Which tripod to get?

So I'm looking at buying a tripod soon and I'm wondering what sort of thing people have had experience with and any recommendations they would give?

I'm ideally looking at some think reasonably light weight for sticking on my back to cycle with but still fairly robust. So far I've only had hands on with Manfrotto as that's the only brand all my local shops seem to sell, so what other brands are out there? I'd preferably like to actually have a feel for it first but it's not of huge importance. I'd also like to have a head on it as well to make it easier for panning etc. Probably looking at spending up to around £100 at the moment as it's my first tripod and I can't use it much at the moment as I'm not allowed to drive nor can I cycle!

Thanks in advance!

The carbon manfrottos are a good "middle of the road" product. I use a three section one myself. They use a lever clamp leg lock and some prefer the twist lock system offered by other manufacturers.

With tripods you tend to get what you pay for, the price range is tremendous, as is the quality range.

Then we come to the matter of what kind/make of adjustable head and what clamping device you want. Much here for you to to research, probably more so than the basic tripod choice.

Lowner wrote in post #15419228
The carbon manfrottos are a good "middle of the road" product. I use a three section one myself. They use a lever clamp leg lock and some prefer the twist lock system offered by other manufacturers.

With tripods you tend to get what you pay for, the price range is tremendous, as is the quality range.

Then we come to the matter of what kind/make of adjustable head and what clamping device you want. Much here for you to to research, probably more so than the basic tripod choice.

Yeah I've been looking at a couple of those actually, still seem a tad weighty but I suppose I could deal with it. I much prefer the clamp locks as well, much quicker and simpler than the twist lock ones.

I suppose it's the same with almost everything else in life as well then.

The head doesn't need to be anything extravagant, just something simple enough so that I don't have to keep picking up the tripod to re-position it all the time.

Thanks for the reply are there any specifically you would recommend having said that?


(EDIT) By the way...some great shots on your site! I love the air show shots!

For 100 quid, if you want something light, its not going to be sturdy. Take a look at Velbon's offerings perhaps. They do some relatively nice lower-end offerings. Maybe Benro as well, though I don't know about availability in the UK.

It may be down to personal technique, but I find twist locks much faster than flip locks, and its one less thing to snag on clothing and bits of nature.

If you want sturdy and cheap, you'll have to go heavy; the manfrotto aluminium ones.

Something to keep in mind (it may result in you raising your budget a bit), is that a tripod can be a lifetime investment; unlike camera bodies, there really is no need to upgrade provided you buy a good one to start off with, as the technology doesn't become obsolete.

Sirrith wrote in post #15419239
For 100 quid, if you want something light, its not going to be sturdy. Take a look at Velbon's offerings perhaps. They do some relatively nice lower-end offerings. Maybe Benro as well, though I don't know about availability in the UK.

It may be down to personal technique, but I find twist locks much faster than flip locks, and its one less thing to snag on clothing and bits of nature.

If you want sturdy and cheap, you'll have to go heavy; the manfrotto aluminium ones.

Okay fair enough, so what sort of budget would I be looking at if I wanted light, not ultra light but maybe lighter than a £100 tripod?

Yeah, I tried using a friends tripod which was a twist and lock and found I just couldn't get on with it, so you're probably right in personal technique, so I'd prefer a flip lock.

Thanks bud.

This is recommended reading when choosing a tripod:
http://www.bythom.com/​support.htm

Although it does take it a bit to the extreme, cutting his prices ($1000 and 1700) by about half (roughly) should be accurate for your average amateur.

If you want flip lock, then you're stuck with Manfrotto, Slik (certain models only), and Velbon. Virtually all the other manufacturers use twist locks including all the top end ones.

I can't really answer your question since all tripod vary in weight, but generally: magnesium composite/alloy is lighter than aluminium, and carbon fibre is lightest.

Dolica's Proline series has a carbon fibre tripod that many have given positive reviews on, but it is not available in the UK as far as I am know, so you'd have to pay shipping and import duty. The good news is that it is relatively cheap at ~$100 which is under your budget. No idea how it'll stand the test of time though, nor how replacement parts would go in terms of availability and even possibility. More bad news; it comes with twist locks.

I picked up the Promaster XC522 for similar reasons/use - needed for day hiking, strap to daypack (backpack), light weight, good ball head. I'll use it more this spring for shooting flower macros so full extension height is not a major issue.

Regards,
GEWB

I've had Manfrotto, Gitzo and RRS. They all worked well and would not hesitate to recommend them.

For that money (well in my case ~$200) I got an aluminum Giottos (MT9241). Apart from it being a little short, it was light (2.6lb, 4lb with the head) and served me well for 3 years. Yes, I sometimes had to wait for vibrations to settle down, but for a $100 tripod, what can one expect? I trusted $5000 worth of camera+lens on it.

I only once lost a shot because of wind (and couldn't take the shot at all) and that was at 14,000 ft. I don't see how you are going to get a decent CF tripod and head for $150-$200.

The twist locks worked well and didn't get gummed up. I've had it in sand/beach, rivers, snow etc...personally I much prefer them, very quick to set up and take down. Initially I was a bit worried, especially with a cheaper product, but they exceeded all my expectations.

Sure it's not going to be as sturdy as a CF, but it really wasn't/isn't bad. The only thing now is it has been discontinued and they only make the 4-section version.

Otherwise if you can stump up for a Manfrotto+head, that would likely be an even better option.

Thanks for all the info guys! Some helpful stuff in there, what do people make of Velbon? The Sherpa 750R to be exact, anyone had a Velbon before? I quite like the sound that it also 'collapses' to the floor and only weighs just over 2kilos, and I can pick it up for £75 or there about!

Brelly wrote in post #15422986
only weighs just over 2kilos

Just a FYI, that is considered to be on the heavy side for a tripod

On the plus side, weight will give it more stability and it should be quite sturdy.

I don't have a Velbon myself, but I have used one on several occasions, and it performed just OK. It was a cheaper one though, so the higher end models should do alright.

Sirrith wrote in post #15422996
Just a FYI, that is considered to be on the heavy side for a tripod

On the plus side, weight will give it more stability and it should be quite sturdy.

I don't have a Velbon myself, but I have used one on several occasions, and it performed just OK. It was a cheaper one though, so the higher end models should do alright.

Haha yeah I know, BUT I'm not expecting something that weighs less for about £75, but I know what you're saying

Yeah, this actually retails at about £140 in some places, so I'm thinking it might actually be pretty good, just a pity no one around me stocks them! I've had a look at a few Manfottos but they're just a bit out of my price range at the moment for what I want, unless you can point me in the right direction of one in a similar price range and does the same things! Cheers bud!

If you can push your budget a bit higher, I'd strongly recommend this:
http://www.morrisphoto​.co.uk …~6571~categoryi​d~158.html

Pair it with a decent head, and you're set for quite a long while.

Morrisphoto are good folks, I've bought from them several times before.

Now you've thrown a spanner in the works....I do like the idea of that one much more..just not so sure if I want to stretch that far nor can I afford it at the moment. Although I know if I do get it I won't want to buy anything better or newer for a long while! What head(s) would you recommend? I want a 3 way pan one and one so that it can be turned to portrait as well, and the quick release plate is massively appealing. Sorry to throw in so much, really appreciate the help though.

Brelly wrote in post #15423041
Now you've thrown a spanner in the works....I do like the idea of that one much more..just not so sure if I want to stretch that far nor can I afford it at the moment. Although I know if I do get it I won't want to buy anything better or newer for a long while! What head(s) would you recommend? I want a 3 way pan one and one so that it can be turned to portrait as well, and the quick release plate is massively appealing. Sorry to throw in so much, really appreciate the help though.

The part in bold is the reason I suggested that particular tripod.

If you are set on a pan/tilt head, this one comes to mind:
http://www.amazon.co.u​k …ick-Release/dp/B000K86664

Although I prefer ballheads myself, and would recommend this one as a budget option:
http://www.amazon.co.u​k …5NRSC/ref=cm_cr​_pr_sims_t


Also, the 190xprob's bigger brother, the 055xprob, is available on Amazon UK for 115 pounds.