Tripod - Recommendations/What To Look For

annnewjerz

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So I got the Gorillapod SLR Zoom as a gift, but am looking to buy a sturdier travel-tripod for any upcoming trips we might have (long weekend in DC and trip to WDW in 09). I have no idea what to look for in a tripod and to be honest, the search thread feature never works for me...so here is the same question for the millionth time! :goodvibes

Two I have been looking at are the Bogen/Manfrotto 715SHB with the Ballhead, which is $90 on B&H's site, or the Bogen/Manfrotto 718SHB with Pan/Tilt Head for $95.

Here is what I am looking for:

- Something reasonably sturdy, at least sturdy enough to hold my D60 and 18-200mm lens
- Something lightweight since I'll be carrying it around with me
- Something that folds up as small as possible so MAYBE it can fit in my purse (the ones listed above are 15-16ish inches folded)
- Something around the $100 mark, with a little room for fluctuation

So, specific recommendations for a tripod, recommendations for which type of head on the tripod or even brand recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!
Ann:wizard:
 
Hmmm, I think I can hear the crickets chirping.

I guess I'll go with the ballhead. After doing some research it seems that while it is slightly less accurate when positions a ballhead, it might be a little easier to adjust on the fly than the pan/tilt head.
 

Ball head is definitely the way to go.

You probably haven't gotten much reaction as you're looking for the impossible... just like the guy who wants a camera that is pocket-size, has incredible zoom, amazing low-light ability, and costs $150. ;)

If you want one capable of holding a DSLR securely, that's a tall order for a $100 tripod, especially one that is small and light. The strong, cheaper ones will be aluminum, which isn't all that light.

Velbon supposedly have some pretty good all-in-one tripods that are around $100... I would probably check those out if your budget is firm. They also apparently fold down pretty small compared to others. Something like this one. Supposedly designed on a challenge from Herb Keppler... who wrote "The Pentax Way" which I'm reading right now. :)
 
Groucho makes some good recommendations. My suggestion is this is something you need to see to understand. Go to your better camera shop and let them show you the different materials, heights, weights, and ball head types and clamp systems.

You are probably going to want a 4 section over a three section leg. It is more of a pain to set up but will be smaller to transport and carry.

The ball head is the key after getting the right strength tripod. DO NOT get the lightest one. Get the proper size one for the equipment you will use. I have a friend that got a super light tripod because he was smarter than the rest of us. Set up his Nikon and a long lens and the wind blew it over. That was a 4 figure mistake! And it was not a strong wind!

As you have learned about camera equipment you can get something that will do, but you will spend more money in the long run because it really does not do the job and you will not use it and end up getting the good stuff later.

I think the gorillapod is an ok tripod if you want that quick steadying of the camera in a difficult place.

If you want to check out the really good stuff to put on your Christmas list, go to the Really Right Stuff page. If you ever use it, you will not use something else.

Everyone here that is a longer standing photographer has a bad tripod/head story to share. It either has to do with a leg that slips at the wrong time or the clamp you were certain was secure was not. It only hopefully takes once to see your precious equipment falling, to take a few off your life and give you the resolve to get something you trust.

I use a Benro "Chinese made" carbon fiber tripod. They are great and very cost effective for carbon stuff. It has four sections and will fit crossways in my carryon bag for the airport. I am currently using an actual Acra Swiss ballhead with a RRS clamp and use their L bracket that I leave on my D300. I will probably get a RRS medium sized head sometime next year. DS has a Manfrotto head and he does not like the clamping system after seeking my system.

Groucho's comment about what you ask for is hard to find. It is probably on the shelf next to that previously described $150 P&S.
 
So here is the problem: all of the reasonably priced camera clamps are about worthless. Imho, ymmv, etc. ;)

I have the previously mentioned Velbon, it works ok for a small SLR with a small lens, in landscape position. Try a larger camera, a longer lens, or portrait position and the camera is likely to start slipping. Depending on the amount of slip it may ruin your photo, it may ruin your camera!

This is one area where there is really no option, a good camera clamp is a necessity and RRS makes really good ones (really right ones actually). I modified my Velbon ballhead to fit a RRS clamp and what a difference!!! This one mod turns an inexpensive tripod into a pretty good piece of gear. The clamp is a B2-maS, for about $60 and well worth it.

Btw, if you think you may want to use portrait style a lot it is worth investing in an L-clamp. I wish I had some magic recommendation for a good, light, inexpensive tripod but to rip off the saying on the Transportation board, "there is no pixie dust on the photography board", at least not for tripods.
 
Groucho's right,,, $100 isn't much. You might as well wait and save up some more. I bought a new tripod/ball head for last x-mas and went over my $215 by about $20.

I went with these as a combo:
Manfrotto 055XB Tripod
Manfrotto 484RC2 Mini Ball Head

If I had a bigger budget I would have gone with the next step up on both... the 055XBPro (extends about 4 or 5 inches taller) and the 486RC2 Compact Ball Head.

I spent $235 and it was well worth it to me. With the combo I have I can hold up to 8.8lbs of camera gear.
 
I can definitely do more than $100, heck...I can really do as much as I want, just had no idea what a "reasonable" price for a tripod that would last me a while would be. A tripod is something I have never purchased and you have all provided me with some good insight and a good price range to get something decent but not necessarily top of the line.

So far in the months since getting my D60, I have wanted to use a tripod exactly one time, which is when I was trying to blur water. Because of the fact that I don't imagine I will use one every time I go out to shoot...I just didn't want to spend an absurd amount of money.

That being said, I know now to look for a ballhead, I know I should look for 4 section legs over 3 and I know that I shouldn't rush to get a tripod and spend less, but instead wait a few months (since I probably won't NEED one anytime soon) and get one that is a little nicer.

One thing I wasn't clear on was the fact that light as a feather doesn't necessarily matter for me, I just didn't want a tripod made of lead.

Even though I feel like I am a little more ready to make an informed decision, I will probably take the advice and pop into our local camera store to see what they have to offer and what insight they can lend.

Thanks as always for all of the help!
Ann :thumbsup2
 
My wife wanted me to take some pictures of some Christmas cards she had made. I needed to set up the tripod to take them, it was a sunny day, so I took a few pictures or my setup so you could see it. The tripod is carbon fiber and weighs about 3 lbs. It is a four section and is rated to hold 12lbs. The head is an original arca swiss and it has a RRS quick clamp on it. The tipod came with a carry bag and shoulder strap. As I said, it will fit in my carryon diagonally so I can put it through security at the airport.

I have the L bracket for my camera and once that camera is in the clamp, and you know for sure it is there, it will not come out or loose.

There are many good tripods and heads out there. And many bad ones as well!

JWM_1793.jpg

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JWM_1795.jpg
 
My quick 2 cents. Do not go with amvona. Amvona.com tripods can be had relatively cheap on ebay. The one I got was nice, but always had a small problem with one of the screw tight leg things. It wouldn't always get tighter, but I could get it to work so I never worried about it. Then it broke altogether. I have called them SEVERAL times and left messages with no luck. Since the company is somewhat nearby, I'm about to drive it up there and give them a piece of my mind. The ironic thing is that their catalog says "bad customer service not avail.". Then again, I suppose I haven't got bad customer service yet because I haven't gotten any customer service yet!! Steer clear of their products other than possibly their backdrops.

Now, as a rule, I will search long and hard for a good tripod that has none of those screw tight leg things. I will fo for the locking style instead.
 
My wife wanted me to take some pictures of some Christmas cards she had made. I needed to set up the tripod to take them, it was a sunny day, so I took a few pictures or my setup so you could see it. The tripod is carbon fiber and weighs about 3 lbs. It is a four section and is rated to hold 12lbs. The head is an original arca swiss and it has a RRS quick clamp on it. The tipod came with a carry bag and shoulder strap. As I said, it will fit in my carryon diagonally so I can put it through security at the airport.

I have the L bracket for my camera and once that camera is in the clamp, and you know for sure it is there, it will not come out or loose.

There are many good tripods and heads out there. And many bad ones as well!

What model number did you buy (Benro) and where did you get it?
 












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