At 08:33 PM 11/22/2004 -0800, Moose you wrote:
>There are simply no compact lightweight tripods that will bring the
>camera to eye level for a 6 foot person without center column extension
snip
>The best compromise I've found on he light, small end is the Velbon 343E
>(2#, 18" min length, incl. head), which includes a perfectly usable
>small ball head for $70. I bought this about 3 years ago and I still
>like and use it. It doesn't have the height you want at 53" without
>column extension, but is amazingly stable and sturdy for its size and
>weight. Column extension raised it up to 62.5".
I just bought the Velbon Maxi 347E, which sounds like it's about the same
size. This gets me a lot of cred with the missus because I told her I was
taking it when we visit her mom for the holidays (wife's from Hawaii). The
Bogen 3221 required a hardshell suitcase, and even though I was the only
one who ever had to concern himself with carrying it, it still bugged
her. This year I'm taking the C-8080 and its teleconverter and an OM-4
with a couple of lenses to shoot a few rolls of Kodachrome.
I purchased mine with an odd type of a tilting panhead that Velbon calls a
"revolver head." The wand/handle allows you not only to tilt but to rotate
panoramically, while a separate knob controls tilt to square the camera to
plumb. For a light digicam, it's perfect unless the wind is up. It will
be a bit of a stretch with the OM-4 shooting KM25.
I don't think I will hesitate to use the center column with the C-8080,
which will bring the camera up within inches of my normal eye level (I'm 6'
1"). Like yours, apparently, the legs are in four telescoping segments and
collapse to less than 20 inches. Nice little package, though not in the
Arca Swiss Really Right Kirk Camp.
Joel W.
==============================================
List usage info: http://www.zuikoholic.com
List nannies: olympusadmin@xxxxxxxxxx
==============================================
|