Tripods???

[wmc1117]

I just recently got my first dslr, which I am really excited about but I am currently just pouring over some photography books to grasp the basics, however I feel some of the shots I want to take are going to need a tripod. Therefore, I was curious what to look for in tripods and what are some good cheap tripods because my budget was greatly depleted with the dslr purchase. Also, any thoughts on the gorillapod?

 

[Josh66]

...Not sure that it can really handle the weight of a DSLR. I think you're going to want a real tripod.

Tripods can get pretty expensive, but I think even a cheap one will perform better than the Gorillapod.

I like the Bogen/Manfrotto tripods, but I'm not sure exactly what your budget is. You should be able to find a decent one for around $100 though. It will certainly be better than the Gorillapod.

 

[blash]

Which shots are you interested in? You might be able to get away with either hand-holding with a high ISO or using a monopod, which is cheaper than a tripod.

Expect to pay $200-$300 on a decent quality tripod. Anything cheaper is most likely low-quality - you get what you pay for.

 

[Big Mike]

I used a cheap ($50) tripod for several years. It's not ideal but it got the job done.

Whatever you get, I recommend one with a quick release plate so that you can quickly attach or detach the camera from the tripod head.

 

[TUX424]

The gorilla pod people came out with a DSLR gorilla pod that might be worth checking out. HERE

 

[Do'Urden's Eyes]

i bought two cheaper tripods ($30-60) before i realized they were crap and not nearly as solid as my manfrotto 190X ProB (around 250-300). You'll end up spending more money buying into cheaper ones and then going for a decent one than you will just going straight to a decent one.

 

[Big Mike]

Just last week I bought a Manfrotto 190 Pro tripod with nice ball head...for $20 at a garage sale

 

[wmc1117]

I was just curious, what qualities differentiate a good tripod versus a bad one? If anyone could provide me with some names to look into, or companies that would be great

 

[ANDS!]

I was just curious, what qualities differentiate a good tripod versus a bad one? If anyone could provide me with some names to look into, or companies that would be great

It really depends on what you intend to use the tripod for and WHERE you will be using the tripod. If all you are doing is taking an occassional HDR photograph, and just need something to rest the dSLR on - then the cheap variety WILL suffice.

However, once you start taking that tripod out in slightly dicey weather situations, and see the thing swaying back and forth, or notice the shot is off-tilt, and no way you place the tripod will level it up - thats when you want to look at a more premium tripod solution.

For me the BEST "entry" level tripod (that has enough utility to last you for awhile) is the Manfrotto 190XDB/486RC2 Ballhead combination - about 170 bucks on Amazon, might be cheaper elsewhere. The ballhead comes with a quick release plate (not all do), and is a damn slick piece of hardware. Still kind of pricey, but you'll be hard pressed to find a better deal that last as long or is as rugged.

 

[PushingTin]

I started off with a really cheapie tripod and i battled with the thing, everything was so tight and akward. Eventually landed giving it away and bought myself a Manfrotto 190XProb and a 222 Grip - never looked back since.

I have a gorillapod for DSLR as well but I only use that for travelling where I cant take my main tripod with me. Its good for certain applications but I would recommend it as an addition rather than a primary tripod.

 

[Big Mike]

I don't think anyone has mentioned this yet...

When it comes to tripods there are at least three main characteristics;

1. Light Weight
2. Good Stability
3. Reasonable Price

When choosing a tripod, you can only have two of the three.

 

[Dao]

Just last week I bought a Manfrotto 190 Pro tripod with nice ball head...for $20 at a garage sale

WHAT??? you are lucky!

 

[Big Mike]

I spotted it at this garage sale, the price tag said $25. I offered $20 (that was all the cash I had) and the lady didn't want to go for it at first. In fact, she said that it was her husband's and her wanted to get $50 for it. She tried to call him on her cell, but when she couldn't get him, she said something like "he's not the one freezing his ass off out here, you can have it for $20".

Even if she wouldn't have moved on the price, I would have come back with $25.

They are the old (maybe original) 190 legs. Actually, I already had exactly the same legs, only with a short centre column because when I got that one, the original column had been wrecked. So now I have two

 

[KmH]

A good tripod can be used in many ways from very close to the ground to higher than your eye when you're standing.

Stability is the most important feature of a tripod.

I look for:

• Padded leg grips (3)
• a minimum of 3 lockable positions for splaying the legs
• a reversable, rotating center column
• a leg extension system that is self cleaning and well sealed
• feet of both rubber and metal spikes
• a hook to hang weight from to increase stability
• and a weight capacity at least 2X the most weight I expect the legs to handle or right about 20lbs of capacity.

I use a variety of heads both Ball and Pan/Tilt.

I highly recommend Giottos Tripod legs based on value for the dollar. I consider the minimum acceptable to be the Giottos MT Series.

You can look over Giottos product line at www.giottos.com

 

[sween]

I have a Bogen-Manfrotto legs and both ball and pan-tilt heads. Sorry, I don't have model numbers on any three pieces and I'm too lazy to go and dig the thing out right now. I bought the outfit roughly ten years ago and while it's really solid and well-crafted, it's also heavy, which is why it needs to be dug out from where it's collecting dust. It was a B&H buy and probably then cost around $190.

My thoughts may run counter to prevailing conventional wisdom on the importance of tripods. I simply don't think that they are THAT crucial to your photography. Sorry, I simply do not, at least for my personal applications. FWIW, I worked with a pro photog about three weeks ago on a shoot and he was using a $30 'pod that I think he said came from WalMart, or was it KMart? No kidding. He said he had no use for anything more expensive, he'd rather put this money into something else.

I'd say anything that will reliably support your camera's weight is adequate, but that is, again, solely my opinion. And the weight of the tripod is even more important. I did some hiking a month or so ago and although I could easily see the advantage of a tripod, the thought of lugging mine along just didn't work for me.

What's about the lightest you can get nowadays? I wouldn't mind knowing. Thanks!