Calumet 7500 Tripod - Review
I recently went hunting for tripod that I can use in the studio and on location. My main concerns were quality and sturdiness. With kids bumping into it, and constantly moving it around from job to job, I wanted to be sure that it wasn’t going to fold under pressure.
Tony Sr. currently uses a Bogen Manfrotto 3211V with a Bogen Manfrotto 3047 3-way head. I really like this tripod, so I decided to base my comparison shopping to it.
Of course the obvious choice was to try and buy the same one, but as luck would have it, Bogen no longer makes the 3211V, and have since replaced it with the Bogen Manfrotto 055XB. Naturally I headed out in search of the replacement model and found that Manfrotto actually makes a few variations of the 055, depending on what features you need, one of these variation may be the solution you are looking for.
I headed over to Calumet Photo in Escondido, CA to check out the various models in person. What I found was not only the Bogen Manfrotto 055XB (and variations), but also several Calumet branded models. One in particular that caught my eye was the Calumet CK7500. This tripod at first glance looks nearly identical to the Bogen Manfrotto 055XB line. Complete with flip-up style locking leg clamps, and leg-warmers padded leg covers.
Upon further inspection, I found the Bogen tripod and the Calumet tripod to be very similar in size and stature. The Calumet 7500 does have a hook for attaching extra weight (sandbag) for added stability, which the Manfrotto lacked, although I doubt I’ll ever use this feature.
They both featured three-section legs, with spring loaded quick-release leg locks, leg-angle adjustments, a split-shaft center column that allows for low-angle shooting, and 3/8″ tripod-head mount. Here’s Calumet’s description:
Part of Calumet’s 7000 Series, this mid-sized tripod provides solid camera support for all camera formats up to medium format and can be used in the studio or out in the field. The 7500 tripod features three-section legs with convenient quick-release leg locks for fast setups, three-position leg-angle adjustments with spring-loaded locks to facilitate different height requirements, a split-shaft center column that allows for low-angle shooting and three foam leg covers that offer over-the-shoulder carrying comfort. It also comes with a weight hook at the bottom of the column for attaching sand bags or weights for additional stability. The 7500 is topped of with a 3/8″ tripod-head mount that will accommodate a wide range of different tripod heads. Also built into the tripod is a spirit level for quick and easy leveling on uneven terrain. The 7500 requires a tripod head.
Priced at only $129, the Calumet CK7500 deserves some serious consideration if you’re in the market for a new tripod.
The Aliens Have Landed! (Alien Bees - Review)
From the maker of the popular White Lightning strobes, Paul C. Buff has another offering, which should be a serious 
contender if you’re considering a new set of monolights. We recently tested the “bullet-proof” AlienBees monolights, and were pretty happy with the results.
If you’re new to photography and/or strobes and aren’t sure what a monolight is, basically it’s a self contained strobe light, with built-in power unit. Many manufacturers offer strobes in either a monolight version, or one that requires an additional power supply.
Alien Bees are not only easy to use, but also a breeze to setup and take down (weighing only 2.5 lbs each). Available in 3 watt-second ratings (400, 800, 1600) and 5 colors (yellow, black, green, pink, white) they’ve really got your options covered. The nice thing about these different WS ratings, is that regardless of which AB you choose, they are all the same size! This is especially convenient when packing your Pelican 1650s for location shoots.
ABs offers a selection of stands, softboxes, wireless triggers, and other add-ons that will connect right up to these monolights, but just about any mainstream accessory manufacturer’s products will work. The one thing (as with any strobe) that you’ll need if you plan on using softboxes, are speedrings fitted for these particular lights.
We got our hands on a few of the B800s for testing, and propped them on a couple of Avenger A635B light stands, which were especially sturdy, but easily adjusted when necessary.
We used them for shooting photographing school kids. We’re talking roughly 500 kids, multiple exposures, nearly 2,500 total shots (shooting with 3 setups of 3 lights each), if my math is correct, that’s about 7,500 strobe pops . . . all without any failures! That’s pretty impressive. Not convincing enough? They handle this almost everyday.
The B800s produce 320 true wattseconds and 800 effective wattseconds of power, with 14,000 lumenseconds of output. Each light is independently adjustable over a 5 f-stop range (full power to 1/32).
The Alien Bees all have a built-in cooling fan, ready for heavy all-day shooting conditions, and depending on the model, you get recycle times to full power in as little as 0.5 seconds (B400). The bees also feature “what-you-see-is-what-you-get” modeling lamps, which can be set as recycling indicators (which we didn’t use, but to each his own).
ABs can also be portably powered with the Vagabond Portable Power System, if you find yourself in an area without power (here’s that external power supply we mentioned earlier, except this one is optional).
I can’t seem to find it now, but I recall seeing something about a “trade-up” program, where you can receive credit and trade up your lower rated (B400 for example) monolight for a more powerful model (B800 for example).
Alien bees come with a reflector, a case, sync cord, power cord, gel clips, and an owners manual. Oh, and don’t forget the 2-Year Warranty!
The manufacturer website offers discounts to students (10% off), and accessory discounts for everyone else, which increase with the more lights you buy.
With a price of only $225 for the B400, $280 for the B800, $360 for the B1600, and a 60-day satisfaction guarantee . . . you’re sure to be “abducted” by another hit from Paul C. Bluff, Inc. In fact, we’ve decided to buy a couple sets!
The Digital Photography Book, Volume 2 - Scott Kelby
I just finished reading Scott Kelby’s The Digital Photography Book, Vol 2. It was an easy read, with lots of great tips for aspiring shooters (and possibly a new trick for an old dog). Written in typical Scott Kelby fashion, it was a little sarcastic at times, which just makes it that much more interesting.
Scott Kelby, author of the groundbreaking bestseller “The Digital Photography Book, Vol. 1” is back with an entirely new book that picks up right where Vol. 1 left off. It’s more of that “Ah ha—so that’s how they do it,” straight-to-the-point, skip the techno jargon; packed with stuff you can really use today, that made Vol. 1 the world’s bestselling book on digital photography.
If you’re looking to pick up a few pointers from a pro (and who isn’t), this book is well worth the read. If you’re a NAPP member, you can probably even get a little discount. And of course if you haven’t read The Digital Photography Book, Vol 1, then pick up a copy of that while you’re at it. Keep ‘em coming Scott!