Hi, this is Matt from filmformatt.com,
and in this video we'll be building the
ideal travel tripod for DSLR video. A
tripod is one of the most important
investments you can make. That's why I
spent a lot of time researching and
testing many different makes and models
to buy the best tripod for my needs.
This is what I found out.
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One of the key factors during my search was to find a
tripod that was as compact and light as
possible.
It also needed to be versatile and easy
to adjust so I could raise and lower the
sticks in one quick movement. The best
sticks I found for the job were Gitzo's
Traveler GT154 series. The GT154 series
is incredibly light and compact, but also
extraordinarily sturdy when setup. Made
from carbon fiber, the sticks weigh only 2.2
pounds and hold a load capacity of up to
17.6 pounds. Completely folded up, the
tripod is just 16.7 inches which is
small enough to fit onto a backpack or
store in your carry-on luggage. With any
tripod you want it to extend to a
comfortable shooting height while
standing and it doesn't disappoint. At
its tallest, the tripod extends to 58.66 inches with the center column out. A
nice hook is included in the bottom of
the column that you can pull out and
hang your bag or a weight to help keep your shot sturdy. You also have the option to
remove the center column and turn it
upside down for those of you looking to
shoot low to the ground. This particular
tripod does not come with a video head.
I settled on Manfrotto's entry-level
fluid head,
the MVH500AH, which is perfect for DSLR
video. It's not the lightest and most compact
video head. In fact, it actually looks
pretty awkward on top of these Gitzo
sticks, but I'm sticking with Manfrotto
until I find a more suitable solution.
A leveling base is standard on all video
tripods and you'll want to make sure you
have one on your own. People rave about
the Acratech leveling base and I had to
see why. It's not only lightweight, it's
also extremely well-built and easy to
use. A single knob allows you to rotate the base 15 degrees in any direction, which
helps compensate for uneven ground. Now I can't argue that this is the most
affordable travel tripod solution, but it
definitely is the best. The tripod will
cost about $525, the fluid head
about $150, and
another $150
for the leveling base, which adds up to a grand total of about $825.
I used to hate using tripods on my own
because they were heavy to lug around
and set up quickly, which kept me from
shooting steady, candid shots. This tripod
has completely changed my shooting style and definitely improved my videos.
I bring it with me wherever I go and never
notice the extra weight. If you're
interested in a more in-depth written
review with a full listing of the pros
and cons about this tripod, then feel
free to click on this button. And as
always feel free to subscribe and visit
filmformatt.com for more filmmaking
reviews and tutorials from yours truly.
Thanks for watching!
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