Buying equipment online?

[anushila]

I'm in the middle of nowhere and the only shops in my town that sell photography

equipment are listed as Best Buy, Walmart and Circuit City. I'm looking for a

decent tripod and beginner remote for my Canon XTi. Would these shops carry

that sort of equipment for my camera or would I have to buy online? Would you

have any recs for what equipment/where to buy? Thank you very much!

[joseph_martines]

I certainly would use those stores to look at the equipment. They may even have an in

store sale that you can't match on line. Beware of restocking fees if you open the

package at those stores. Make them allow you to handle the equipment and ask to

see the manual. Both Circuit City and Best Buy handle a good cross section of camera

equipment.

[sagephotoworld.com]

Best Buy, WalMart and Circuit city are good places to look at gear but rotten places to buy it. I recommend buying from B&H.

 

The XTi has a fairly inexpensive cable remote. There is a radio remote but it's horribly expensive.

[anushila]

Sorry, I'm new to the area!

[steve_lantz]

B & H Photo Video. I've purchased a lot of equipment from them and never a problem.

 

www.bhphotovideo.com

[anushila]

Sunpak - PlatinumPlus 65.3" ($44.99)

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8775916&type=product&id=1204332008836

 

or

 

Dynex - 60" Universal Tripod (39.99)

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8775916&type=product&id=1204332008836

 

I'll have a look at B&H too...!

[anushila]

http://www.henrys.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ItemsDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&departmentId=10408&categoryId=10453&itemID=41672

[sagephotoworld.com]

None of those tripods are good enough.

 

You need a decent tripod. I would recommend as a minimum the Manfrotto/Bogen 3021 series. Add a 3D head - I have a $50 ProMaster 3D head and it;s rock solid.

 

A flimsy tripod is something you will regret buying and will have to toss in the trash before buying a decent one. Buy wisely and it works out better than buying on price.

[anushila]

...Now I have an idea of what brands and price ranges to look at...thank you!

[dshombert]

Another online vendor to consider is Adorama, also in NY. Their website is www.adorama.com. I've had good luck with them and with B&H. Prices are usually similar, but it seems to me that Adorama has "free shipping" offers more frequently than B&H does..

 

You can learn a lot about what to look for in a tripod right here on Photo.net. Go to the Equipment tab at the top of the page, select All Products and Articles, and scroll down to Tripods. Very helpful.

[mark_schmidt3]

A tripod is one area where it's best to go way overboard - the stronger the better. A flimsy tripod is a waste of money and very frustrating.

 

mark

[gary_watson]

Look into the entry level Manfrotto tripods. The brand has many advantages: value, build quality, replacement parts, modular design(most heads fit most legs). Basic, pro grade gear like this isn't outrageously expensive and delivers far better value. Start with your height and begin looking at tripod specs. Tons of tripod/head threads in the archives here.