Tripod advice

[charlie76]

So I just got my Nikon D7000 in the mail...it is unreal. My first digital SLR after years of film. Now I need a great tripod that will last me forever with this great camera. What should I be looking for. Please gimme some good advice, pros. I need to start using a lower ISO on this digital thing!!!

 

[Buckster]

Just for giggles, I used the site's advanced search feature to find threads with the word "tripod" in the title, in "Lighting Equipment & Products" or "Lighting and Hardware". It found 140 threads asking essentially the same question: Which Tripod?

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/search.php?searchid=1379534

I don't know how long that link will be good for, but it's pretty easy to work the search engine if it expires.

Anyway, since you didn't give any parameters, like budget, needs, wants, desires, intended use, etc., I'll assume you just want "the best", so just get the most expensive Gitzo carbon fiber currently being made, plus a selection of equally expensive Gitzo heads for various purposes; a ball, a gimbal; a macro rail, etc., and be sure that they'll all hold the biggest body and lens there is, just in case you ever have an opportunity to put those on it someday, and it should "last you forever". :thumbup:

 

[table1349]

Read this: Tripods and Ball Heads by Thom Hogan

 

[charlie76]

Just for giggles, I used the site's advanced search feature to find threads with the word "tripod" in the title, in "Lighting Equipment & Products" or "Lighting and Hardware". It found 140 threads asking essentially the same question: Which Tripod?

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/search.php?searchid=1379534

I don't know how long that link will be good for, but it's pretty easy to work the search engine if it expires.

Anyway, since you didn't give any parameters, like budget, needs, wants, desires, intended use, etc., I'll assume you just want "the best", so just get the most expensive Gitzo carbon fiber currently being made, plus a selection of equally expensive Gitzo heads for various purposes; a ball, a gimbal; a macro rail, etc., and be sure that they'll all hold the biggest body and lens there is, just in case you ever have an opportunity to put those on it someday, and it should "last you forever". :thumbup:

Thanks a ton Buckster...that's great info. I'm a firm believer in spending at least 20% above what I actually have

 

[pgriz]

Charlie, that should be no problem if you use one of those budget stretchers. Yours for only $199 via Paypal. Shipping is guaranteed. Returns not accepted. And all the complaints are due to user error.

Ah, cut Buckster some slack. He's right, we get lots of queries on this exact subject. And the answer is the same as the one asking what's the BEST lens? As in, "it depends". Now, if you have been using film, you probably have already been using a tripod. No?
I'm curious - from your initial post, it seems you are using high ISO. Why? What are you shooting that requires high ISO? What will change if you get a tripod?