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| Click photo to see images of all the Editor's Choice 2007 products. |
A good tripod doesn't just free up your hands or let you put yourself in the picture. It stabilizes your camera to keep photographs sharp, gives you a wide range of options for positioning your camera, and maintains precise framing -- in fact, it can even make you think harder about your composition. The best tripods strike a sensible balance of portability, stability, and versatility. The models on this year's Editor's Choice list run the gamut in their size, weight, and features, but they all have a lot to offer for their price. And all are compatible with a wide range of tripod heads, which are sold separately.
Tripod of the Year: Gitzo Mountaineer GT2530
This carbon-fiber tripod's light 3.1-pound weight makes it extraordinarily easy to carry for a model with a maximum height of 54.3 inches -- 63.4 inches with the center column fully extended. Its three-segment legs use Gitzo's new G-Lock twist-lock system, a variation on the traditional knurled locking collar that's said to increase the stability of the 'pod when the legs are locked at narrower angles. The GT2530 gives you a choice of three such angles; both leg joints and twist locks are smooth and easy to operate. The rubber feet unscrew and can be replaced with other types of feet that Gitzo sells separately. That makes the tripod less versatile out of the box than a model with the familiar combination rubber-and-retracting-spike feet, but the included feet are shaped to provide good stability.
The GT2530's center column is both reversible and removable, and it has a built-in hook for adding weight to stabilize the tripod. For extreme low-angle shooting, the mounting plate can be unscrewed from the center column and attached directly to the top of the legs. Anyone who has ever struggled to unscrew a mounting plate should be grateful for the two handle-like nubs on the top of the tripod; these make it easy to grip and turn the mounting plate and its base separately. With the center column in place, the GT2530 has a minimum height of 13 inches. About $535 (with carrying bag).
Manfrotto 190XProB
Photographers looking for unusual flexibility in an affordable, lightweight aluminum tripod will appreciate this new 3.9-pound model. Its center column can be removed and remounted horizontally, and although Manfrotto doesn't advertise the feature, it can also be reversed. A simple swiveling element inside the component that holds the center column in place allows you to switch quickly and easily between vertical and horizontal positions. Instead of putting a hook for extra weight on the bottom of the center column, as is typical, Manfrotto placed the hook on one side, near the tripod shoulder. This allows you to increase stability by providing a counterweight to the camera when you have it mounted on a horizontal center column. The tripod also has a built-in spirit level.
Folded up, the 190XProB is 22.4 inches long. Unfolded, it's designed to support up to 11 pounds of camera. Its four flip-lock leg segments extend to a 48-inch height, 57.5 inches with the center column fully extended. The legs lock at four angles -- more versatile than the usual three. This 'pod can also get quite close to the ground, with a 3.3-inch minimum height when you're using the center column horizontally. Two of the legs are padded, making the new Manfrotto easier on the shoulder and more comfortable to the touch in cold weather. The supplied rubber feet can be replaced with spikes, sold separately. About $145.
American PHOTO Editor's Choice 2007
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