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Tripod

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As long as you get a good known brand instead of some other cheaper brand with more features for the same money... ones you find out 6 months later compromised on construction in order to offer those extra features... you should be fine. A budget of $50US (perhaps $60 but no more) will work OK, just shop around for a good price on the model you eventually choose.

I know you have to carry it on your back, as I did mine, but be careful of too-light tripods that can be unstable in wind/rugged conditions. At the economy end of photography a good rule is it’s better to get a tripod that’s lighter because its shorter then lighter because its construction is more light weight.... it pays dividends in keeping the camera safer and the tripod lasts longer in the field.

It’s easy for a lot of purists to argue the merits of more expensive tripods (or cameras..or flashes...or lenses) and to be honest I use a Manfrotto tripod/head that costs about $250US... which I think is great... but I still have a Velbon tripod from the 80’s that went over mountains and through waterfalls that was in the price range (compared with the current range) you are looking at.
 
I can deal with $80 little extra work and savings is all.

yea I can deal with a monopod. probably be more useful anyway as they are not as heavy as a tripod and I can use it as a walking stick (BONUS) you think that is the answer?
 
greeneggsandpie said:
I can deal with $80 little extra work and savings is all.

yea I can deal with a monopod. probably be more useful anyway as they are not as heavy as a tripod and I can use it as a walking stick (BONUS) you think that is the answer?
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I have both and each has it's place.......the monopod is more portable and inconspicuous yet is very flexible for sports/action like air shows while providing support.

The attached wrist strap should help you as an occasional walking stick as well if you remove the swivel head.
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Regards,
Hank

 
Hrrrm... I would look at Velbon or Slik as a decent value for money brand. As for models you basically have a choice between getting a conventional tripod (like a Velbon CX444) or one which is shorter (and lighter) that is designed more for tabletop/macro work.... but they will put the camera at no more than waist height at best.

If I had to go back into the wilds or needed to travel super light I would take a tabletop/macro tripod with me, but unless you have a camera that features a swivel-LCD (few and far between) for image viewing it would be far too frustrating to use. You also want a tripod that has 3 way tilt/swivel at minimum... although that should not be a problem even at $50US.
 
well I can deal with a little extra weight. it doesn't have to be a lightweight just a little lighter than average. sturdy and easy to use and flip locks. I cant tell you how many times I have read reviews that said that you need a screwdriver to loosen and tighten things.
 
greeneggsandpie said:
well I can deal with a little extra weight. it doesn't have to be a lightweight just a little lighter than average. sturdy and easy to use and flip locks. I cant tell you how many times I have read reviews that said that you need a screwdriver to loosen and tighten things.
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I have not read a tripod review in decades but as a woodworker I can tell you that the number one most common mistake people make with screws is to over-tighten them. Every time you over tighten a screw joint you wear out both the male and female threads, and you weaken the connection because the load is being distributed unevenly over the threads.

That’s why, in industry, screws and bolts specify exact torque (force applied to tightening) ranges ... because over-tightening them weakens their ability to do their job. A $4 million dollar fire on a cruise ship a few years back was traced back to a single $2 bolt that a maintenance worker over tightened outside its specified torque range.

People think tighter is better when beyond a point it actualy gets worse... and while I appreciate that they don’t want anything to ‘let go’ with a $2000 camera sitting on it over-tightening will harm the ability of the tripod to do its job and break it over time. I didnt get to have a Velbon for over 20 years by using a screwdriver on it.

All that said I am sure there are badly designed tripods out there as well.
 
i personally dont like the screw kind because when its cold or when your hands are wet you cant use them.

flip locks or something else would work better for me.
 
Fred Klaiss said:
Use a beanbag. Build a "chain tripod" for about $2. Buy used. Shop pawn shops, antique/junque shops, thrift stores like Goodwill. You should find a "$50 tripod" for $5-$10 easy. Then put duck tape/gaffer tape over the name and tell everyone its a Giotto. 85 percent of the people won't know different. They won't know what a Giotto is, either.
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Since when did 'he' become 'a'? ;)
 
If you get a cheap tripod, but very careful when setting the locks, regardless of what kind they are. Push down on it before mounting your camera to make sure a leg doesn't slip and you get your camera on the ground.
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Cheers, Craig
 
Its not like I am buying it from Walmart. i am planning on talking to a photography teacher at my mom's work. just to get some advice. he has helped me a lot in the past.
 
greeneggsandpie said:
Its not like I am buying it from Walmart. i am planning on talking to a photography teacher at my mom's work. just to get some advice. he has helped me a lot in the past.
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That last was just pure advice. I've resigned myself that you're going to get a cheapy. And, what's wrong with Wal-Mart? The level of equipment you're looking at is what they carry.

The truth is that I'm not kidding. I told you that I've owned several cheapy tripods before I learned that they are useless, that their stability is about the same as hand-holding. You don't believe me. What I'm saying about the locks often not holding is also the truth and I was just suggesting that when you lock them, test it with your hands before risking the camera. I even do that with a good tripod, but I can't tell you how many people have had the locks slip on cheapies and their camera ends up on the cement. Just be careful. Push down with your hands before mounting.

I'm not sure why you're so reticent about taking the honest advice of so many people. Why did you ask the question in the first place? The vast percentage gave you good advice which you ignored until one or two suggested that a cheapy was ok. Those are the people you're taking the advice from. Makes no sense, but have at it. Don't bother to test the locks either. Just stick it up there.

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Cheers, Craig
 
You WILL need to test the locks, always. I saw a guy lose his Bronica (6x6) over a small cliff because he had not tightened a lower leg properly. Mind you he was using a high end tripod (of the day)... a Gitzo if I remember... which had screw lock legs rather than flip-lock mechanisms. While it was a fantastic tripod I had used myself the lack of visual feedback on a screw-lock Vs that of a flip-lock is what did him in.... it needed extra attention he did not give it. Screw-lock technology is probably tons better than it used to be back then though.

Also the feedback people are giving you about better quality tripods is not unreasonable.. albeit a little harsh. $50-$60 is what I would call a 'floor price'. It is the absolute minimum I would ever spend on a tripod and not feel nervous, anything below that... and there are things below that even from Slik and Velbon... I simply would not go there.
 
Hey a little over $50 even up to $80 works. just something that isn't going to break in a year.

btw you say it is more stable to handhold but what you dont know is my hands tend to randomly shake sometimes (I have Tourette Syndrome) and no that doesnt mean i randomly use profanity (that is very rare actually)

but being that way ANY form of support is going to be better.
 
$50-$80 is Walmart quality and will likely break in a year.
greeneggsandpie said:
Hey a little over $50 even up to $80 works. just something that isn't going to break in a year.

btw you say it is more stable to handhold but what you dont know is my hands tend to randomly shake sometimes (I have Tourette Syndrome) and no that doesnt mean i randomly use profanity (that is very rare actually)

but being that way ANY form of support is going to be better.
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