What's new
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Help with camera stuff

  • Thread starter Drosera36
  • Start date
I was wondering if anyone knew of any good tripods or digital printing machines? I've got a birthday coming up, and need some new equpiment. lol I have a Nikon Coolpix 4800.

Thanks,
-Ben
 
why do you need a digital printing machine?
a regular printer will give you great pictures if you use the correct paper.
as for tripods, i bought a cheap $35 quantaray.
peace,
Zero
 
Slik, Velbon, Gitzo & Bogen (Manfrotto) are the most respected names for tripods. They all make relatively light weight sturdy tripods for digital cameras. They ain't cheap and some of the pro models can kill your budget for a month. But it's better than trying to save some money and have the tripod collapse on you, breaking your camera and smashing your plants.

If you're going to do field work or have plants in the ground you probably want a tripod with a revessible column or one with a mounting screw on both ends of the column.

If you're going to do all of your photography with the plants on a stand or table you might be able to do with a heavier table top or clamp tripod.

A two-way macro focusing rail would be nice too, depending on how sophisticated your camera is. A must if you are dealing with manual focus and high magnification ratios.

Bogen sells Manfrotto and Gitzo

Slik Tripods

Velbon Tripods

Look through their catalogs and find a model that you think suits you (and budget), online search for prices and come back to us :bigthumpup:
 
zero, because I don't have a good color printer.

Thanks, NAN, though I have no idea what any of those descriptions mean on the websites. lol

I don't spose you have one that you use that is good?

-Ben
 
The tripod I have is a back breaker. I had a smaller Bogen but somebody broke into the trunk of my care and stole it. It was a little to small for my purposes but the one I replaced it with is a little too big. Kind of like Goldilocks & the 3 Bears.

Slik
http://www.slik.com/lwse.html
http://www.slik.com/u/index-e.html (U5500 U2000)

Velbon
http://www.velbon-tripod.com/ultra_maxi.htm any of these Ultra-Luxi-F and Ultra-Maxi-F look particularly good.
http://www.velbon-tripod.com/maxi.htm

Manfrotto
http://www.bogenimaging.us/product/templates/itemalone.php3?itemid=2158

Gitzo - didn't see anything really. The table tops they have are too small to use on anything but a table top and next ones up are probably too much tripod for what you need.

I prefer a 2-way/3-way head over the ball head as the handles give me more precision, but that's mainly a personal choice and depends on the type of photography you mainly do. The Manfrotto might be a bit too much too.
 
I have a Gitzo G-1560 Monotrek (Ball Head) that is a hiking stick with a camera mount on top. It can support a Load Capacity of 4.40 LBS. Use it all the time hiking, a few times to actually take pictures.
I have to check but I think I'm going to be over the limit with the new camera.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...615&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation

Then I have a Bogen / Manfrotto 3021 Tripod Legs with a 3055 ball head.
Legs:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...s&Q=&sku=217260&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

Looks like they do not have the 3055 head anymore, but looks like this one replaced it.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...989&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation

Of course you have to decide if a ball head or Pan & Tilt Head is what you would want.

If you like to photograph macro subjects, then I highly recommend going with the Bogen 3021 legs. The legs can be folded out so that the tripod is only like 15" off the ground. Great for those CP shots in nature. (They also have a PRO version of the 3021 legs which might be even better depending on what your doing. Would be something I would like to have, but not available when I bought mine many years ago. Now if I upgrade at all I would want a carbon fiber tripod, but cost way too much $$$)
 
The legs that got stolen was the earlier version of the 3021 with the Super 3D head. It had a splittable/reversible column. The 3D head is cool, but didn't work well with my 1000mm telephoto lens, but would probably work pretty good with a macro lens (it's so flexible). The smaller 3D heads are more suitable for the tiny digital cams nowadays. The legs were too small for the 1000mm too.
 
Well I decided on this lil guy. I'll see how it works out. It's only a table top tripod.

'BRIGHT SILVER DIGI TABLE TOP TRIPOD'

-Ben
 
:glare: Ya forgot the link :)
 
  • #10
It doesn't link to the page, so I just gave the name. But, it's under the 'Bogen' link, in products, Manfrotto tripod stuff, then Photo: Digi Compact Series, last one on the bottom.

-Ben
 
  • #11
I guess it's this one. I usually open a browser frame into a new window or tab to get the url :bigthumpup:
 
  • #12
Yup. Would that one be considered 'good'?

-Ben
 
  • #13
i have a Gorilla Pod. its great! mine was only 24$ and it was the biggest one for a regular camera. its more for use of small areas rather than big landscapes. there is one for SLR cameras though. its very handy and you can take pictures with it just about anywhere. i got mine from my local camera shop.
Alex
 
  • #14
That should work nicely for the table top. If you want to look down into the pot or for taller plants you can alway put the feet on stacks of books, or the plant on a lower table.
 
  • #15
i have a Gorilla Pod. its great! mine was only 24$ and it was the biggest one for a regular camera. its more for use of small areas rather than big landscapes. there is one for SLR cameras though. its very handy and you can take pictures with it just about anywhere. i got mine from my local camera shop.
Alex

I have an UltraPod II that I use for backpacking. It's too light for use with my 35mm film camera and macro bellows but is fine for a smaller digital camera.

Gorilla Pods are cool :cool:
 
Back
Top