Im looking for tripod recommendations. I have a Nikon D7500, Nikon 16-80, 70-300 And Tokina 11-16mm. I might get something like a 70-200mm or 150-500mm (some day). I have a Prima Photo Small Travel tripod, which is ok for occasional use, but I want something a little more substantial. I don’t plan on taking it to a beach, maybe in the woods, maybe a little wind. I was thinking about a MeFoto GlobeTrotter because it will convert to a monopod too. I’ve looked on B&H Photo(no camera store closer then 2 hours), I’ve looked at Vanguard, Manfrotto, Oben, Velbron, Sirui, MeFoto. For my budget, I’d like to keep it under $400. Any recommendations? Thank you
You really can't go wrong with any of the major brands. Like anything, you want to look at them in person and select the one that has the features that are most important to you. I personally have a carbon fiber MeFoto Globetrotter and have no complaints. It's light weight and collapses to a reasonably small size. My only regret is buying a basic black one and not one of the pretty colors! And if you think you'll end up mail-ordering one, get on the manufacturer's mailing list. They seem to have discount offers every month.
ddindy, thank you. I was looking at the ‘green’ MeFoto Globetrotter, both the Aluminium and Carbon, about 1+# and $200+ difference in prices between the 2. I’ll look on their website
ddindy, thank you. Did you look at the MeFoto Roadtrip? Just curious. Looks like similar to Globetrotter but holds a little less weight. BTW, do you use the Globetrotter as a Monopod?
It's been a few years, but I'm sure I compared the two. I probably went with the Globetrotter because of its higher weight capacity, in case I rent a big lens for something. I have used the Globetrotter's monopod function once or twice. It's nice to only have to carry around one thing. I have two "real" monopods that I like, but the Globetrotter is the tallest by a couple of inches. One thing to be aware of is that most monopods have a small thread that can screw directly into your camera. Since the center post of the MeFoto tripod is the top of their monopod, it has the larger screw that goes into the base of your tripod head. I had to purchase a quick-release clamp to fit the larger screw. Here's an photo I took holding the monopod over my head. It was before the selfie-stick ban, so I'm not sure I'd want to try it today. Different perspective
Yes, you can. There are also heads built specifically for use on a monopod. But I prefer to mount the camera directly to the monopod because, unlike a tripod, a monopod can tilt and swivel on its own.
ddindy, thank you again for the information on ordering direct from MeFoto. I decided to go with the Roadtrip Aluminum in Orange, ordered right from MeFoto for 10% off. Saving the extra $$ will come in handy, since I’m looking at a couple new lenses for Pixelmania, Nikon DX 35mm f1.8 And Rokinon 8mm fisheye.
