I agree withnTexSavage. It's confusing to figure out what you need. If I get this right, you don't need a leveling base to use a ball or anvil head and I just need to concern myself with how beefy a tripod (series 1,2, or 3) I desire and what head I want to go with. In my case, I'm looking to use it in a hunting capacity so weight will be a major consideration since I will at times be carrying it in a backpack.
Advice on tripod setup
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I agree withnTexSavage. It's confusing to figure out what you need. If I get this right, you don't need a leveling base to use a ball or anvil head and I just need to concern myself with how beefy a tripod (series 1,2, or 3) I desire and what head I want to go with. In my case, I'm looking to use it in a hunting capacity so weight will be a major consideration since I will at times be carrying it in a backpack.
Is the "series" consistent between different manufacturers?
Bowl size and base diameter - what's interchangeable, works together or doesn't work together?
75mm bowls in the new standard it seems. RRS makes the best bowl attachments and they all use 75mm. Most the quality tripods that come from foreign manufacturers, aka Chinese, that are high quality actually, have gone to 75mm so you can use the quality components from RRS on them.
aaronoto
Member
Arca rail all day every day over a vice type attachment (i.e. Hog/Pig saddle or RRS Vyce). The connection point is just so much more solid with a rail integrated into your stock foreend. Downside is you can't just easily throw an arca rail on any stock.
Ballhead, leveling base, or RRS Anvil is personal preference for the most part, but I think most will say leveling base is a little more solid. You don't get the angle with a leveling base that you do with a ballhead or Anvil though.
Personally I chose ballhead and I'm running optics off the same tripod that I shoot off of. If you have the cash to go with a RRS, but all means do it, You're not just paying for the quality, you'll find their tripods are considerably lighter then others in the same weight class.
If you're on a budget check out Leofoto. I'm running this setup and have been very happy with it. Small, compact, and light! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078FH79Y8/?tag=lrhmag19-20
I wouldn't take a shot standing up with it, you'll need a much bigger tripod for that, but sitting with the leg sections collapsed, it's a very stable platform that I can take some pretty extreme angle shots off of. This isn't my hunting setup, but that's a 16lb rifle hanging off that little ballhead and it holds it no problem. The other big benefit for me is that I always have the tripod with me when hunting as I use it for my spotting scope too. If want to take a shot, pop the spotter out, and put gun with arca rail right in - no additional attachments to fool around with.
Ballhead, leveling base, or RRS Anvil is personal preference for the most part, but I think most will say leveling base is a little more solid. You don't get the angle with a leveling base that you do with a ballhead or Anvil though.
Personally I chose ballhead and I'm running optics off the same tripod that I shoot off of. If you have the cash to go with a RRS, but all means do it, You're not just paying for the quality, you'll find their tripods are considerably lighter then others in the same weight class.
If you're on a budget check out Leofoto. I'm running this setup and have been very happy with it. Small, compact, and light! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078FH79Y8/?tag=lrhmag19-20
I wouldn't take a shot standing up with it, you'll need a much bigger tripod for that, but sitting with the leg sections collapsed, it's a very stable platform that I can take some pretty extreme angle shots off of. This isn't my hunting setup, but that's a 16lb rifle hanging off that little ballhead and it holds it no problem. The other big benefit for me is that I always have the tripod with me when hunting as I use it for my spotting scope too. If want to take a shot, pop the spotter out, and put gun with arca rail right in - no additional attachments to fool around with.
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alf
Well-Known Member
I went with this setup, as weight wasn't a concern, & bought the Innorel 90C with a Desmond DLOW55 ball head:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07J3BCFQ9/?tag=accuratescom-20
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079QYS3MW/?tag=accuratescom-20
More than I wanted to spend, but still waaay under half of a RRS set-up.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07J3BCFQ9/?tag=accuratescom-20
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079QYS3MW/?tag=accuratescom-20
More than I wanted to spend, but still waaay under half of a RRS set-up.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
alf
Well-Known Member
Good read here. Might take several times for it to sink in.
https://forum.snipershide.com/threa...-tvc-33-feisol-3372-anvil-30-comment.6570549/
COBrad
Well-Known Member
No mention of Outdoorsmans products. Anyone have any experience here? I'm looking into how to best utilize O tripod and pan head with a NULA rifle I have ordered. I'm also in the process of building a handgun rest for my .454 and plan to come up with something that will be fabricated of aluminum and attach directly to my O pan head.
G. Neely
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the input everyone including alf's link to a great article from Sniper's Hide.
Feel like I can make a much better decision now with all of this information and not just be guessing and regretting it later. I don't shoot competitively, just a hard core hunter so if anyone has anything else to add along those lines, it will be appreciated.
Feel like I can make a much better decision now with all of this information and not just be guessing and regretting it later. I don't shoot competitively, just a hard core hunter so if anyone has anything else to add along those lines, it will be appreciated.
alf, thanks, that is a great article! Outstanding Post!! You are right about reading it several times. Now what we need is a nuts and bolts article or thread stepping through the use of a tripod, do's and don'ts, personal tips and some great pics for reference. Any of you experienced tripod-ers out there want to take a crack at this!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
I don't want a tripod only for shooting off of. I also want to use it for my camera and spotting scope. Camera use will probably be what it is used for the most.
I've had a lot of cheap tripods in the past and they've all frustrated me.
Try to move a spotting scope and lock it in place - it never holds properly at the point you want to look at. The wind blows and the scope moves.
Using a camera, which is usually lighter, on these tripods is easier but still frustrating to make fine adjustments.
I would love to support an American made product/company and buy all Really Right Stuff equipment but that's not going to work in the immediate future.
While still not cheap, the Leofoto LN-364 costs half of what the RRS TVC-33 tripod costs, is comparable in weight handling, but weighs ~2 lbs more. The Leofoto tripod with a RRS ball head is closer to my price range.
2 lbs may not sound like much, but that's about like carrying two extra bottles of water. That extra two pounds would probably be a positive attribute when using the camera/spotting scope for the added stability. Would also probably be a positive when shooting off of it. I'm not a competitive shooter in a series that requires running and gunning, and would likely use the tripod when hunting from a ground blind. We don't have mountains down here on the Gulf Coast but soggy ground can be just as bad as high elevation/thin air when walking any distance. The less weight you have to carry the better.
I'm not a wealthy man but I'm tired of buying cheap stuff that breaks or frustrates me because it doesn't work right. Buy once, cry once. With that said, you don't necessarily have to spend the most money to get the best product "for you". Finding the right balance is what's tough so as not to get buyers remorse. Even tougher when you can't physically handle the equipment you are trying to decide between.
I've had a lot of cheap tripods in the past and they've all frustrated me.
Try to move a spotting scope and lock it in place - it never holds properly at the point you want to look at. The wind blows and the scope moves.
Using a camera, which is usually lighter, on these tripods is easier but still frustrating to make fine adjustments.
I would love to support an American made product/company and buy all Really Right Stuff equipment but that's not going to work in the immediate future.
While still not cheap, the Leofoto LN-364 costs half of what the RRS TVC-33 tripod costs, is comparable in weight handling, but weighs ~2 lbs more. The Leofoto tripod with a RRS ball head is closer to my price range.
2 lbs may not sound like much, but that's about like carrying two extra bottles of water. That extra two pounds would probably be a positive attribute when using the camera/spotting scope for the added stability. Would also probably be a positive when shooting off of it. I'm not a competitive shooter in a series that requires running and gunning, and would likely use the tripod when hunting from a ground blind. We don't have mountains down here on the Gulf Coast but soggy ground can be just as bad as high elevation/thin air when walking any distance. The less weight you have to carry the better.
I'm not a wealthy man but I'm tired of buying cheap stuff that breaks or frustrates me because it doesn't work right. Buy once, cry once. With that said, you don't necessarily have to spend the most money to get the best product "for you". Finding the right balance is what's tough so as not to get buyers remorse. Even tougher when you can't physically handle the equipment you are trying to decide between.
