Tripod?

[Leon]

Hello guys and girls.

My cheapish tripod is starting to fall apart after 12 months, it's a camllink one cost me £40 ish, so it's done ok,

what do I do next 2nd hand really good one or a slightly better new one?, I'd like a ball head one really...and one that can go pretty low to the ground which mine will not do.

opinions please :)

[Guest]

any idea on a budget ?

[Black Pearl]

Good value is a Jessops Major Carbon Tripod.

Comes with an extra short column (as well as the standard one) so it goes flat and a good case. The 3 way head has a standard screw fitting so grab a ball head to go with it - should come to about £110 all in.

[Leon]

was thinking £60-80 maybe, hence the option of 2nd hand...unless anyone has on for grabs?

[jeremy rundle]

Sorry to burst the bubble but you won't get a decent tripod for that new, and will be pushing it used also.

Legs £100 head £50

[Guest]

tripod http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Manfrotto-055XDB-Tripod-Immaculate-/280997934062?pt=UK_Tripods_Monopods&hash=item416cc833ee currently £44

Ball Head http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MANFROTTO-496RC2-TRIPOD-HEAD-/140867097879?pt=UK_Tripods_Heads_Stablisers&hash=item20cc555517 currently £26

[Jon]

I've got a redsnapper one - www.redsnapperuk.com, I've got the 283 version with a 3 way head - seems to stand up to everything so far, including force 9 gales on the Northumberland coast - its not the lightest out there - but to be honest that doesn't bother me - comes with a decent bag and 2 stems - you can reverse them to get it low. It was less than 60 as I got it, and I'm planning on a ball head for it next

[Guest DaveW]

Buy a tripod according to your prime interest, be that studio or field use, as with any photo gear. As my interest is close up and macro a low ground position is desirable so I use a Kennett Engineering Benbo Mk 1, which I bought decades ago for £30 secondhand. It's modern equivalent is the New Benbo or the Uniloc, both of which sprang from the original Kennett bent bolt idea. They are heavy though if you want to carry them any distance, but it is a fact of life stability comes with weight which provides inertia, particularly for very low shutter speeds.

That also applies to carbon fiber tripods, they may be rigid but lack the inertia of a heavier tripod, however they are the sturdiest tripods for their weight, so ideal for people carrying them any distance. In fact some video photographers even still prefer the old heavy wooden tripods for that reason, they provide inertia, but of course movement frame to frame is more noticeable in video if panning than in stills.

However Benbo's and Unilock's are a bit like fighting with an octopus until you get into how to use them. a bit like Marmite, you either love them or hate them.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksid=p5197.m570.l1311&_nkw=benbo+tripod&_sacat=0&_from=R40

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=uniloc+tripod&_sacat=0&_odkw=benbo+tripod&_osacat=0&_from=R40

If you want a conventional tripod hopwever go for the sturdiest and heaviest you are prepared to carry any distance, since a lighter tripod you take with you is always better than a heavier one you leave at home. As you have found out cheap ones soon break, whereas a decent tripod should last for life. With a decent tripod you can buy the head separately as it will be detachable, with a cheap tripod the head is not removable, so no alternative available.

http://photographylife.com/how-to-choose-and-buy-a-tripod-for-a-dslr-camera

Do your reaseach on the Web first as the local camera shop will always tell you the ones they stock are the best for your needs if they don't stock the make you wanted.

DaveW

[Leon]

thaanks for the advice peoples, I may wait till bonus time and splash out properly, .....may have to wait till march, we'll see what floats round the bay of e!...off to pull mine apart now see if I can repair it :)

[Guest DaveW]

If I had a limited amount to spend on a tripod I would always go for a stronger secondhand one for the same money than a skimpier new one. However some of the tripods on EBAY are people getting rid of tripods because of their flimsy construction in order to upgrade themselves, so it pays you to reviews of that model online before buying.

http://www.wexphotographic.com/?/guides/tripod-buying-guide.html

DaveW

[Leon]

ahaa....temporarily repaired, but I do really appreciate the help, I may go for the redsnapper one mentioned above, although the Gitzo one featured in this review looks good!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9S9jZW3Jxc

[Jon]

Shame we're so far away, you'd be welcome to have a try of the tripod

[Guest DaveW]

Regarding wobbling the camera as a test. This does ensure that shutter clunk will cause minimal vibration, but if you are buying a tripod it is cheeseparing to not buy a remote release since pushing the shutter button whilst it is on the tripod destroys much of the advantage of using a tripod in the first place, which is not hand holding or touching the camera whilst the exposure is made. You will probably get sharper pictures on a cheaper tripod using a remote release after allowing vibrations to settle down than pushing the cameras shutter button on a better one and causing vibration as the exposure starts.

The problem with electronic remote releases needed for most modern cameras, rather than the old tapered screw in ones used on film cameras, is they have become rather expensive if you buy the makers own. Though you can often get a cheaper version off EBAY. This is the list of releases from Nikon, but Canon and other makes also sell their own:

https://nikoneurope-en.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/16406/~/which-remote-release-can-i-use-with-my-nikon-d-slr%3F

The manufacturers remotes are very dear. The simple Nikon MC30 for instance in the above link costs £64, whereas if you do a search you can get an MC30 alternative for £6.20p. Not much difference in price is there, since basically it's only a switch on one end of a bit of wire with a special plug on the other end!

http://www.nbjackboard.com/product.php?id=348&select_currency=GBP

DaveW

[stevedevil]

Manfroto 190X ProB thats what I use, a little dated now but an amazing piece of kit

I have the Manfroto 322 RC2 grip release head also

Maybe see if these are about on Ebay ???

[FUJI]

I managed to find an.....As New......Manfrotto tripod on eBay.........Blooming Heavy but as stable as a rock.

FUJI

[Guest DaveW]

Manfrotto and Gitzo always made good higher end tripods, however in recent decades they did bring out a few less robust for the lower end of the market. Basically you get what you pay for, if it's a cheap price corners have usually been cut somewhere. Hence my recommendation if you cannot find that quality new at your price to buy it secondhand.

http://www.manfrotto...k/photo-tripods

http://www.gitzo.co....CFWLHtAod5kkA-g

In the end though within reason, any tripod is better than none at all when using slow shutter speeds. Alas though good tripods are not cheap.

DaveW

Edited October 19, 2012 by DaveW