Top 5 Tripods that Photographers Want to See Under the Tree
As the founder of the PhotographyTalk online community, I try to create a family-like atmosphere among the programmers, writers and marketing professionals who contribute to the success of the site; but companies like Hunt’s Photo and Video remind me of how special a family business actually is. Three generations of the Farber family have guided Hunt’s Photo and Video from just a corner of a much older pharmacy during the 1950s to New England’s Largest Photography Retailer, with locations in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and Rhode Island.
I imagine the Farber’s Christmas celebration is a high point of the family’s year; and they want you’re Christmas or any photographer’s on your gift list to be equally bright with one of the following high quality tripods that will serve you well for years.
1.Mefoto A1350Q1 “Road Trip” Tripod
You won’t believe the quality, versatility and value of this Mefoto “Road Trip” tripod, considering it’s priced at less than $200. It’s the perfect choice for any road trip to those faraway places for great landscape, panorama and nature photography or to wander the streets of the big city for amazing street life and architectural images. It folds to 15.4 inches, extends to just more than 5 feet, weighs only 3.6 lbs. and supports as much as 17.6 lbs. The Mefoto “Road Trip” tripod is an excellent first tripod for photographers with compact or mirrorless cameras, but also is a favorite of DSLR shooters with full-frame cameras and zoom lenses. With a few swift movements, you can create a full-size monopod from the removable leg and center column. The Mefoto “Road Trip” tripod’s Q Series ballhead is as solid as a rock and operates very smoothly, and includes a Arca-Swiss style compatible quick release plate. Choose from 8 flashy colors and keep your Mefoto tripod protected from travel and weather with its carrying case and shoulder strap.
2.Induro CGT214M1 “Grand Turismo” Tripod with BHM2 Ballhead
With this extremely versatile, compact and strong Induro tripod/ballhead bundle, you feel like a “grand tourist” wherever you travel for the photography that fires your passion. It folds to just 18.1 inches, so you can pack it into any kind of luggage or gear bag and its 4.2-pound weight will make it seem like you left it at home. At first glance, you might not think this compact travel tripod could be such a tower of strength, but it will easily accommodate 66.1 lbs. of equipment, so it’s a real workhorse for videography too. The BHM2 Ballhead has the features you’d expect and your creativity demands, including a Universal Arca-Swiss style Quick Release mounting plate system and a new Integrated Lock Limiter Tension Disk. In addition, the double action separate positioning and pan controls gives you total command of all ballhead motions.
3.Vanguard 263AB100 “Alta Pro” Tripod and SBH Ball Head Kit
PhotographyTalk has been promoting the Vanguard line of tripods for years and this bundle from Hunt’s Photo & Video is the perfect choice for every photographer that wants more control of shooting angles and positions. Use the central column at any angle from 0 to 180 degrees and its hexagonal shape creates more stability than the standard round profile. Vanguard calls this it’s Multi-Angle Central Column (MACC) System, which includes the Instant Swivel Stop-n-Lock (ISSL) System, which means the central column can be placed in a new position in just a few seconds with one simple adjustment. The legs can be used at 25-, 50- and 80-degree angles and the 360-degree operation of the SBH-100 ball head is extremely smooth, so you spend more time capturing great images and less time making adjustments.
4.Manfrotto BeFree Aluminum Tripods
Traveling with a tripod can be a hassle, but not when you pack the Manfrotto BeFree in your carry-on or backpack, as its unique leg-folding design reduces its length to just 15.75 inches. It may be small and portable, but it’s still built with all the quality and ruggedness for which Manfrotto tripods are known. The ball head is made of aluminum to add to its lightweight, but it is equally sturdy and moves and adjusts smoothly, plus it’s unfazed by heavy DSLRs and long zoom lengths since it easily holds as much as 8.8 lbs. of gear. Manfrotto’s 2-year warranty is excellent assurance of the BeFree tripod’s outstanding quality, but Hunt’s Photo & Video will add another 8 years of warranty when you register your new tripod on the Manfrotto warranty Web page.
5.Manfrotto 190XPRO3 Tripod and 3-Way Head
If you enjoy macrophotography, shoot products for a living or want more versatility and even unusual shooting angles, then you’ll want this Manfrotto tripod. Its center column, which extends the tripod’s vertical working length to 68 inches, also quickly swings into a horizontal position and you can move from one orientation to the other without removing your camera. You’ll also appreciate Manfrotto’s design of the Quick Power Lock levers on each leg. They open easily with just one hand and lock each leg section with more surety, giving you more stability and the added versatility of using the legs at different lengths and preset angles. The X-PRO 3-Way Head was designed to hold the weight of the camera securely and then allow you to make precise adjustments with the locking knobs open, so you only require one locking maneuver when your composition is just as you want it.
All photography equipment can be ordered via the Hunt’s Photo & Video Website – huntsphotoandvideo.com – and the company has an outstanding reputation for customer service. Any of these 5 tripods are not only excellent gift choices, but also tripods that will add to the quality of your photography. Place your order today, so your favorite photographer will find his or her new tripod under the tree Christmas morning.
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Phabulous Photo Weekend | October 18-20 2014
http://www.fws.gov/refuge/Parker_River/visit/photoweekend.html
Mike Moats Macro Photo Conference 2014 | October 25-26 2014
http://macrophotoconference2014.com/
Photo Plus Expo | October 30- November 1 2014
http://www.photoplusexpo.com/
Hunt’s Photo 38th Annual Show | November 7-9 2014
http://www.huntsphotoandvideo.com/content/calendar/eventinfo.cfm?eid=752
Nature Visions Expo | November 14-16 2014
http://naturevisions.org/
Festival of the Cranes | November 18-23 2014
http://www.festivalofthecranes.com/
Space Coast Birding Festival | January 21-26 2015
http://www.spacecoastbirdingandwildlifefestival.org/maintenance.php
CNPA Conference | February 12-15 2015
http://www.cnpa.org/cnpacal/index.cgi?view_event=1&evt_id=2283
North American Nature Photography (NANPA) Summit | February 12-15 2015
http://www.nanpa.org/summits.php
Society of Photo Educators | March 12-15 2015
https://www.spenational.org/conference/
Keep in touch with Hunts by following them on their blog: http://wbhunt.com/blog/