Tripods...

TheNissanMan

TheNissanMan

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Ryan
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I know theres been a good few posts on Tripods recently but I'm stumped, not so much with what/how they work but where the massive price differences come from.

I was looking in Jessops [I know I shouldn't swear on the forum] earlier and had a look at 2, one a £39 Camlink TP-2800 and the other a Giotto something or other at approx £100.

The Camlink was lighter and slighly taller, had two balls to show whether its level and locks on the two axis with a removable head, similar to the Giotto, so...

Why the extra cost or is it a name thing and is there any real benefit to spending that much more money ??
 
I think generally a name will add a little price, but it's funny quite often you do get that extra bit of quality.
I guess it's for you to decide, do you need the extra little that you get?

Sometimes it seems to me that some big name brands won't compromise, even when you don't necessarily need to go all out in a particular area of a design. But when you do have the named brand and can feel the quality throughout a product it is somehow reassuring :)
 
That Camlink is available elsewhere for half that price and tbh even at £20 it looks very expensive for what it is.

Light weight isn't necessarily a benefit with a tripod, fine if the weight reduction has been achieved by using carbon fibre or similar, not so great if (as it looks to be the case with the Camlink) it's made out of old Coke cans and plastic.

A decent tripod will set you back £100+, it's money well spent, unless you relish the thought of your camera hitting the ground the first time there is a slight breeze ;)
 
Flash In The Pan said:
That Camlink is available elsewhere for half that price and tbh even at £20 it looks very expensive for what it is.

Light weight isn't necessarily a benefit with a tripod, fine if the weight reduction has been achieved by using carbon fibre or similar, not so great if (as it looks to be the case with the Camlink) it's made out of old Coke cans and plastic.

A decent tripod will set you back £100+, it's money well spent, unless you relish the thought of your camera hitting the ground the first time there is a slight breeze ;)
Click to expand...

:plusone: chances are you will change cameras a few times in your life time, but a decent tri-pod is for life. I personally look for ones where they have a hook at the bottom of the centre column so you can hang stuff of it to make it more sturdier.
 
There is a large premium for name BUT cheap stuff is often cheap for a reason.

My father used to say "buy cheap, buy dear" but I prefer to buy intelligently. The label on a product doesn't affect my shots, the quality/design does :)
 
mrgubby said:
There is a large premium for name BUT cheap stuff is often cheap for a reason.

My father used to say "buy cheap, buy dear" but I prefer to buy intelligently. The label on a product doesn't affect my shots, the quality/design does :)
Click to expand...

A wise man :)

evo456 said:
I personally look for ones where they have a hook at the bottom of the centre column so you can hang stuff of it to make it more sturdier.
Click to expand...

Was surprised that I thought of that this morning as heads still fuzzy lol, I'll give it a go and see how it goes :)
 
I don't have any personal experience of the Camlink mentioned, but I do have a Camlink tripod - utter RUBBISH :gag: - it's somewhere in the back of the garage where I hope to never see it again. It is so light that the slightest breeze causes it to tremble as the box section legs don't allow for the smooth flow of air around them.

One thing missing from the information on the Jessops site, by the way, is the max weight that the head can support. This is important if you have a largish camera and long telephoto.

You're welcome to mine for the price of postage ... but don't say I didn't warn you :eek:
 
Ryan

Its a can of worms!!....

- what are using the tripod for - landscapes / portraits?
- what camera will you be using - consider the weight of this on the tripod
- What kind of head do you want - 3-way? Grip? Ballhead?
- How tall are you - what height do you want the tripod to be able to adjust to without you having to stoop down
- How heavy is it if you plan to carry long distances
- Ultimately, how much do you want to pay?

Lots of things to consider I know but names that are recommended - Giotto; Red Snapper; Manfrotto

For info I have a Manfrotto 055XPROB and an R322 head - highly recommended
 
And I thought it was a nice and easy one :)

Thanks for the responses, off to use the search facility :) :)
 
Try the review section.
 
Dont forget Red Snapper- discounts to members on here- very solid and a tripod and ball head will come in with a little change from £100.

I'm very happy with the tripod, the ball head is ok- the only thing I don't like with the ball head is you cant just flick a lever to lock/unlock it- it takes a good turn or so with the knob to lock it up from being loose enough to feel "fluid" which is awkward when trying to hold the camera precisely.
 
Still using a very old Manfrotto 055CB, bit battered and bruised now

If you are spending a fair sum its a good idea to look at the availability of spare parts, no point chucking a perfectly good tripod out if just one or two bits are knackered
 
well if the camlink is the same as the one I got from 7 day shop at £15, I wouldnt even try and put a camera on it, the quick realease is nasty cheap plastic which flexes very badly. I use it as a lighting stand for a flashgun and small umbrella......and even then dont really trust it. The legs are OK but the head is rubbish and as far as I can see cant be changed.

I since bought a redsnapper, compare both and you will see where the value is, and it isnt the cheap one..................
 
Sorry to say the only thing I would put on a Camlink tripod is a flash gun (not head) & then only inside away from the wind. If you buy sensible then you should only purchase one tripod for life. Write down all your requirements & where you think you will go, ie size & weight of camera, lenses (long) how far will I carry it. This will determine the size and the weight of tripod (alloy/Carbon or mixture). Then type of photography, out door, studio, walking, then if you are doing macro, how close to the ground do I need to get? and finally the type of head.

A simple question however a complex answer
 
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