I'm Going To Europe Tomorrow...

 

And I need to get a tripod for my Canon/Nikon/Sony/Pentax DSLR with a 70/200 and a 24/70 lens. I need it to be small and light and easy to pack into my carry-on luggage and cheap. But it has to be very steady as I am going to do star trail photographs at Stonhenge as well as all the major cathedrals of Europe and the red light district of Amsterdam. And I need a bag for it, does it come with a bag? Do I get this duty-free?

Sigh.

No, Dear, you don't get it duty free. The government might give you the GST back at the airport but you are still bound by the laws of physics* and are going to have to think carefully about what you are asking for.

Your cameras and your lenses are good devices - you'll be able to take clear images if you steady the rig - but they are heavy. They far exceed the safe weight bearing capability of small plastic tripods with small plastic heads. You would be inviting disaster if you put your expensive gear onto a cheap tripod - gravity works all the time and it works particularly well just over cobblestone streets or muddy fields. If the only thing that is between your $ 7000 worth of Japanese precision and the stones is $ 49.95 of Chinese plastic you are asking for it.

Accept the fact that a tripod that is adequate will be bigger than your handbag. There are some you might pack into your suitcase at the expense of underwear room but a better solution might be a dedicated bag.
Accept the fact that if you are trying to save weight, you must look at carbon fiber legs rather than metal - and you'll be paying more for them. Accept the fact that the head you put on the tripod needs to have an adequate surface area to grip with heavy long lenses, and that means a larger ball head or three-way head.

You needn't look for the proverbial battle-cruiser foremast ( though users of the Gitzo Studex 5 might think they have got one ) but you do need enough structure to do the job. Let me submit for your consideration the idea of the Cullmann Magnesit 528C combined with a Cullmann MB6.1 ball head.

The thing will fit into a suitcase. The total weight is 2.5 Kg. It stands hairline high on a grown man. The spreader and clamps are magnesium for lightness - they are adjustable for tension and wear. It has rubber feet as well as ground spikes so when you unfold it in the center of St. Peter's basilica you won't mark the parquet floor. ( Just try not to drop your camera as the Swiss throw you out the front door.)

It costs $ 439 for the legs and $ 249 for the head and carries a 10 year warranty. They are in stock right now so if you are leaving town tomorrow come see us today.

* And ye canna change the laws o' physics, Captain...