Tripod Suggestions

I use a Uni-Loc tripod for my photography and it has served me well for macro and landscape shots.  Fully extended, it is not tall enough for big lens use and generates a lot of vibration.  I am on a budget, but can appreciate getting some recommendations from you on the best tripod for bird photography.  I have a gimbal  so the tripod legs and mounting base are all that I need. 

Thank you..........................Jim

Jim, I took a very quick look at the Unilock site, as I'd never heard of the brand, and saw one unit that had a maximum working height of 94 inches. Not sure what model you presently have if you wanted to remain with that brand unit.

I have used a Feisol 3301 for quite sometime now for MF & LF landscape photography. The model number was provided to me at the time by Lon Overacker who was using the same unit back then. We both bought through Kerry Thalmann at Really Big Cameras who was also an NPN member. He was an excellent source for helping figure out the best match for the usage. However, after seeing a large clearance sale on an analog site recently posted by Kerry I was not able to find Kerry's site listed anymore. That does not mean Feisol is not available, they're sold through B&H, Adorama, ......etc.

Anyway, it is a very reasonably priced brand with a variety of sizes. I use mine every week for several years now and have never had one hiccup from it to date.

Here is a direct link to Feisol.net.
 

Hi Paul,
 
Thank you. Feisol tripod legs are priced better than Gitzo.  Uni-Loc's are great for close to the ground work and my model handles my 300 f4 with no problem.  I plan to use the ball head on that one and mount the gimbal on the new tripod.  I'll look into these tripods for sure............................Jim

Just a thought, Jim.  You might post a "wanted to buy" on the npn sales page.  I know at one time I was trying to sell a Gitzo and didn't get any takers for a long time.  I suspect there are people out there with good tripods who just had to buy something even better and would be interested in selling.

I have heard good things about Feisol.
 

Not sure how "on a budget" you may be but I recently switched from Gitzo to Induro carbon fibre GIT304 and am thrilled with the results.  Moreover, Induro customer support has been above and beyond the call of duty because I messed up one leg through, as it turns out, my fault.  They did not quibble at all or point out my fault - I've realized that.  They sent me free of charge immediately the replacement parts needed to fix what I messed up.  They are not the cheapest on the planet at around $500 depending on model, but not the most expensive either.  I have found it beyond totally adequate for a heavy Canon 1Dx Mark II with a 500mm lens.  Give them a look. 

Although I don't often use a tripod, I'm a big fan of the Feisols too, and have two. Have never had a problem with either of them. When I had one for sale a couple years ago, one of the professional Moderators here grabbed it.
Sandy

Anther option to look at is Manfrotto. I have a 055CXPro3. It is carbon fiber and adequately supports my Chamonix 4x5 and my Nikon D7100 with my 70-300 lens. It has lever locks on the legs, as opposed to twist locks.

I just checked B&H. The 055CXPro3 has been discontinued. The current replacement is the MT055CXPro3 @$499.00 with free shipping.
--P

When I had to replace my Gitzo (which had two legs come loose or fall off), I opted for the comparable brand with the best warranty, so I could wait longer to pay for expensive repairs.  In my case, that was Induro, which had a ten year warranty compared to five or six years from the competition.  And of course it was cheaper than Gitzo as well.  I do think the warranty is an important consideration if you're going to put a lot of wear on your gear in the field.

Max