Z1 / FX1 tripod recommendation

[Thomas Hartz-Olsson]

Hi,

I'm buying an hdr-fx1 in two weeks time, and I'm going to need a few accesories. Amongst them is a tripod and a shoulderbrace.

I need a shoulderbrace I can mount with my mini-rover L-grip and the Beachtek DXA-FX. I'm going to use it for interviewing in crowds and such (handheld filming and intervieweing at the same time).

And then I just need a fairly good tripod.

And please not too expensive ;)

Thanks!

Thomas Hartz-Olsson

[Oliver Zarandi]

Hi there guys.

I was wondering if you could reccomend me a good, sturdy tripod. It would be great if you could link me to U.K websites. Thanks in advance.

[Mike Marriage]

What's your budget and what camera does it need to work with?

[Andrew Goodman]

Hi Oliver... I have been researching tripods for camcorders for sometime. I have decided to go for the 516,515PKIT. This is a complete kit consisting of the Manfrotto 515MVB Pro Video Tripod, the 516 Pro Video Head, the 3141BALL Half Ball, the 3138 Spreader and the MBAG100P Padded Tripod Bag. For what I am looking for this will def do the job and will do for many years to come.

After looking around UK sites a good lot www.proav.co.uk is where I got the best price for this tripod. All the best.

[Oliver Zarandi]

Nice one - this is for my HDR-FX1E.

For the previous poster, any price is okay, just as long as it isn't, say, 400 pounds.

[Andrew Goodman]

I phoned up to order this tripod but the guy who I was talking with suggested the 503 head and 525 tripod, which I had looked at too. He does wedding videos, which is what I want this for and he says the other one I suggested about was way over kill for the fx1 which is what I have. Its also a good bit cheaper so I ordered it on the spot!!! Hope this helps.

[Oliver Zarandi]

Cheers Andrew, that was helpful. I myself have got a wedding coming up in July, and I thought it would be nice to film it for the family.

[Alan Craven]

I have just bought this Manfrotto kit from CKE in Shipley near Bradford. The legs are very rigid and the head is very smooth. The downside for me is the spreader, which is floor level, as I shall be using the tripod outdoors. I shall have to get a mid-level spreader for this. The Squid pattern looks interesting, but it is very expensive, and I am not sure if the advantages it offers are worth the extra £100 over the standard model.

[Damian Clarke]

I'm in the UK too so I have a couple of extra links you may want to check out for equipment et al

http://www.videokit.co.uk
http://www.creativevideo.co.uk
http://www.wtsbroadcast.com
http://www.digibroadcast.com

Hope these help ;)

[Matt Davis]

Originally Posted by Oliver Zarandi

just as long as it isn't, say, 400 pounds.

Hmmm... that limits things a bit if buying new. The Vinten Pro 5 is one of the cheapest at £250, but it's not a patch on the Manfrotto. You'll want something better within months of buying the Vinten. You'll also get good at disassembling the head to tighten it up, and don't lose the special allen key to tighten the legs. A leg can slowly and unperceptably slide if the quick-release mechanism is not really tight.

if you've got the time, watch out for Sachtlers on eBay. I had to wait 9 months before a good one came along. :)

[Juan Camara]

somebody please help me to find a good tripod and a good head for a sony FX1. I want the tripod and head for weedings and some events. I want stabilty for the tripod and head

[Jon Omiatek]

Buy Manfrotto/Bogen

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search

Jon

[Boyd Ostroff]

I have a Manfrotto 501 head like that, and it's a good value but not very well suited for applications where you'll be shooting at full zoom. The movement just isn't smooth enough and you will notice a jerk at the beginning of a pan or tilt. Those legs might also be a little shaky for work at the telephoto end of the zoom range. But if you're on a tight budget it's probably not a bad compromise. You'll probably have to go into the $800 range or higher to get to the next level of quality.

I use my Manfrotto 501/3221 setup when I want something smaller and lighter for my Z1 - if I'm hiking around the woods for example. But for shooting an event at full zoom I'm not happy with it. I have the Miller DS-5 with the aluminum legs for that. However I bought the Miller for a smaller and lighter camera originally. It works fine with the Z1, but I would have gone with the DS-10 if doing it over again.

I suggest you browse through this forum as there's lots of discussion about tripods suitable for the Z1 and FX1.

[John M. McCloskey]

Buy a Gitzo 1380 head use the green spring and a Miller solo dv tripod. Dont forget to get a Varizoom VZ-Rock(helps keep your hands off the camera). Use one hand to focus on the camera and use the other hand on the varizoom for zooming. I promise with this setup you can get some awesome camera moves, would not trade mine for anything.

[Boyd Ostroff]

Originally Posted by John M. McCloskey

Dont forget to get a Varizoom VZ-Rock(helps keep your hands off the camera).

Before buying any sort of LANC controller for the FX1 or Z1 you should be aware that they cannot access the full range of zoom speeds on these cameras unfortunately. In fact, this is one of the few things with which I'm unhappy on the Z1. With the LANC controller I can't even zoom as slowly as I could on my little Sony PDX-10. This is a limitation of the camera, and will be the same with all brands of zoom controllers. I have simply stopped using the LANC altogether with my Z1, and even though it's awkward I use the rocker zoom since it's the only way to acheive a subtle slow zoom.

See the following thread for some in-depth discussion: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=55047