Tripod head convination

[Alfredo Fernández]

Hey,
im going to buy a tripod with a ball head for my d200 w/grip , sb600 , BB , 70-300mm VR (300mm F4 AFS in a few months).
i have looked at the induro AT313 tripod and the cullmann magnesit 30nm ballhead.
any advice? any other sugestions?
Thanks,
Alfredo

[David Stephens]

What do you plan to do with your longer lenses? That's critical for recommending the AT vs. the CT Induro AND the right ballhead. For landscape and general use your proposed set up will be adequate. If you're going to shoot birds and wildlife, then I'd suggest going with the CT line and a higher capacity ballhead, like the Arca-Swiss Z1 or the Really Right Stuff and add a Wimberley Sidekick.

Dave

[Alfredo Fernández]

but the induro is build to hold 15kg and the induro ball head 44lbs , i think is enough for my d200, my bigger lens is gonna be the 300mm AFS f4 in a few months...cant afford bigger lenses as im in highschool...

[John Chardine]

Ball-heads are fantastic technology but they are really not designed for long lenses- they are inherently unstable in that as the tilt of the lens/camera combo increases, the rotational forces increase ending in a catastrophic flop. On the other hand, a gimbal head works such that as the tilt increases the rotational force works in reverse to maintain stability (so long as you have everything in balance). If you really have your mind set on a ball-head then get a heavy duty one and fit a Wimberley Sidekick as David suggests, which will give you gimbal capability for the long lenses.

[Desmond Chan]

but the induro is build to hold 15kg and the induro ball head 44lbs , i think is enough for my d200, my bigger lens is gonna be the 300mm AFS f4 in a few months...cant afford bigger lenses as im in highschool...

If so, I think they could work for you.

Other here would suggest going for the biggest heads possible, Really Right Stuff ballheads, Wimbley, etc. I'd agree with them if you plan to have long, heavy lenses such as a 300f2.8, 500f4 or 600f4 in the near future. But if you're simply using a 70-300 VR or even a 300f4, and you don't have the finance for those "big gun pro" gears, then I think you could consider those options later. Really Right Stuff's gears are not cheap and so are many other "pro" gears. In fact, photographing wild life and bird probably is the most expensive kind of photography you can get into :)

Then again, you can shoot hand-held. Neither the 70-300 nor the 300f4 is heavy anyway.

[Alfredo Fernández]

so i bought by adorama.com ,
the AT313 http://www.adorama.com/Als/ProductPage/INDAT313.html
and a cullmann 35NM with QR plate http://www.adorama.com/Als/ProductPage/CUBH40200N.html
hope that works...
now i just have to wait..