What Tripod?

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Mike Riot

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So, as i journey further in to the world of landscapes, i find my tripod is too heavy for trekking around with.
I bought it on here my first time round here and it's a Manfrotto metal frame (can't remember the model number) but weights over 2kg... add that to the Manfrotto pistol grip head it's starting to get a but weighty and it's not the most compact piece either.
I love the sturdiness of it for when I'm shooting graduates but it's not practical for this venture.

Does anyone have any recommendations?
Now, i know we would all love one of those all signing, all dancing carbon fibre ones from big brands like Manfrotto but they arent cheap at all. I also don't want a Joby job as i want more versatility than shooting on ground level or balancing it on rocks/stumps etc.

Has anyone bought something that blew them away on a bit of a budget? It would need to be sturdy enough to hold a 5ds, lens and filters
 
Mike Riot said:
So, as i journey further in to the world of landscapes, i find my tripod is too heavy for trekking around with.
I bought it on here my first time round here and it's a Manfrotto metal frame (can't remember the model number) but weights over 2kg... add that to the Manfrotto pistol grip head it's starting to get a but weighty and it's not the most compact piece either.
I love the sturdiness of it for when I'm shooting graduates but it's not practical for this venture.

Does anyone have any recommendations?
Now, i know we would all love one of those all signing, all dancing carbon fibre ones from big brands like Manfrotto but they arent cheap at all. I also don't want a Joby job as i want more versatility than shooting on ground level or balancing it on rocks/stumps etc.

Has anyone bought something that blew them away on a bit of a budget? It would need to be sturdy enough to hold a 5ds, lens and filters
Click to expand...

I've bought ones that have completely blown my budget.
What is your budget, all have different ideas when it comes to cheap or expensive
 
tijuana taxi said:
I've bought ones that have completely blown my budget.
What is your budget, all have different ideas when it comes to cheap or expensive
Click to expand...
I don't mean blown their budget.
More like they bought something cheap and it turns out amazing.

I don't really have a set budget, more a case of seeing what is around and what to aim for.

Amazon is loaded with cheaper Carbon Fibre tripods but are they worth spending anything on... has someone bought one and it's actually been a sensational bit of kit of the price etc
 
The problem with tripods is that everyone’s idea of stable enough is different. There is a saying with tripods you can’t get cheap, lightweight and stable- choose two of them.

A few years back when gitzo were updating their model I bought a series 3 systematic for around half price. It’s a fantastic tripod. Quite lightweight (it’s about 1.9kg for the legs) for its size but a reasonable closed length and what I would consider quite stable (others say otherwise). With the head I use it comes in around 2.8kg. Because of that I started to look around for a travel tripod. After trying a couple of cheaper lightweight travel tripods last year I ended up picking up a gitzo travel tripod when they were sell off the 100 year anniversary model. Both weren’t exactly cheap but the way I see it is they probably won’t ever need replacing unless I really abuse them. They will out last many camera bodies and maybe lenses too. As yet I’ve not regretted buying them as I often use a tripod and I bought them at what I thought was a reasonable price for gitzo. I kind of see them as an investment as they hold up £££s of camera kit and they will last me years.

@johnf3f will be along soon to tell you about the bargain gitzo stuff he’s picked up over the years. If gitzo are upgrading models it’s worth looking out for bargains but sadly they don’t happen all the time.


How much do you use a tripod? A friend has an induro tripod that he likes. It seems well built.
 
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Mike Riot said:
So, as i journey further in to the world of landscapes, i find my tripod is too heavy for trekking around with.
I bought it on here my first time round here and it's a Manfrotto metal frame (can't remember the model number) but weights over 2kg... add that to the Manfrotto pistol grip head it's starting to get a but weighty and it's not the most compact piece either.
I love the sturdiness of it for when I'm shooting graduates but it's not practical for this venture.

Does anyone have any recommendations?
Now, i know we would all love one of those all signing, all dancing carbon fibre ones from big brands like Manfrotto but they arent cheap at all. I also don't want a Joby job as i want more versatility than shooting on ground level or balancing it on rocks/stumps etc.

Has anyone bought something that blew them away on a bit of a budget? It would need to be sturdy enough to hold a 5ds, lens and filters
Click to expand...

Good idea too many of them ;)(y)
 
I've been looking into tripods a bit myself lately. My current one stands in at about 53-63" in overall max height with a 46mm ballhead & weighs 2.5kg (aluminium)

There are plenty out there at about 1.5kg, CF & about the same height but they come in at £100-150 which doubts how sturdy they are! I know K&F do one, a 2535 or something? Other 'better made' CF tripods come in at a lot of money for little weight saving. I don't see the point of spending £300 to save a few hundred grams.

I think for a middle ground I've been focusing on 3 Legged Thing but I've still not decided.
 
I’ve been looking at the Manfrotto Element big as a lighter weight tripod for hiking/cycling.
 
LeeRatters said:
I've been looking into tripods a bit myself lately. My current one stands in at about 53-63" in overall max height with a 46mm ballhead & weighs 2.5kg (aluminium)

There are plenty out there at about 1.5kg, CF & about the same height but they come in at £100-150 which doubts how sturdy they are! I know K&F do one, a 2535 or something? Other 'better made' CF tripods come in at a lot of money for little weight saving. I don't see the point of spending £300 to save a few hundred grams.

I think for a middle ground I've been focusing on 3 Legged Thing but I've still not decided.
Click to expand...
I looked at 3 Legged thing at the photography show last year. I quite liked them but was put off them by a thread on here. I was going to buy one off a guy on here but in the end he put me off purchasing it off him because he wasn’t happy selling it on because he felt it’s wasn't of saleable quality.

I get your point about diminishing returns the more you spend. It’s difficult to see what you are getting for more money and the lower cost models seem better value. I guess it also depends how much you use a tripod too. Personally nearly every shot I take is using a tripod so it kind of makes more sense spending a bit more on a tripod that should last me a while.
 
rob-nikon said:
The problem with tripods is that everyone’s idea of stable enough is different. There is a saying with tripods you can’t get cheap, lightweight and stable- choose two of them.
Click to expand...


Personally, I feel that in the end you choose either light OR stable. Yes, a well made tripod will be a bit more stable than a less well made one of the same weight. However, the laws of physics mean that a lightweight tripod will be more susceptible to disturbance by wind, camera vibration etc than a heavy one. Just as a tripod set up higher will be less stable than a lower one.
 
PatrickO said:
Personally, I feel that in the end you choose either light OR stable. Yes, a well made tripod will be a bit more stable than a less well made one of the same weight. However, the laws of physics mean that a lightweight tripod will be more susceptible to disturbance by wind, camera vibration etc than a heavy one. Just as a tripod set up higher will be less stable than a lower one.
Click to expand...
That’s quite true. By choosing the lighter tripod it definitely won’t be as stable as heavier tripod. The build of the tripod can make a difference. You’re better off with longer thicker leg sections and less leg joints which obviously goes against the design of travel tripods.
 
The main key to tripod stability is the stiffness of the materials in the leg sections (obviously). The reason that CF tripods from Feisol, Gitzo and RRS are soooooo expensive is because they use really high grade carbon fibre tubes, whereas other brands use more glass fibre, which makes them cheaper to manufacture (but not as stiff). A tripod from them that weighs similar to one from Benro, 3LT and virtually every other brand, will be substantially stiffer and more stable and will eliminate vibration better. What it means in reality is the thickness of the tube walls can be thinner and thus the next section can be wider and so forth to the bottom section which will generally be wider on a Gitzo, Feison or RRS tripod than on another brand. The advantage doesn't stop there. If the tripod has a centre column, it can be extended fully with no loss of stability vs other brands which recommend you don't do that in a breeze if you want a sharp image. To put it simply, if you want the same stiffness and stability in a.n.other brand tripod, it has to be bigger and heavier than the equivalent Gitzo, Feisol or RRS.

To the OP, buy the best you can afford, don't try to cut corners. You're putting your faith in that tripod not only to support your camera (which might cost many thousands £££), but also to help you capture the image you deserve...not a wobbly mess.

Wish I'd known this at the start, I might not have wasted hundreds of pounds on cr*p tripods that I outgrew very quickly.
 
Benbo Trekker maybe? I'm currently borrowing my Dad's full sized Benbo & never seen a more flexible tripod.

I also have a MeFOTO RoadTrip C1350Q1K which is carbon fibre, nice small and light. (£169) This does mean it's not very stable though so it has limited use.
 
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tijuana taxi said:
I've bought ones that have completely blown my budget.
What is your budget, all have different ideas when it comes to cheap or expensive
Click to expand...

That was meant as a light hearted response to your "blew them away" comment
Anyway, to answer your question, its a no.
All the best tripods I have owned have been fairly expensive, Gitzo and FLM being the pick of them
I currently own a Manfrotto Befree GT, does the job and not too expensive, good combo of price, stability and weight
https://www.srsmicrosystems.co.uk/m...l-carbon-fibre-tripod-with-496-ball-head.html
 
tijuana taxi said:
That was meant as a light hearted response to your "blew them away" comment
Anyway, to answer your question, its a no.
All the best tripods I have owned have been fairly expensive, Gitzo and FLM being the pick of them
I currently own a Manfrotto Befree GT, does the job and not too expensive, good combo of price, stability and weight
https://www.srsmicrosystems.co.uk/m...l-carbon-fibre-tripod-with-496-ball-head.html
Click to expand...
Sorry mate, totally missed the humour. My bad :)

Thanks for the option of the Manfrotto. I think it's going to be a case of biting the bullet and going for one of them rather than trying to find a nifty bargain. Stick with a brand i know and trust :)
 
@johnf3f will be along soon to tell you about the bargain gitzo stuff he’s picked up over the years. If gitzo are upgrading models it’s worth looking out for bargains but sadly they don’t happen all the time./QUOTE]

He certainly will!
But due to a detached retina typing is difficult. Hope to be back to myself soon.......
 
You buy cheap, you buy twice as many on here have found ;)

I have a Manfrotto 290 dual, which i just pop over my shoulder whilst out and about, the weight has never really bothered me. Personally I would not risk £2-3 K of camera equipment on a cheap tripod. The Manfrotto is not the dearest but it is really sturdy and I trust it, the ones from Amazon (zomie etc,) i would not trust them to hold my gear with any confidence whatsoever. You can also get it into some really low down positions and the centre column is adjustable into a horizontal position, making creative shots possible.
 
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