Recommendation for Tripod with Arm for Macro

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RichF

RichF

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Over the years I have seen tripod with arm that extends from the plate and many where the arm can tilt down.

I am looking for such a beast to allow me to position my camera for macro (ground level and several inches or a foot) above ground.

Any recommendation based upon personal experience? Last year I purchased on (won't mention the model) and it was more trouble than useful. Kept falling apart in the field.
 
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RichF said:
Any recommendation based upon personal experience?
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Personally I go with solid tripod legs (Gitzo Series 3 or 5) that can go close to ground level or up high and then use a side arm or improvised side arm to allow me to shoot straight down in copy camera style. I've got an older Manfrotto side arm with 3/8" mounting base that screws right on my tripod legs and allows the boom to be extended a little or long ways out and I take my tripod head (that I removed from the legs) and attach it to one end of the boom. Most of the time I just extend the boom out part way which balances better and allows me to put a sandbag or hang a back of rocks (or other heavy items) on the unused end of the boom for balance and stability.

If I'm not carrying the side arm I've used things like a Wimberley Sidekick in my BH-55 tripod head as a short side arm for straight down shots.

The side arm I have looks a bit like this:
1637541095613.png

The part facing up flips down and screws into the tripod legs and I attach my ball head to one of the end plates then use that clamp handle to adjust the way the arm is centered over the tripod and how far out the working end sits. It's pretty handy when shooting somewhere where I can't place any of the tripod legs over the subject like in a botanical garden where I have to work from one side and where hanging something like my photo pack on the unused end keeps everything stable.
 
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RichF said:
Over the years I have seen tripod with arm that extends from the plate and many where the arm can tilt down.

I am looking for such a beast to allow me to position my camera for macro (ground level and several inches or a foot) above ground.

Any recommendation based upon personal experience? Last year I purchased on (won't mention the model) and it was more trouble than useful. Kept falling apart in the field.
Click to expand...
Without knowing which one you found nothing but trouble, the Manfrotto 055CXPRO has a centre column that rotates to horizontal. I don’t use it in that configuration very often but it has been useful at times. I think Benro has something similar. Some have a reversible centre column and you hang camera below.
 
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Steve W said:
Without knowing which one you found nothing but trouble, the Manfrotto 055CXPRO has a centre column that rotates to horizontal. I don’t use it in that configuration very often but it has been useful at times. I think Benro has something similar. Some have a reversible centre column and you hang camera below.
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Not sure which tripod it was. Bad experience, trying to erase the memory.

I want some thing that goes both horizonal and at an angle
 
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My Feisol 3472 has as one of its add-ons (aside from the excellent leveling base and center column kits) istheir Horizontal Adapter that sells for $84. Clean and strong design.

There are also rigs made for video shooters that would work equally well for macro.
 
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