Tripod recommendations

My budget is about 150.00 dollars.

My last tripod did me well for what I used it for and was about 60 dollars. I think it was a Sunpak brand.

I am looking for one that is sturdy and will give me options from low macro shots, to standard eye level shots.

This one has caught my eye from B&H
http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …tion_Aluminum_T​ripod.html

or a Manfrotto brand
http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …pod.html#pr-header-748116

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …num_3_Section_T​ripod.html

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …tion_Aluminum_T​ripod.html

If you can extend your budget just a tad, take advantage of the rebates. This is pretty much the tried and true Manfrotto setup:

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …55XB_Tripod_Leg​s_Kit.html

Legs alone:
http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …Aluminum_Tripod​_Legs.html

Head alone:
http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …98RC2_Midi_Ball​_Head.html

I see you're in San Diego. Check out Nelson Photo in La Jolla or Little Italy if you want to see Manfrotto tripods in person. I bought my 055xprob there.

v35skyline wrote in post #14462511
If you can extend your budget just a tad, take advantage of the rebates. This is pretty much the tried and true Manfrotto setup:

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …55XB_Tripod_Leg​s_Kit.html

Legs alone:
http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …Aluminum_Tripod​_Legs.html

Head alone:
http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …98RC2_Midi_Ball​_Head.html

I see you're in San Diego. Check out Nelson Photo in La Jolla or Little Italy if you want to see Manfrotto tripods in person. I bought my 055xprob there.

thanks - I wll make sure I swing by nelson and check it there. I could stretch my budget a bit. i rather spend the money and get one that is worth the money now rather than double spend.

You might also want to check out Benro for possibilities. I just ordered myself the A1682 with B0 ballhead from ebay for about $200, but you can certainly find less expensive models.

I've heard a lot of great things about Benro and, like you, I didn't want to break the bank on a tripod.

jules14 wrote in post #14463488
You might also want to check out Benro for possibilities. I just ordered myself the A1682 with B0 ballhead from ebay for about $200, but you can certainly find less expensive models.

I've heard a lot of great things about Benro and, like you, I didn't want to break the bank on a tripod.

They actually caught my attention from another POTN user who posted a review. I have a store on ebay favorited. would be easier if I had it in front of me to compare

I love these legs
http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …Aluminum_Tripod​_Legs.html

I have a 055XPROB for home use and Benro C2680T for anything and everything else. The 055XPROB legs are HEAVY and I found myself NEVER using a tripod because I didn't want to carry it around. Now that I have the Benro, it's always with me. The 055XPROB legs are great, sturdy legs...just a PITA to bring with.

v35skyline wrote in post #14465572
I have a 055XPROB for home use and Benro C2680T for anything and everything else. The 055XPROB legs are HEAVY and I found myself NEVER using a tripod because I didn't want to carry it around. Now that I have the Benro, it's always with me. The 055XPROB legs are great, sturdy legs...just a PITA to bring with.

Wimp

I was thinking of a budget of about $125 for myself. As far as tripods go, is it just better to bite the bullet? The ones suggested are about double my budget but I guess if its a one time purchase...

Figure that the less you spend now, the more you'll spend later. Tripods are very much a case of "do it right, or do it over".

mikeinctown wrote in post #14530346
I was thinking of a budget of about $125 for myself. As far as tripods go, is it just better to bite the bullet? The ones suggested are about double my budget but I guess if its a one time purchase...

I think it's worth it. I held out for a loooong time on a tripod purchase- I was just getting by with a cheapo Walmart tripod. I have been holding out for about 3 years now and just pulled the trigger on the standard Manfrotto setup for around $250. I was in the same boat, trying to keep it close to a little over $100, but at the end of the day it's only an extra hundred dollars. And I'm saying that as a broke college student. To me, that extra hundred $ won't be too hard to shave off somewhere else in my budget, and is well worth it. I pulled the trigger because I realized that a large reason my $3000 worth of camera gear has been just sitting in my bag for the past few years is because I didn't have a decent tripod that made shooting any fun. Without spending that extra $$, my shooting was severely limited and I wasn't getting much if any enjoyment out of $3000 worth of gear. And I think this tripod will last me a looooooong time. Sure, at some point when I actually have disposable income and have picked up several more items on my wish list I might upgrade to a CF tripod or something, but I can't see myself legimately "needing" to make another tripod purchase for at least another 10 years or so, if not longer. So I'd recommend just pulling the trigger, you'll be glad you did.

Plus if you get a decent one now, and decide to go to the extreme high end later, your decent setup will have better resale value than an economy model will.

Thanks guys. I'll just hold off a bit longer and get the appropriate one.

I know what you guys are saying about do it right the first time. I've been recommended a few lenses (the 50 1.8 at $100 for example) but iupon reading, I've just decided to wait and step up to the 1.4 or better lenses. Will take me longer to get what I would like, but the end result is that I make one purchase of each and not two.

thanks.

I have a question about the Manfrotto Tripods. Do all the heads fit all of the legs?
I have been wanting to get one just wan't sure.

Thanks