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Any tripod recommendations?

Pistol Pete

Pistol Pete

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 6, 2005
616
5
California
I need a sturdy tripod that will last, I have broke 2 $60 dollar tripods and I need to get a good one, so I am hoping for some recomendations...

Thanks.

Peter
 
Pistol Pete said:
I need a sturdy tripod that will last, I have broke 2 $60 dollar tripods and I need to get a good one, so I am hoping for some recomendations...

Thanks.

Peter
Click to expand...

Bogen and Manfrotto make excellent tripods, as does Gitzo. A good tripod does not come cheaply, and, yeah, $60 would be considered cheap. Go to your local camera shop and talk to someone there, look at what they've got available, put your camera and your heaviest/longest lens on and see what works best for you.
 
Any tripod recommendations?

I have a Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT and am in the market for a tripod. It doesn't have to be absolutely top quality, but I would like a well-built product for a good price. Does anyone have any recommendations? Greatly appreciated... thanks!

Edit: Bah! There's already another tripod thread... :p Mods, please close.
 
While we are on the topic of tripods, I am new to them when it comes to still shooting. I have a Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT, so does it matter what tripod I use? Is there a specific size I should look for? I'm not trying to hijack the thread... just relating to it. :)
 
I use a Bogen 3221

p0intblank said:
.. in the market for a tripod. It doesn't have to be absolutely top quality, but I would like a well-built product for a good price.
Click to expand...

I use a Bogen 3221. It's sturdy, will last a lifetime. It you want top of the lie look at Gitzo.
It depends on if you want the best tripod for the weight (gitzo) or the best for the money (Bogen). I prefer Bogins flip levers to Gitzo's twist locks.

The reersing center colum makes it possable to put the camera right at ground level for shot bugs or wild flowers

I use either the 3047 head or the 3028. THe 3028 looks odd but works well for macro work and with the center colum reversed. The 3047 is total overkill for a small camera try the 3030. I got the '47 for a medium format system. but if you are not hiking in the wood the 3047's built in level and extrean rididity is nice to have

Don't worry about cost you wil retire your camera, buy new and do that three times and still keep the tripod. It's a lifetime investment
 
If this thread does get closed that's fine.. but I just thought I'd say that I own a Bogen Manfrotto 755B, with the twisting center column for leveling... its very easy and quick to get level and it works amazingly well. I bought it off eBay for $140 and I really think it was a steal. I'd recommend at least looking at it before you buy one!
:)
 
As stated in another thread, I use Bogen/Manfrotto 3021 Pro legs and I'm about to get the Manfrotto 322RC2 grip action ball head.

I love using this system, and I can't imagine not having it.
 
cool sounds great what i am hoping to get one that I can carry around without to big of a hassle on hikes, but durable enough so it will not fall apart.

I know I know I am dreaming ;)

Thanks all. I may Ebay one.
 
I'd look at either the Bogen 3001N or Bogen 3011N tripods, depending on your height, and the Bogen 484/486RC2 ball heads. That combo is under $150 if you're a student..... :)
 
Well the best tripod depends on what you need it for. Some are lightweight and portable, while others are heavy and durable.

Personally, I'd like to get one where I can lower the camera all the way to the ground, which would allow me to take some low shots. I think the Manfrotto 3021 is what I need (read that in this forum at some point), but I'm not sure what the difference is between the 3021N, 3021PRO, 3021BPRO, etc. There's too many of them, and they all seem so similar.
 
Abstract said:
Well the best tripod depends on what you need it for. Some are lightweight and portable, while others are heavy and durable.

Personally, I'd like to get one where I can lower the camera all the way to the ground, which would allow me to take some low shots. I think the Manfrotto 3021 is what I need (read that in this forum at some point), but I'm not sure what the difference is between the 3021N, 3021PRO, 3021BPRO, etc. There's too many of them, and they all seem so similar.
Click to expand...

Go to www.bhphotovideo.com and compare them :) By the way, the ones with B in the name are black.
 
Pistol Pete said:
cool sounds great what i am hoping to get one that I can carry around without to big of a hassle on hikes, but durable enough so it will not fall apart.

I know I know I am dreaming ;)
Click to expand...

Since lightweight carbon-fiber based tripods do exist, that's not really the hard part of what you're asking for: The hard part is getting the whole kit, with a good ballhead, for under $300.


-hh
 
B&H has some expensive tripods! :eek: I didn't think they went that high... okay, to further my search some more... I do like to take macro shots, so are there any specific tripods that come to mind, say under $100? Sorry for being such a pain. I've never purchased a tripod for still shots before and want to make sure I get the correct one.
 
p0intblank said:
B&H has some expensive tripods! :eek: I didn't think they went that high... okay, to further my search some more... I do like to take macro shots, so are there any specific tripods that come to mind, say under $100? Sorry for being such a pain. I've never purchased a tripod for still shots before and want to make sure I get the correct one.
Click to expand...

Under $100, eh? Look at Velbon, and Slik. That's about it for that price range. For $180 you could go Bogen, but that's almost double.
 
Pistol Pete said:
cool sounds great what i am hoping to get one that I can carry around without to big of a hassle on hikes, but durable enough so it will not fall apart.

I know I know I am dreaming ;)

Thanks all. I may Ebay one.
Click to expand...

These are available. You don't state a budget. But if funds are not limited both Bogen and Gitzo make carbon fiber tripod legs that will likey never break in 20years of heavy use and are pretty light weight. If you can stand the weight in your backback Bogen is the way to go the flip levers are feild repairable with the allen wrech they include with the tripod. They don't break but the levers need adjustmet now and then as they wear in.

You really should go into a good camera shop and play with the tripods. Find a shop that carries a fullline of both Gitzo and Bogen. Price is "not cheap" but they realy do last a lifetime
 
Rocky3478 said:
Go to www.bhphotovideo.com and compare them :) By the way, the ones with B in the name are black.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but the others are all like quintuplets. I mean, they all so seem so similar, so if they're supposed to be different, why not just give them a separate model number? Or if they're so similar, but do have subtle differences, why not clearly point the difference out?
 
Bogen and other brand-name tripods are nice, but horribly overpriced (IMHO, at least). A good Bogen tripod may cost almost as much as a decent lens!
I recommend you to go to Ebay instead, and look around for some cheaper "knock-off" tripods. You would be pleasantly surprized at what you will find.
A year ago, I have paid $75 shipped for a new tripod made in (you guessed it right) China.
The tripod is all-metal, *including* the head. The head is removable, and 3-way adjustable (with built-in levels). Adjustment knobs are removable, and have those big Bogen'ish soft plastic grips on them. Tripod itself is really, really well made (no worse than Bogens in my local Ritz Camera), and is quite heavy and stable. Did I already mention there is not a single plastic part in the whole unit?
It did come with 2 removable camera mount plates, and a (rather shoddy) carrying case. I got another (nice) carrying case for about $30.
My camera, if you are wondering, is a Sigma SD9, and I mostly use the tripod to support this body in combination with a 70-200 2.8 EX lens. This whole setup is one big mama...
Would I be able to make better pictures with an $400 Bogen piece of metal? Definitely not. :)
 
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