Tripod Recomendations

[coupekid]

Hi All,

I am looking to get a new tripod for my little 350D.

With a budget of about 50quid, what would you recomend?

[Stephen]

Re: Tripod Recomendations

Hi All,

I am looking to get a new tripod for my little 350D.

With a budget of about 50quid, what would you recomend?

Are you sure that is all you can afford to spend?
Do you already have a tripod head that would go on a new model?
If it were me I think I would be inclined to push the boat out and get a Manfrotto 190ProB The difference is half a tank of petrol

[coupekid]

Re: Tripod Recomendations

Are you sure that is all you can afford to spend?
Do you already have a tripod head that would go on a new model?
If it were me I think I would be inclined to push the boat out and get a Manfrotto 190ProB The difference is half a tank of petrol

Well, to be honest with you Stephen, my wife has offered to get me one for our wedding anniversery, and I didnt want to be presumptious!
But looking at that manfrotto, its a nice peice of kit.

With the current camera and lenses I have, I have never felt the need to get an expensive, or overly sturdy tripod.

[Stephen]

Re: Tripod Recomendations

Well, to be honest with you Stephen, my wife has offered to get me one for our wedding anniversery, and I didnt want to be presumptious!
But looking at that manfrotto, its a nice peice of kit.

With the current camera and lenses I have, I have never felt the need to get an expensive, or overly sturdy tripod.

[Patrick]

Re: Tripod Recomendations

Well, to be honest with you Stephen, my wife has offered to get me one for our wedding anniversery, and I didnt want to be presumptious!
But looking at that manfrotto, its a nice peice of kit.

With the current camera and lenses I have, I have never felt the need to get an expensive, or overly sturdy tripod.

I would agree with Stephen, buy a good one. I used to have a Benbo for many years but they are bulky (the trekker perhaps isnt but it not as sturdy). I use a Monfrotto these days, which I have had for over 10 years now. Its lighter to carry than the Bembo was but equally as sturdy.

As matter of interest I have just bought a Compact ball levelling head, this fits between the tripod and camera head in my case 141RC pan & tilt.

This purchase reflects my growing interest in panoramas, the levelling head ensures the camera head is level and has easy adjustment to make this possible, without playing around adjusting the legs of the tripod in an effort to get the spirit level true.

The range of accessories for Manfrotto tripods is amazing, the distributors are also very helpful. As I said the tripod is over ten years old and had the screw type leg adjusters, I wanted the snap type and they sold me a set at a very reasonable cost to convert the tripod.

Patrick

[norn iron]

Re: Tripod Recomendations

I also agree with Stephen, I have had a Manfrotto 190 ProB for about 18 months and find it a really excellent piece of kit and now that it has an updated swinging center column it should be even better.

Ken

[jojo]

Re: Tripod Recomendations

Hmm, bit over budget Ben, but I got a Velbon Sherpa 750R - works a treat.

jo

[Ian]

[Ian]

Re: Tripod Recomendations

I also agree with Stephen, I have had a Manfrotto 190 ProB for about 18 months and find it a really excellent piece of kit and now that it has an updated swinging center column it should be even better.

Ken

We've been given the carbon fibre version of this model to try - including a tough day trekking around Venice in 38 degree heat and very high humidity!

I'm not sure I could have coped with tripod any heavier and the 190 carbon fibre is a featherweight

Pix coming soon...

Ian

[Patrick]

Re: Tripod Recomendations

I'm not sure I could have coped with tripod any heavier and the 190 carbon fibre is a featherweight

Pix coming soon...

Ian

Not a featherweight price though

Patrick

[Ian]

Re: Tripod Recomendations

Not a featherweight price though

Patrick

[Ian]

http://photopal.co.uk/product_info.p...roducts_id=149

I like it because it's light (practically as light as the carbon fibre Manfrotto 190CXPro04 that I'm using at the moment), compact (4 section legs), and seems well made. The supplied ball head doesn't have a separate pan adjustment, which is a cost-issue, but apart from that it's fine and it has a good quick-release system.

Benro is a Chinese brand that copies features from Gitzo models. Gitzo is much more expensive and deservedly so, but I'm impressed with what I have seen from the Benro so far, for the money.

The Manfrotto 190 Stephen suggested is a very high quality tripod and it has the excellent quick column shift so you can turn and lock the centre column to a 90 degree configuration, useful for macro and very low angle work. It's a shame the 4-section leg version is only available in the much more expensive carbon fibre form.

As soon as I have finished evaluating the other models we have in, I'll update this thread.

But for some basic advice, I would recommend avoiding a twist lock leg tripod (though Gitzo's G-lock twist lock is actually excellent) as usually they are difficult to undo when over-tightened and the leg tubes often rotate with the lock, go for a model that has a wide angle of up and down leg movement and easy locking and unlocking, I would recommend a tripod that can use third party heads, don't be swayed by models that have wind-up columns, it would be good to know that accessories like alternative feet are available from the manufacturer, etc. 4 leg sections instead of 3 will mean a shorter tripod for packing and carrying.

Ian

[peak4]

http://www.bristolcameras.co.uk/p-ve...545-ph157q.htm

Just bought one myself and whilst I've not used it much yet and haven't owned anything else to directly compare it with, it seems pretty good, though not as rigid as my Manfrotto 161.
(8Kg plus, and that's the tripod without head, not it's load capacity. ).

Deal includes a pan & tilt head which I didn't really want, but there was no discount without it. I guess I'll convert it to a hide or car window mount.

Best regards to all
Bill

The nearest I have to a home page
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peak4/

[coupekid]

Re: Tripod Recomendations

ok, thanks for all the advice everyone.

I cant believe that no one can recomend a tripod for under 80quid!

The Manfrotto is a very nice tripod, but at 80 quid, plus the head, its a little out of my price range. I have been using a Velbon tripod, which is cheap and cheerful, and served me very well. However, one of the locking legs has now bitten the dust, which after so many years, I dont think is too much to complain about. So maybe, I will look at getting another of the same.

Next time someone wants advice on a cheap car, I will recomend a Ferrari!

[Stephen]

Re: Tripod Recomendations

ok, thanks for all the advice everyone.

I cant believe that no one can recomend a tripod for under 80quid!

The Manfrotto is a very nice tripod, but at 80 quid, plus the head, its a little out of my price range. I have been using a Velbon tripod, which is cheap and cheerful, and served me very well. However, one of the locking legs has now bitten the dust, which after so many years, I dont think is too much to complain about. So maybe, I will look at getting another of the same.

Next time someone wants advice on a cheap car, I will recomend a Ferrari!

Pretty sure Ian mentioned one in his post Ben, inc the head and a case apparently. I saw it yesterday, when I called in at Ians. We think it would be ideal for your camera lens combo