Begginer Tripod prices

[jameshaskins]

Hello,

 

Im just getting into black and white landscape photography. I have no

clue what tripods are worth their price. I have a very low budget. On

ebay italy there are lots of ecconomical tripods that go from 15 to

60. They usualy are 60cm min to 175cm max height and weight from 1-2

kilos. But are they just a waist of money? Are there any basic

fondamental characteristics that one of these tripods may be missing?

Ill probably be using a light lens, like the nikon 24 2.8 AI with my

nikon n90s. Thanks for any comments

[snakeroot]

My sixty dollar tripod is a dangerous piece of equipment for me now, but it was bought at a time when I was using smaller equipment and had fewer interests in photography. It may be ok for you.

 

Lots of discussion on tripods and heads on photo.net. Do a search for your model.

 

I use a Gitzo 1348 with a RRS BH55-LR ballhead and a Wimberly Sidekick for my equipment. About a thousand bucks.

[erik_loza]

What budget are you trying to stay within? There are lots of options and I would encourage

you to shoot for a ball head, rather than a pan/tilt one, plus as sturdy a set of legs as you

can afford. When I got started, my first tripod was a set of Bogen legs (3001, I think?) that

cost about $100 and a medium-sized Giotto's ball head (about another $150 and not a

bad head for its price). I'm sure that there are other options in about the same price range,

but the rule of thumb is to buy as much tripod as you can afford. Good luck.

[ShunCheung]

James, fortunately, the Nikon N90s is not a heavy camera and the 24mm/f2.8 is a small lens. Therefore, at this point you can get away with a small, pretty basic tripod. If in the future you move on to wildlife photography with big lenses or larger formats, you'll need to upgrade.

[ian green]

if you're just beginning (trying yourself) imho no need to go $$$$ way<br>

(not to mention low budget)<br>

there's Rekam (canadian?) brand of tripods<br>

quite heavy & sturdy one can be found for about 50$<br>

(sorry cannot give exact model number)

[frank uhlig]

James,

 

you can go out now and buy a tripod for maybe 500 E with a solid head and all sturdy, that will last you for the next 25 years.

 

Or you can rebuy tripods every 5 years starting from a 40 E one today, then a 90 E one, one for 150 E etc etc. One way you pay a fixed amount for eternal use; the other way you buy into more and more junk every so often for - ultimately - three times the price of a forever good tripod.You choose.

 

But then you may be in photography only for 3 years and never get the benefit of the 500 E tripod.

 

Essentially that is your dilemma: to nickel and dime yourself to death, whenever you get a heavier/longer lens/camera ... and the old tripod does not perform its basic function of stability and your pics turn to mush, or to be done with "it".

[jeffrey moore]

Frank got it exactly right. I've always thought that, generally speaking, novice photographers underspend in the area of camera support more so than in any other aspect of the hobby. I can't tell you how many times I run into photographers with several thousand dollars worth of camera and lenses, then mount them on a flimsy, rattling, vibrating, lightweight piece of junk.

 

James, read this before you make a purchase decision: http://www.bythom.com/support.htm

[doug grosjean]

I wouldn't be so quick to say that a small tripod is junk. He's using a small camera and small lens. Where's the problem?

 

Related:

I used a small tripod for about the first 3-5 years of my photography simply because I couldn't carry (or afford) a big one on my motorcycle. My little one is some no-name brand that came from the now-defunct Fotomat chain. About 12" tall when folded down, and about 4" in diameter. Legs were aluminum channel, anodized gold-colored. Might stand 2' tall when all is fully extended. I used it for night scenes and lightning scenes, mostly in the Arizona desert, by using it on top of a boulder or ledge. Or for indoor low-light scenes. Worked well as long as you could compensate for its lack of height and low weight. Not so good in wind, and it was short, but it did work.

 

Here's a shot taken with a Minolta XD-11 (35mm SLR) mounted to it. F5.6 @ 4 minutes on Kodachrome 25. The slide is SHARP.

 

http://www.photo.net/photo/4086911

 

 

I'm guessing that a small tripod that he can afford now, will teach him just how good it is to have a tripod - and he'll buy a good one the next time around, like I did - and he may still find a use now and then for the little one. Hiking and kayaking come to mind - I can't fit a real tripod in my whitewater boat...

 

I still have that little tripod, and still sometimes use it - but not with my MF TLR's.

[greg s]

Slik makes decent tripods for low cost that will easily work for a 24mm lens setup. A cable release is highly recommended, unless you want to use the timer... I always preferred a cable. Cheers, -Greg-

[geowelch]

James, I picked up an old Velbon all metal tripod at a camera show for about $25. It is probably as rigid as the (much) higher priced models. Though not a precision instrument, it works quite well: solid locks on the legs, and extends to 120 cm with the cetre column retracted. I have used it with my freinds Bronica S1 (no lightweight) and it was solid as a rock.

 

The trade-off is weight and protability. The Velbon weighs about 2.25 kg - something like 5 lb. It doesn't sound like much but lugging it around can be a bit of a chore. The point is you can start out with something that will do the job for a lot less than 3 to 4 figures, then move up when cash isn't so tight.

 

George

[briany]

http://www.photo.net/equipment/velbon/343e/

 

I've been pleased with it as well, using a D70 and lighter lenses.

[erik_loza]

Pretty much any tripod and head could work if the camera were always centered right over

the hub and you always shot on level ground. What you're really paying for is it's ability to

deal with weird situations like uneven ground and asymmetrical leg positions, unbalanced

lens/body arrangements, windy conditions, ability to get low, etc. Those are the criteria I

would use to shop with, if it were me.

[._._z]

<u><A href =

http://www.camerahobby.com/Access-Man190-308.htm>

Manfrotto 190</a></u>

[mendonphoto]

If you are still trying out photography in general and don't know if you will stick with it, then definitely don't spend a lot of money on a tripod. Especially if you are not using long lenses, a $20 to $40 tripod will work just fine for the time being and let you get familiar with tripods in general.

 

If you know you are serious about photography, I still might recommend a cheap one to begin with. Honestly, are you going to regret throwing away $30 for a tripod that you only use a year? A cheap tripod will help you know what is important to you (weight, rigidity, extended size, collapsed size, panning ability, 3-way vs. ball head, leg lock types). In my opinion, the worst thing you can do is spend $150 on a tripod that, in the end, isn't what you really want. If you're absolutely set on avoiding the cheapies to begin with, I'd at least recommend trying out a few different models at a camera store (or that belong to your friends). Believe it or not, there are a lot of decisions to make when picking a tripod/head.

[jim_foley4]

I would go with a local Bogen/Manfrotto tripod and ball head. They're made in Italy and they are a good value for the money. A cheap tripod is just that and it won't hold it's value if you decide you don't like it. A good quality Bogen will hold its value and serve you well for many years. Good luck.

 

Jim

[rob_murray]

Since your in Italy, you can surely find Manfrotto tripods to check out. Bogen is the same outfit. I use the 719B digi series for $100 US and it is sturdy, compact, black anodized and includes a decent ball head and shoulder bag.

[kaiblanke]

As the others said, stick with a known brand: Manfrotto, Slik and Velbon are known and available in Europe and pretty good choices. They to not make any bad tripods, only suitable or non-suitable ones. The best would be to try one out at a local dealer. If you are not able to try, buy a higher-spec one from e*ay like a Manfrotto 190, a Velbon 343 or one of the better SLIK series and you will not be disappointed.

[mendonphoto]

<p><i>As the others said, stick with a known brand: Manfrotto, Slik and Velbon are known and available in Europe and pretty good choices. They to not make any bad tripods, only suitable or non-suitable ones.</i></p>

<p>All three of those companies make bad tripods (and good ones).</p>

<p><i>If you are not able to try, buy a higher-spec one from e*ay like a Manfrotto 190, a Velbon 343 or one of the better SLIK series and you will not be disappointed.</i></p>

<p>Not necessarilly true. In fact, in that very same post he warned you against getting a "non-suitable" tripod. For example, a Manfrotto 190 is really not very tall and pretty heavy (although pretty sturdy). And, we haven't even talked about heads, yet, which are at least as important as the tripod. It's best to find out what you need and then buy that.</p>

[lilly_w]

A few other points worth considering...rather than satisfying your near-minimum weight requirements as it relates to the tripod legs supporting your current N90s / 24mm lens, anticipate any other longer 'stuff' you may wish to add in the foreseeable future (longer / heavier lens, flash, ballhead, etc.). <p> If you're spending much time doing tripod work, a quick release clamp (mounted to ballhead) and quick release plate (mounted to tripod socket of N90s) will facilitate mounting / dismounting speed and thus encourage you to shoot more. Mind you the QR clamp and plate are a bit pricey relative to the tripod alone. As for center columns, while a long one gives the obvious additional height, it will likely impede your ability to spread the legs flat and get the N90s close to the ground. Incidentally, a ballhead will add approx 3-5ﾔ of height. Height is rarely a problem whereas low-clearance is; I suggest a short column. As for inverting the center column and working w/ an inverted camera close to the ground...it works in a pinch but its nothing you'd want to do on a regular basis. <p> I know the tripod manufacturers sell 4-segment legs like they're going out of fashion but I find the three to be more advantageous; 1) all things being equal, one less leg-joint ensures greater rigidity and 2) three fewer knobs or leg-clamps, in the interest of speed, to fiddle w/ while deploying / collapsing the 'pod...but may not be as compact as a 4-segment set of legs. Take your time to properly evaluate your needs for legs and head alike lest you find yourself w/ a second tripod a year or two from now.

[laurie_m]

Started out with an inexpensive Slik pan tilt. Less than a year later, upgraded to a heavier duty Slik with pistol grip head. Next, a hefty but heavy Bogen and really heavy duty ball head (way too heavy for hiking but very sturdy). Now, I finally got it right. A CF Gitzo,Arca Swiss ball head, Really Right Stuff L plate. I still use my old aluminum legs when shooting at the beach since that one's already suffering from the salt water and sand.

 

The best tripod for your money is the one you'll actually use. If it's too flimsy, too heavy, isn't tall enough, doesn't get low enough, a challenge to adjust, etc. you won't use it much. I spent more time considering my last tripod/head purchase than any other piece of equipement I own.

 

While this might not help you decide, at least you'll know you're in good company if you make the wrong choice.

[._._z]

<i><blockquote> a Manfrotto 190 is really not very tall and pretty heavy (although

pretty sturdy).

</blockquote> </i><p>

 

So bend over a little with the center column down, or raise it. <p>

 

As for being heavy, it's a kilo lighter than the next step up, the Bogen 3021 (don't

know the Manfrotto equivalent model number). A beginner certainly doesn't need to

spend $300 on a carbon fiber tripod.

[arjun_mehra]

I disagree with the notion of "spend more now, save more in the long run": Why not just pay a few hundred thousand dollars for a life-time of Cable Television? You might not be able to afford a very expensive tripod right now, and you might not ever actually need one. With shorter lenses, a huge tripod is little but a pain in the ass. Sure, the "assurance" (against wind, etc.) argument comes up, but, unless you do a lot of travelling, you'll probably find yourself, mostly, in circumstances in which a simple, affordable (within $35.00) tripod will meet your needs. Furthermore, it can actually be easier to carry around a cheap (read, light-weight) tripod, which might mean that you'll find yourself more inclined to take it with you on trips and vacations. If you foresee "serious" landscape/wildlife shots in your (near) future, by all means, splurge on the steadiest support you can find. If, however, you're a "casual shooter," just get something that "feels right" in your hands.

[jameshaskins]

Thanks everyone for your help. Buying an expensive tripod now is out of my league. I think its a good point that having a "cheap" tripod allows you to valuate the characteristics you'll need when you upgrade. Plus im not sure how far ill go with photography(i hope far).

 

Here's an auction of the type of tripod im talking about. WWW.EBAY.IT

#7596947054.

 

Thanks again!

James

[ShunCheung]

If you move up to larger cameras and lenses, buy a better/bigger tripod then. Between my wife and me, we have 6 tripods and we use most of them on a regular basis. If I go hiking intending to shoot some landscape and macro, I don't necessary bring my biggest tripod with me.

[kathywilson]

James - I was just in your dilemma! The only real consideration is if the tripod will do what you need it to do. A light-weight, inexpensive tripod worked for over a year until a horrendously windy day came along and not only kicked sand in the face of my weakling tripod, but laughed at it too. Buying a better one wasn't on my budget list when I got my new gear, but it's already proven worth every penny spent, and pound I had to haul. My rule of thumb for big purchases is: Buy the best you can afford. If that puts you in the under 50 range, then buy the very best under $50 tripod you can - there are many out there that will do exactly what you need right now. If you don't know you'll stick with photography it's absolutely foolish to spends hundreds/thousands on equipment. Good luck!