HEY Matt....

[brewmaster15]

https://www.keh.com/355022/tripods-giottos-mt-8260-carbon-fiber-4-section-9-45-64-2-wt-3-37lbs-load-17-6-lbs

On sale at KEH

[Discus-n00b]

Thanks for the link Al. I checked it out. Close to what I'm looking for, and good price, trying to avoid a center column though.

[rickztahone]

Thanks for the link Al. I checked it out. Close to what I'm looking for, and good price, trying to avoid a center column though.

Manfrotto makes some really good ones without center column. Make sure you get a tall one to compensate for lack of center column though.

[Discus-n00b]

I went ahead and went for a RRS last night haha. Not the cheapest option but from what I read its hard to beat the quality. We'll see.

[rickztahone]

I went ahead and went for a RRS last night haha. Not the cheapest option but from what I read its hard to beat the quality. We'll see.

I don't have my catalog in front of me, but if I remember correctly, their no center piece tripods start in the $700's?

[brewmaster15]

Congrats Matt!!!:)...for now I lost the argument I was having with myself over new gear...just cant swing it yet.

[Discus-n00b]

The only reason I went ahead and did it was my trip out west coming up. Not sure how much I'll even use it but I'd rather go ahead and get it just in case I do need it. Same with the Neutral Density filters I ordered, that and they were 10% off haha.

A bit more Ricardo, prices must of gone up as there is demand for them now rather than when they first were hitting the market. Definitely not cheap. I picked up an L bracket as well instead of a normal plate, gonna see how I like it. Christmas in Jan.

[rickztahone]

The only reason I went ahead and did it was my trip out west coming up. Not sure how much I'll even use it but I'd rather go ahead and get it just in case I do need it. Same with the Neutral Density filters I ordered, that and they were 10% off haha.

A bit more Ricardo, prices must of gone up as there is demand for them now rather than when they first were hitting the market. Definitely not cheap. I picked up an L bracket as well instead of a normal plate, gonna see how I like it. Christmas in Jan.

Nice. I have had an L-bracket on both my bodies for quite a while. However, I hate that the support for Sony is so lacking with RRS. They do not make L-plates that work with Vertical Grips. I also have VG's on both my bodies. This makes it very annoying when I want to use my L-brackets. However, they do come in hand with pano-landscape stitches and that is worth the hassle of having to remove the VG's.

[brewmaster15]

Matt,
Where are you headed out west?
al

[Discus-n00b]

Driving from Columbia to San Francisco for business. Me and another guy are driving the equipment out there and meeting the rest of the crew that flies in, cheaper than shipping it or renting it out there. Taking a few days each way so hoping to get some stops along the way. Especially the Grand Canyon, never been out there myself.

[brewmaster15]

Awesome!! I haven't been much farther than the east coast except 2 trips to texas... Sounds like a great photo opportunity!
al

[rickztahone]

I've always wanted to go to the grand canyon and to Yosemite

[Discus-n00b]

I'd love to go to Yosemite, but I fear the road through it will be closed with it being winter. If it wasn't that would of been our planned drive back out straight through the park.

[Discus-n00b]

Came today, loving it. I was going to take some night sky shots tonight but we probably still have to many clouds. Hard to show the whole tripod with my phone but here is the camera with L bracket on top.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c172/clemmatt/tripod1_zpsec39ad58.jpg

[Second Hand Pat]

Cool Matt, what's the frame attached to the front of your lens?

[Discus-n00b]

Its a filter holder Pat. So instead of the round screw on filters for the lens itself I can slip in 4x4 or 4x6 square filters. Stack them or rotate to where I want them, add a polarizer, etc.

Here is a picture from google.
http://www.naturephotographers.net/articles1108/dw1108-6.jpg

[Second Hand Pat]

Thanks Matt, thought that might be the case.

[Discus-n00b]

I got a Manfrotto 498RC2 ballhead not long ago, used it maybe once so far, still brand new. But I must say, this new RRS ball head is 10x as smooth. It makes the Manfrotto feel like a piece of crap tbh even though its not at all. Just the range of motion is so much better, and smoother. Maybe it just needs some oil or some type of lubrication, tension isn't the issue. Either way this RRS ball head already is blowing it out of the water.

[brewmaster15]

AWESOME MATT! You have one sweet set up there! Congrats!:)

hey on the 498RC2... Over time dust and debris gets inthere. most recommend no lubricant, just disassemble and clean well. Some use wd40 to clean...I have as well. Some use silicone spray as a lubricant, or graphite powder.I've used that with some success in the past. Manfrotto says no lubricant should be used.

-al

[Discus-n00b]

Thanks Al, I'll try that. The motion of the ball in the socket just seems sticky or jerky.

[rickztahone]

BH40 Matt?

[Discus-n00b]

Yep thats the BH40 Ricardo. I've had my camera sitting on it non stop since I got it, make sure I have no fails lol. Seems to be ok so far I don't feel overly nervous about it hopefully their changes recently helped with your issue or maybe it was isolated.

[rickztahone]

Aside from that incident, that is seriously a super sweet ballhead, which is why the fail hit me so hard. You have no idea how many countless people I have recommended it to over the years. I have come around and started using it again, but I keep the strap in my hand as a safegaurd as well. The thing is smooth like butter. I'm glad you got the one with the lever and not the knob, the knob one is more finicky from what I have heard from other owners.