Whats the deal with tripods??!

Help me out here. Since it gets dark at 4:30 now I've been getting into night photography. I bought a Sunpack tripod for $30 dollars. It sucks. Not exactly steady, and that's its one purpose in life. The armature that moves the camera from side to side is too weak to hold my camera, so I have to make one leg shorter than the others to get the correct framing.
I've been researching a proper tripod, and they all seem to be around $300! To me, this seems ridiculous for a pair of legs. Does anyone out there now of a moderately priced tripod that won't be a complete piece of junk like the sunpack? or can tell me why its worth spending that much. I have a 20d and generally use a light-weight wide angle lens. None of those 200lb super telephoto lenses!
Thanks

Good tripods last a lifetime, and they improve image quality for EVERY SINGLE LENS you own (that you use it on).

Things like carbon fibre, features like macro boom arms, etc etc make it expensive. Bogen 3021 + 486RC1 seems like a good deal though.

Have a look at Manfrotto. The 055 is nice, as is the 190.
Edit: KevC beat me to it...

yes, that would be ridiculous for a pair of legs, but for that price you get 3.


sorry, couldn't resist. to make up for that, I'll try to say something helpful....

some people on the forum like amvona and dynatran. these go for under 200 if you look around. also this manfrotto seems pretty good.

Get one of the ones offered by the seller "amvona" on Ebay. They're essentially a knock off of a much more expensive Bogen-Manfrotto model and come with a ball head. I bought one for shooting weddings and only paid $54 plus $24 for shipping. They also have multiple auctions of the same product, so if you bid on one in the middle of the night, you'll likely get a better price.

There's no way around it. They're somewhat of a specialty item and the prices are high.

Once you try to make them light it's a whole different story.

The standard combo would be 3021pro/055 legs and 3047 head. Weighs quite a bit, but is very stable.

How many tripods do you think that Gitzo stands to sell in a year?

The cost to manufature high quality parts in low quantity is usually extremely high. I'm sure it costs Gitzo $50 just to make a set of CF legs. I can see why their products can cost as much as $650.

It's like most things in life, Quality usually costs money. Yes you can make do with a cheaper lighter (less stable) tripod, but a good solid, well built one will last many years and serve you well.
In the end it all depends on how much you use it, how stable you want it when it's blowing a gale, and how long you want it to last.

I second and third amvona.

BE PATIENT is the key thing with amvona on ebay.

Some auctions will end at night or wee hours of the morning; find those and watch carefully.

Getting up a few hours early to save a TON can be beneficial...

Also factor shipping in when you are figuring your total price.

well, thanks for the help everyone. I've been checking out a couple of websites. I was looking at the amvona website and saw this one.
http://www.amvona.com …ge&view=1&produ​ct_id=1670
what do you think? Also looking up info on the 3021pro/055 legs and 3047 head Docfrankenstein suggested. Is it better to get a ball head or one with the three levers for adjusting. or are they the same thing? Im assuming the ball head allows greater freedom?

My tripod recommendation for general purpose use is the Bogen/Manfrotto 3021BPro (known as the 055ProB outside the U.S.) topped off with the Bogen/Manfrotto 488RC2 ball head.

This is a very sturdy combination with enough height for most folks.

It is an extremely versatile tripod/head combination, with many ways to support a camera. You can put a camera over a short wall, directly above a table pointing down, inches above the ground, etc.

The 488RC2 ball head has a feature that should not be ignored. That is the separate release for "panning". You can loosen the lever and rotate the camera horizontally without releasing the ball. This is great for scenic panoramic shots.

I prefer the ball head over the three-handle style because it is quicker and easier to use and it is much easier to pack and carry (without having handles sticking out, that is).

Here’s the combination at B&H: 3021BPro/488RC2

keep an eye on the sale forum here too. I just saw someone sell some 3021N legs with a 486RC2 head for $190

cocheese20 wrote in post #2285342
well, thanks for the help everyone. I've been checking out a couple of websites. I was looking at the amvona website and saw this one.
http://www.amvona.com …ge&view=1&produ​ct_id=1670
what do you think? Also looking up info on the 3021pro/055 legs and 3047 head Docfrankenstein suggested. Is it better to get a ball head or one with the three levers for adjusting. or are they the same thing? Im assuming the ball head allows greater freedom?

Just make sure that if you're going to buy from amvona, that you do it on Ebay and not directly from their website. Their Ebay offerings are cheaper.

look on B7H's page and look at "Tripod Legs" no ball head, just the pod. Got mine recently, its the Giottos "universal" great for low to ground, un even surfaces and macros for like 180 or something, could be even cheaper but it is freaking sturdy!

cocheese20 wrote in post #2285342
Is it better to get a ball head or one with the three levers for adjusting. or are they the same thing? Im assuming the ball head allows greater freedom?

It's a personal choice, depending on what you shoot, how much money you have and how much your gear weighs.

That 3047 is a "classic" heavy duty head that weighs a ton, but is simply rock solid. It doesn't break and gives you total control.

The ballheads are cool too. They usually weigh less and you can reframe faster. But you'll find that they tend to drop when tightening slightly and are a pain the butt to match to horison, level, stitch a panorama... etc.

I've owned the 488 ballhead and it's a good value. It can quite adequately support a 70-200 f/2.8 and a body with a grip. Had I not had weight lifting as a hobby, I'd probably have this head instead cause it weighs almost 2 pounds lighter from what I remember. But it drops ever so slightly when tightened and it's annoying. The actual ball is made of some plastic - polyphenyl or PVC analogue? It doesn't look like it will last.

There are some ballheads that I'd like to have - like a Kirk or ReallyRightStuff - their medium size, but I can't afford them.