Tripod Recommendations for URSA Mini

Hello,

I am in the market for a good tripod to pair with my URSA Mini. My price range is no more than $2,000. I wasn't sure the difference between Satchler and Manfrotto as far as which people recommend more. I am planning on having the URSA Mini, viewfinder, top handle, two 15mm rods, external monitor, Chroziel MB-450-R2 matte box, Canon 70-200mm or Sigma 18-35mm as well as a Switronix hyper core slim v-mount battery. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Alec, I believe there are other threads discussing this need. For that budget, you should look into used gear. You'll find you'll also have the weight of filters, a mic, perhaps a preamp, and other accessories so the weight can quickly get to 10-11 Kgs. A new tripod and 100mm fluid head that properly balances that weight while allowing for smooth pan and tilts is going to exceed your budget. You can possibly get by with a smaller capacity head but you will have a more difficult time controlling camera movement and holding a position may be impossible when you tilt more than a few degrees.

I'd like the OConner 1030D, but don't know when I can afford it, so I make do with Manfrotto gear but I need to keep a hand on the handle (unless it's fairly horizontal) and push and pull my camera to new positions, rather than gently glide it about. That works, but far from ideal.


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B&H has a Manfrotto 526 package for $1,900. Rated for 33lbs, 16Kg. 100mm bowl.

Though I agree with Rick, an O'Connor 1030D is a great head if you can find one at an affordable price.

Good find, Thomas. And here is the B&H Photo 526 Pro fluid head with 528XB tripod. I checked the site for more details including the weight limit of the 528XB tripod legs: 55 Kgs or 110 lbs.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/408412-REG


Alec, I don't recommend the 545BK tripod although that kit is cheaper as the rated weight for the tripod is only 55 lbs and that's an indicator that it's not very sturdy.


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Rick, if the camera rig is only 11-12KG (24/28lbs) then a tripod rated for 55lbs should work just fine.
Where this type if tripod get shaky is if you extend the last single let bit all all the way out.

I have a smaller version of this stick,with a 74mm bowell, and this is its weak point.
Cheers

I have a Sachtler Video 18 II head. They turn up used on eBay every now and then at prices well within your budget. I paid 12 000 sek (about 1300 usd) for my head with a Sachtler carbon fiber tripod. It takes the URSA Mini with accessories, matte box and a Canon 70-200 without any problems whatsoever.

Denny, you're the voice of experience here! My thinking was following research with better quality fluid heads and they seem to pair with sticks that are able to support several times the weight of the head. So that's me just being cautious. For example, the OConnor 1030D head supports something like 30 lbs or 13.5 Kg. The 30L tripod normally paired with it supports 209 lbs or 95 Kg.


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No Rick, I agree with you, the bigger the tripod head load the more stable it will be. John B put a Pocket camera on the O'Connor 1030 head with a large stick under it -- rock solid! If you are using longer tele lenses, than this is even more important, as with a long lens, any movement will be greatly increased on th camera sensor.

I have a couple Varizoom combos (TC100A tripod with FH100 head and a T100A tripod with another FH100 head) that have been solid and held very up well (for "budget" sub-$1000 kits).
---
Chris

Any idea about some separate head with 5/8 inches screw? The 5/8" tripods could be much cheaper and are made to last.

Anyone have experience with Libec RS-450DM?
My Rig is about 5kg, but I still dont have a matte box. What do you think?

Take a look at the Cartoni Focus 12 or Focus HD. They are rated for 12kg and I was able to get a focus 12 for 800€ and Sachtler DA100 Heavy Duty legs for 550€. Both brand new. I like the head much much more than any manfrotto stuff. The Sachtler Heavy Duty sticks also look very professional

The Cartoni Focus is indeed a really really nice head for the price.

And service is TOP NOTCH (at least here in Italy!) ;-P

Really Right Stuff. Best in the biz... haven't had a chance to try out the RRS fluid head yet, but the RRS legs I received a couple of days ago are phenomenal. Make Gitzos look flimsy, and Manfrotto look like overweight warthogs.

Yeah, I've grown to hate Manfrotto tripods over the years. Their ergonomics are mediocre at best, and the legs are very heavy for the weight capacity.

Right now I have an Arca-Swiss monoball on it as my hiking rig, but I'm going to be looking for a good and hopefully reasonably light fluid head. I'm eyeing Really Right Stuff's fluid gimbal head...

Flowtech carbon fiber sticks from Sachtler and Vinten redefining your camera support, up to 20 Kg 75mm bowl:
http://www.newsshooter.com/2017/09/05/f ... he-tripod/


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Haha, Rick are you living for filming gear? You never seem to sleep

Flowtech carbon fiber sticks from Sachtler and Vinten redefining your camera support, up to 20 lbs 75mm bowl:
http://www.newsshooter.com/2017/09/05/f ... he-tripod/

According to that link it can hold up to 20kg. Looks like a fantastic set of sticks!

Yes, I have been getting a steam of email announcements, on this, each email but,ding on the previous with more "peeks" but no real details, other than, "Something wounderful is coming..."
Looks great, good price. Now to sell all my remaining tripods! Any takers?
Cheers

Haha, Rick are you living for filming gear? You never seem to sleep

Pretty close to the truth, Robert! It's sort of window shopping for camera gear geeks. A priority but well down the list.

Life's priorities:
Keep the little lady happy (see last item).
Put the girls through university (5/7 years).
Pay off the mortgage (3 more years).
...
Add camera gear and computer.
Survivor collects life insurance benefit.






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New contender to support a fully rigged URSA, OConnor announced the 1040D as an update to the 1030D, rated for about 45 lbs 20Kg at 5” centre of gravity or I think about 30lbs at 6” COG:

https://www.cinema5d.com/oconnor-ultima ... 00-tripod/

I don’t know what’s happening with the price or availability of the 1030D which hopefully is still available. The new tripod is not rated anywhere near the weight bearing limit of the 30L legs for the 1030D to bring the total cost down.


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Depends on what you want to do with it - long slow pans with 200mm will require way more than your budget but locked off shots and quick movements can be done much more cheaply.

Flowtech carbon fiber sticks from Sachtler and Vinten redefining your camera support, up to 20 lbs 75mm bowl:
http://www.newsshooter.com/2017/09/05/f ... he-tripod/

I'm quite intrigued by these... though I'm also really eyeing the new Really Right Stuff head. I have RRS legs which rock, but I'm currently using them with a crappy Manfrotto head, which doesn't.

We've got a Sachtler 18S2/Flowtech 100 and a AceXL/Flowtech 75. The latest 18 is really lovely, but is probably over specced for the Ursa Mini Pro. Counterbalance is at 8-10 on the low range setting, which means it is way under half the capacity. The added benefit over the Sachtler 12 head is more drag options, but I think that head would easily balance the Ursa.

On the other hand the Ace XL doesn't even come close to balancing the Ursa, even with lightweight Canon still glass on it. It's rated at 8kg, but the Ursa is tall on a VCT plate and it won't even come close to balancing it. The FSB8 may handle it, but you're going to be right at the top of the weight range.

All this to say I'd strongly recommend a 100mm bowl and a head rated at about 13-14kg plus to handle this camera. If you've really only got $2000 I'd look at an older Sachtler, Cartoni or Miller option on eBay - the Oconnor suggestions are awesome but way above budget. I tried a Manfrotto 509/536 combo and thought the head was junk, but I know some people report being happy. The sticks are serviceable.

The FSB8 may handle it, but you're going to be right at the top of the weight range

I've got an FSB8 on Flowtech 75 sticks, and the head has been able to properly counterbalance the Ursa Mini Pro, even when rigged with a B4 lens, shoulder mount and VCT plate.

The old Cartoni Laser I’ve rented for the music video easily balances my heavily rigged URSA Mini 4.6k PL with that heavy 1.33x-65 Anamorphot and dual motor follow focus.


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I use a Sachtler FSB 10 with carbon fiber sticks. I paid about $4K, but maybe a used one would be closer to your budget. They are built to last so even a used one would be a good investment. I'm very happy with it. Keep in mind, if you are hanging all kinds of extra gear on it you would be smart to look at the Sachtler Video 18. Heavier. More money.


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