Tripod Quality

[Photo-Phil]

I'm looking to buy a new tripod for landscape photography. Needs to be light-weight, sturdy, and not expensive. All look decent enough on Amazon, but are there any tripods people have had problems with, meaning I should steer away from them?

 

[4wd]

I bought this lightweight one last year and it's been better than expected for not much money.
It's Ok with 70-200 on. Main plus point is light and compact when folded.

Manfrotto MKCOMPACTACN-BK, Compact Action Aluminium Tripod with Hybrid Head, for Entry-Level, DSLR Camera, Mirrorless, Compact System Camera, Payload 2 kg, Black: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo

Free delivery and returns on eligible orders. Buy Manfrotto MKCOMPACTACN-BK, Compact Action Aluminium Tripod with Hybrid Head, for Entry-Level, DSLR Camera, Mirrorless, Compact System Camera, Payload 2 kg, Black at Amazon UK.

www.amazon.co.uk

 

[Faldrax]

Tripods are always something of a compromise - making it more stable and rigid adds cost and weight.
Carbon Fiber rather than Aluminum in general adds rigidity and decreases weight, but adds cost.

'Expensive' also means different things to different people - what sort of budget do you have? (EG if you're buying a 600 f/4 for £10k, then an extra £800 for a tripod might be regarded as 'not expensive')

 

[LeeRatters]

I bought a 3LT Travis a while ago as a lighter 'hiking' tripod and in all fairness, for just over £100, I think it's a pretty good buy.

I did weigh a lot of my camera and camping kit over the weekend. The Travis in around 1665g I think. My other Redsnapper is over 800g heavier.

 

[Photo-Phil]

Thanks for all your answers. I've already got a Neewer heavy duty 77" aluminium alloy tripod, which is great for long telephoto lenses at home; this cost £120, so I need a tripod now to carry round woodlands using my DSLR and wide angle lens, hopefully at a cost no more than £100. Whenever you look at the reviews on Amazon there's always someone who tells us the tripod fell to pieces as soon as they unpacked it, no matter how good the manufacturer is. I've also got a Manfrotto monopod, but of course 1 leg doesn't have as many moving parts as 3.

 

[Retune]

Needs to be light-weight, sturdy, and not expensive.

'Choose any two' is the usual response to this, and there's some truth in it. I once spent a morning in a couple of shops that had a decent range of tripods, and in the lightweight category the Gitzo Travelers were noticeably stiffer than the competition. This wasn't a subtle difference, it was night and day. But a Series 1 Traveler (1545T) will set you back £385 for the legs, or £490 for the kit with head:

Speed Graphic - Film Photography and Camera Accessories Specialists

Speed Graphic - Film Photography and Camera Accessories Specialists

 

[Compuwight]

Like others have said, what do you consider heavy or expensive. I started out with an Amazon special, upgraded to a Slik and eventually stumped up £200 on a Manfrotto. It is heavier than I wanted BUT I wanted the stability, as always a compromise. I could not afford the Carbon version, however, its on my list. I discovered quickly that there was nothing worse than lugging a tripod to my desired location only to find my pictures suffered as it was not stable enough, particularly with any wind. I wish you luck, IMHO buy the best you can afford !

 

[sphexx]

Whenever you look at the reviews on Amazon there's always someone who tells us the tripod fell to pieces as soon as they unpacked it,

Amazon reviews are a mixture of helpful and completely useless. You cannot even be sure in many cases that they are reviewing the current item, sometimes it’s clear from what they write that the item is different. Pinch of salt required. Also check r3xviews elsewhere. For non photographic stuff Argos reviews and questions are often very helpful For example.

 

[GyRob]

I have often being asked what tripod / mono pod for my Gimbals my advice is to go for one that can take at least half as much more weight than you are putting on it also one that is not going to need the centre column to high all the time .

Rob.

 

[tijuana taxi]

Manfrotto Befree GT, carbon and comes with a decent head.
Not overly expensive, lightweight,compact when folded and it's sturdy.
https://www.greatwesterncameras.co....GT+Carbon+fibre+Tripod+twist+lock,+ball+head"

 

[Retune]

Amazon reviews are a mixture of helpful and completely useless. You cannot even be sure in many cases that they are reviewing the current item, sometimes it’s clear from what they write that the item is different. Pinch of salt required.

Especially when there's a suspiciously large number of 5-star reviews for a generic product from a company you've never heard of like NEESPOG or PERTMAG. There's a thriving industry in fake reviews, farmed out on social media.

 

[Sky]

Avoid using a centre column - better still, get a tripod without one.

Forget lightweight unless you're going for a very good quality CF one.

A good head is IMO more important than the legs - buy the legs to suit the head you want. Get legs with spikes.

Lastly, ignore reviews on sellers' sites - you've come to the right place here for good advice.

 

[tijuana taxi]

Just remembered the one I leave in the car, only used it twice, but it seems fine.
Kept a Panasonic G9 and Olympus 12-100 steady, weight of them is about 1.2kg
It's a 3LT Punks Corey, don't think I paid much for it.
https://www.wilkinson.co.uk/3-legge...0lsCHwBDVbFy-OAGzEtfN9oJL_t_YpjxoCnCQQAvD_BwE

 

[Deleted member 89409]

I'm looking to buy a new tripod for landscape photography. Needs to be light-weight, sturdy, and not expensive. All look decent enough on Amazon, but are there any tripods people have had problems with, meaning I should steer away from them?

As an example to avoid imho this:

GEEKOTO Carbon Fiber Tripod, Camera Tripod and Monopod, 79 Inch Professional Tripod with 360° Panoramic Ball Head and 1/4 Inch Quick Mounting Plate: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo

Free delivery and returns on eligible orders. Buy GEEKOTO Carbon Fiber Tripod, Camera Tripod and Monopod, 79 Inch Professional Tripod with 360° Panoramic Ball Head and 1/4 Inch Quick Mounting Plate at Amazon UK.

www.amazon.co.uk

After you have read the “awesome” comments and the ecstatic youtube reviews, you can tunnel down through the detritus of the amazon ratings and find a clutch of reviews ( including mine ) pointing out that it is unstable, flimsy and the tripod mount plate is inclined at 5 degrees - annoying if used on a flat floor - unnecessary levelling.
I sent it back.

Still if you like your neewer then all I can suggest is try ( and probably ) return the best you can find from amazon.

There are lots of branded decent travel tripods around but I think £100 may be pushing it.

Have a look at:

Travel Tripod Rankings

This rankings page only includes tripods that considered to be travel tripods. These are characterized by some combination of small folded size (shown as Volume below), light weight, and the manuf…

thecentercolumn.com

I don’t need that light a tripod - I just use the old and relatively heavy alloy manfrotto 055 and 192 - pretty middle range but very sturdy and dirt cheap used.

 

[keeweeman]

if you have an idea what you are looking at, then second hand could be a good option for you. Just searched for 3 legged thing on "that" auction site and loads came up, same for manfrotto carbon.

 

[Craikeybaby]

I bought a 3LT Travis a while ago as a lighter 'hiking' tripod and in all fairness, for just over £100, I think it's a pretty good buy.

I did weigh a lot of my camera and camping kit over the weekend. The Travis in around 1665g I think. My other Redsnapper is over 800g heavier.

I would second this, I have one as my "light" tripod and it is great.

 

[2Thumbs]

Light weight - sturdy - inexpensive

Pick two. All three is impossible.

 

[holty]

you only get what you pay for