tripod help/advice

hi, i need to purchase a tripod at the very latest by tomorrow, but i'm not still fully familiar with all the ins and outs of tripods. and i dont think i have enough time to soak myself fully in all the wealth of information here either.

even if this is risky, i'd like to get some quick suggestions from you guys on what tripod i should get.

my budget is $300~400
i currently shoot with a 30D and my heaviest lens is the 70~200/4 L.
i'll want some room to mount the 70~200/2.8 IS + 1.4x extender on it. (and maybe a battery grip)

thanks in advance for all your help. i shall be reading as much as i can in the meantime.

http://www.apogeephoto​.com …6/jaltengarten4​2006.shtml


http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …ails&Q=&sku=217​263&is=REG


http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …ails&Q=&sku=410​286&is=REG

Bogen 3021 has been the preferred and recommended tripod by countless photographers for over a decade!

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.

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

thanks guys... from the limited time i've read through these forums, seems the 3021 is a solid choice. any recommendations for a head? (and plate?) i will look into the 488rc2 a bit more. i will be purchasing later today... so more help is greatly appreciated. thanks!

Arca B1 or RRS or Kirk are all immensely popular ballheads that have long been used with the 3021. The 3021 itself is around $150, and these heads are all fairly pricey and are likely to stretch your total budget...I haven't priced out all of this stuff in a very long time, so do your web homework!

Wilt wrote in post #2438018
Arca B1 or RRS or Kirk are all immensely popular ballheads that have long been used with the 3021. The 3021 itself is around $150, and these heads are all fairly pricey and are likely to stretch your total budget...I haven't priced out all of this stuff in a very long time, so do your web homework!

wow... those are pricey... i dont think i can go more than $250 for the head at the moment.. i'll have to make do with what i have. anyone have recommendations besides the 488rc2?

hi there, i too am looking to purchase a new tripod.

I want it versatile, light, easy, and durable.

I like the lever lock legs on the bogen reccomended, but my local salesperson was discouraging and felt the twisting type are better, easier and quicker. i thought i wanted the levers until he said all this - what do all of you think?

also, how is this one: http://www.bhphotovide​o.com/sitem/sku=376198​&is=REG

it says it only weighs 2.5 pounds, but the legs are twist locking.

thaks you for reading this.

I totally prefer Lever lock, as far as i know this is a personal choice...

I can close up all sections of my tripod much easier and faster with the levers (I despise all the twisting, when one snap will do it)

I can seriously lean about half my weight on this thing as it doesn't collapse... that is plenty for me. right now, i need a new head, but i am going to keep these legs for a long time.

get what you like. unless the salesman can give you a couple really good reasons that appeal to your uses.

Lever locks are super fast to set up or put away. Most twist locks are slower, although Gitzo newest twist locks are as fast as the level lock. Another POTN member and I had a tripod 'shootoff' a month ago, and we basically tied at 17 sec. You can read this thread at
https://photography-on-the.net …hp?p=2288940&po​stcount=34

It truly is a matter of personal preference, so if you can go into a store and try out each type to find your own preference, I strongly suggest you do that! I hate the typical twisting locks myself, but the new Gitzo locks might change my mind (but since the Gitzo with new locks is horrendouly expensive, I probably won't need to reassess my dislike!)

A past criciticsm about the lever locks was that they get loose. But the Bogen/Manfrotto lock mechanism can be tightened. In 20 years of ownership, I have never had to make any adjustment.

unix04 wrote in post #2438452
wow... those are pricey... i dont think i can go more than $250 for the head at the moment.. i'll have to make do with what i have. anyone have recommendations besides the 488rc2?

I haven't personally used the combo that SkipD suggested, but it is certainly well within your price range. Personally I find the Bogen ballheads to be reasonable, but not as precision engineered and as smooth working as the Arca/RRS/Kirk/Linhof..​.definitely a case of 'you get what you pay for'.

I just purchase this a few days ago... I think it will work just fine for me. any thoughts on this? specially the head?
http://www.amazon.com …_smtd/104-5596222-8860734

Bogen 3021 Pro + 488 ball head.

Same as what I have in my sig.

StealthLude wrote in post #2442169
Bogen 3021 Pro + 488 ball head.

Same as what I have in my sig.

And how much did it run you for the tripod and the head?

I want a new tripod very badly. Mine is a Bogen-Manfrotto 728B and I really dislike it now that I have a DSLR. It was fine for the P&S, except for the pan/tilt head. Personally I hate the layout of that type of head , especially in portrait orientation. I also really dislike the plate and the way it sits in its base. There is left to right play as well as play from the weight of a lens that tilts the plate forward. I know the Manfrotto tripods are excellent but this one is not good. Had I known this I would never have gotten it but at the time I did not own a DSLR and I just got something that would comfortably hold one securely in the future.

TMR Design wrote in post #2442404
And how much did it run you for the tripod and the head?

I want a new tripod very badly. Mine is a Bogen-Manfrotto 728B and I really dislike it now that I have a DSLR. It was fine for the P&S, except for the pan/tilt head. Personally I hate the layout of that type of head , especially in portrait orientation. I also really dislike the plate and the way it sits in its base. There is left to right play as well as play from the weight of a lens that tilts the plate forward. I know the Manfrotto tripods are excellent but this one is not good. Had I known this I would never have gotten it but at the time I did not own a DSLR and I just got something that would comfortably hold one securely in the future.

Might want to check B&H, thats where I got it from. I just paid regular price from their site.

I bought it based on a lot of reviews and recommendations from members on PONT. Im very happy with it.