Slik 700DX...is just me?

[klobberer]

I am a new enthusiast, but my MO is to buy quality tools and totally immerse myself in the hobby (just ask my wife about my poker room!). Shooting with D7000 and the usual suspects (50 1.8, 18-55 and 55-200 kit lenses, SB-700...much more to come) Just bought a Slik 700 DX and am surprised at how much the legs flex. When changing settings, there is a lot of "play" at the camera. I come from a construction background and know what "rock solid" feels like. Are $800-$1000 tripods immovable, or is the Slik par for the course? If this amount of flex is acceptable, I may just have to come up with a new standard.

Thanks

Brian

[Elmo]

I am not acquainted with your tripod but I will make some general comments. Coming from the construction industry you should realize any item not loaded dead center and parallel to the support axis will flex. Structures are designed with this flex in mind so they come out "square" when loaded.

AS for a tripod; it might flex some but your concern is vibration. So the questions are:

1 Does it support your equipment without collapsing.

2. When loaded does it resist vibration from both internal (Shutter release, etc) and external (wind etc.) forces.

So will a high end tripod do better? Yes, but only if it is properly selected with the application in mind, but it will still flex under certain conditions.

[katahdin]

Brian, I'm a Land Surveyor, so I know what you mean about a "rock solid" tripod. I have a Manfrotto and although it's a decent tripod I keep comparing it to the ones I use for surveying. No tripod I've tried for photography comes close to the old wooden tripods we use for surveying, but talk about heavy! Nevertheless, I'm looking into adapting an old wood tripod to photography...just for the heck of it, because I KNOW that thing isn't going to move!

[OsmosisStudios]

That tripod supports 15 lbs: it will move slightly when you move the camera, but it shouldn't flex enough to be worrisome.

[Elmo]

Originally Posted by katahdin

Brian, I'm a Land Surveyor, so I know what you mean about a "rock solid" tripod. I have a Manfrotto and although it's a decent tripod I keep comparing it to the ones I use for surveying. No tripod I've tried for photography comes close to the old wooden tripods we use for surveying, but talk about heavy! Nevertheless, I'm looking into adapting an old wood tripod to photography...just for the heck of it, because I KNOW that thing isn't going to move!

Katahdin--- I have an old wooden surveyor's tripod I use with my big camera, I had a plate made for it to accept a head.

[katahdin]

Thats what I'm thinkng, Elmo!

[dakwegmo]

I wonder how this would compare to the surveyor's tripod: The Expedition Wooden Tripod

[Elmo]

Originally Posted by dakwegmo

I wonder how this would compare to the surveyor's tripod: The Expedition Wooden Tripod

NO the surveyor's tripod is much better constructed. This looks like one you get with a cheap telescope.

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by dakwegmo

I wonder how this would compare to the surveyor's tripod: The Expedition Wooden Tripod

I'll, uh, stick to my aluminum.

[Steve Pedersen]

I just bought the same tripod, got it a few day's ago. there is no hook on the central post but I am in the process of modifying the cap to hold an eye bolt so I can hang some stabilizing weight on it. Mostly i am vary impressed with my 700dx for the $$ involved.
however I have noticed that because the legs are hollow that even setup perfectly level the legs feel almost like they are singing for lack of a better word from the vibration on the pavement. on dirt I did not notice anything like that. So I am going with this weight mod and see what happens.
Oh i just had a brain fart I wonder about how i would go about hooking on some sand bags on to the lower legs hmmmm