If you had to pick between these three tripods?

Which would you pick? I need something that is really stable, those crappy sunpaks feel like a toy to me, weight is not a big factor at all. I will not use this much and I am on a budget, but I would like to have something worthwhile

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …Grounder_Tripod​_with.html

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …o_340DX_Tripod_​Black.html

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …tion_Aluminum_T​ripod.html

I like my Slik 500 Pro DX. Its a little beefier and bigger than the Slik you posted. My buddy has that 340 though and likes it.

I have no experience of the Slik range but I hear they are pretty good. I have played with/used some of the Giotto range and like them (don't know if they are available where you are). My 2 previous tripods were a Manfrotto 190 and a 55 pro, both of which I was very impressed with in their respective price ranges but they may be outside your budget once you add a head.
My suggestion would be to look at the second hand market, tripods are pretty cheap over here once they are used.
Looking at your gear you do not need a large heavy tripod, but it's worth looking around before parting with your cash. Get one that is as rigid as possible - this is the most important factor - then worry aboult the weight/features.
Good luck!

I would go with something a little sturdier. Your camera, with a 70-200 f/2.8 and a 580ex flash and batteries weighs more than 5 lbs.. Some of these tripods can only support 8 lbs. Technically, that is enough, but I doubt you will have a really firm support.

*I know your largest lens now is the 70-200 f/4, but if you ever want to upgrade...

Now that I am moving to portraits I may not ever upgrade that lens, I do plan on the 580 though, to have a good flash to use when I cannot use my strobes.

I will check out everyones recommendations . I may go up to 150

Look at the Manfrotto 055 series at B&H Photo. I have the 055xprob, awesome tripod for the money if you don't mind the 6 lb weight. Very stable. This is essentailly a beefed up version of the Manfrotto 190 series. Good value for the dollar. Both come in carbon fiber versions as well. The "xprob" is available on the 190 and 055 and just means the center column adjust to horizontal. Very helpful if macro is an interest.

If you using the tripod in a studio environment, then weight and size are less of a consideration. If you plan to lug it around I would go with the manfrotto or slik as they are lighter and have smaller folded dimensions. I've always liked the Slik products for the small features like the foam covered upper leg sections etc.

Hi April,

With tripods, the choice is very personal - you need to consider these factors: (as well as others)
look & feel
weight (important, if you intend carrying this around for location shoots in the future)
ease-of-use to setup
materials used - such as extra padding - Carbon/Aluminium/Steel
the max weight that is supported
Max height
is there a 'spirit-level' built-in ? / do you want this ?
Carry strap/case
size when this is fully collapsed for portability
Indoor/Outdoor use (or both)

Then you need to 'worry' about choosing the Head/Mount.....
The Manfrotto comes with the Ball-head

Of the 3 you are selecting:
The Slik and the D&S support 4kg (the Manfrotto upto 3.5kg)
The Manfrotto is made from Aluminium

Read some of the reviews on the B&H website for each tripod - this will be your best guide. I say this very respectfully because your budget is in a range between $80.00-$130.00. And, it willl help you decide on what the most important factors are to you.

Cheap tripods are always a waste of money when you need decent performance. Double your budget and you could purchase something that will last you for the rest of your days without spending a fortune.

You cannot judge how stable a tripod will be based on a "weight capacity" specification. All that number tells you is how much weight a tripod can support without crumbling. If you load most tripods anywhere near that number, the result will be quite disappointing if you expect the tripod to hold the camera/lens steadily. There is no standard used by the various manufacturers of tripods regarding even the weight capacity specification and there is NO specification that will tell you how stable a tripod would be under a specific set of conditions.

I strongly suggest something on the order of a Manfrotto 055XProB topped off with a Manfrotto 498RC2 ball head. It is a very economical tripod/head combination when you consider how stable it is. I use a Bogen/Manfrotto 3021BPro topped off with their 488RC2 ball head (the predecessor to the 055/498 rig), as well as a MUCH heavier and sturdier tripod. The 3021 is my most-used tripod, though, and I have absolutely no complaints about it.

In the meantime - you can use a bean bag or something like that and get excellent support - even better than any of those "budget" tripods in the first post.

i wouldn't buy any of those, if your in a tight budget, id look into the the benro c-269m8

jeppoy wrote in post #10383533
i wouldn't buy any of those, if your in a tight budget, id look into the the benro c-269m8

not really a budget item

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …_Travel_Angel_C​arbon.html

compaired to gitzo, yes it is. my setup cost me $1350 so compared to that, its a decent price with a decent product.

Yes that is definitely not a budget item at all lol. I will need it for indoors and outdoors, all of my shoots for awhile will be outdoors, and when I move to weddings as well, so 90% of the time it will be outdoors.

well, i'm just trying to save you future headache and expenses. if that's too much, look at the aluminum version of it, its half the price i think.

What about Dolica Proline. It's a great tripod, holds a lot of weight, the stock ball head is great, and the whole setup is lightweight.