Re: Tripod for EX3 recommendations

It is probably too late to get my two cents in on this topic, but I'll give it a shot, anyway. Backstory: Hollywood two decades, rented everybody's tripod, fluid head at one time or another. Saclr., O'Conner, Vinton, Miller, for film cameras.
This time around I wanted to own something really nice. I looked at all the above, remembered what I liked and didn't on those expensive heads that I used during those years and I really didn't want to spend two grand on that equipment.
B&H Video, out of NY, has a Cartoni HiDV Fluid Head ($ 749).
Let me just say this, I know your budget is $ 600, but bite the bullet and save the difference elsewhere and get the Cartoni. Hands down, the sweetest fluid head I have ever used. You will not regret it. 75mm bowl, got a nice tripod for under $ 250. The Cartoni handles my EX3 with extra stuff on it just fine, it's velvet smooth, and very nice. It has some nice lock down features and you can tilt it +90 degrees.
Here's a flash I learned the hard way-cheap fluid heads are not fluid, they are friction with a honey like substance that will ozz out on a hot day in the trunk-then your sunk for sure. trust me. A tripod/fluid head is not the place to cut corners.


Mims