Tripod Suggestions On A Low Budget

bobbytannehill wrote in post #10598257
Your in socal so i would say pawn shops pawn shops pawn shops. there are three tripods at the one by my house. pretty nice too. ill check em out better when i go by tomorrow, maybe ill grab one and send it to you. I just picked up my sachtler that way. I dont dare say how much lol.

I agree with this! I got my Manfrotto for 1/3 the price on consignment at a camera shop. But, I have seem some at pawn shops too. If you get a good quality used tripod you will do much better than a new cheap one. The risk that comes with a lightweight, cheap tripod will always be higher than buying a new one. One fall and you will possibly lose much more than just paying more for a tripod. There are some things that you just shouldn't go cheap on, tripods are one of those things. You spend all this money on your camera and lens, you need to make sure not of go cheap on the item you expect to support your gear. It's not just the support, a good, solid tripod will hold it's ground if a quick gust of wind comes by unexpectedly.

Do your homework, call around, wait for a good deal on a nice used one. I think I paid about $65 or $70 for a tripod that sells for over $200. Yeah, it has some scratches on it, but I didn't buy it for looks....I bought it for the quality.

ninhja wrote in post #10597143
Any Suggestions for tripods seeing as I'm on a low budget? I've looked at Sunpak tripods and they seem pretty good for the value. I don't have gear that is overly heavy, but input from others would be great. I'm looking to get the best bang for your buck tripod without breaking the bank.

The one I've been looking at is the Sunpak 620-080 8001UT. I AM aware this is a cheapo tripod, but it seems pretty okay.

Suggestions anyone? Any input will help!

Budget $150 max. Anything in the ~$100 range would be perfect.

If you haven't found anything yet:
I just got one of these at MPEX: http://www.mpex.com/br​owse.cfm/4,2101.html
I can't believe they have it now for $89! I paid $119, and it is much more almost everywhere else.
I mated it with a Manfrotto 268 super ball head. $40 on Ebay.
This is a monster rig, and not the choice for long hikes, but I love the size and stability.

Oh nice find. I think I'd look for something lighter, along the lines of the A113. Know anything about that?

Never waste time or money on a cheap tripod. Dropping your camera is a major expense and it is well worth avoiding. Manfrotto makes some that can be had for around 150. If you can not get a sturdy one now then I would say do not rush and save until you can afford a good one.

On another note, the tripod doesnt look that bad. Do you know if Manfrotto's heads will work with the Induro tripods, namely the 496RC2

yeah, thanks for the input midnight_rider. I've thought a lot about the 190XPROB + 496RC2 setup, which is $210 after rebate currently. its still a little pricey, but I could save up for it. I would like to get a good CPL though.

I've actually been having a tough time finding a good priced used 190XPROB. They seem to basically cost the same as new (after rebate of course).

ninhja wrote in post #10741497
yeah, thanks for the input midnight_rider. I've thought a lot about the 190XPROB + 496RC2 setup, which is $210 after rebate currently. its still a little pricey, but I could save up for it. I would like to get a good CPL though.

I've actually been having a tough time finding a good priced used 190XPROB. They seem to basically cost the same as new (after rebate of course).

I had a Sunpak that I got from Bestbuy. I can not remember how much it cost but I want to say no more that 50 bucks. I had it 2 weeks before it broke and dropped my cam.
ALso keep an eye out on the forums for used ones. They come up every now and then for good prices

yeah currently, i've been offered a 190xprob for 125. I think thats not a bad price, but its a bit high still (considering the rebate again) since I'm going to be buying a new head for it anyway

HrcRacing wrote in post #10598445
I paid $115.00 for my SLIK Pro 400DX and couldn't be happier with it. If you need something a bit taller, the 700DX can be had for around that, $130.00 I think. Both come with a 3-way tilt/pan head that works very well.

+1 Slik 400dx or the 500dx are the best bang for your buck,

http://www.adorama.com …64-quot-Maximum-Load.html

It never hurts to keep looking. I had a Slik U-212 for many years and when it started to fail about a year ago I started looking. Like you I was not ready to plop down $500 to $800 for a tripod, but I also wanted one that would hold my camera steady and one that I would not need to worry about it falling over. I finally found a Manfrotto 3021 that had a 3047 head on it. Still had the tags and not a mark on it so I was pretty happy with my "find". It is a beast which is both good and bad. It works great and when set up does not move. That being said, I would not want to take it on a backpacking trip with lots of other gear. So as much as it is nice to "get it today" it might not hurt to keep looking and checking - especially since the Manfrotto rebates don't expire until 10/31.

Jerry

Yup, thats exactly what I'm doing. I'm trying to find the best deal. I think the 3021 is the old version of the 055XPROB. I'm hoping the 190XPROB would be light enough to take on hikes and such. Its rated at 4 pounds, so its not that bad.

midnight_rider wrote in post #10741479
Never waste time or money on a cheap tripod. Dropping your camera is a major expense and it is well worth avoiding.

Not only that, cheap heads cause wobble. I have one from my old SLR days that I think I paid $25 for at the time. It's basically a POS but it's all I have at the moment.

I also bought a Silk mini back then too, and it's great - other than the really short height when I need something taller.

Headshotzx - I always wondered what happen to Bogen. Thanks for mentioning that.

Im looking at buying that Induro anybody have experience with it or with MPEX? They seem to have decent resellerratings

I got the Induro AKB1. Solid tripod for beginners. Approx $150.

theelectrician wrote in post #10741852
Im looking at buying that Induro anybody have experience with it or with MPEX? They seem to have decent resellerratings

I've bought several items through MPEX. Rock solid. They are a big supporter of the Strobist set.