I need some help choosing between two shooting tripod options!
I was visiting my friends at MHSA last week, and was looking at a couple of very viable options for a shooting tripod. I'm mainly planning to use this tripod to support a gun, but I'm also a pretty serious photographer, and could also see myself potentially using the tripod for that purpose, as well as spotting. But, the primary use of the tripod I'm shopping for will be shooting (and it will most often hold an AIAX rifle).
So, here are the two choices I looked at while I was at the store:
1) Really Right Stuff TVC-33 tripod, with a BH55-LR ballhead.
Here's my take on this one:
-Really beefy and solid
-Heavier and less portable than the other option (3 leg sections instead of 4)
-Very beefy ballhead that would be able to adjust to any position, and could be locked to pan-only, and things of that nature.
-would easily transition to the photography world, and would easily work for spotting scopes
2) Really Right Stuff TFCT34 with Anvil 30 ballhead.
Here's my take on this one:
-Definitely shooting oriented.
-Comes installed with the plate that will adapt to both a pic rail or an ARCA plate.
-It's lighter and more compact (4 legs sections instead of three, and somewhat smaller).
-It doesn't appear to be as universally designed to swap out ball heads (when compared to the TVC-33 tripod).
-Not quite as beefy, but definitely looks very capable (they both look like top tier tripods).
-The head seems designed to quickly adjust to different positions for shooting (free ball head when loosened), and quickly tighten back down.
-The ball head is either tight, loose, or somewhat tight. When compared to the other option, it doesn't have the ability to lock on one axis for panning, like the bigger ballhead described above.
I know a lot of you guys have shot with these tripods, so I'd really like to hear some opinions on which one you liked more, and why!
For what it's worth, most of the guys at MHSA seem to prefer the second option for shooting purposes. But, Randy did point out that the first one is great for panning with a spotting scope, and things of that nature. Again, my primary use will be shooting, but I always try to look at other applications for any of the equipment I have. I was really torn on which one I'd prefer for the purposes of mounting a rifle, which is why I'm asking the question here
So, what do you guys think? What do you use? What do you like/dislike about it?
I was visiting my friends at MHSA last week, and was looking at a couple of very viable options for a shooting tripod. I'm mainly planning to use this tripod to support a gun, but I'm also a pretty serious photographer, and could also see myself potentially using the tripod for that purpose, as well as spotting. But, the primary use of the tripod I'm shopping for will be shooting (and it will most often hold an AIAX rifle).
So, here are the two choices I looked at while I was at the store:
1) Really Right Stuff TVC-33 tripod, with a BH55-LR ballhead.
Here's my take on this one:
-Really beefy and solid
-Heavier and less portable than the other option (3 leg sections instead of 4)
-Very beefy ballhead that would be able to adjust to any position, and could be locked to pan-only, and things of that nature.
-would easily transition to the photography world, and would easily work for spotting scopes
2) Really Right Stuff TFCT34 with Anvil 30 ballhead.
Here's my take on this one:
-Definitely shooting oriented.
-Comes installed with the plate that will adapt to both a pic rail or an ARCA plate.
-It's lighter and more compact (4 legs sections instead of three, and somewhat smaller).
-It doesn't appear to be as universally designed to swap out ball heads (when compared to the TVC-33 tripod).
-Not quite as beefy, but definitely looks very capable (they both look like top tier tripods).
-The head seems designed to quickly adjust to different positions for shooting (free ball head when loosened), and quickly tighten back down.
-The ball head is either tight, loose, or somewhat tight. When compared to the other option, it doesn't have the ability to lock on one axis for panning, like the bigger ballhead described above.
I know a lot of you guys have shot with these tripods, so I'd really like to hear some opinions on which one you liked more, and why!
For what it's worth, most of the guys at MHSA seem to prefer the second option for shooting purposes. But, Randy did point out that the first one is great for panning with a spotting scope, and things of that nature. Again, my primary use will be shooting, but I always try to look at other applications for any of the equipment I have. I was really torn on which one I'd prefer for the purposes of mounting a rifle, which is why I'm asking the question here
So, what do you guys think? What do you use? What do you like/dislike about it?
