tripod advice

hot shot · Jun 25, 2006

right decided to get a new tripod
the criteria are

got to be light ish
need to ither be able to turn the mount up side down so the camera hangs between the legs or for it to have a pivot arm
need to be cheepish as im a student and have no money :lmao:

so what you ya recomend
Cheers

Torus34 · Jun 25, 2006

First, 'lightish' is not a good thing. Your enemy is vibration. That's why you use a tripod -- to ensure freedom from motion. Mass (weight) soaks up vibration. Nothing else does. That includes fancy advertising.

Next, look for one with enough height so that you don't have to squat. If you're using a twin lens reflex, your viewpoint is 'belly button' and your tripod can be small. If you use a through-the-lens rig, the tripod must be much taller. Look for good, solid locks on the elevator section (which should be reversable) and on the horizontal and vertical head movements.

I use an old Star D. It's heavy. But lugging it is worth it. When I hit the cable release, I know that I'm getting the absolute best my rig can give me. That pays in full for the weight and the nuisance of lugging it around.

Obadiah · Jun 26, 2006

hot shot said:
right decided to get a new tripod
the criteria are

got to be light ish

need to ither be able to turn the mount up side down so the camera hangs between the legs or for it to have a pivot arm

need to be cheepish as im a student and have no money :lmao:

so what you ya recomend
Cheers

I agree with the other response about weight. A cheap tripod (as with any cheap equipment) is usually a waste of money. I've been using a Slik U-212 for the past 25 years, and it has everything you could wish for in a tripod. More recently, because I cannot always carry a large tripod, I bought a mini-tripod from Wal-Mart, figuring I could set it on a wall or something. It does extend up to a decent height and is very light, but the camera mount leaves a whole lot to be desired. It actually flops up and down, just a fraction of an inch, but it flops. Okay, so it only cost $14.95 but you get what you pay for. So far it has worked for me but on a windy day? Forget it!

bytch_mynickname · Jun 26, 2006

Can someone recommend a specific tripod? I started out with a cheap one from Walmart :lol:

, it broke within a week of having it. I wasn't expecting much out of it but it was quick and easy to get and I wanted one then instead of waiting for me to order one somewhere. After it broke, I got a Sunpak 200I from Amazon, again not expecting much and it is actually not as bad as I thought it would be but, it is so freakin' short, I didn't bother to look at the max height. I am going to send it back and I want to get a good one this time.

I know I am not going to get anything spectacular for a cheap price but I would like to stay as cheap as I can to get a decent tripod. I don't want to spend hundreds of dollars. Any ideas? I am not real big on the 'extras' like being able to invert the camera upside down. I just want a sturdy tripod. Thanks

hot shot · Jun 26, 2006

i dont need the hight its more the lack of hight that i need.
was lookin at this sort of thing as they look stable and will give me the angle i want

the blub for them reads
"Constructed in Britain, the award winning UNI-LOC range of products caters for both the professional and amateur photographer and videographer.
The single curved bolt and locking lever allows independent movement of each tripod leg and centre column, allowing the tripod to be locked into almost any position. The result is an extremely rigid tripod, versatile enough to be used on the most uneven terrain. Constructed from rigid aluminium alloy tubing and high impact nylon moulding, the tripods incorporate fully sealed lower leg sections with tough spiked feet, making them equally at home in the studio environment as well as inhospitable outdoors, immersed in mud and water. The UNI-LOC range of tripods is divided into two series - the Standard series and the System series."

oppions ?
as for weight i already lug around 3kg with me and i have a dodgy lower back so dont want to be luggin round another kg in the from of a tripod

Big Mike · Jun 26, 2006

Looks like it will do the job...but I've never seen a "Uni-loc" so I can't vouch for quality etc.

Look into Slik, or Manfrotto/Bogen for good quality.

If you want sturdy and light...Carbon fibre is the way to go...however, those can be really expensive. If you want to go with something less expensive...you will probably get either heavy & sturdy...or light but not so sturdy.

DepthAfield · Jun 26, 2006

The description of the UNI-LOC looks and sounds remarkably like my Benbo Trekker. I can’t speak for the UNI-LOC, but the Trekker is essentially useless for anything but a point ‘n shoot, it simply isn’t sturdy enough. A “feature” of both the Benbo and UNI-LOC is the independently swiveling legs… Meaning all three legs can rotate 360 degrees, which sounds better in theory, than it works in practice. Given enough time, one can manipulate those rotating legs into a suitable platform, but forget about trying to accomplish this quickly. Also forget about adjusting this type of tripod with the camera attached… Loosen the 'locking lever' and the weight of the camera usually causes the center-most leg to rocket skywards, while your camera accelerates toward the dirt.

Big Mike is on the money with his suggestion to stick with Slik and Manfrotto. Gitzo is also a quality ‘pod, but rather expensive.

I would go to the manufacturers’ website; find the model that meets your specifications and then look on Ebay for a used specimen. A quality tripod will never wear out, so buying used is a safe bet.

hot shot · Jun 26, 2006

ok cheers for that depthafeild
so would i be able to invert the center post (so it hangs between the legs) as this would be the main use of the "POD" . the reasons for needing to do this are i recently damaged my back in a high speed karting accednt and can no longer lay on the floor with my back at 45 degrees to the horizontal with out lots of shaking and pain.

sergestions

Cheerz