Please excuse my sometimes strong opinions....
Filwi wrote:.
Hi everyone,.
I'm in a bit of a spot here. I'm going on vacation and will bedoing some low-light photography (historical sites atevening/night, mines, churches etc.) so I figure I need a tripod..
The way I see it I've got three options:.
1. Get a mid range Velbon (or equivalent) kit locally for around$120. This way I can feel what I get before I buy, I get the itemright away and I've got easy access to warranty service. But I doget a none-too-good tripod..
No!.
2. Get an Amvona rip-off kit from eBay. It's cheap (cheaper eventhan getting a Velbon locally) and it's a "professional" kit. Sureit's a cheap copy of the big boys and heavier than the otheroptions, but from what I've seen and ready I'd get a decent tripodcheap - I'd get more stuff than the comparably priced Velbon clone..
#@%% no!.
3. Get a Benro or equivalent that will last me a long time (nowthat I've upgraded from a P&S to a DSLR I'll be shooting even morethan before - and I wore out my P&S:s) - but forget about going onvacation because I'll spend all the vacation money on the tripod..
Benro is a cheap tripod made in China. Benbo is an expensive tripod system..
So, what do you see as pros and cons for a beginner?.
Pros? Blissful ignorance?Cons? Making mistakes? Learning from experience?.
What are thepitfalls? What have I missed here, are there better ways to solvemy dilemma of wanting a cheap, light AND good tripod?.
The expert said, "There are all kinds of cars: fast, cheap, and reliable...pick any two.".
Go to a Bogen/Manffroto dealer. They have what you want. Don't buy a tripod via the internet. They are like shoes...except more complex and uncomfortable..
Charlie DavisNikon 5700 & Sony R1CATS #25PAS Scribe @ http://www.here-ugo.com/PAS_List.htmHomePage: http://www.1derful.info'I brake for pixels...'..
Chuxter is trying to give you good advice, don't buy a cheap tripod..
That said, an expensive, stable and large tripod that is back in your hotel room will do you no good. Or to put it another way, will you carry it?.
Personally I have a Bogen/Manfrotto 3001N legs and a 3025 pan/tilt head. That's about as cheap as they come from a name brand manufacturer. It also has a carry strap that stays attached to the tripod. Advantage, light and small. Stability is adequate but of course you can't get really good highth out of it so you'll have to stoop behind it when taking pictures. Even at this small, light compremise I often will leave it behind if I know I have to walk miles as it's a real pain to add to the overall weight of the camera pack..
Don't to forget the other option which is a monopod, which can behave as a walking stick untill you need it. Can be used almost anywhere. And is likely to be taken. I have several and they are more likely to go with me on the long walks or places where setting up a tripod will be either frowned upon or downright inconvienent.A member of the rabble in good standing...
Thanks, I'm leaning more and more towards splurging for a good tripod. Either that or buying a good used one..
Would a 30 year old Ginzo be better than a new Velbon or other cheapo?..
Thanks, that's also one of my main concerns - I want to be able to haul the tripod around and not have it lying in the hotel room..
I don't think a monopod is for me though, I'd need to set up remote and self-timer shots and a monopod won't help me there...
I've found my Velbon Ultra Luxi SF tripod very good for travelling around. It folds up to approx 30cm and weighs about 1kg..
It's never gonna be incredibly strong but it's stable enough and sufficiently robust. Comes with an integrated ball and socket head...
Filwi wrote:.
Thanks, I'm leaning more and more towards splurging for a goodtripod. Either that or buying a good used one..
Would a 30 year old Ginzo be better than a new Velbon or other cheapo?.
A 30 year old Gitzo would be just fine.....I have never heard of a Ginzo, but it sounds like a Chinese knock off that would not last 30 months........
JohnPentax *ist-D, K100D, Oly Stylushttp://www.pbase.com/jglover..
Out of the three you suggest Velbon would be my preference. I have heard decent things about Amvona but never actually seen one. Benro, I have never even heard off, but it appears to be a rip off copy made in China. Benbo is the expensive and excellent brand. If you want to go with BENBO, then that is your best bet.......Benro is an absolute no..
I'm thinking your best bang for your buck, considering you want a tripod stable enough to leave set up for remote shooting...and stabilitiy here should be your biggest concern as you will not be standing near your camera....then perhaps you should be looking at a used or entry level Bogen, Gitzo, Slik. You want the heavy leg set, stable with a good solid head.......
JohnPentax *ist-D, K100D, Oly Stylushttp://www.pbase.com/jglover..
John Glover wrote:.
Filwi wrote:.
Thanks, I'm leaning more and more towards splurging for a goodtripod. Either that or buying a good used one..
Would a 30 year old Ginzo be better than a new Velbon or other cheapo?.
A 30 year old Gitzo would be just fine.....I have never heard of aGinzo, but it sounds like a Chinese knock off that would not last30 months........
Yes, my (at least) 30-year old Gitzo Reporter is as good as new, which is a good thing because it cost more than the Nikon SLR I bought at the same time (I forgot the numbers, I just remember which one cost more). I strongly agree that it was worth the price and would buy a new one if the one I have got run over by a truck or something.Leonard Migliore..
Filwi wrote:.
Hi everyone,.
I'm in a bit of a spot here. I'm going on vacation and will bedoing some low-light photography (historical sites atevening/night, mines, churches etc.) so I figure I need a tripod..
Yes.
The way I see it I've got three options:.
Or more, depends on how many answers you'll get..
1. Get a mid range Velbon (or equivalent) kit locally for around$120. This way I can feel what I get before I buy, I get the itemright away and I've got easy access to warranty service. But I doget a none-too-good tripod..
Tripods are a three legged collection of compromises. The less you know about them, the easier it is to make a series of mistakes. However, there are some readily avoidable mistakes. Velbon makes a wide range of tripods (or at least labels them). A $30 Velbon is an entirely different animal than a $600 Velbon CF legs..
This is probably not your best choice in a grand theoretical scheme of things but may well be your best choice until you can gain time and experience. You'll probably pay more than you might for the same item over the net. But you are buying advice and hand's on time as well. If you put your heaviest "kit" on it and you can get it to stay in place, it will do what you need. Maybe not outdoors in windy conditions, maybe not if you drop the tripodanywhere from once to several times. Or if you have really long exposures to deal with.
It won't perform like a $600 legset with a $500 head..
2. Get an Amvona rip-off kit from eBay. It's cheap (cheaper eventhan getting a Velbon locally) and it's a "professional" kit. Sureit's a cheap copy of the big boys and heavier than the otheroptions, but from what I've seen and ready I'd get a decent tripodcheap - I'd get more stuff than the comparably priced Velbon clone..
The whole Amvona process shrieks "Danger! Danger!" Recently here (or on another forum I read) there have been discussions of quality problems. I'm just surprised it's taken so long to see some. I mean seriously, they are obvious knock-offs at even greatly reduced "list prices" and most folks get them at much lower auction prices - to the extent that shipping costs exceed the product costs..
3. Get a Benro or equivalent that will last me a long time (nowthat I've upgraded from a P&S to a DSLR I'll be shooting even morethan before - and I wore out my P&S:s) - but forget about going onvacation because I'll spend all the vacation money on the tripod..
Benro seems to be a maker's marketing effort separate from product they sell to distributors and importers. Rumors abound as to their quality or engineering (or pirating) prowess. I believe that some of the "Benro" product may still be out there, different product generations seem to have existed, getting better each generation, etc. So if you go with the newest versions from established sources, it's maybe not the great value it was before. But it may also be that the price is better positioned against the relative quality and the overall market too..
So, what do you see as pros and cons for a beginner? What are thepitfalls? What have I missed here, are there better ways to solvemy dilemma of wanting a cheap, light AND good tripod?.
Thanks/Filip.
If you save too much money, you will likely have thrown away the money. There are good inexpensive tripods but they demand care in handling and moderated expectations. You can damp a fair amount of vibration out of a tripod by hanging a weight from the centerpost. But that won't necessarily help when you can tighten the head where you want it consistently. "Cheap" heads will slip or stick. Ball heads will be more trouble than pan/tilts at low prices.
Some "video" tripods don't allow for flipping to portrait position..
Besides weighting them down, use mirror lock-up settings, self-timers and/or remotes. Some tripods have "professional" center braces. While these may have relationships to bracing on really heavy pods, especially those for video use, etc., in an inexpensive pod, it's usually needed to try to make up for manufacturing tolerances slack built-in when the cost objectives were set low. Those braces may prevent you from lowering the tripod for extremely low shots. If you need to use the center post to get enough height to be comfortable, it's going to add to stability and vibration problems. Think about how hard it would be to hold a camera on a foot long broomstick...
I have friend who has a 30+ (maybe 40 years old now) Star-D tripod which is still solid as a rock. when you invest in a good, solid brand name tripod, it will probably outlast you........
JohnPentax *ist-D, K100D, Oly Stylushttp://www.pbase.com/jglover..
I tried one of the Amvona models with their grip ballhead. I have found it to be well made and very stable, although a little bit heavier than a comperable Manfroto. For anybody on a tight budget, it is a very good choice.Joel Orlinsky.
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Check first to see if the venues you plan on taking a tripod even allow one. Many places don't allow them, because of security and danger to others. Get a monopod for slow exposures. With the money saved get a good P&S with real Image Stabilization. It will make you less of a target for theft and will more likely be always with you. Get a tabletop tripod (gorilla pod??) for the times you must be in the pic with a self timer. Enjoy your trip...
FWIW, you might want to check out the Velbon EL Carmagne 540A Carbon Fiber Tripod at http://www.bhphotovideo.com/.....EEC540A&is=REG&Q=&O=productlist&sku=378780which sells for $274.95..
It has a carrying capacity of 8.8 pounds and weighs in at 2.7 pounds..
I've been very happy with it in all respects. It's solid, stable, seemingly of high-quality construction and materials, and easy to use..
Incidentally, I use it with a Bogen-Manfrotto 3028 Super 3-D head, which supports 11.1 lbs and is available from AMV Broadcast Sales in New York for $20.78an incredible bargain IMO. You can see an illustration at:http://www.amazon.com/.../Bogen-Manfrotto-3028-Super-Supports/dp/B00009XV0T.
Good luck...
What's the point in buying a tripod that prevents you from going on vacation?.
I bought a Dynatran AT 6703 Professional Tripod kit that included the legs, center column that's a monopod, and a really nice grip ball head. Here's a link:.
Http://www.amvona.com/.../?page=shop/flypage&view=1&product_id=1623.
The one I purchased is all black rather than black and silver, and I purchased my through an eBay auction that was WAY below their website price and then I had a $15 PayPal coupon that brought it down even cheaper. The price was still more than the shipping, but if you watch their auctions carefully and if you're patient, getting one of these for the mid $20 range is not unheard of..
It's heavy (well worth the $19 shipping), but it's very stable. It's also a very tall tripod, as I am 6'3" tall, and I can use this tripod standing without raising the center column at all. The center column that doubles as a monopod is actually a pretty nice monopod. I had my doubts, but when I received it I was rather impressed. The grip ball head makes me wonder why I ever used anything else. It comes with two quick release plates some hex wrenches for adjustments/tweaking (I had to use mine to correct an assembly problem where one leg was longer than the other two), and a pretty nice case for toting..
This is the best tripod I've owned, but I have messed with a variety of expensive ($400+) tripods on display at Ritz Camera, and I have to say that this one is on par with these rather expensive tripods. I have no regrets and I'm about to go on a two-week vacation (it definitely helped that I didn't spend $600 on a tripod)..
Chris.
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A slightly different perspective....
1. Do not buy a tripod you have seen/tried out. Price does not guarantee quality and you need to understand how heavy, how stable and how they operate..
2. A good quality tripod is worth it's weight in gold, but I do not subscribe to the view it has to cost 500-1000. A lot depends on your shooting conditions, use, kit etc. For the 'average' user, brands like Manfrotto, Slik and Velbon offer good value and very good, stable, well built products..
If you are hiking up cliff faces, to take landscapes in windy conditions, my advice will be different to if you are looking for something to take pics of architecture, or if you are looking for a travel tripod to take on your hols...
Take a look at the Velbon 530, it's a little taller than the 540 and is a very good,stable, and light tripod..
Of the 3 brands you mentioned, Velbon seems to be the best. They make really cheap tripods and some rather expensive ones too..
A typical "good" Velbon tripod/head is the 530A w/PH-250B head. This combo costs $345. It weighs 3.9# and stands 24.8" folded and 64.7" fully extended. It supports 8.8#..
Contrast this with the Manfrotto 3021Bpro w/3028 head. This combo costs $199. It weighs 6.7# and stands 29.6" folded and 73.2" fully extended. it supports 13.3#..
I have the later. I'm tall and need the height. I don't backpack so the light weight of a CF tripod would be wasted. The 3021 is VERY rigid and stable. The 3028 head is a bit quirky. There is a slightly different version, the 3025 that has smaller adjustment knobs.
Many 3-axis heads have long arms that stick out and make it difficult to pack and transport..
My point is that you don't have to spend a LOT of money to get a good tripod. LM1 has a 3001 leg set. It's about $75 less expensive than the 3021, making the 3001/3028 combo cost $124. It's also 0.3# lighter,12" shorter, and supports 2.2# less..
My opinion is that the major advantage of Bogen-Manfrotto is the vast selection of components you have access to. You can create exactly what you want. But it's difficult to get information about what is available!.
I don't think Velbon has components that compare with the above..
Charlie DavisNikon 5700 & Sony R1CATS #25PAS Scribe @ http://www.here-ugo.com/PAS_List.htmHomePage: http://www.1derful.info'I brake for pixels...'..
I heard very good things about the Benro. Where can you get them? I know there are three model selling at the B&H. But I believe they are old models though. The new ones has n6 in the end..
I am also attampting getting one from the Amvona...