Tripod illiterate

I have been using a old heavy tripod, I think it might be a JTL (I will have to look). I don't use it as much because of its weight.

My question is ....is the heavy weight of a tripod mean that it is good? I have seen tripods online for up to and over a grand which I never thought they could run that much, are they that much better than my heavy duty? I think I spent back in the day around $150 for it.

Thanks for the help.

Weight doesn't automatically mean a tripod is solid, but dollar for dollar a heavy tripod will generally be better than a lighter one at the same price. For $1000, you're getting lighter weight, solid (durable) construction, probably compact size, easy set-up/take-down and excellent rigidity. You can get some of those for $150, but it repersents a compromise somewhere.

Tripods can be judged by weight, how sturdy they are, how much vibrations they dampen, size, compactness, and other factors. What fits you depends what you're using it for. The super high end ones tend to be both light and very stable. Cheap ones tend to be either very heavy, very rickety, or all of the above.

I, for example, use my tripod while hiking and traveling so I chose a light carbon fiber (CF) tripod. I couldn't afford $1K on a tripod, so I sacrificed a little stability for weight. Obviously, the more you spend, the more desirable features you can get wrapped in one tripod.

Best bang for the buck tripod... Manfrotto 055xprob with 488RC2 head. The new head is a different number and there is an extensive review on this forum with tons of pics. The 055xprob has the center column that goes horizontal and is great for folks that shoot macro. Also, it is a bit beefier than the popular Manfrotto 190 series. The 190 also comes in the xprob version for a bit more money. The 190 is lighter and a bit less expensive than the 055 series. Great for anyone on a budget. For a premium, both the 190 and 055 also come in carbon fiber versions as well, but the ones I speak of above are aluminum.

Got some money to spend, there are far better choices. Lighter, more compact, higher quality ballheads. Sky is the limit. I just got an amazing Feisol/Photo Clam set up. It is half the weight and bulk of my 055xprob set up, but also about 3 times the price. The more you pay, the lighter the tripod will be and generally speaking the more secure. Lots to research for sure if you are in the market for a new one. I would look at the Manfrotto 190XB if you are on a budget. Very nice for the money and I would suspect quite a bit lighter than what you have now. Many ways to skin a cat of course. Just throwing out some options.

190... around $200

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …_Aluminum_Tripo​d_Kit.html

055xprob... around $300

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

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …C2_Compact_Ball​_Head.html


Anything more expensive, you need to do lots of research first