One thing I sorely miss about not living in the West.Originally Posted by darthpaully
One thing I sorely miss about not living in the West.
Here's a few of those beauties I picked up within the past few weeks...
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Once again- All complete and working normally. I paid no more than US $3.99 for any of these!!
Left to Right: NICE newer Velbon videomate, Gorgeous vintage Whitehall 35/8, and Fairfax Elevator (with an old Argus I scored for a few buck a few years ago.) That combo actually sits on top of my piano and I love it!
Here's some of the others that need a little bit of work but won't cost very much...
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Left to right: Cheapy Vivitar video tripod (1 of about 4 I have), a nice set of 60's-70's aluminum legs, another nive alum 70's Velbon tripod (missing 1 part).
All in all there's a few hundered bucks there in 6 tripods for what cost me about $25 TOTAL!! NOTE the nice 80's CCD VHS camcorder sitting on top of the middle velbon in the second pic. It was $5- BUT I bought it for the sweet flight style- case that the thing came in. Little did I know that EVERYTHING was in the case, including the people that donated it's home videos AND some extra tapes. I filmed myself to see if it worked and IT DID LOL!
Anyway, so hit up your local Goodwill, Slavation army etc if you're in a cash jam, or if you feel like becoming a tripod crackhead/pusher like myself!!
HVFF Team Captain -Want to order an HVFF follow focus for your HV20/30/40? Go to http://hvfffollowfocus.webs.com/ or Send me a PM or email: darthpaully@yahoo.com for more info.
Two questions related to 'which tripod to get':
-One of the popular head is the 701HDV, but how to attach it to a different tripod(leg). The Manfrotto head has an odd plate and just a 3/8" thread. Manfrotto uses three screws to tighten the head and the anti twist comes from the odd plate. Is there an adapter plate which allows to mount the head to some baseplate of another tripod. (I know it is odd, but it is a way to postpone the purchase of tripod legs for a while. Got a pretty nice, old Gitzo tripod.) Possibly by means of a plate which has a double 1/4" treaded bottom.
-I'm pretty sure I'm not the only; it is impossible to change the battery if the camera is attached to a (quick release) plate. I've been thinking about using a little plate which just acts as a riser (whilst maintaining the anti-twist), a dummy battery which allows to install the camera slightly more outwards / different orientation or the best, using the DC plug attaching the battery to a 'charger' at the other end of the plug.
Decided to go with the more questionable route: replace the center column. Possibly I'll attach something to prevent the chance of a slipping column due to the potential limited grip by the tripod part (it is a non textured, smooth, center column, so there is a chance the slip would happen, especially over time). I also get rid of the current quick release to be able to use the same plate on all equipment. Right now I have to quick release systems, on itself fine, apart from the battery issue.
I am an advocate of using of tripod, I even take one along on mountain trips. Sheer by coincidence I discovered how important it is to use a sturdy one.
I noticed that there was a difference in sharpness between series of shots taken with my HV20, although all were properly focussed. To my surprise I found out that this had to do with the tripod. While trekking I used a lightweight one, a Velbon CX-480. The sharper shots were all taken when my camera was mounted on a much heavier Velbon DV-7000. I suppose the tape transport mechanism causes a minute vibration which is completely absorbed by the heavier tripod but not by the lightweight one. There was no difference in sharpness when using my Canon HF M41 which doesn't have moving parts (apart from the focussing mechanism).
As the Velbon DV7000 at 3.5 kg really was to heavy to take along while trekking, I exchanged it for a DV6000, weighing 2.2 kg. The last one appears to be just as sturdy.
Lou
S/W: Sony Vegas Pro 11, PC: Intel Core2 E4500 2.20GHz, 4GB, 2 x HD 250GB, Camera: Canon HV20 + HF M41 PAL, WD-H43 Wide Adapter, Røde VM/SVM + Canon DM-100 mic.
I second that, it's important.
I don't know about the velbon, even if I once considered one, I've finally opted for the Weifeing 717, which is sturdy enough and have many advantages of the more expensive ones from Manfrotto or Gitzo, for half of the price. For the "pro-hobbyist" it's more than needed.
I once even put my 35 mm Arriflex on a Velbon 6000, when I had to travel light...
Looks like it's sturdy enough..more that I'd actually thought!I once even put my 35 mm Arriflex on a Velbon 6000, when I had to travel light...
Just barely - for the Arri, with the magazine containing 400 ft of 35mm film weighing many times more than a HV or T2i...
It really didn't feel "right" to have a camera that heavy on it, but it worked. Not for day-to-day use, though, if you ask me!
Officially, the DV6000 can carry a 4 kg camera. Besides, I was often under the impression that for stability reasons a lightweight camera was better served with a heavyweight tripod and vice versa. But impressions aren't always good counselors.
What surprised me, as stated before, is the fact that tripods can have an influence on picture quality.
Lou
S/W: Sony Vegas Pro 11, PC: Intel Core2 E4500 2.20GHz, 4GB, 2 x HD 250GB, Camera: Canon HV20 + HF M41 PAL, WD-H43 Wide Adapter, Røde VM/SVM + Canon DM-100 mic.
You must know when to use it & when not using it. To each situation their gear/equipment. The only important thing is always to use the right gear for the right purpose.
Of course you are right. Nevertheless, although I have been filming for more than 40 years on a variety of systems, I still manage to be surprised by some new insight or experience every now and then.And HV20.COM is the place to share it!
Lou
S/W: Sony Vegas Pro 11, PC: Intel Core2 E4500 2.20GHz, 4GB, 2 x HD 250GB, Camera: Canon HV20 + HF M41 PAL, WD-H43 Wide Adapter, Røde VM/SVM + Canon DM-100 mic.
1) Same applies to JJ Abbrams that overuse lens flare in every possible scene. It can add to a specific effect, but when it's overused it kills it.
2) I second that! There's so much to learn and share here!
I'm searching for a new tripod. My old one (Velbon CX440) isn't really useful for filming as I want to start to film just a little bit with more seriousness. I want sturdier and smoother panning. So now I'm looking for 'cheap' video tripods. I stumbled upon the Velbon DV-7000 which it seems everyone is praising. Here are a couple of other Velbon video tripods (Dutch) and what I was wondering is: what is exactly the difference between the Velbon DV-7000 and the Videomate series (which seem to be similar but cheaper)? For instance, the Videomate 638 F has the same tripod head as the DV-7000 but can go 10cm higher and you can put 2kg more on it, and it costs 35 Euro less. From the images it looks the same, so I don't understand why the DV-7000 is so much more popular? I hope someone can enlighten me on the subject of these tripods.
Hmm, seems like my previous post wasn't accepted. So I'll keep it shorter this time: I want to buy a decent video tripod. I stumbled upon the Velbon DV-7000 which it seems everyone is praising. Then I saw the Velbon Videomate 638 F which seems better on paper and is cheaper. They have the same tripod head. Then what is the difference between the Velbon Videomate 638 F (which can go higher and can carry more weight) and the Velbon DV-7000? I hope someone can enlighten me.
I took a look at the specs and I also couldn't find where they differ exactly, apart from the fact that the DV-7000 has heavier legs. Why don't you ask Cameranu.nl? They are very helful.
In my view, the DV-7000 is a very good tripod but it is rather heavy. I sold mine and bought the DV-6000 instead. It is much lighter but also sturdy and has a similar fluid head, enabling very smooth pans and tilts.
Lou
S/W: Sony Vegas Pro 11, PC: Intel Core2 E4500 2.20GHz, 4GB, 2 x HD 250GB, Camera: Canon HV20 + HF M41 PAL, WD-H43 Wide Adapter, Røde VM/SVM + Canon DM-100 mic.
Alright, I've asked Cameranu.nl and they said the DV-7000 is made from a different material. My guess is that the 638 F has more plastic in it. With all the praise the DV-7000 is getting I think I'll get that one. I don't really mind the heaviness, but who knows in the future so I'll consider the DV-6000 also. Thanks.
I'd say that either the Velbon or the Weifeng are the best for their prices, depending what you need.
But honestly, for around 200$ you can get the Weifeng with the 75mm bowl (once you've used that you simply can't step back to a cheaper tripod) and it's quite sturdy. That, and the extra parts (plate, handles) are quite affordable. I would vouch for the Weifeng over the Velbon.
Better invest once rather than spending twice.
Best bang for the buck tripod, hands down, is the Fancier FC-270A. It's only $150 on amazon, and is amazing.
It can easily be compared to $600+ tripods. Here's a quick unboxing video I did.
Check it out!
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