What cheap tripod would yous recommend?

[Aakajx]

I'm searching for a cheapish tripod that works well..

What tripod would you recommend?

 

[pixmedic]

i wouldn't recommend a cheap tripod at all if you are going to put anything more than a point and shoot camera on it.
if you are on a budget, look for a used tripod in a good name brand like manfrotto, gitzo, velbon, vanguard....im sure there are others.

 

[Rick58]

i wouldn't recommend a cheap tripod at all if you are going to put anything more than a point and shoot camera on it.
if you are on a budget, look for a used tripod in a good name brand like manfrotto, gitzo, velbon, vanguard....im sure there are others.

Yeah, that's a little like asking for the cheapest handgun you can afford. Personally I hate dented filter threads

 

[CMfromIL]

Trust me, you really don't 'want' a cheapie tripod. And this is from a guy who had one. They suck. And I sure as heck wouldn't trust it to hold any type of DSLR. I know it seems like an area to cut a cost corner, but you will pay for it.

 

[Overread]

The cheap tripods you see on the market are typically all the same design just different manufacturer labels.

Pros:

1) Cheap

2) Lightweight construction makes them easy to carry around - you can even carry the camera with the tripod attached without any problems (I used to go round the zoo with my rebel and 70-300mm with a tripod attached the whole time with no problems).

3) They can hold an entry level DSLR with a kit lens or something light like a 50mm f1.8 - 70-300mm - 18-150mm.

Cons:
1) They are poorly built - the lever for locking the up and down motions of the tripod head can unscrew from its holding very easily and if done the nut inside drops out into the plastic casing (sealed). As a result you can very easily end up with a tripod head that you can't lock - had this happen to 3 of the ones my family has owned over the years.

2) They have a limited lowest height - because of the leg construction being so light they gain strength by having a plate that folds down that holds the legs at fixed distances apart - as a result it can only go down so far. This is a major pain if you want to take a lower angled shot.
This leg lock also limits how you can position them on uneven ground.

3) They are lightweight (wait wasn't this a bonus a moment ago!) which means that whilst they can hold and support a light camera; they are also not ideal to be left free-standing. Sure if you're within arms reach you're fine but I'd not be confident leaving one to freestand (esp in wind or on uneven ground).

4) The head is fixed; this means its a 3 way head only. On good tripods the head is a separate part which allows you to choose the right head for your style and situation. You might want a ball head - a 3 way - or others to suit your needs.

Overall they are ok - but if you want a tripod you'll really like and enjoy using get a good one. A Manfrotto series tripod is a good starting point and they've several budget ranges on the market. Failing that hit up ebay and find a second hand one - the second hand price of an older tripod is often quite low and the only downside is that you might end up with a heavier one (heavy isn't a bad thing though as that helps a lot with increasing stability).

At the end of the day a tripod shouldn't be cheap ; cheap tripods work but they introduce a lot of compromises that can be dangerous to the health of your camera (falling over is bad) and their limited leg adaptability restricts where and how you can shoot.

 

[480sparky]

I recommend a brand called Save Yo Money.

 

[KmH]

To me, a 'cheap' tripod set of tripod legs costs less than $150.00, and that doesn't count the cost for a tripod head.

What does 'cheap' mean to you?

If a tripod is not stable, it fails as a tripod.

So, it boils down to you can only have 2 of the 3 following tripod attributes in any tripod:

cheap
lightweight
stable

In other words, a cheap tripod that is also lightweight will not be stable.
A lightweight tripod that is also stable will not be cheap.
A stable and cheap tripod will not be lightweight.

 

[Bossy]

If you search Amazon, most of them have a ton of reviews. Anything for 20 bucks is going to make your life harder, and thats coming from someone who uses a stack of books or whatever she can find nearby in place of a tripod.

 

[Derrel]

Dolica seems like the current best-of-breed in the inexpensive tripod game. Products - Tripods and Monopods - Dolica

You know, if tripods were automobiles, then almost every single TPF driver would as a matter of status, drive a Bentley on the weekends, and would have a nice Rolls-Royce as his drive-to-work car.

My God...not everybody needs a $1,300 Gitzo tripod. Or a $1,500 Hermes purse. Or a pair of $3,000 Swarovski binoculars. Or a $34,900 Phase One digital back.

 

[snowbear]

By the time you buy a couple of cheap tripods (the first one and replacements for when they break) you could have waited and gotten a quality tripod in the first place.

 

[wyogirl]

I second the Dolica brand. I have the Proline and I like it. My heaviest setup is about 6lbs

 

[Bossy]

I heart you Derrel!
Look, its even cheaper on Amazon
Amazon.com: Dolica AX620B100 62-Inch Proline Tripod and Ball Head: Camera & Photo

You can't beat that.

 

[Derrel]

Same with cars....wait a few years and skip the Hondas or the Toyotas or God forbid, the Fords...Hold out for the Rolls-Royce....do without a car, until you can get the best! You know, something that will not embarrass you at the country club!

 

[480sparky]

............You know, if tripods were automobiles, then almost every single TPF driver would as a matter of status, drive a Bentley on the weekends, and would have a nice Rolls-Royce as his drive-to-work car............

Not me. I would drive my Ford E-250 because that's what does the job for me. I would then drive my Ford Ranger for personal use because that what does the job for me. I don't buy vehicles based solely on the exhorbitantly high sticker prices.... I choose vehicles based on their ability to perform a certain function. I don't drive a Chevy Volt for work because it just isn't up to the task.

 

[tirediron]

Tripods are a great thing to buy used! I've bought most of mine through Craig's List or similar 'sites and you can typically find good quality gear for less than half of new. In my area a nice set of Manfrotto 055 legs and a 079 head can be found for $100 - 125.