On new year's day, some time after midnight, my trusted Manfrotto went to tripod heaven (I'm asuming this is so since I never knew of any misbehaviour on its part)
Now that I am unexpectedly having to shop for a replacement, I thought I would ask for your experience/opinions/suggestions.
I shoot primarily birds/wildlife, landscape, and night/astro. Depending on circumstances I use either a Wimberley gimbal or an FLM ballhead.
Recently I started shooting macro. While I have not produced an image worth writing home about, I am enjoying the challenge of learning this type of photography. If any macro shooters have any particular insights, I would appreciate them.
Having mentioned the immediate "concerns," a word on the foreseeable future. I expect to have more regular access/travel to dark sites, so on the astro side I plan to attempt deep sky objects, initially with a telephoto lens on a tracker, but eventually a telescope. So, if at all possible, I would hope to get a tripod that can for temporarily attend to such duties. This falls in the category of nice to have, but not critical.
I am pretty much brand agnostic, as long as it's not a "here today, gone tomorrow" type of brand you might see in some online market places.
As for the inexpensive, sturdy, and light equation, since only two are truly possible at once, I lean towards sturdy + light, though I would hesitate to spend on something above USD 1,000.
Now that I am unexpectedly having to shop for a replacement, I thought I would ask for your experience/opinions/suggestions.
I shoot primarily birds/wildlife, landscape, and night/astro. Depending on circumstances I use either a Wimberley gimbal or an FLM ballhead.
Recently I started shooting macro. While I have not produced an image worth writing home about, I am enjoying the challenge of learning this type of photography. If any macro shooters have any particular insights, I would appreciate them.
Having mentioned the immediate "concerns," a word on the foreseeable future. I expect to have more regular access/travel to dark sites, so on the astro side I plan to attempt deep sky objects, initially with a telephoto lens on a tracker, but eventually a telescope. So, if at all possible, I would hope to get a tripod that can for temporarily attend to such duties. This falls in the category of nice to have, but not critical.
I am pretty much brand agnostic, as long as it's not a "here today, gone tomorrow" type of brand you might see in some online market places.
As for the inexpensive, sturdy, and light equation, since only two are truly possible at once, I lean towards sturdy + light, though I would hesitate to spend on something above USD 1,000.