tripod recommendation

[Omeed]

What is the most inexpensive tripod for D7000 that can do the job right? The one I have shakes a bit and I don't want to use weight bags all the time!

Thanks

 

[Patco]

There have been a few posts in the D7000 forum that may be helpful:

http://search.dpreview.com/index.php?q=tripod+d7000&page=0&scope=Forums&forumid=1034&age=All&field=Name&results=Default&sort=Date&view=Default

What is the most inexpensive tripod for D7000 that can do the job right? The one I have shakes a bit and I don't want to use weight bags all the time!

Thanks

--
Patco
A photograph is more than a bunch of pixels

 

[ryan2007]

I am sure you have nice and costly gear. At the same time I understand the concern and will speak from my experience. Good and cheap in photography usually do not go hand in hand. I would recommend anything from Bogen or Gitzo. Carbon fiber is light but costly. It is important that with the tripod legs extended and camera mounted it is at your eye level with out having to really raise the center column for best center of gravity. Using weighted bags is a good safety measure if you have to leave the camera mounted un-attended. So to get the job done right you have to spend some money and for $300 with legs and a 3-way head that's pretty good not being over $500. This is one accessory you will have forever on the long end. You will upgrade cameras and lenses more so, but a good solid tripod will always last. Be sure to buy a sling to store the tripod and carry it and or return it in bad weather to the sling.

I advise doing this in person at a camera shop or buying a couple models and keeping the one that works. I forgot keep in mind if you will ever buy a large lens to spend the money up front if you can only buy one tripod. Bogen does make a self-standing mono-pod where 3 legs hidden in the column can be removed to give stability of a tripod to a lesser scale, but you would not leave this alone so to say, good for spots that don't allow a tripod.

What is the most inexpensive tripod for D7000 that can do the job right? The one I have shakes a bit and I don't want to use weight bags all the time!

Thanks

 

[normsmith]

I cannot recommend highly enough of actually getting into a proper camera shop and trying out several models on the shop floor.

You will be surprised the difference in height of these things and just a few inches can really matter ..... especially if you have a bad back etc.

Also, the style of head is vitally important to your enjoyment and use of the tripod which will outlive several camer bodies.

Also, you can pick each on up and feel their weight relative to one another

Also (finally) you can invesigate the mechanics of each one, how do the legs open, is it fast action, can you reverse the stem / head, can the tripod get down to work at ground level and shoot at very low angle etc etc.

We alkl have a budget to whatever degree to throw into that mix but I think if you went down this 'properly researched' route, you would at least feel that whatever you spent, the purchase would be better value for that.