"Roger Balettie" <rbalettie@austin.rr.com> wrote in message news:j4YGb.1188$V23.321@fe1.texas.rr.com...

> My wife (isn't she the greatest!) went to a local camera store and asked the

> guy there what tripod/fluid head combo to get for me for Christmas (miniDV

> camcorder and small digital camera).

>

> I opened up my goodies on Christmas morning to get Bogen-Manfrotto 3130 head

> and 3001N tripod. Needless to say, I was extremely surprised and pleased!

>

> My question: Based on my earlier desire to get a smooth fluid head and a

> relatively lightweight tripod for doing mostly video work, do I have a good

> combination, or is there a different tripod or head that you might

> recommend?

I found my particular sample of this head unusable (jerky

tilt, though smooth pan, and seemingly smooth tilt when

the camera isn't on it). The legs will also not resist "wind-up"

well during movements, but if it works well enough for you,

it's "good"; if not, it isn't...;-) The Libec is under $200 and

the Bogen 3221 legs and 3066(?) head are more (and still

not "good" by pro standards) at www.bhphotovideo.com,

but pro tripods and heads start around $1500...;-)

--

David Ruether

d_ruether@hotmail.com

http://www.David-Ruether-Photography.com