Tripods

[DustyJL]

Looking for a good tripod under 100. What should I look for in a tripod? I need something that will support telephoto lenses.

 

[Kodan_Txips]

100 pounds? 100 dollars?

I saw a Manfrotto iin town recently at 70 pounds that looked splendid, and it seemed to come with a ball and socket head, but it didnt seem to have a quick release plate.

I like tripods that have a quick release plate, don't use those twist grip rings to hold the legs firm when extended, and don't have that sort of floating tripod of struts comig out from the bottom of the central column. I like a ball and socket head, and I hate tripods with a silly racking system to slowly wind the central column up and dowm. I have never understood why they do that - maybe it is for tracking shots for Industrial Light and Magic wannabes?

I have seen the tripod that I really want, and suspect that you would feel the same way about it. Unfortunately it is about 500 dollars, more than all 4 of my cameras cost me in total.

I will look for the model I saw at 70 pounds, and post a link in a minute.

 

[Kodan_Txips]

I think it was this one, but the price in the shop was less, so check the price where you are.

http://hiltonphotographic.co.uk/products/details/150.html

 

[Rob]

I'd throughly recommend going for something less fancy (expensive) than a Manfrotto for your budget (regardless of currency). I use a second-hand 1970's Velbon aluminium tripod, which was expensive in it's day, but offers no modern features - it doesn't have a ball head or quick release plate or twist locks which don't work. Consequently, it doesn't fall apart.

It's the only thing I've found for less than 50 (any currency ) which will safely hold about 5Kg of Canon or Nikon. Don't forget to use the lens tripod mount rather than the body, as you don't want too much turning force applied to the base of the camera. Avoid cheapo modern plastic/carbon fibre tripods - they'll either collapse, or twang themselves over. Not to mention shaking in the breeze. That Manfrotto in the link above would fall over sideways with a big telephoto attached - it's a lightweight tripod for digital cameras.

There's kind of a picture of it on the Nikon F3 review on the site below, it's the silver tripod visible in some of the pictures.

There is a downside to my lovely tripod - you don't want to carry it anywhere far. It does double as a handy self-defence weapon of convenience though.

Rob
p.s. how about a mono-pod?

 

[Kodan_Txips]

Hee hee. Rob mention a self defence tripod, I recently posted somewhere that I would use my old MD 100-200 long zoom to beat up on muggers.

A new martial art is born: Fuji-do, the way of the zoom? AiKodako, the path of the open tripod?

Ain't real cameras wonderful?

 

[KevinR]

I have been really pleased with my Bogen. I did a quick search on Ebay and found the same one I use.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=30094&item=3874754317&rd=1

The head is a little of a pain and I ended up replacing it with a ball head that has a quick release. The only other thing I did with it is I do alot of shooting in the winter and the aluminum legs get really cold, so I put a peice of foam pipe insulation on one of the legs.

Hope this helps.

 

[SWFLA1]

Before I bought my Bogen, I used a Slik U-212 Deluxe.... under $100.00 and built like a rock.... great tripod for the money... imho....