Novoflex Monipod or Kirk Low Pod Mount

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Cunha
Posts: 345
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2012 5:35 am
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
Contact:

Novoflex Monipod or Kirk Low Pod Mount

Post by Cunha »

Dear friends,

my Manfrotto 190XPROB tripod isn't always the best way to work on a table top.
I´m considering two new pieces of gear to help me:

1.
The Novoflex Minipod
http://www.novoflex.com/en/products/cam ... s/minipod/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TP_gX3juF8I
(in german only)

2.
Kirk Low Pad Mount
http://www.kirkphoto.com/Low-Pod-Mount.html

They´re a bit different.
Novoflex Minipod is very flexible.
Kirk Low Pod allows (is made for) to mount the head (a geared head for example).

Anyone with experience with this pieces of gear?
If not, any opinions are very welcome based just on the links above.

Thank you very much.
Regards.

courtany
Posts: 19
Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2011 11:16 am
Location: Nottingham England

Post by courtany »

Hello
The Novoflex is a great bit of kit, (expensive but good) I use mine with and without a Manfrotto 496RC2 ball head. Mine is normally used with a Nikon D800 + grip + Nikon 200mm micro lens and has no bother with the weight. I have also used it with a 14-24 lens outdoors on the ground for low level landscape shots. I know nothing of the other make. Hope this is of some help.

Cheers Keith

Cunha
Posts: 345
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2012 5:35 am
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
Contact:

Post by Cunha »

Dear Keith,
your information is a great (huge) help.
I think the Novoflex solution is a more flexible one, but until now I had doubts about the amount/kind of gear one can put on it. Not because of the weight; it can support equipment weighting up to 10 kg BUT because of balance.

I use a Canon 5dMKIII+Canon MP-E 65mm (big lens when at x5) and I´m considering a new head type like the Manfrotto 410 geared head, plus the Novoflex focusing rail Castel-L.

It seems, by your feedback that weight is no problem, as expected.

Balance too?
No problem when two legs are down and the other is up - a tilt (to front) position? The rubber foots are steady enough?

Do you have any pictures of your setup?

Thank you so much. Very helpful.
Regards.

courtany
Posts: 19
Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2011 11:16 am
Location: Nottingham England

Post by courtany »

hello Cunha
Never had any problems with balance at all with legs in any position. I have a Manfrotto 405 geared head but have never tried it on the Novoflex as I think it would be a bit of overkill. The 405 is quite a bit larger than the 410 your thinking of which may be more suitable. I haven't got any set up pictures.

Cheers Keith

Cunha
Posts: 345
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2012 5:35 am
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
Contact:

Post by Cunha »

Hello Keith,

so at least a head like this works without any problem:
http://www.manfrotto.com/compact-ball-head-with-rc2
plus your camera+grip and lens?
Very helpful.

Do you work well with a ball head instead of a geared one when using the Minipod? Don´t you miss the fine adjustments?
Or you own a focusing rail, like me?

Cheers.

courtany
Posts: 19
Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2011 11:16 am
Location: Nottingham England

Post by courtany »

Hello Cunha
I mainly use the ball head when using the 14-24 to get the lens in portrait mode. The micro lens has an adjustable tripod foot for landscape/portrait shooting so is used directly on the minipod indoors. For stacking I have a Stackshot so I don't use the minipod for any fine adjustment work.

Cheers Keith

Cunha
Posts: 345
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2012 5:35 am
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
Contact:

Post by Cunha »

Hello Keith,
thank you for share your experience with the Minipod. Very helpful indeed because it´s from a real user, in real situations, across maybe many months.
Reviews do not give this kind of feedback.
Thanks again.
Good work.
All the best.

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