Looking to purchase a tripod for every occasion any suggestions.
What should i be looking for within the tripod.
I am not a Pro so dont want to spend hundreds.
Looking to purchase a tripod for every occasion any suggestions.
What should i be looking for within the tripod.
I am not a Pro so dont want to spend hundreds.
................three legs.
Seriously, dont go cheap, a tripod needs to stable and a well made model is going cost. How heavy do you want....how tall?
Handling is also important, clips or screw fittings on the legs?
I think I'm getting round to saying, "go to a shop and have a play with a few".
Graeme
AGW (BSRIPN)
Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where others see nothing. (Camille Pissarro)
Can you suggest any.
Can you get to Focus at the NEC from next Sunday (to Wednesday)?
It's by far the best place to see lots of tripods on display, and with lots of eager salesmen keen to demonstrate the benefits of their models. If you're lucky it's also a good place to collect the printed catalogues from Manfrotto and Gitzo - far easier to wade through than an on-line catalogue.
Me? I tend to buy mine from Camera Fairs where the vendors are usually more than happy to let you spend time trying them in different positions.
Malcolm Stewart
Jaguar Mk VII
Do you have a Calumet near you Emma? They're usually good for catalogues and if the one near me is anything to go by the staff will be only too happy to talk you through the range of tripods (and heads) they have in stock.If you're lucky it's also a good place to collect the printed catalogues from Manfrotto and Gitzo - far easier to wade through than an on-line catalogue.
No Calumet near me.
how much do you have to spend emma?
I didnt want to spend more than 150
Sorry but a tripod which is heavy enough to be stable when working with a heavy long focus lens isn't suitable for backpacking.Looking to purchase a tripod for every occasion
Other things being equal:
Weight is your friend - until you have to carry it. Not an issue for studio work.
Comapctness works against stability, when there is extra room for flexure e.g. more joints in the legs.
The head matters as much as the legs. Some are more convenient, so less so but may be better suited to precision work (macro etc).
Quality tends to cost.
A good tripod will probably outlast you - even if you're a fit 20 something with no known genetic issues. A cheap one will either be more trouble than it's worth or won't last. Do factor this into your estimate of what you can afford - "bargains" may cost more in the long run.
If you're not living on the edge, you're wasting space
I use two.
1. A Manfrotto 055PRO that does all I want 'in the field'. It also has the advantage that the centre column removes and re-installs horizontally so that I can get really close to the ground (with the legs splayed). I have teamed it with a Manfrotto ball & socket head that's OK but does 'drop' a little after I've tightened it. What I mean is that I tighten, let go, and the camera tips forward very slightly. I doubt that you would notice in portrait or landscape work but for my macro work it's a bit of a pain. In short the tripod is fine but I wish that I had a better head for it.
2. I also use a huge Benbo in and around my garden and when I have a 'captive' subject. It's a magnificent beast, wonderfully stable but VERY heavy. I've seen them second hand when the owner realises how heavy they are. I also know loads of folk who swear by the Benbo 'Trekker'. Much lighter but still excellent.
Now sorry to be a bit negative but I think that you will struggle to get a decent tripod and a head within your budget
MickLL
One more question - what kit does it have to support? Assuming it's fairly standard and not too heavy, a Manfrotto 190 of some sort is likely to be about the best compromise - it's within budget, reasonably light, reasonably versatile and reasonably well-made.
At the 'cheap' end there's the Manfrotto 410 which solves the droop problem when you try to lock the head in the position you want. One day I might treat myself to an Arca Swiss Cube thoughI wish that I had a better head for it.
I agree. I'm still using my Manfrotto 190One more question - what kit does it have to support? Assuming it's fairly standard and not too heavy, a Manfrotto 190 of some sort is likely to be about the best compromise - it's within budget, reasonably light, reasonably versatile and reasonably well-made.
Mine is a Manfrotto 488. Now I'm in a bit less of a rush and have thought a little it seems to me that the bit of movement might be associated with the quick release plate. Certainly once it's dropped it doesn't move further.At the 'cheap' end there's the Manfrotto 410 which solves the droop problem when you try to lock the head in the position you want. One day I might treat myself to an Arca Swiss Cube thoughI wish that I had a better head for it.
MickLL
I would agree with this, moreover, when I was looking for a 'pod some while ago I decided that they kept their value so well that it was a better idea to buy new rather than secondhand - which is unusual for me!
Quality tends to cost.
A good tripod will probably outlast you - even if you're a fit 20 something with no known genetic issues. A cheap one will either be more trouble than it's worth or won't last. Do factor this into your estimate of what you can afford - "bargains" may cost more in the long run.
I have a Manfrotto 055 and I have been known to carry it around on a bicycle, or on a backpack, but it is, with the accompanying head, a weighty, if sturdy, implement.
i have a carbon fibre giottos and ball head, which i'm very impressed with.
before this i had a velbon sherpa, it weighed more, but other than that i didn't have a problem with it... until i dropped it and broke the head. i could have just bought a new head, but my local opticians decided it was going to sell all of its tripods, heads and telescopes with 30% off, so i took the plunge and picked the new one up.
a good tripod is a pleasure to use.
Well you could always do what I did and buy a Gitzo for a whole lot of money and then wonder why the results are no better than with the Manfrotto you already had which cost around a quarter of the price.
I'm actually admitting to being had here you will note, but I'm philosophical
Alternatively buy a giottos or a manfrotto for reasonable cash and save the rest, or spend it on a decent lens as they often say on the internet.
Willie
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