Tripod recommendations please

[daveb975]

I have been using a cheap £7 Hama tripod for a while now. It has been ok, but I got it out on the weekend to discover that I have lost the head for it.

I can’t buy the head separately, so am wondering if it is worth going up to the next level to get slightly better performance.

I do not use a tripod that often, so don’t want to buy a really decent one, but I am assuming that spending £50 or so will give better stability than my current one.

Compact size and light weight are priorities over absolute stability, as I would like to start taking the tripod out and about a bit more.

Could anyone recommend anything around this sort of price?

[senu]

Im similarly looking for recommendations even up to £100
I have a £45 Jessops and an Aldi £ 10 "special " which in all honesty are good for indoor shots and outdoors until the it gets windy or the supporting surface has any little vibrations
The trade off light and ultra portable seem to be an "unsteady gait"

[mg-paul]

Hi, Just to add to the range I am also looking for something a bit more solid. Got a pair of (£5) cheap tripods which are fine for mounting flash guns on, and a reasonable one that I have had for 15+ years. But now after my attempts to get some shots of the moon I decided to get something a bit easier to use. Ideally would like something light but stable (holy grail time I guess). I like the sound of the Manfrotto 055MF4 as it sounds to be a good compromise. But would appreciate any advice on this.

My use would be a mix of indoor/outdoor family groupings (so yes probably self timer type) which my old one can do and also to take with me on walks (hikes are too energetic for me) where I will try to get some decent landscapes.

[Holowlegs]

Hi ya


I got the Manfrotto 718 about 4 weeks ago now. Actually went in to buy another make but chose this one.

My advice would be to go into somewhere like Jessops and have a good play with them and see how you get on with them open them up and close them, play about with the head and quick release. I had a go at about six off them ranging from £60 to £250. In the end this was the one that suited me, some I hated and were very hard to get apart and put back together and others were just to heavy to carry around.


Cheers Holo

[allymac123]

I bought a manfrotto 785B with my 400d from Jessops (got a few quid off the usual £60 price).

I really wanted a tripod that was compact so that I could take it with me even if I didn't think I might it. Had it for about 2months now and I can't recall it giving me a blurry shot and many of my exposures were 30s. My kit (in my sig) isn't particuarly heavy for a DSLR and is under the recommended limit of 2KG (think around 1.2KG). If you are reasonably careful and use a remote or timer to fire the shutter I can only see a problem in really strong winds with a telephoto and long exposure. Athough as I haven't really tested in these conditions it could well be fine.

It's pretty windy here tonight so if u wanted i could give it a test later.

My thinking is a tripod that you take with you often is better than one you leave at home more often than not because its to big/heavy.

EDIT:

I have now exchanged the manfrotto 785B for the Velbon ULTRA LUX i F with PH-145Q head as on closer inspection the quick release plate wobbled on the tripod meaning it was unstable. I also checked the other Manfrooto instore and it had the same problem so they exchanged it for the Velbon. Pretty mch the same size/weight but the head is a lot better. It [the head] supports more than double the weight and is a lot more precise in its movements. It also has a lot better spirit levels and comes with a case!!

Deffinately the Velbon is better.

[senu]

Originally Posted by allymac123

My thinking is a tripod that you take with you often is better than one you leave at home more often than not because its to big/heavy.

Very true.. mine lives in my Cars boot

[harry66]

I got a Jessops TP320 for £12.99 instore yesterday as part of their Weekend specials. The instore price was £37.99 but with the online price print out I got the online price.
Unfortunately the offered expired midnight last night - however, there is a high chance that the offer will be repeated again this weekend. Just check online, print the page and take it to your nearest store (assuming they have the stock).

I was replacing a cheap Hama I had bought from 7dayshop (broke after limited use) - this Jessops one is much more stable. Looks and feels similar in quality to a Velbon CX-300 - just the clasps on the legs feel slightly cheaper.

[Gordon @ Convergent AV]

I have now broken my old tripod I use for work and for the camera and need to replace it. I want one that is able to have the camera offset from the legs as it were. I've attached a highly detailed scale technical drawing of what I mean. I've had a look at waerehouseexpress website and can't seem to find anything that does this. Any ideas?

Gordon

[stevegreen]

Originally Posted by Gordon @ Convergent AV

I have now broken my old tripod I use for work and for the camera and need to replace it. I want one that is able to have the camera offset from the legs as it were. I've attached a highly detailed scale technical drawing of what I mean. I've had a look at waerehouseexpress website and can't seem to find anything that does this. Any ideas?

Gordon

I believe the Manfrotto range do that Gordon. The centre pole comes out and reseats on the horizontal apparently. I'm also looking at tripods and have been looking at the Manfrottos. I think this is throughout the range but I might be wrong.

Great drawing by the way

[Gordon @ Convergent AV]

Can anyone else confirm that Steve is correct?

In regressive hypnotherpy session it was discovered I was Lowry. I guess that's where my undoubted c.a.d. drawing talent comes from.

[stevegreen]

Have a nose on the site Here. You can see it on the design of the 190 and 055 ranges here but it appears that the lower and higher ranges it is not the case.

The 190x looks like a decent tripod, and has it's own mini-site Here

[mr:w]

I picked up a new brand Velbon CX560 with q/r head off ebay a month or so back.

Light, sturdy, good size (60cm compacted and 150cm fully extended) and best of all it cost me the grand total of £6.71!

[senu]

Originally Posted by Gordon @ Convergent AV

..I've attached a highly detailed scale technical drawing of what I mean. ..
Gordon

Gordon is that the manfrotto 191x with your "brownie camera thingy" on it?

It does rather look like you weren't keen on using Auto CAD

[PaulBoy]

The Manfrotto Pro range have the offset head Gordon is after - like here -
http://www.jacobsdigital.co.uk/index...duct_id=178230
Did I miss it or has no-one has really mentioned their budget so far (?)
I tried a cheap tripod but it was like the proverbial "one legged man in the arse kicking contest" - when finances permitted I bought one of the Gitzo "copies" made by Benro & it is an excellent piece of kit (rrp is £200 but Ebay'd mine for just over £100) - being carbon fibre helps keep the weight down although this is offset by the weight of the ball-head which I bought separately - from what I've read it makes sense to spend as much as you can on a decent tripod & it'll last a lifetime ... Paul

[Steve N]

Originally Posted by Gordon @ Convergent AV

I want one that is able to have the camera offset from the legs as it were.

There are definitely some Gitzo's that do that but I'm not sure what models.
I read about them when researching tripods on the Nikonians site. Gitzo's are quite pricy though.