Tripod: What should I look for in online shopping

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I need a much better tripod, but I'm not sure of how much better, and I don't know which feature names fit the solutions to my existing issues.

Most of my issues are in smooth adjustment.

I have a Sunpack 6630LX tripod. It weighs just over 2 pounds. Light weight is great, but I expect I can't get decent features without going way up in weight, and I'd prefer function to light weight.

This one goes up to 66 inches. A few inches higher would be nice.

The overwhelming issue is adjustment. In each of three dimensions, fine adjustment is nearly impossible. Locking down the adjustment enough that it doesn't move on its own takes a fair amount of force, especially for the tilt (portrait vs. landscape dimension) and shooting angle up or down. But after loosening (for any of the three motions) actually adjusting is still pretty sticky and very hard to adjust a little. The whole structure flexes a bit elastically during adjustment. There is no practical way to release your firm grip before tightening in the new position, then as you let go, the amount it elastically returns can be a surprise. For the basic aim, unless I'm on very uneven ground, I find it easier to move the whole tripod than to adjust it.

5 seconds is plenty to damp out all motion when I let go after pressing the shutter, and it holds quite steady even in a moderate breeze. It is such a flimsy structure, I'm actually impressed it holds so well. But I need to have much less frustration in changing the exact direction in which it holds.

With my only point of reference this cheap and flimsy, I don't know how to compare features, such as ball joint vs. two separate hinge directions. What parts need to be metal and how do you tell online which parts are metal?
 
What camera do you shoot with? What's its weight? What type of pictures do you shoot? (ie landscape, portraits, etc.) Do you shoot in both dimensions like landscape and portrait? CAn you live with a center column or would prefer not to use one?
 
Sony a7 iii
I don't take many shots of people, but otherwise varied: landscape and portrait orientation of the camera, scenery photos, gardening photos, macro. I expect to buy a heavy telephoto lens, but haven't yet, though the lens I have and the second one on order aren't exactly light.

What is right/wrong about a center column?

I was considering the "VICTIV Camera Tripod 81 inches Monopod". The monopod configuration probably has no value to me, but the invertible center column (to hold the camera very low to the ground) would be a nice feature for gardening photos. But I still don't know enough about what other features are good/bad.
 
Well, some people don't like the center column because it's not as stable as using a taller tripod with no column. Of course, the tradeoff is you can fold away a smaller tripod with a center column easier for travel.

There are a lot of good recommendation videos on Youtube and articles you can google that explain how to select the tripod for your needs. Also, the head is just as important. Whatever you do, don't go cheap. A solid tripod has always given me solid pictures without movement. And you'll use it for life if it's well built while upgrading and replacing your cameras many times.
 
With respect, I'd stick to known brand names. Why? Parts, service, repair options are usually unavailable for off-brand tripods and heads. Have a look at Manfrotto legs and heads. Frankly, reversed center columns aren't really very useful for ground-level shots. I use a Manfrotto Super Clamp with a small ballhead on a tripod leg.
 
A tripod that can do everything, can't do everything well. A Jack of all trades, is a master of none.
I have several tripods; Large Format (4x5), small format (35mm/FF and smaller), and travel.

I would not put my 4x5 on any but my BIG tripod.
But I also would not carry that BIG tripod more than 100 feet from my car. It is too heavy to lug around.

My travel tripod has to fit into my suitcase, and not take up too much space. To do that, there is compromise in height and stability.

For my home tripods, similar to Alan, I measure my tripod height with the center column DOWN, for max stability.
For my travel tripod, it is a compromise, so I have to use the center column.

re: your tripod slipping issue.
The camera+lens has to balance on the tripod. If it is front heavy, it WILL sag, and you have to crank TIGHT on the elevation lock. If the off balanced weight is too great, you will NOT be able to lock the elevation.
As you elevate or depress the angle of the camera on the tripod, the balance will change as the center of gravity moves away from the vertical axis of the tripod, so you run into that problem again. If you don't rebalance your camera+lens, you again have to crank TIGHT on the elevation lock.

If you shoot in "portrait" orientation , flipping the head over, will move the center of gravity of the camera to the side of the tripod head. This then places a strain on those controls to keep the flipped camera level.
I suggest getting a L-plate for your camera, and an Arca/Swiss clamp for the tripod.
This allows you to put the camera in portrait orientation, and keep the center of gravity of the camera over the tripod.

What @cgw said is important, especially for easily lost parts, like the QR plate.
On tripods with removable QR plates, if you lose the QR plate and cannot find a replacement, the tripod becomes a useless piece of junk. I know a teacher who had a brand-X tripod. The QR plate is missing, but he could not bring himself to throw out the tripod. So the tripod sat useless, in the corner of the room.
If you have something like a Manfrotto, if you lose the QR plate, you can buy a replacement, and use it again.


Finally we get to heads.
Some tripods have a non-removable head, so you are stuck with that head.
The better tripods have a 3/8 inch stud, onto which you can attach your choice of heads.

There are several different head types; 3-way pan, ball, geared, gimbal, fluid, video, etc. Each head type has a particular purpose, strength and weakness.
Like a tripod, there isn't a universal head. Which is why I have several different heads.
For ME the closest to a universal head, is a 3-way pan head.
Some people like one type, and others hate that type.
You have to determine what head works best for YOU and how/what YOU shoot.
 
I've been using a Velbon Sherpa 400R for about 7 years or so. I think it's great and really very stable. I'll also point out that a lot of photographers prefer a sturdier tripod, by someone like Gizto, Manfrotto etc.

But IME pbotograhers have a habit of over specifying this equipment. Sure, if you are shooting with long primes it's not the tripod for you, but it will hold a gripped camera with a 4.3 lb lens just fine using a tripod collar.
 
I use a Manfrotto Caron Fibre tripod with a Carbon Fibre gimbal head- very solid - be they a tad expensive- lasts a lifetime and very reliable

Les :)
 
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I've wrote a lot about tripods here .. There are certainly a lot of good brands and lot of good tripods .. If you want a super-stable tripod, I can suggest (based on my experience) this or this legs ++ you will need some ballhead (I have this) .. 3-section alu legs will give you unmatched stability however the tripod will be a bit bigger while folded (I am attaching a tripod to the side of my backpack and I have to admit there's a difference Vs my other smaller tripod but not that bad)

read my previous post if you wish .. I suggest a sturdy 3-section tripod which is also bit higher .. my tripods are:

1) Manfrotto MT190X3 + MHXPRO-BHQ6 - 2.5kg set, 69cm folded with ballhead attached
2) Manfrotto MT190GOC4 + MHXPRO-BHQ6 - 1.85kg set, 55cm folded with ballhead attached (I share same ballhead for both)
3) Travel tripod - 1kg with ballhead, 33cm folded, fits into my messenger bag

I use a tripod #1 85%+ of my use for landscapes mostly, tripod #3 10% for travels or when I go lightweight and sadly my best tripod #2 (at least based on price) in less then 5% because somehow I prefer a higher and more sturdy and stable tripod for a little more weight and bigger size when folded and also I prefer more a flip locks rather than twist locks
 
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I need a much better tripod, but I'm not sure of how much better, and I don't know which feature names fit the solutions to my existing issues.

Most of my issues are in smooth adjustment.

With my only point of reference this cheap and flimsy, I don't know how to compare features, such as ball joint vs. two separate hinge directions. What parts need to be metal and how do you tell online which parts are metal?
You will probably eventually have several tripods in your kit. I have three. My cheap lightweight one (a Sunpak) will fit into a smallish gear bag, so it is easy to carry.

My intermediate tripod (Velbon) is still fairly easy to carry to and from the car, but there is hardly any point in getting a bag in which to carry it.

My heavy tripod (Gitzo) is very sturdy, but it is not something I wish to cart around much. The Gitzo is so strong that it will hold my weight so any camera and lens combo is easily held on it.

I have a tilt/pan head (not removable) on the Sunpak, and a T/P head on the Velbon, and a ball head on the Gitzo.

Your issue of "stickyness" is probably due to high manufacturing tolerances in low-end gear. A higher quality head will give you a smooth adjustment and will not flex as you let go.

Take a good hard look at what kind of photography you do and match the tripod to the task. Shop for a used but well made tripod to save money. Tripods usually last a long time if well cared for. Both my upper-scale tripods were purchased as used.
 
I ordered that "VICTIV Camera Tripod 81 inches Monopod" I mentioned before. It is arriving Friday. It is cancellable if I suddenly get better info (features/issues etc., rather than "buy expensive name brand because it's worth it"). It is returnable if it flexes like my Sunpak or sticks during adjustment like my Sunpak.

My heavier and more expensive lens 105mm arrived today. So my camera will be even more unbalanced on a tripod. One part I want to get soon but delayed do to the difficulty of shopping while ignorant, is the slide (forget what is is properly called) for adjusting the camera backward from the center of the tripod. For ordinary shots that will deal with the balance issue. But I also want it for panoramas, where I think the balance issue will be reversed: I think I need to rotate the camera on an axis near the front of a heavy lens. Assuming that rotation is in the head of the tripod, that tripod head will be resisting an unbalance pulling the camera body down relative to the front of the lens.

If I'm using the center column of the tripod and if flex in that center column is the balance issue, I guess I would need to stack in a second rotation layer. But until I have various parts in hand, I'm just flying blind. Using less or none of the center column is more likely for panoramas anyway, if I stick with such a tall tripod.

Feel free to advise, but preferable more specific on issues and solutions, rather than just "buy expensive".
 
Frankly, I don't buy a single expensive tripod, because, a Jack of all Trades, is a master of none.
I have several tripods, each for a different set of requirements, with a different purpose that the other cannot fill.
But they have to do the job. So "cheap/flimsy" is not an option.

re balancing your camera+lens
Use a long Arca Swiss rail attached to your camera or lens, that is aligned with your lens.
Then you slide the AS rail in the AS clamp on your tripod, to balance the camera+lens on the tripod.
Remember, if you tilt the camera, you change the center of gravity and balance, and have to re-balance the setup.

If you have a HEAVY lens, I hope the lens has a tripod mount attached to it.
 
Then you slide the AS rail in the AS clamp on your tripod,
Thankyou. For most of the rails and/or nodal sliders I looked at online, I was trying to figure out what adjusts and/or what connects to what. For some of them, I was guessing, but unsure that it adjusted as you described.

My new lens is heavier than the 28-70 zoom that came with the camera. But it isn't "Heavy" and does not have a tripod mount.

While I want to use a nodal slide to find the axis for panorama rotation (as well as later to use that way), I'd actually like to roughly measure that before selecting the slide to buy. I just realized a lazy susan (which I have lying around) should do a decent job of finding that axis.

All the online descriptions of finding that axis show that axis behind the sensor. So I guess some lenses act that way, so the lack of balance would be increased, rather than reversed if that is the case. I'm pretty sure my 28-70 zoom has that axis near the front of the lens (will soon find out for sure). But I haven't tried the new one enough to even guess, and I'll test that one with a lazy susan as well.

Edit:
I did the super crude measure using my new "Sigma 105mm f/2.8 DG DN Macro Art Lens"
The weight balance is about 2.1 inches forward of the camera's tripod mount point. The panorama axis is about 2.4 inches forward of the same reference. So the panorama adjustment will reverse the direction it is unbalanced. But mostly it will reduce the lack of balance.

With my FE 3.5-5.6/28-70 zoom lens, the weight balance is about .4 inches forward and the panorama balance (surprisingly close to the same point for both 28 and 70) is about 4.3 forward, which is very near the front of the lens.

So the lighter lens is the one that will have the balance problem for panorama.

I'll need the nodal slide to actually be accurate with any of this. I measured to 0.1 inch on each thing, but the method likely had over 0.1 inch error on each measurement, very possibly 0.5 inch error on some.
 
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Thankyou. For most of the rails and/or nodal sliders I looked at online, I was trying to figure out what adjusts and/or what connects to what. For some of them, I was guessing, but unsure that it adjusted as you described.

My new lens is heavier than the 28-70 zoom that came with the camera. But it isn't "Heavy" and does not have a tripod mount.

While I want to use a nodal slide to find the axis for panorama rotation (as well as later to use that way), I'd actually like to roughly measure that before selecting the slide to buy. I just realized a lazy susan (which I have lying around) should do a decent job of finding that axis.

All the online descriptions of finding that axis show that axis behind the sensor. So I guess some lenses act that way, so the lack of balance would be increased, rather than reversed if that is the case. I'm pretty sure my 28-70 zoom has that axis near the front of the lens (will soon find out for sure). But I haven't tried the new one enough to even guess, and I'll test that one with a lazy susan as well.

The long AS rail is simply an easy cobbled together idea.
Where it won't work is if a LARGE lens diameter puts the lowest part of the lens below the bottom of the camera. Then it will hit the rail.

I've not done panos using a nodal point, so determining the nodal point is something that I have not looked into.

If the nodal point is behind the camera, you have to add a balancing weight to the back of the rail, so that the camera+lens is balanced on the tripod, or you will have issues with locking the elevation.
 

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