Which tripod for $150

[ToddB]

Ok, so I asked for thoughts on the Gorillapod and realized that it not good for what I want to do. So I have decided to spend a little more money on a tripod. I don't have a ton but I figure that $150 will buy me a decent pod and head and it should serve me well for a few years. I would like to order it in the next few days so it will be here in plenty of time for my trip to San Francisco. I'm going to be ordering from either BHPhoto or Adorama.

So the question is this...You have $150 to spend on a tripod, which one do you get??

 

[usayit]

First question... what is going to be on this tripod?

Small P&S or BIG SLR with HUGE lens.. The most important thing about a tripod is that it is rated to hold your heaviest equipment and then some.

 

[ToddB]

Ah, good point.

My equipment list...
D80
Tamron 28 - 105
Nikkor 70 - 300
Nikkor 50mm

That's it. The biggest it would be holding for now will the the 70 - 300.

 

[JIP]

You might find something here...

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/shop/5138/Tripods_Bogen_Manfrotto_Tripod_Systems.html/bsi/3

 

[ToddB]

Anybody else have suggestions?

I'm kind of leaning towards the 190XB with the 484RC2 ball head.

Anybody have any thoughts on that set up?

 

[JIP]

What body/lenses do you have??? That ballhead seems a little lightweight to me but I have never been a huge fan of them.

 

[ToddB]

My equipment list...
D80
Tamron 28 - 105
Nikkor 70 - 300
Nikkor 50mm

Where can I find ratings on what the head can handle. All the sites seem to only list the capacity of the legs.

Maybe I'm just missing that information.

My reasoning behind the ballhead is that I'm going to be carrying this on my pack and the other heads seem like they would get in the way much more. Again, maybe I'm wrong about that.

I'm beginning to think that I'm over thinking this whole deal.

 

[Don Kondra]

http://www.velbon-tripod.com/sherpa.htm

Very pleased with the 550R..

Cheers, Don

 

[ToddB]

I ended up by ordering the Velbon Ultra Luxi F Tripod with 4-Way Pan Head. The reviews were good and the price and size were good. I should get it this week.

I'll report here after my trip to vacation on it's performance.

Thanks Don for the Velbon suggestion and to everyone else for helping me.

 

[Don Kondra]

You are welcome.

Remember, if you don't post pictures it means the trip didn't happen

Cheers, Don.

 

[ToddB]

Oh, there will be photos to post. You can count on that. They may all be crap, but I'll post them just the same!!

 

[uplander]

Here's what I've been using ...so far so good .

Heaviest load I use right now on it is A Canon 10D with a Canon 100-400 L

 

[ToddB]

OK, so I've been back from my vacation foor a few weeks now and haven't had a chance to post a review of my tripod yet.

I LOVE IT!!!!! It is nice because it is so small when folded and lightweight but it had no problem supporting my D80 with the 70-300 on it.

I haven't gone through the 400+ photos yet to find the good ones but when I do I'll post some of the San Francisco night shots I took. Hopefully they turned out OK.

 

[illunatic54]

I ended up by ordering the Velbon Ultra Luxi F Tripod with 4-Way Pan Head. The reviews were good and the price and size were good. I should get it this week.

I'll report here after my trip to vacation on it's performance.

Thanks Don for the Velbon suggestion and to everyone else for helping me.

Where did you order your velbon tripod?