Whats the difference between expensive and cheap tripods?

8utters

8utters

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I have a tripod that I got for like £7. It has a spirit bubble thing on it, good feet things too.

I was just wondering why some tripods are like £150? What features do they have that makes them worth the money or are they just stronger?
 
And they're lighter too. ;)

A decent tripod can cope with heavier camera/lenses and wobble less (if at all) with heavy gear on top of it. You'll also find that despite it's extra strength, it's easier to use and lighter too.

Oh and it'll in all likelihood have a decent head that allows more flexibility when adjusting it etc.

Matt
 
I had a cheap and chearfull Cobra tripod, was umpteen years old. Never keen on the putting the D80 on it unless i was holding the neck strap. Used to wobble like no ones business. Now ive got a Manfrotto 055Pro with 488RC4 head. What a difference. The 055 is built like a tank. No movement at all. Granted it weighs at bit more, but then thats the trade of for a stable platform.
 
I have never used a tripod but i have one i inherited from my father, bought from Boots, very light and when i put a MK11N and a 24-70 on top of it to see how it was ,it was steady as a rock!
 
My £7 tripod holds my 400D with grip and 28-135mm fine - last time I used it it wobbled a bit (but to be fair, I was using it on a motorway bridge lol).

I dunno tho, I don't use a tripod enough to spend over £100 on it (plus I don't have that kind of money to spend).
 
I have a £10 tripod that works fine for me. I dont use it much at all. Its light and easy to extend etc, yes it can be a bit unstable, but handing my camera back from the hook helps. I don't think I will bother upgrading any time soon, and I am quite happy with my cheapo one ;)
 
Malla, a user on this forum bought a gimble head and a carbon fibre tripod, it's the dogs! He got it for a good price but new both bits of kit must of cost nearly a grand, if he's at Carr Mill tomorrow, I'll photo it and post it here! Awesome bit of kit!

Carl.
 
My 1st tripod wasn't £7 cheap, being £30, and while I was happy enough with it, I wasn't when the plastic tripod head broke. :(

It was only after getting a Manfrotto 055ProB tripod and a 486RC2 ball head, that the versatility and speed of use became apparent. The legs of the tripod legs can be slayed to inches off the ground, not something normally possible on cheaper tripods which have bracing bars on the legs. The central column can also be inserted upside down and horizontally. The head can be quickly moved to any position.

A friend got the Manfrotto 190 ProB, and I think that is the one I should have got, as the 055 is a bit big for me. My friend also got the 3 way tilting 460MG magnesium camera head, which I find very fiddly after using the ball head.

I don't use the tripod that much, but I'm glad I've got what I have for times when I need it. :D
 
I bought a Unilok tripod about 15 years ago for £130, expensive back then.
It is still going strong, very stable and very versatile. if you use your pod alot, its probably worth shelling out on a good one.
I saw recently ar Blackbushe market, some carbon tripods absolute spitting image of Manfrotto, and very strong too for only £85 for the x large one inc head.
 
" Whats the difference between expensive and cheap tripods?"

Cheap ones fall over and dump your camera on concrete just at the worst possible moment.

A decent one won't, and it'll also offer greater stability and flexibility when setting up on uneven ground.
 
It all depends what your going to put on it. Try sticking a 300/400/500/600 fast prime on a cheap tripod and your asking for trouble. Expensive ones are far more sturdy and more importantly hold far heavier loads.

Its all relative to the gear you want to put on it :)
 
I had a cheapo jessops tripod before my current one. It was unstable, the head flexed as it was made if from moulded parts out of cheap plastic.

My new 055ProB and 488RC2 feels like its a single, solid piece of metal once set up, literally, It wont move. Infact the weakest part of the whole setup is the join between the camera and the tripod head. Would have no reservations in recommending it.
 
I've got a hama tripod. It was £26, but I got it for £18.

It feels sturdy enough, everything moves and locks into position, and once its all screwed tight, it feels more like one piece than several moving pieces, but the head is only kept in place by a lever, which I'm not entirely happy about, so I do hold the neck strap when I'm using it.

I just couldn't justify spending £130 on a tripod.
I'd rather put it towards a spanking new lens :D
 
Im going to be in the market for a good tripod in the relatively near future. I think if I actually had a good one I would use it a lot more, I currently only use my cheap one if i absolutely need a tripod. The cheaper tripod works ok for somethings its just a bit annoying doing slight adjustments and even when i start getting the 300mm f4L, 2x converter with the 20d and BG it gets a bit top heavy on non-flatsurfaces.
 
i have a hama star 61 tripod, which i don't use that often, but when i have used it, it has seemed sturdy enough, now though since i'm buying more expensive lenses i think i'm going to upgrade to the Manfrotto 190 XproB and a the trigger head just for safety sake and piece of mind more than anything else.
 
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