Leggy wrote:.

Although I've Been able to manage without a tripod upto now, therehave been a few recent occasions where I think one would have reallybeen useful. Mainly indoor low light, church stage/show productionsboth with kids and adults sometimes with sometimes without access toan observation deck and therefore some juggling around an audience isneeded. I've been looking around at stores and websites but amgetting nowhere fast..

Sounds like a monopod would be better for this type of shooting..

Brian A...

I purchased a Quantary last week at wold camera. I got it to help me with telephoto shots. I picked this particular one because of the head, and the fact it moved well..

More importantly though was the hight. I am 6' tall and finding a tripod that is tall enough for me to use with out bending over was important. I have two others that were compact but I about Bork my back trying to use them. The one I got was about $90.00...

I will no doubt get flamed for this, but WTH. If you really want to know the ins and outs of tripods, have a look here, digest the information, then make your decision..

Http://www.bythom.com/support.htm.

If you're serious about a tripod and long lenses, this is good advice. If you're not serious, it's still good advice but can be comfortably ignored to 'save' you money. If you decide to not go with Thom's advice, at least invest in a quality tripod and head - Manfrotto, Benbo, Giotto are all good places to start.Rob.

Everyone, everywhere, has to do everything for a first time. There is no failure in failure, only in failing to learn...

Leggy wrote:.

My main questions therefore are:.

1.) What do you need to look for in a tripod? (Both stand andhandle/grip wise).

Tall enough to not need to bend over much and to not require use of the centerpost..

The better the overall build quality, the longer they last, the better they stand up to rough handling, accidental or incidental. Trying to cut pricing corners isn't usually a good idea. While it's possible to go with a reasonable quality "name" beand for even under $100, that usually means you've gone to one of the competent on line sources or well know and reliable camera stores. Compare prices with B&H, Adorama, Canoga Camera, etc..

The type of camera, lenses to be used and subject matter can make a difference in recommendations..

Ballheads are often faster and easier to deal with but they are going to cost more to get good performance. Ease of use and smoothness of controls, lack of sag, is very much reflected in the price of the heads, pan/tilts tend to be cheaper than bakkheads but skimping on the head will probably not keep one happy in the long run..

2.) What are the well priced good value brands out there that I couldbe keeping an eye out for, what are the nice but overpriced brandsand what are the rubbish poor quality stay away from brands I need toknow about?.

Bogen doesn't seem to have a cheesey bargain line but selecting one of their digicam models and expecting performance similar to a similarly priced or higher priced traditional heavier aluminum model could be a mistake. Slik and Velbon have some very inexpensive "disposable" models, using some care in looking to the higher end models can be fine. Most makers have a range of products that go in increasing capacity and size - leg lengthm tube size, etc. 4 section legs fold up shorter but add to the fuss factor when setting up/collapsing as well as maybe increase vibration issues. Gitzo is all high end but choosing the wrong tripod means you've made an expensive mistake. Giottos is maybe making another run at the marketplace but there isn't a lot of discussion of their tripods, the heads seem to be poorly made.



Feisol is a Taiwanese brand, currently only direct marketed and seems to be progressing well in features, price value and quality. Amvona has a few passionate adherents and many equally or more passionatel detractors. Haven't used them but when many of the positive comments are on the "value" of auction buys were the tripod was less than the shipping, it seems to me to be a support/quality nightmare waiting to happen..

In a general order of vibration and price, aluminum and other alloys are heavier and less expensive, basalt/lava is more expensive but lighter, CF (carbon fiber) is lightest most vibration damping and most expensive.

Your assistance and feedback is greatly appreciated...

I agree with much of whats been said above. For confined space/audience shots, a monopod is often much better, much more discreet. If you really need a tripod, find a shop where you can look at several, choose one which reaches eye height, feels very sturdy, and looks and feels like it's built to last..

When I was looking a few weeks ago I was able to borrow a manfrotto 055 and a benbo. The benbo could do things tripods usually can't, but was a pain to set up. The 055 was solid, easy to use, and with a strap not too bad to carry. I bought one..

Just don't skimp on it, a good one should last years...

The website as well as all the feedback thus far has helped. There have been several points and insights not previously raised by anyone else I've spoken to..

Thanks guys d;-)..

Tripod selection is a series of decisions and compromises. The final answer is that there is probably no one tripod that will do everything (just as there is probably no one lens that will do everything)..

Some of my requirements are:.

1. The tripod must be sturdy enough to support the heaviest camera/lens that I intend to use..

2. It must adjust easily and the adjustments MUST stay in place. Having to readjust a tripod after every few minutes will convince you to leave the darn thing at home..

3. It should usually have either a ball head or a two way tilt head. This makes leveling the camera must easier. I say "usually" because if I intend to follow action (auto racing etc.) with a tripod I would want a pan head - preferably a fluid head because the panning with a fluid dampened head is a lot smoother..

4. The head should have a quick release system. That is a must!.

5. It should NOT have braces between the legs. Each leg should be independent and you should be able to spread the legs far out so that you can get a really low level shot and or level the tripod on uneven terrain..

6. It should NOT have a geared center column. As a corollary to #5 above, it would be nice if the center column can be removed and inserted from beneath the apex of the tripod. My Manfrotto 3001P has this capability and it is handy. That way, you can get the camera really low (although you will be shooting upside down).

7. Now, in opposition to #1 above; the tripod should be light enough that you will carry it with you. The best tripod in the world will be of no avail if you deem it too heavy to carry and leave it in your closet at home..

Carbon fiber ( and other types of synthetic composite material) tripods are probably the top of the line. They are strong but, relatively light. However, they are very expensive and you can expect to pay from $200 and higher, usually a lot higher, for a top line composite tripod..

You notice that I have not mentioned that the tripod must be tall enough so you can use it without extending the center column and without bending. I don't extend the canter column when using a tripod (despite being 6'1" tall) however, I don't mind bending a bit..

You can get a tripod which is a lot lighter, but still is relatively sturdy, if you opt for a shorter tripod. Bending over a bit or using a right angle finder is a price that I am willing to pay in order to get a lighter tripod which won't break the bank to purchase..

Actually, I now have three tripods:.

The first is an ancient Davis and Sanford model which is sturdy enough to support a Volkswagen. It is as heavy as a VW also so I don't use this tripod when I have to do much walking. The model number has long since peeled off and since I have had this wonderful dinosaur around for about 30 years, I don't remember the model number. I have two heads for this tripod: a pan-tilt head and a fluid pan head. I also have a crossbar on for this tripod which I can mount two cameras. I plan to use this with a 70-200mm f/4L IS lens and a 400mm f/5.6 lens when I shoot waterfowl at the Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge in NM.



My second tripod is a Manfrotto 3001P with a Manfrotto Midi Ball Head. I have had this tripod since my film days and it is a very good piece of gear but, slightly heavy for a carry-everywhere tripod..

I wanted to prepare myself for my upcoming trip to NM and AZ with a tripod which would be light enough to carry everywhere, yet sturdy enough to hold a 1.6x camera with my 70-200mm f/4L IS lens..

My first thought was a composite model and I was just about ready to bite the bullet and drop several hundred dollars. I really didn't desire to spend this much but, I wanted a light tripod that was relatively sturdy..

There are a myriad of tripod models in the several hundred dollar range that would have suited my purposes. Firms like Gitzo and Manfrotto as well as others all have composite material tripods in their line. There is even a relatively new supplier from China producing a tripod named Benbro (not the English Benbo). The Benbro models have been getting good reviews and their composite models are copies of Gitzo tripods but cost less. However, a composite Benbro will still cost around $250 USD..

I found a tripod which I think will work and which is considerably less expensive: the Titanium Alloy Slik 330EX. This tripod and head weighs only 3.5 lbs. and I got it on sale at my local Calumet store for $80.00 including California State Sales tax (which runs about 8%). The tripod usually runs about $90-$100 plus tax..

It is not a perfect tripod. It is rather short and the head is minimalistic. On the other hand, it is - without extending the center column - pretty darn sturdy. The pan tilt head doesn't include a lot of bells and whistles, but the adjustments seem to stay in place. The legs have three positions and the tripod can be used for low level shooting. The head is removable and I could attach another head to the legs if I so desire.



I "think" that it will serve my purposes as a carry everywhere tripod. I recently shot a pano on the Coast of Oregon hand-held because I was too lazy to carry my Manfrotto. I think that I will be willing to strap the Slik 330EX over my shoulder on most outings. However, only time will tell..

Retired Navy Master Chief Photographer's Mate. I was a Combat Cameraman, Motion Picture Director, and a Naval Aircrewman. I also had experience in reconnaissance and intelligence photography. I have had considerable commercial photo experience in weddings and advertising photography. I am fully retired now although I dabble occasionally in dog portraiture. I presently use Canon DSLR cameras...