this thing? Or am I kidding myself? This is for a light, dSLR cam. (The newly mighty gh1) Fitz

June 24th, 2010, 01:39 PM	#2
Brian Drysdale Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Belfast, UK Posts: 6,143	It doesn't look like it has a levelling bowl, which makes it slow to set up for video, assuming you can find a fluid head that will interface with it when you upgrade. The head itself is OK for stills, but pretty useless for anything other than locked off shots when shooting video.

June 25th, 2010, 08:02 AM	#3
Fitz Townsend Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: NYC: Long Island City Posts: 51	Oh man. Ok, more to learn bowls and bases. Didn't know about that before. I tend to over-research anything I buy, but needed to just get a tripod so I can start working on a project with static shots immediately. I guess I'll consider it a stopgap and necessary waste for now. Thanks for helping out a newbie, Brian.