Would I get mad with this tripod?

[Mr. Murmeli]

Hi,

I saw at my local store a package which included a Manfrotto 718b tripod and a Kata 3N1-20 backpack. Immediately i thought that this set would be perfect for travel use.

I went to the store and fitted my camera (Canon 450D + to the tripod and discovered the tripod to be easily sturdy enough to hold my camera, so that it can't fall over or anything like that. But it wasn't so sturdy that the camera wouldn't shake when i pressed the release button.

Of course, this problem can be solved with a remote release or the trusty old 2 sec timer (which i tried succesfully). But always people say that you should get just about the sturdiest tripod money can buy.

Now why's that? I'm not sure that for travel use i'd much more appreciate carrying a sturdy tripod (which weighs double times more than that 718b) than having the trouble of using a remote release (with a light tripod) every time i take a long exposure picture.

Am i missing something here? I've never owned a tripod so please tell me what would you do?

My camera + lens weighs about 1kg / 2,2lb or less (depending on the lens i use)

Thanks!

 

[Overread]

Heavy and more sturdy tripods give you a more solid base, this is important for a number of different reasons:

1) using heavy (often telephoto) lenses. A stronger heavier base is needed to help avoid having a very topheavy setup, which would be unstable and introduce shake to the setup

2) wind countering - again a heavier more solid base is not going to wabble as much in the wind, something that landscape photographers fear on longer exposures when in more exposed shooting conditions (side if hill).

Of course portabilty is also a very key consideration, a massivly heavy and stable tripod is fine if your driving to your shooting location and not carrying it very far (or carrying lots of other stuff as well) - however it becomes a heavy doorstop very quickly if your having to walk long distances to get to your shooting location, possibly with a lot of other gear as well (or if you have to lug it around public transport).

Also most tripods have a hook underneath them towhich you can attach a bag with weights (or say a camera bag stuffed full of stuff) so that you can have a heavier base and often this is used by people who do have longer distances to travel and don't want to have to carry a very heavy set of legs as well as rucksack and more

 

[dxqcanada]

Buying a travel tripod is a difficult thing ... it has to be sturdy enough to keep the camera steady ... it has to be light/small enough to travel with.

I have always gone with the sturdy side.
I have a small travel tripod (Cullman Magic) ... it is really handy for it's size but it has limitations.
I have picked up a Manfrotto 190 with a large ball head as a compromise.

 

[Mr. Murmeli]

Thanks for the advice!

I kinda meant that this 718B would be only for trave use and i'd get later a sturdier one for everything else. But i guess this tripod isn't sufficient even for travel use...