Using old tripod for Z1
 

I have an old Manfrotto#136 (Bogen#3063) head on Manfrotto #161MK2B,
could'nt find the Bogen-match but it's at:
http://www.dvtapes.co.uk/cgi-bin/sto...OD.htm&pid=262

Although it's a bit heavy, does this look like a usable setup, or should i upgrade to something newer?

Frank, it all depends on what you intend to shoot and what you're doing with that footage after you've shot it.

If shooting video is just a hobby, then that rig may suit you.

If you're shooting video for profit, then it won't. I'm continually amazed at how so many people will spend thousands of dollars on a video camera and then try to get away spending a very few hundred dollars on a tripod and head. I think if videographers really stopped and thought about what each piece of equipment does, they may approach the camera's support with understanding.

The tripod and head are the camera's foundation. What does that mean? The camera does one thing and one thing only--it records the image (No, zooming is a function of the lens, not the camera). What do the tripod and head do? They provide stability and motion, i.e., pan and tilt.

I don't care what camera you have or how much it cost, if the images are bouncing and shaking, especially on zooms, or if you can't pan and tilt smoothly (and that includes smooth starts and stops), then why have a tripod and head? Just hand hold it!

The vast majority of people try to put motion picture cameras on still tripods and heads and wonder why their footage doesn't look like what they see in the movies or on television. It's because they're using a cheap tripod and head that wasn't REALLY designed for that.

Support systems are just like cameras... you get what you pay for. If you're really serious about this video thing, the truth of the matter is that you should expect to pay about the same for your support system that you did for your camera.

Jay