Tripods? Travel?

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texaslimo

Senior Member
Hello,

I have been doing some shopping lately for a new tripod and have come to the realization that I just do not know enough to make a good decision. From looking at pictures, it is hard to see a valuable difference between the 250 dollars ones and the 50 dollar ones. I even saw one carbon fiber one for over a grand but then turned around to see another at a similar weight for 200 dollars. I am not afraid to spend money where is is justified. but I do not see where I should spend two or three hundred dollars or more when fifty will accomplish the same thing. Which is exactly where I am.

I do not know if all of this exists in one package or not, but ideally, I would like something lightweight enough to strap to my backpack, but strong enough that I am not going to break it on my first outing. I only shoot photography, I do not shoot video. It should able to secure the camera to the tripod without a great deal of trouble and release as well. Being able to get a spare or compatible second foot for my second camera body would be nice as well. If there are other factors worth considering also, please speak up.

I would certainly appreciate some feedback from those that have already learned what is worth buying or not.
 
Clovishound

Clovishound

Senior Member
Are you looking for a small, light travel tripod, or a larger, heavier more sturdy model? I see travel in the title, but nothing in the text.

In general, middle of the road is the best course. Don't go too cheap, and don't spend a bundle on a big name.
 
BF Hammer

BF Hammer

Senior Member
The best answer I can give for what is the difference between $50 and $300 is that you know it once you start using them.

Avoid any tripod with the umbrella-like support arms between the legs. Cheap stuff. You have no option really for adjusting leg-angle, only can move the segements in-out. I had a camera blow over in the wind with a $30 cam-corder tripod of this kind.

Aluminum or carbon fiber? You save a small amount of money with aluminum legs. CF will be a bit stiffer and lighter in weight.

The leg segment locks are a major thing to consider. About equal numbers either prefer the lever-lock style or the twist-lock style. The lever-locks deploy or collapse faster, but they have a way of snagging as you carry the tripod. And they are easier to break than the twisty locks (done it personally also).

A center-column is a way for tripods to be made taller, but this height extension is often at the cost of stability. You want tripod legs to stand near your chest-neck height without extending the center column. Not normally possible at the cheaper end. It's rare to see a listed height in specs that does not also include the full extension of a center column.

Load rating matters. So does the load rating of the head. Spend more for stability.

On the head: Ball heads give the best versatility for still photography. A pan-head will not pack down as compact. Video fluid heads work well also until you decide to try a portrait-mode shot. But a ball-head will loose a lot of stability also when used in portrait mode. The quick-release plate also is a thing to consider, even if you only use 1 camera ever. I had a plastic pistol-grip head on a tripod and even the quick-release could be wobbled when locked in place. I use very solid ball-heads in the field personally. And I standardized on Arca-Swiss type quick-release plates/clamps as that is pretty much the standard outside of Manfrotto gear and the ultra-cheap stuff with proprietary quick-release plates. This will allow you to use L-brackets in the future if you wish (makes life much better for shooting portrait mode). Since Arca-Swiss has developed as a standard organically, it just is better to go with the flow.

So I am weird and own a lot of tripods. This is because I just did not shop well early. But I also had budget issues. My first tripod was the before mentioned $30 Target special. It only needed to hold a Nikon Coolpix 995 back then, so not overworked until I bought a D80. I tried buying a very cheap aluminum 4-leg-segment tripod off Amazon. One of the leg segments had a curve in it. The ball-head was the cheapest crap I ever have or will use again. Next one was a carbon-fiber 3-segment Sunpak with that terrible pistol-grip head. It could not support a telephoto lens well. Had lever-lock legs and it did break one day in winter just being transported in a Jeep. Sunpak does have a lifetime warranty and I sent it back and I may have had mine replaced. I for sure think I got a different head that was even worse. But I do still use it indoors in a studio now with a fluid head now. I have an ultra-heavy tripod that is not appropriate for hiking, but it is a kind with a leveling-bowl and no center column. It's used a lot in astrophotography where stability is king. But for hiking or lightweight setups, I have a 3-Legged-Thing Billy. Twist-lock 4-segment carbon fiber legs, a reasonable center-column (tall legs too), a surprisingly solid ball-head with Arca-compatible plate, and it can convert to a monopod. It's not exactly a quick and easy conversion, but it can do the trick. The only thing it lacks is spikes for outdoor use on soft ground.

$250-$300 is the sweet-spot for this type of tripod.

 
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BF Hammer

BF Hammer

Senior Member
I remembered I have a photo online of my 3 tripods. The Sunpak on left with the bad pistol-grip, 3-Legged-Thing Billy (mine is the version 1.0), and the extra big and stable tripod on right. The camera in that full-height leg deployment is above my eyes by a lot.

pSHQ2cQ.jpg
 
S

Sandpatch

Senior Member
crashton said:
A good tripod will last a very long time. Yes they cost more, but if you figure how long a good one lasts it's not that much. A cheap tripod will most likely need replacing in short order plus it won't work well.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I have a cheap one that often frustrates me. Even screwing the foot into the camera base is difficult. The manufacturer chose a teeny tiny thumbscrew that evades adult-sized fingers. Plus, the whole thing is wobbly. I find myself steadying it with my hands as a train approaches.

A great summary @BF Hammer -- this is good information.
 
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