Tripods

[Yannick Hagman]

Hi

I've got a HV20 and was thinking about getting a better tripod, which I could use with the RED later. Would Manfrotto (503) be sufficient for the Red?

How many kilos will it be with the rig?

Cheers

[PaulClements]

When you say tripod I presume you are refering to the 503 fluid head yes? It makes a difference what you are talking about because there are plenty of sticks out there, be it brand new or second hand. The problem is finding a low cost head that will work well with RedOne.

At max load of 18lbs the head might be able to take a RedOne but doesn't leave much room for accessories. Also you really want to keep the load lower than the specified maximum for good working order. One of the smallest RedOne setups we've seen was literally 18lbs.

The manfrotto 526 at 30lb is a better match but as the price gets higher you might just as well go all out and buy an o'connor or satchler, even second hand ones are going to be a lot better and we've had one or two opinions on the manfrotto's even here on RedUser that suggest they are not desirable.

If I were you I'd stick with what you have and then buy a better set when you invest in a RedOne. Otherwise go the whole hog and buy a decent head and sticks now.

[Chris Gearhart]

Paul's got it spot on. If you just can't afford serious sticks, well, whatever you have will have to do. But a used Oconnor 1030 will be something like a minimum entry level model for Red.

[Yannick Hagman]

Thanks a lot for your recommendation. I guess I better stay with this one for the moment then.

[Adrian Correia]

Paul's got it spot on. If you just can't afford serious sticks, well, whatever you have will have to do. But a used Oconnor 1030 will be something like a minimum entry level model for Red.

would the 2060 be a better bet?

[Adrian Correia]

Paul's got it spot on. If you just can't afford serious sticks, well, whatever you have will have to do. But a used Oconnor 1030 will be something like a minimum entry level model for Red.

would the 2060 be a better bet? What would an equilvalent Sachtler be?

[Joe Carney]

Any opinions on Cartoni? They have several stick/head combos that would work with a Red.

btw, after seeing an experienced camera operator using a F900 and a gear head, I thought that was way cool.

[PaulClements]

Actually I'd say an O'connor 1030 is a bit better than a minimum entry. That's a head that could quite easily service you for life.. The 2060 is of course better than the 1030 with more than twice the load capacity at 80lbs+, so if by better bet you mean a better head then of course, but better bet in terms of budget depends on the size of your wallet. The 2575 has a larger cap at 130lbs+ and the newer 120EX head will allow you upto 240lbs. So best bet is the 120EX though I doubt many here will be buying one! (As much as I'd like to I certainly can't afford it!)

Zeke, Cartoni make some great heads and there are one or two ARRI gear heads knocking about in the second hand market for a few thousand dollars if that's what you require. Cartoni's ENG/EFP range such as the Gamma or C20 ought to be great for a RedOne.

Muroshi, A head that you might want to investigate is the Cartoni F100 focus fluid head, at BHphotovideo it only costs $799.95 but it can support upto 22lbs - LINKY! (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/423406-REG/Cartoni_F100_F100_Focus_Fluid_Head.html). I cannot vouch for it in any way shape or form but there is a strong possibility that it could work with a light RedOne, though again personally I'd rather go with something a bit stronger. It has a 100mm base so you can pickup sticks that'll be future proof for a larger cap head. Scour the internet for reviews about it and get a hands on if you can. Stick a unit weighing around 18lbs on it if you get the chance and see how it feels to you. At that price you can't really go wrong if you end up shelving it, selling it on for a loss or just using it with your HV20.