miranda titan TP 20 tripod

barquar · #1 (**permalink**) 13-11-2007, 10:59 AM

just bought a Miranda Titan TP 20 for a fiver from the charity shop. Any one got any info on it.My husband as a spotting scope he can use on it. I have a Cannon EOS 400 plus a Bigma 50-500 lens.What would be the best Tripod for me or could I use this tripod with my set up. Or would I be foolish to use it with my set up.
Barquar

eeyore · #2 (**permalink**) 14-11-2007, 11:55 PM

looking at pics of one on the net i'd say it is a bit lightweight for your set up - id reccomend you get something like a manfrotto but that said it depends on your financial situation as anything is better than nothing

barquar · #3 (**permalink**) 15-11-2007, 12:30 AM

had the camera and lens on the tripod in the house dont think i would trust it outside. It was better than hand holding the camera and lens.But as you say better than nothing at the moment.Santa might bring me a Manfroto.Sat all morning photoing the garden birds mainly sparrows blue tits coal tit and robin.The photos were a lot sharper. Thanks for the reply.
Barquar

Blackbrook Eye · #4 (**permalink**) 15-11-2007, 02:05 AM

Hi barquar, When I first starting using a similar setup to yourself, i.e. canon 350d and bigma. I used a Miranda Pro Video tripod, which is similar in construction and got good results although I did think it was a bit flimsy. I found that if you didn't use the centre column extention it was adequate for most purposes, even with the weighty bigma on a lightwweight camera as is yours. The basic principle of having a lightweight tripod with you is better than having a rock solid tripod left at home holds good. This being said, I would not wish to dissuade you from getting a more robust tripod as the problem with the triton range, as with many other budget priced pieces of equipment lies not in stability but in the precision of the head settings, which tend to be very sloppy in setting up, particularly in the tilt position which can take an unacceptible amount of time to fix on the point that you wish to photograph. The point that I am trying to make is really that the leg setup of a tripod is in most cases fairly stable and need not cost an arm and a leg, spend your hard earned on a precision head and you will not regret it.

eeyore · #5 (**permalink**) 15-11-2007, 08:24 AM

i'd totally agree with that - my manfrotto cost circa 50 notes for the legs (plus another 30 for a monopod) and i have a range of heads - my walking arround one is the 222 joystick head which was only 39 notes - but i also have a pan and tilt fluid head which was in excess of a ton secondhand

legs only get expensive if you need carbon fibre to reduce weight - if you can cope with steel tube then they are pretty cheap (NB: you can add plumbers foam insualtion to the legs to protect your hands on a cold morning)

barquar · #6 (**permalink**) 18-11-2007, 11:22 PM

Thanks Blackbrook and eeore. The tripod legs are sturdy but as you say its the head thats important. But I had my gear on it all day in the house but would feel a little worried if I used it outside I wouldnt dare let go off the gear.Fist time using a tripod and it was much better due to the weight off camera and lens.
Barquar

Photo_guy · #7 (**permalink**) 02-09-2008, 06:31 PM

hi i got a miranda titan TP 20 tripod and was wondering what case do i get for it, if you can get a case for that tripod if not what would be the next best case to get. if Anyone knows let me know please. cheers!

Blackbrook Eye · #8 (**permalink**) 03-09-2008, 02:56 AM

Personally I would not bother with a case, as anything half decent would cost more than the tripod, get an old camera strap and fix it to one of the legs if you need a way to carry it, weather has little effect on a tripods usefulness so protection from the elements is usually unnecessary.

Keith