Regular use tripod needed - recommendations?

[pxlbarrel]

My general use tripod committed suicide yesterday. It literally fell apart as I was setting it up. So I'm now in the market for a new tripod. It doesn't need to be light for travelling since I have one for that already. It just needs to be sturdy, easy to set up, more long lived than this crappy tripod, have a tripod head (not a ball joint) and not cost me a small fortune (under $200 would be nice). I need it to lock the legs in position so I'm not constantly fiddling with it...my travel tripod does that which annoys me but since it's light and small, I tolerate it.

It should be able to hold a Canon 40D with the heaviest lens I have which is the 70-300 mm.

Any recommendations?

 

[Shutterbug]

I have a canon 40D also and I use a Manfrotto 728B that works fine.
The tripod is more for larger point n shoots than DSLR's but I find it still works good even when I have the canon 70-200 f4 L lens on it.
Its not a heavy tripod either. It was easy to hall around when hiking in the Smokies couple weeks back.

 

[sanschag]

I have a Bogen/Manfrotto 190XPROB that I absolutely love. I used a set of B/M 3001 legs for many years, but finally made the leap to something more substantial (and taller) last year. I went with this due to the height (I'm 6'2" and can shoot without extending the center column) and the center-column flip feature (which allows you to flip the center column to horizontal -- useful for macro). It has lever leg locks, so they are very secure. (My 3001 legs have knob locks which a never tight enough on the first try.) I also replaced my old 3030 pan-tilt head with a ball head, which I much prefer, but I know not everyone does. B&H currently has the 190XPROB legs with the 804RC-2 pan-tilt head (seems to be the replacement for the 3030) for $215. There are other versions of the 190 legs for less money, e.g., without the center column flip, that may also be worth looking into. I took my 3001 to WDW a couple of weeks back as it's much smaller. I don't think I would have wanted to lug the larger one, but I sure did miss it.

Also keep in mind that if your travel tripod has a removable head, it might also fit the larger tripod. (The screw is generally the same for "serious" tripods.)

 

[pxlbarrel]

Ummm... I think that tripod, the Bogen/Manfrotto 190XPROB, will be too expensive. If it's $215 US, it'll be a lot more up here in Canada (I'll check though)...but if I still have to buy a head for it...it'll cost me more than I really want to pay. My travel tripod has a ball joint head...and I don't really like it.
Edit:
I just checked...the tripod is $195 CDN here...but will still need to buy a head for it. Wonder if I can salvage the head off of my suicidal tripod.

 

[tiggr33]

My general use tripod committed suicide yesterday. It literally fell apart as I was setting it up. So I'm now in the market for a new tripod. It doesn't need to be light for travelling since I have one for that already. It just needs to be sturdy, easy to set up, more long lived than this crappy tripod, have a tripod head (not a ball joint) and not cost me a small fortune (under $200 would be nice). I need it to lock the legs in position so I'm not constantly fiddling with it...my travel tripod does that which annoys me but since it's light and small, I tolerate it.

It should be able to hold a Canon 40D with the heaviest lens I have which is the 70-300 mm.

Any recommendations?

Do you use a flash? Are you considering any lens purchases? Do you hang a sandbag or any gear from the tripod? Or will you only be using a 40D and the 70-300? And if you don't mind my asking, why do you want a combination (legs and head)? You might do better buying legs and the head separately to get a set up that works better for you. What type of head do you want (besides,no ballheads)? What type of shooting do you do?

 

[tiggr33]

I meant to add. I dislike many ballheads. But I just bought a pistol grip/joystick style that I LOVE. It is one handed operation and is pretty responsive. I have the Bogen Manfrotto 322RC2. I have multiple sets of legs.

 

[pxlbarrel]

If I had an unlimited budget, I would love to buy the cadillac of tripods but I don't.

This is, as I mentioned, a general use tripod...for any job that requires it. Last night I was using it to shoot the moon until the leg fell out (plop...and it was on the ground...niiiice). Sometimes I'll use it for the family pics and a self-timer, for taking photos in low light around the house, using it with a video camera too. The heaviest lens on it will be the 70-300 mm since that's the heaviest lens I own. I have a 16-35 mm lens too but it's lighter so as long as it can support the heavier lens, the other should be ok. I don't have to buy the head and legs together.... my only requirement is that I don't spend more than $200 if I don't have to. I won't use that tripod that often as to warrant spending $300 or $400 on it.

I use my travel tripod way more because it's portable so if I'm flying, the travel tripod comes with me. If I'm driving or not hauling it around with me, this other tripod can come with me...but it won't happen very often.

I'm gonna head to the camera store tonight and take a gander...maybe test drive one. LOL

 

[tiggr33]

Some will disagree with me, as I am lucky I didn't have any bad experiences with the company. But I have and use regularly a Amvona Dynatran AT-3022 Professional. It is a Bogen copycat. It was about $75 dollars. I've put it through the paces out in the field, and in tabletop set ups at home.

 

[pxlbarrel]

I have a Bogen/Manfrotto 190XPROB that I absolutely love. I used a set of B/M 3001 legs for many years, but finally made the leap to something more substantial (and taller) last year. I went with this due to the height (I'm 6'2" and can shoot without extending the center column) and the center-column flip feature (which allows you to flip the center column to horizontal -- useful for macro). It has lever leg locks, so they are very secure. (My 3001 legs have knob locks which a never tight enough on the first try.) I also replaced my old 3030 pan-tilt head with a ball head, which I much prefer, but I know not everyone does. B&H currently has the 190XPROB legs with the 804RC-2 pan-tilt head (seems to be the replacement for the 3030) for $215. There are other versions of the 190 legs for less money, e.g., without the center column flip, that may also be worth looking into. I took my 3001 to WDW a couple of weeks back as it's much smaller. I don't think I would have wanted to lug the larger one, but I sure did miss it.

Also keep in mind that if your travel tripod has a removable head, it might also fit the larger tripod. (The screw is generally the same for "serious" tripods.)

You're gonna laugh at me...after all my protestations over cost...i bought the one you recommended. LOL I went to the store and it was there (with a pan/tilt head that was cheaper with the tripod than buying a separate head). It was a pretty sturdy looking tripod...and had all the flexibility that I wanted. It was... expensive... but the salesperson, whom I've bought a lot of crap from, took something off the price to make it closer to my $200 limit. Was still over but a bit more to my liking.... so I bought it. I reasoned....I'm putting a $1000 body and a $2000 lens on a tripod... why am I cheaping out???

So ... this Manfrotto better last me a while.... I'm now forbidden to buy anymore gear for a long while. LOL

 

[PaulD]

Good choice! I know it cost you more than you would have liked but I had an instructor one time who said you should never cheap out on your tripod setup. If you buy the right one it'll last you a lifetime. At which point he pulled out his 20 year old tripod that he still used all the time. If you buy a cheap one you'll be buying a new one in a year. In the long run you save money.

I have the 055XPROB with the 322RC2 pistol grip ball head and couldn't be happier. Also, we use the 190XPROB at work and we beat the heck out of them (daily outdoor usage in all weather conditions). They are built like tanks. If we can't break 'em then I doubt you can... Enjoy your new toy!