As per the subject, I am in the market for a new Manfrotto tripod.
My current Manfrotto 190D is six years old and severely weathered. It's been in torrential seas, rain, been scratched on rocks, etc., and really needs replacing. The columns aren't smooth and the screw locks are annoying to use.
My requirements are:
- that it's a Manfrotto;
- it has clip locks on the legs;
- the height is at least six feet without the centre column extended;
- it's heavy and sturdy, and can hold the weight of a 300/2.8 or 500/4;
- it's able to tolerate being in sea water;
I am predominantly a seascape/landscape/cityscape photographer.
I'm not overly concerned about size and weight. I am a photographer who goes out specifically to photograph, and don't carry photography equipment for opportunistic reasons; thus, I don't need something small, light and convenient (these traits always come with stability and height trade-offs).
I'd prefer to use a large, heavy, sturdy tripod that will simply stay dead-still every time and not topple due to gusts of wind or other interference. Height is important so that I don't need to bend, and so that I don't need to use the less-stable centre column to elevate the camera above eye level.
While the Manfrotto site can certainly fill in the blanks about what models would be suitable for my requirements, I'd be interested in hearing opinions from owners about:
- what models they have;
- how the usability fares; and
- what they like about them.
As far as heads, I'll probably go with another ball head. The three-way I have at the moment is a PITA to adjust. I do have a Manfrotto 488RC2, but due to salt water damage it won't budge from its current position (that's why I'm using the 141RC).
Thanks in advance