Can anybody recommend a tripod?

[Ben1989]

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping somebody can point me in the right direction for a good tripod for night photography for under £35/$50?

I've bought this and received it today. To me it seems quite 'flimsy' and easy to create a tiny vibrations which obviously is not ideal but it's my first tripod so I'm not sure what to expect from one!

K&F Concept Lightweight Tripod Aluminum Alloy Portable: Amazon.co.uk: Camera & Photo

 

[Derrel]

Small,light, 4-section tripods are useful for setting up a small (under 2kg) rig and snapping a few selfies, or a quick spot of video, or for getting good, repeatable framing/composition, and of course, are light and compact, so they transport easily.

On the other hand, my favorite tripoid has 2-section legs (steel lower, aluminum upper), and weighs 13.3 pounds, plus 1.5 pounds for the ballhead. it is VERY much a PITA to transport, but it goes super low, and is tall, and can support a 20-pound rig on top.

Tripods" Buy USED, from a local-area B&M store, or Craigslist,etc..

Light, compact,rickety, cheap, expensive, sturdy, flimsy, heavy, stable...these attributes are what one chooses from, but not in the same tripod.

The more leg sections? The flimsier, yet more-compact.

"Some tripods" are meant to hold a camera, while "some tripods" are meant to hold a camera rock-steady. There is a place for both types, individually, at different times. if yuo want "steady", look at Manfrotto, Bogen, Gitzo, Slik, some others, and 2- or 3-section and 7- pound tripod weights in aluminium. Also, the heavier the rated weight, the sturdier: a 2-Kg rating indicates light-duty.

 

[Samuel.z]

I started out with a cheap one for 20$. but that one broke within 4 weeks then i got a manfrotto lightweight tripod from my dad that were just laying around(He could have told me that before i bought my first one...). That tripod was in the price range of 70-80$. That one broke after just a few weeks. So i heard from others that investing in a good tripod is important so i bought the manfrotto 550 aluminum.

So the question is will you be doing this much?
If you can afford a more expensive tripod from the start i say go for that. otherwise get a tripod that you can add weights on for a cheap price and start to save up for a quality tripod.

a steady heavy tripod changed the way i shoot and you just don't know how much of a difference it makes before you try it out by yourself.

I doubted the big difference at first too.

I created this thread before it might give you some ideas as well.
Landscape Tripods

 

[Hermes1]

IMHO buying a cheap tripod is false economy. so my recommendation is to buy the best tripod you can afford, even if it means buying used which is not a bad option. Also consider how you will be using it and how much weight it will be expected to hold. For example carbon fiber are typically the lightest tripods, yet the better ones are very stable and they are pricey. If you hike a lot maybe a carbon fiber model would be a good choice, since you will have to lug it around. On the other hand if you won't be carrying it around a lot, or you do not mind carrying the extra weight, there are many very good aluminum models to choose from and they will typically be less expensive. Some very good one's that come to mind, to name a few and ones I have used, are Gitzo, Manfrotto, Tiltall if still made

 

[Trever1t]

someone told me there are three variables. You can have two but never all three. Cheap, Strong, Light

I have a Manfrotto, a very popular unit but I almost never use it.

 

[Derrel]

SNIP> the right direction for a good tripod for night photography for under £35/$50?


I looked at the B&H Photo used tripod section....LOADS of travel tripods, meaning 5- and 4-section, tiny things that collpase down to be stowed within a bag, or lashed to the top or bottom of a camera bag. And not much in your price range.

You MIGHT, if working in urban areas, find that a better solution is something like a camera clamp, or a pair of Vise Grip pliers with the 3/8 x 20 National Coarse thread welded on top, or one of the other types of camera clamps, like a pipe clamp for example, and a sturdy 3-way or ball-head attached to that.

Second: if working in urban environments, I would look at thrift or pawn shops, for older, 2-section tripods in aluminum, or look in some serious camera stores in your general area. Fewer leg sections leads to better stability. Today's lightweight, thin-legged, 4-pound tripods are not the best type of gear for nighttime work, which tends to favor heavier tripods. Today? Many people want a $50, 4-pound pod that they can backpack or lash-carry...I "think" you'd be better off with what many of us would call a "car tripod", maybe something from the 1980's to 1990's period, back before miniaturization ruined the usefulness of so many tripod designs. Bogen, Manfrotto,Slik, Velbon,Tiltall would be some name to look for in older 'pods of this type.

This is a case where some older, no-name, made in Japan tripods from the 1980's or 1990's might be very stable,. and priced in the $35-$60 range US used.

 

[table1349]

The only Light, Sturdy AND Cheap tripods I know of are STOLEN!!!! So unless you are willing to embark on a life of crime, you will either have to settle for a whole lot less or up you budget.

The one way to maximize you budget would to be look for something in the used market, but you will still have to up you budget a decent bit, say to around 100 quid at least.

Also if you use the search function you will find a plethora of threads on what makes for a good tripod.

 

[chuasam]

$50 is barely enough budget for a tripod bag and a plate.
You want a sturdy tripod...start at about $300 (min)

 

[smoke665]

I stumbled in to Ritz Camera one day when this one was on sale. Vanguard Aluminum Tripod With 5 Section Legs And Ball Head - VEO 235AB - RitzCamera.com think it was like $25 off. I love it!!! Comes with a carry case, light weight, easy to set up. The legs spindly look belies how stable it really is. The ability to "flip it over" feature lets you get down close to the ground.

 

[Peeb]

Forgot my tripod for a vacation to the San Francisco area last month- went into best buy and picked up a $20.00 tripod that I considered 'disposable' which pretty much got the job done except for one day when the wind was gusting. That light flimsy thing had NO chance at being stable. Oh well...

Couple of tips if you leave your best tripod home and are stuck with a flimsy tripod:

1) take off your strap- it catches the breeze and promotes shake.
2) use your timer so the act of touching the shutter doesn't induce movement.
3) if you are using telescoping legs, then telescope the larger (more stable) sections first and try to avoid fully extending the tripod.
4) Along the same line of thought: avoid extending the mono-pod mast if at all possible; and most importantly
5) DON'T leave your best tripod home.

 

[bkarasek]

One suggestion, if you are stuck with a flimsy tripod or if the wind picks up, then I hang a weight from the bottom of a center post, anything will do...... a case of beer held in a shirt and the shirt sleeves wrapped around the center of the tripod, any weight that will stabilize the 'pod and and reduce vibrations to a minimum.