Hello,

I recently bought a used PDX10 - VERY impressed! I'm off to Kenya next month for a 2-week safari and would appreciate recommendations for a tripod. My current one is a cheapo that makes a lot of noise and that's my primary concern. Of secondary concern are the portability and cost. (Well, cost is really primary, too (!) - US$200 - US$300 range ideally).

Also, should I take a 2x teleconverter and, if so, which one? Do any not have vignetting?

Any advice/experiences from people who have taken footage on safari would be most welcome.

Thank you.

John.

i've done a lot of experimenting with tripods and portability, and i recommend the bogen 701rc2 (mine's on 3001pro legs), if you plan to pack it. for a camera of that weight, i also recommend the mini Velbon DF-10ML, if you want to go super-light. it's not ideal, but if weight is a consideration, it's the sturdiest mini out there....

A 2x telephoto converter that doesn't vignette as you zoom back? No, not available - and when you consider it, not commercially viable, let alone practical or even desirable. It would be huge, heavy and expensive. So much so that few would buy it ~ which doesn't alter the first two downers, but certainly affects the last.

You're attaching the converter to increase your focal length, while at the same time accepting the extra flare, minute light losses, reduction in sharpness and increase in chromatic aberation. You know however that it's a lot better than simply delving into the digital zoom range, however good that may be on the PDX.

Buy a 2x converter with confidence from Sony, Raynox, Century, Canon. But when you want to film at a focal length of 40 mm, take it off rather than zoom to wide with it on.

tom.

Tom/Meryem,

Thanks for your input. I also tried using my existing tripod as a monopod and got some good results.

John.

Well - that depends if you are going on a safari were you are driven to the animals, or if you are sneaking arround in the bush with a guide. If you are in a safari car you have very little room to move, and you will get driven quite close to the animals. Meaning that you do not need a tele converter at all.

Beeing in a car means that it will be very difficult to change anything in your set up on the fly. And it also means that you do not need a biig tele. A heavy monopod with a ball head is my recommandation. It can also be used to fend of attacking animals - just joking.

Bring a ND filter as the ligt duing midday is very stong, and you might like to avoid excessive high shutter speeds.

It can get quite dusty, so bring a resealable plastic bac and keep the camera in that.

It you a put in a stationary position then you really need alle tele you can get in order to get close ups. But since the animals will be moving then you have to track them, and that migth prove to be difficult on comsumer grade tripods. The stuff you see on Animal Planet is the result of heavy duty equipment and a consideral amount of skill and luck. I am not saying that you can't get good results using prosumer equipment - you just need some more luck.

Try to train your tracking abilities with your tripod before you go.

And just one more ting. Crime rates are very high, so be aware of advertising the presence of your equipment at all.

Definitely bring some ND filters!

I would also be tempted to take a circular polorizer if you can afford and find one. Also, on the lens flare issues, I really love the Cinetactics soft matte box. Inexpensive but pretty well made, folds up flat and has a large french flag available for shade.

On the tripod, the "wilderness" series from Bogen seems like a good choice.

Sean

Just raising the point that a linear poloriser would be just as effect and a lot cheaper than the circular variety. The latter were marketed in the 70s to overcome the porarising effects of beam-splitting prisms that ducted light off to viewfinders and light metres, but your modern camcorder will not need such things.

tom.

Thank you all for the great advice!

Most of my previous video work has been underwater so being on dry (dusty) land will be an interesting change!

John.

Thank you all for the great advice!

Most of my previous video work has been underwater so being on dry (dusty) land will be an interesting change!

John.
I just returned from 12 day in Zambia. The weak link in my system was my tripod. When you are in Africa Telephoto lens are the lens of choice. You must have a proper tripod/fluidhead system. I took the wrong tripod/head and regretted every moment. I just order from B &H a Miller Solo DV5 @$1200.
I will never travel 12,000 miles and spend as much time as I did (not to mention money) with the wrong tripod. Get a good tripod/fluid head before you leave.
dkane

I second the Miller Solo DV5 choice. I have one and it is wonderful. Your tripod is just as important as your camera. The Solo DV5 is a lot to lug around, but if you want good video, go for it.

I found that the DV5 head was not suitable for my PD170 as I have it set up, so I've substituted a Vinten Vision 3 head. But, the DV5 head would be perfect for the PDX10. It's unfortunate that the DV5 head is not sold separately. I think the ideal combination for the PDX10 would be the Gitzo 1325V video tripod legs with the Miller DV5 head.

I second the Miller Solo DV5 choice. I have one and it is wonderful. Your tripod is just as important as your camera. The Solo DV5 is a lot to lug around, but if you want good video, go for it.

I found that the DV5 head was not suitable for my PD170 as I have it set up, so I've substituted a Vinten Vision 3 head. But, the DV5 head would be perfect for the PDX10. It's unfortunate that the DV5 head is not sold separately. I think the ideal combination for the PDX10 would be the Gitzo 1325V video tripod legs with the Miller DV5 head.
Hi Jack
I am looking to buy a new tripod head system and you mentioned that you thought the" "Solo DV5 is a lot to lug around " I thought this was a lightweight system, am I mistaken ? I would appreciate your opinions
Regards
dkane

Well, the Miller DV5 is a light weight system if you compare it to most professional tripod systems. But, the legs and head still weight in at about ten pounds. It definitely needs to be considered another piece of luggage when you travel.

Well, the Miller DV5 is a light weight system if you compare it to most professional tripod systems. But, the legs and head still weight in at about ten pounds. It definitely needs to be considered another piece of luggage when you travel.
Hi Jack
Thanks for your quick reply. I agree, 10lbs is a factor when traveling, especially when flying. The Gitzo 1325 and the Cartoni Action Pro make an interesting system and total they weight only about 7lbs. I don't know of anything lighter. Any thoughts ?
dkane

I don't know anything about the Cartoni Action Pro head. But, I'd be willing to bet that someone on this board does. :) As I mentioned in my previous post, the Gitzo 1325V is a very good choice for the tripod.

Hello,

I recently bought a used PDX10 - VERY impressed! I'm off to Kenya next month for a 2-week safari and would appreciate recommendations for a tripod. My current one is a cheapo that makes a lot of noise and that's my primary concern. Of secondary concern are the portability and cost. (Well, cost is really primary, too (!) - US$200 - US$300 range ideally).

Also, should I take a 2x teleconverter and, if so, which one? Do any not have vignetting?

Any advice/experiences from people who have taken footage on safari would be most welcome.

Thank you.

John.

Jambo! I have recently returned from the above safari. I never dreamt I would see so much and learn so much.

Regarding equipment, in the end I took with me:

Sony PDX-10 (naturally...)
Sony x0.5 wide angle converter
Sony x2.0 teleconverter
Sony circular polarizer
Sony ND filters (variety)
Sony UV and protection filters
Sony dual fast charger (including 12V car lighter adapter)
Power outlet adapter (US to UK 3-pin)
Sony 128MB memory card
Panasonic MiniDV head cleaner
24 Sony DVC Premium MiniDV cassettes (60min, used in 40min DVCAM mode)
5 batteries - 1xNP-FM50, 3xNP-QM71D, 1xNP-QM91D
Novoflex Chestpod
A cheapo but small tripod that doubled as a monopod
Portabrace (K and H Products) dust/rain cover
Rycote Softie microphone windshield
Sony stereo headphones
Set of precision/jeweller's screwdrivers (just in case!)
Chamois lens cleaner

I packed all the above into a gym-like soft bag that was suitable as carry-on luggage. Prior to leaving, I had toyed with using a hardcase but I would have had to still have an extra bag for many of the accessories. In the soft bag, I packed everything (where possible) in zip-lock bags and the camcorder itself was cradled in some of the original Sony cardboard packaging. I also had a 3' x 1' piece of bubble wrap (with the 1" bubbles).

Laptop PC with FireWire interface + 4pin-6pin cable
USB memory card reader/writer

I had no problems with using the gym bag. When necessary (e.g., on transfer shuttle buses), I was able to keep the bag with me rather than have it go on top of the bus. One puddle-jumper flight (in the US) required it be "valet checked".

However, the screwdriver set posed a problem at check-in at the start of the trip. They had to be put in the checked luggage but that had already gone! So, the screwdriver set was checked by itself. Rather stupidly, the airline (whom I will not name) put it in a cardboard box but did not seal it. Three flights and many 1000s of miles later, a little box appeared on the baggage carousel at Nairobi (I hadn't seen the box prior to this so didn't know what to expect). All of the screwdrivers had come out of their plastic case and were loose in the cardboard box. Quite remarkably, only one of the six were missing inspite of gaping holes in the now rather crumpled box. For the return trip, I ensured they were in the checked luggage!

So, armed with all the above equipment, what did I end up actually using, what did I like and what did I find annoying?

1. What did I end up using?

It's easier to state what I didn't use:

The ND filters - even though some of the footage was recorded around midday near the equator, I never had a need to use an ND filter.

The car lighter adapter - I found that the single NP-QM91D battery would serve me for a whole day. I had expected to have to run the charger during the day but that proved not to be necessary. (The lodges had electricity in the rooms, though not necessarily 24 hours a day).

8 of the 24 cassettes - i.e., I used 16 of the cassettes I took with me.

The headphones - there's no setting up shots - if a lion is up wind and it is very windy, so be it! Since the short rainy season was just beginning, there was a tremendous amount of wind nearly every day. Even with the Rycote Softie, there is a lot of wind noise.

2. What did I like?

The PDX-10 is tremendous. Used with the Novoflex Chestpod, I had a very sturdy system. The Portabrace dust/rain cover can still be attached when the Chestpod (or tripod) is in use and the Portabrace provides a very effective shade for the swing-out LCD monitor (very important in the middle of the Maasai Mara when the sun is almost directly overhead).

The plethora of manual settings allowed me to cope with a whole range of lighting conditions etc.

The quality of the still images is fantastic and I ended up with about 450! With just the one 128MB memory card, that meant downloading to the laptop about 3 times during the trip.

3. What didn't I like?

Not much. Just a few annoyances more than anything.

A. Focus control - I've read elsewhere about some frustrations with the PDX-10's manual focus control. This is my biggest gripe. It would sometimes take a few attempts to get the focus just right. With a UV filter and protection filter attached, the distance read-out on the LCD was not reliable. I would have prefered a real focus ring that would let me very quickly focus to infinity.

B. Still picture taking - on a few occasions (perhaps a dozen), I would press the red button to take a still picture instead of the silver one next to the zoom control, ending up with a very short MPEG movie. I would have liked to have been able to disable the MPEG recording and/or assign the red button to take a still image. I noticed a quirk, too. After taking a MPEG shot, the next use of the still image button would seem to work (the shutter noise and frozen image were evident) but the still image itself did not get saved to the memory card. So, if I accidently started an MPEG recording, I would take at least 3 still images afterwards to ensure I got my subject.

C. Mono audio - using the supplied shotgun mic and XLR adapter etc meant recording only mono audio. Using the built-in stereo mic picks up too much camera/operator noise. I did use the built-in mic once - at night, I wanted to record the audible chirps of a particular kind of bat. I recorded some audio with the shotgun mic and some with the built-in mic.

D. Circular polarizing filter - for obvious reasons, once this filter is attached, you can't attach anything else, so it can't be used with the converters (x0.5 or x2.0).

Other stuff:

I used manual settings throughout and recorded everything in 16:9 widescreen with 48K audio.

When I get a chance, I'll put some of the still images and some single video frames up on the web.

So, "ahsante sana" to everyone who provided suggestions before I went.

John.

Jambo! I have recently returned from the above safari. I never dreamt I would see so much and learn so much.

Regarding equipment, in the end I took with me:

Sony PDX-10 (naturally...)
Sony x0.5 wide angle converter
Sony x2.0 teleconverter
Sony circular polarizer
Sony ND filters (variety)
Sony UV and protection filters
Sony dual fast charger (including 12V car lighter adapter)
Power outlet adapter (US to UK 3-pin)
Sony 128MB memory card
Panasonic MiniDV head cleaner
24 Sony DVC Premium MiniDV cassettes (60min, used in 40min DVCAM mode)
5 batteries - 1xNP-FM50, 3xNP-QM71D, 1xNP-QM91D
Novoflex Chestpod
A cheapo but small tripod that doubled as a monopod
Portabrace (K and H Products) dust/rain cover
Rycote Softie microphone windshield
Sony stereo headphones
Set of precision/jeweller's screwdrivers (just in case!)
Chamois lens cleaner

I packed all the above into a gym-like soft bag that was suitable as carry-on luggage. Prior to leaving, I had toyed with using a hardcase but I would have had to still have an extra bag for many of the accessories. In the soft bag, I packed everything (where possible) in zip-lock bags and the camcorder itself was cradled in some of the original Sony cardboard packaging. I also had a 3' x 1' piece of bubble wrap (with the 1" bubbles).

Laptop PC with FireWire interface + 4pin-6pin cable
USB memory card reader/writer

I had no problems with using the gym bag. When necessary (e.g., on transfer shuttle buses), I was able to keep the bag with me rather than have it go on top of the bus. One puddle-jumper flight (in the US) required it be "valet checked".

However, the screwdriver set posed a problem at check-in at the start of the trip. They had to be put in the checked luggage but that had already gone! So, the screwdriver set was checked by itself. Rather stupidly, the airline (whom I will not name) put it in a cardboard box but did not seal it. Three flights and many 1000s of miles later, a little box appeared on the baggage carousel at Nairobi (I hadn't seen the box prior to this so didn't know what to expect). All of the screwdrivers had come out of their plastic case and were loose in the cardboard box. Quite remarkably, only one of the six were missing inspite of gaping holes in the now rather crumpled box. For the return trip, I ensured they were in the checked luggage!

So, armed with all the above equipment, what did I end up actually using, what did I like and what did I find annoying?

1. What did I end up using?

It's easier to state what I didn't use:

The ND filters - even though some of the footage was recorded around midday near the equator, I never had a need to use an ND filter.

The car lighter adapter - I found that the single NP-QM91D battery would serve me for a whole day. I had expected to have to run the charger during the day but that proved not to be necessary. (The lodges had electricity in the rooms, though not necessarily 24 hours a day).

8 of the 24 cassettes - i.e., I used 16 of the cassettes I took with me.

The headphones - there's no setting up shots - if a lion is up wind and it is very windy, so be it! Since the short rainy season was just beginning, there was a tremendous amount of wind nearly every day. Even with the Rycote Softie, there is a lot of wind noise.

2. What did I like?

The PDX-10 is tremendous. Used with the Novoflex Chestpod, I had a very sturdy system. The Portabrace dust/rain cover can still be attached when the Chestpod (or tripod) is in use and the Portabrace provides a very effective shade for the swing-out LCD monitor (very important in the middle of the Maasai Mara when the sun is almost directly overhead).

The plethora of manual settings allowed me to cope with a whole range of lighting conditions etc.

The quality of the still images is fantastic and I ended up with about 450! With just the one 128MB memory card, that meant downloading to the laptop about 3 times during the trip.

3. What didn't I like?

Not much. Just a few annoyances more than anything.

A. Focus control - I've read elsewhere about some frustrations with the PDX-10's manual focus control. This is my biggest gripe. It would sometimes take a few attempts to get the focus just right. With a UV filter and protection filter attached, the distance read-out on the LCD was not reliable. I would have prefered a real focus ring that would let me very quickly focus to infinity.

B. Still picture taking - on a few occasions (perhaps a dozen), I would press the red button to take a still picture instead of the silver one next to the zoom control, ending up with a very short MPEG movie. I would have liked to have been able to disable the MPEG recording and/or assign the red button to take a still image. I noticed a quirk, too. After taking a MPEG shot, the next use of the still image button would seem to work (the shutter noise and frozen image were evident) but the still image itself did not get saved to the memory card. So, if I accidently started an MPEG recording, I would take at least 3 still images afterwards to ensure I got my subject.

C. Mono audio - using the supplied shotgun mic and XLR adapter etc meant recording only mono audio. Using the built-in stereo mic picks up too much camera/operator noise. I did use the built-in mic once - at night, I wanted to record the audible chirps of a particular kind of bat. I recorded some audio with the shotgun mic and some with the built-in mic.

D. Circular polarizing filter - for obvious reasons, once this filter is attached, you can't attach anything else, so it can't be used with the converters (x0.5 or x2.0).

Other stuff:

I used manual settings throughout and recorded everything in 16:9 widescreen with 48K audio.

When I get a chance, I'll put some of the still images and some single video frames up on the web.

So, "ahsante sana" to everyone who provided suggestions before I went.

John.
I just returned from 12 days in Zambia. John has provided a very complete packing list . The one thing that I will recommend is a good tripod. I think in Kenya much of the shooting is done from Landrovers so you may get away with bean bags. In Zambia, different experience. I was shooting from the ground, boat , canoe and a landrover as well. I traveled with a cheap tripod/head combination to save weight and never again. When you use a telephoto lens in video you must have a stable platform otherwise you movies will have too much shaking and bounce. Very amateur. Also you want a quick release in case you must shoot handheld. Why go all the way to Africa to have such a wonderful experience and come back with shaky video ?
I solved my problem, just bought a Gitzo system. It weights 9 lbs,heavy, but I will just have to deal with it. I cannot think of anyway to get good wildlife movies without using a stable platform.
dkane

I just returned from 12 days in Zambia. John has provided a very complete packing list . The one thing that I will recommend is a good tripod. I think in Kenya much of the shooting is done from Landrovers so you may get away with bean bags. In Zambia, different experience. I was shooting from the ground, boat , canoe and a landrover as well. I traveled with a cheap tripod/head combination to save weight and never again. When you use a telephoto lens in video you must have a stable platform otherwise you movies will have too much shaking and bounce. Very amateur. Also you want a quick release in case you must shoot handheld. Why go all the way to Africa to have such a wonderful experience and come back with shaky video ?
I solved my problem, just bought a Gitzo system. It weights 9 lbs,heavy, but I will just have to deal with it. I cannot think of anyway to get good wildlife movies without using a stable platform.
dkane

Hi Dennis,

You're absolutely right! Most of the shots in Kenya/Tanzania were from a Landrover or a Nissan safari bus. (My wife and I were very lucky - we booked late and ended up the only two people in the group.) I didn't have a bean bag but the combination of the camcorder and Chestpod resting against the roof of the vehicle provided a good, stable platform for most shots except the extreme zoom ones (fully zoomed in with x2.0 converter).

Before I left for the trip, I weighed up the options of the Chestpod vs. a decent tripod vs. my cheapo vs. a monopod. In the end, given the vehicle-bound nature of most of the trip, I went for the Chestpod and took my cheap tripod primarily for use as a monopod. As it happens, I only used the tripod once - at Lake Nakuru - to video the astonishing spectacle of thousands upon thousands of flamingoes.

Oh - and I had the optical steadyshot enabled all the time.

I bet you wish you were still there!

John.

PS: We're considering Peru for the next trip to visit the Clay Licks (e.g., http://www.inkanatura.com/macawclaylicks.asp) that the Macaws frequent. Hopefully, I'll have saved enough to get a sturdy, high quality tripod for that.

D. Circular polarizing filter - for obvious reasons, once this filter is attached, you can't attach anything else, so it can't be used with the converters (x0.5 or x2.0).


I use a circular polarizing filter all the time and also my Sony 0737X WA converter on top of that. Why can't you attach a tele or WA converter on top of the polarizer ? My polarizer has screw-thread on front of it, as do i think all of them.

- just curious.

regds

I use a circular polarizing filter all the time and also my Sony 0737X WA converter on top of that. Why can't you attach a tele or WA converter on top of the polarizer ? My polarizer has screw-thread on front of it, as do i think all of them.

- just curious.

regds
Hi Stu
I'm not sure exactly how you mount your filters, lens. It sounds as if you have the filter on the camera and then the lens mounted to the filter. This may be a bit dicey because of the mass of the lens hanging off the filter. These are very small threads, 37mm, so I would be a bit careful. On my camera I have the lens mounted to the camera, so the mass of the lens is hanging on the camera. The Sony lens has no internal threads, so I have to
use a matte box with an adaptor to achieve a method of utilizing filters.
I hope this explains things.
Regards
DKane

Guys, might I pop up here and ask that we use the 'quote' facility less randomly? Acres of real-estate are being used to repeat what's already been said. It's taking up a mass of archive space as well as being quite unnecessary in the majority of occasions.

Just snip a couple of the relevant lines from the post you're answering - that'll do nicely.

tom.