best tripod

[fju]

i would like to buy my first tripod. i have no knowledge whatsoever

about these and have no idea what to look for so i'm asking for

advice on which one to get.

 

i'll be shooting portraits (mostly indoors) with a 35mm slr, so i

need something that can support the camera in a vertical position.

 

i'm not too concerned with weight, but i don't want something that's

heavier than necessary.

 

i don't mind buying something used either, and i'm hoping to find

something under $100, though i'll spend more if it's really necessary.

 

thank you in advance.

[Matthew Currie]

You're going to have trouble finding anything new under 100 dollars that will keep you satisfied for long. If you go a little over that, though, the Slik 400DX Pro is very nice, light enough to haul around, reasonably sturdy, and pretty versatile. It's made of metal, with good fit and finish. A little more gets you the 700, which is similar but sturdier and heavier. The 3-way head on the 400 works nicely though it's a little light for heavy camera-lens combos. I find mine adequate for most uses with a Nikon F as long as I don't put the center post up, but it's not quite steady enough for a 500 mm. lens. And of course if you're out in violent wind, it may not be heavy enough. If you do a lot of vertical work, make sure you get a 3-way head, which allows a little leeway in the vertical position, not a "tilt-pan" head with a vertical flip, or you'll have to level the legs for every shot.

 

My wife has a Bogen-Manfrotto 3001 with a 3030 head. More money, but also a very nice combo. Depending on what weight you want, you can choose several similar Manfrottos, of which the 3001 is on the light end. The heavier you get, and the more you spend, the easier it will be to keep it steady.

 

The B&H on-line catalog is a very handy resource for comparing the features.

[fju]

thank you for the quick response. could you please explain the difference between the 3-way head and the pan/tilt head? most of what i saw at b&h said "3-way pan/tilt head." what exactly am i to look for?

 

also i don't have and don't plan to use any lenses longer than 100mm.

 

is it simply a matter of 'the heavier it is, the more it costs?'

[fju]

disregard my previous post. i get it now; you meant 3-way pan/tilt instead of plain pan/tilt. thank you very much for your help.

[steve_levine]

You cant go wrong with a "Tilt-all".Even after you buy other fancier tripods,these make good back ups.

[._._z]

Under $100? Bogen/Manfrotto 3001, but that doesn't get you a three-way or ballhead to

put on top of the tripod.

 

READ THE ARCHIVES. Click on the search button on the top of this page.

[phyrpowr]

For the shooting you describe, a great tripod is the Davis & Sanford Magnum, not much for backpacking/nature, but VERY sturdy, and comparatively light.

[del_gray]

I would seriously go for something used. Tripods are generally hardy and hold up well. You can usually tell if a tripod is in good shape or not just by spending a minute with it. You can obviously get much more for your money by buying used, and who really cares if a tripod doesn't look new? Take a look a the models mentioned above, but also look one step up also if you look for used ones, i.e., the Bogen 3221... Don't forget to factor in the head also, which often is not included.

[hakan]

Did anyone heard about German "collmann" or "Velbon" tripods? Compare to the others? Thanks

[fju]

thank you everyone. i think i'll look at the bogens and the sanford & davis at the store and see what would work better for me. in the meantime i've borrowed a velbon and while the tripod itself works fine, the head is a bit wobbly.

 

btw, what happened to the post recommending velbon? did he say something wrong?