Whats the deal with tripods??!

cocheese20 wrote in post #2285089
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

OK without sayin g what everyone lese has probably said ( and they're probably right) look at the VELBON LUXI-F

foxbat wrote in post #2302654
There's an article on the web somewhere about how to progressively waste money on a series of slightly more expensive tripods before you inevitably end up buying the one you should have bought in the first place. It's so true it's uncanny. Buy Manfrotto (a.k.a. Bogen) or Gitzo now and save money in the long run.

Gush I feel myself a victim into this.
Now looking into Wimberley seriously.

foxbat wrote in post #2302654
There's an article on the web somewhere about how to progressively waste money on a series of slightly more expensive tripods before you inevitably end up buying the one you should have bought in the first place. It's so true it's uncanny. Buy Manfrotto (a.k.a. Bogen) or Gitzo now and save money in the long run.

You mean this one?

Tripods and Ball Heads by Thom Hogan

The presumption is one is serious about one's photography - then one is serious about tripods. That being said, I've lived this. Yet, usally when I show this article to someone who is starting the process, the diss it.

J.

DocFrankenstein wrote in post #2291777
I won't be able to return benro. Nobody in toronto sells them and I don't wanna pay for shipping.

Hey Doc,

Vistek now sells Benro products as well as a small camera outfit in Scarborough called AV Queen Photography.

jenne wrote in post #2405808
Hey Doc,

Vistek now sells Benro products as well as a small camera outfit in Scarborough called AV Queen Photography.

At 2x the price you can get it online.

Thanks for the tip. Since this post, I actually ordered one off ebay and it was more than 2x less.

I like it, but a far cry from the actual Arca Swiss

Here's the review:
http://www.photography​-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=251565

I do a lot of long exposure night shots. I use the Manfrotto 3021 Classic Tripod with the 488CR0 Ball Head, very sturdy, can go flat to the ground, and will take a beating. This set up was less than $300 and I dont see my self ever replacing it.

i just looked at Amvona's Dynatran deals but thats one hell of a deal!
I might have to just go ahead and buy a Dynantran AT-828.

I just popped in because I noticed the convo about tripods.My question is this.Who makes the tripod where the center rod detaches to become a monopod?How good is the tripods and would it be ideal for a heavy camera like a 1D series?

Update: I finally bought a new tripod! 3021BPro/ 488RC2 ballhead. Thanks for all the suggestions everyone.

I got an Amvona tripod for Xmas last year. Thought it was great, but the head started to fall apart quickly. It had a strange odor to it as well (weird grease). The legs started to fall apart as well (they would over extend and get stuck inside the sockets). Enough said, I just bought the Bogen 3021 with the new 808RC4 head. Paid exactly $300 from B&H with shipping. You get what you pay for. I've learned the hard way on a couple of items I bought: eBay radio slaves, tripods, filters. I try to save money but it ends up costing me more money and time in the end.

I've learned that most companies that make the high-end quality products are getting paid big money for a reason. You can't expect to get the same quality for $60 on eBay, you really just can't. It might be the same or imperceptable at first glance, but it's not. Bogen makes good stuff for a reason.

sboerup wrote in post #2425534
I got an Amvona tripod for Xmas last year. Thought it was great, but the head started to fall apart quickly. It had a strange odor to it as well (weird grease). The legs started to fall apart as well (they would over extend and get stuck inside the sockets). Enough said, I just bought the Bogen 3021 with the new 808RC4 head. Paid exactly $300 from B&H with shipping. You get what you pay for. I've learned the hard way on a couple of items I bought: eBay radio slaves, tripods, filters. I try to save money but it ends up costing me more money and time in the end.

I've learned that most companies that make the high-end quality products are getting paid big money for a reason. You can't expect to get the same quality for $60 on eBay, you really just can't. It might be the same or imperceptible at first glance, but it's not. Bogen makes good stuff for a reason.

Your experience mirrors that of most people. Bargains are many times not the cost savings that we hope they will be and ultimately can cost us more than buying good quality products in the first place. Sure, there are some people that make out well using off-brand or lower priced items, but the vast majority of us soon discover that we just made someone else rich with our misspent funds. I have no qualms about putting a $6000 camera or a $4000 dollar lens atop my Bogen 3021s....no way in hell that I am even going to stick a 420 flash atop one of those eBay wonders.

sboerup wrote in post #2425534
I got an Amvona tripod for Xmas last year. Thought it was great, but the head started to fall apart quickly. It had a strange odor to it as well (weird grease). The legs started to fall apart as well (they would over extend and get stuck inside the sockets). Enough said, I just bought the Bogen 3021 with the new 808RC4 head. Paid exactly $300 from B&H with shipping. You get what you pay for. I've learned the hard way on a couple of items I bought: eBay radio slaves, tripods, filters. I try to save money but it ends up costing me more money and time in the end.

I've learned that most companies that make the high-end quality products are getting paid big money for a reason. You can't expect to get the same quality for $60 on eBay, you really just can't. It might be the same or imperceptable at first glance, but it's not. Bogen makes good stuff for a reason.

Interesting to hear that amvona is starting to fall apart. I have'nt seen one yet in person.

But not everybody wants the durability of the higher end products. Shooting with an "ok" tripod is better than no tripod.

JohnJ80 wrote in post #2303536
.........usually when I show this article to someone who is starting the process, they diss it.

J.

I have a freind who is doing the same, If people would just listen......Oh well.

Tell you what, I just sold my Man/bogen 728 which is rated around 7lbs. With a 5D and 24-70 2.8 on it, you are talking around 6.5 to 7 lbs. When I was doing self-portraits of my wife and I for our Christmas card in the portrait position on the pod, the thing was a teetering. That being said, I sold the thing and am getting some legs and a ball head that supports 25 lbs so that when I load the 5D with the 2x and the 70-200 2.8, I can focus on focusing, not balancing.

I understand your position. Get something substantial in the beginning and you won't be buying 5 other tripods before getting there.