Help me find a good tripod

[ReefTank1]

I am completely new to tripods, but I will need one soon for my digital SLR. It is a Canon 300D rebel.

I be using it indoors for tank photography but also outdoors in the field shooting wildlife and other things, so it must be easily portable.

I basically am looking for a durable, lightweight, and hopefully compact tripod that can be used indoors and outdoors. I don't really want something that I will have to replace later. The camera and lenses that I use are not too heavy so i don't need a heavy weight tripod, but I may upgrade to a 30D in the future.

I've heard of 2 good brands so far, Manfrotto and Gitzo. I will probably decide on price range after I look at different models. I'm open to any suggestions.

Thanks a lot

[reefman13]

Most high quality tripods that are adjustable are not very portable. LUK if you find one you like.

[Ebn]

Not necesarily. Take a look at a Gitzo 1325 if you have a decent size budget to work with.

There's also the Feisol line of carbon fiber tripods. Very nicely priced versus the Gitzo. I've been using the Feisol 3401 for awhile and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

I've used both tripods with some decent weight on them and they perform very well (D2X w/500mm f/4 lenses).

[beerguy]

This is sort of like buying a skimmer. It's cheaper, in the long run, to spend the money on a good one initially instead of buying 3 awful ones first; and then the good one.

I love my Gitzo but they're very pricey. Feisol and Velbon make decent tripods and might save a but of money. The weak link in many is the ballhead. Avoid tripods that come with their own head or at the very least get one that is removable.

When tripod shopping you have three things to consider:

Low cost, lightweight, stability

You generally have to pick the two most important to you as it's almost impossible to find all three. My setup (tripod, ballhead, quick release system) cost over $1100 but I'll not have to replace it for a very long time.

[reefman13]

My uncle ran over mine. Its a german brand, deffinetly not portable, but a great tripod as the only thing damaged as he went over it was the label

[ReefTank1]

I've been looking around, and was considering the manfrotto 190xb and an 804rc head with quick release plate.
I was wondering why the carbon fiber ones are more than double the price of the aluminum ones, do they have any benefits other than material? They also weigh more than the one I'm considering.
If there any other options out there that are better, I'm open to suggestions. I don't need one with a heavy weight capacity, just a sturdy and reliable one that is portable.
Thanks

[jedininja]

I'm using the manfrotto 190xb with the 804rc2 head and love it. Its not as light as carbon ones, but isnt too heavy and its very durable and steady. Also has a removable center column for low shots. As for carbon, its a combination of materials costs, manufacturing costs, and supply and demand. The biggest advantage of carbon is its very sturdy and is lighter than aluminum.

[louist]

I use a Manfrotto 055 NAT tripod with the 141RC head. In summary, it's a ver tall tripod, 3 sections, 6kg in all, very sturdy. The camo color means people look on with amazement when they seem me apparently shooting a 600mm f4 handheld Mine was $550 for everything from a studio supplier here in Sydney.

Tripod purchase is heavily dependend on what you intend to use it for. However, for a person starting out, that's often difficult to define. The next defining factor is how deep your pockets are and how much you are willing to pay for stuff that will work well in the field.

In hindsight, I would rather have gone with an Arca Swiss QR system with custom plates for everything. One-fit-all QR plates are just a PITA and the 141RC creeps a little with the 70-200.

What I look for in a tripod:
* sturdy, with all sections extended and camera mounted, if you tap the legs, the image shouldn't bounce
* Should be at least as tall as me when extended. You need the extra height if you are working over uneven terrain. I find mine too short on occassions still.
* Center column isn't that important, I avoid using mine all together.
* Don't buy the "inverse the center column for low angle shooting" marketing gimmick. Notice how they never show you a photo of a person doing that? i tried, it's damn uncomfortable, and I am not a contortionist.
* Lightweight, but this is $$ dependent. CF would be ideal.
* Build like a rock. Tripods gets dropped down cliffs etc, I need them to survive in the field.
* # of leg sections. The more leg sections, the shorter the tripod will be when packed, but also the weaker the legs are. My tripod extends to 170cm+ and only have 2 leg sections and thus it's much sturdier.
* The size of the controls on the head should be proportional to your hand size or levels of coordination
* The head should be smooth and *must* have a QR system.
* The legs needs to be individually adjustable. Some people buy video tripods with strouts between the legs. While those are fine for video equipment, they are useless in the field.
* For the love of photography, don't buy a silver tripod. Shiny surfaces reflect light onto your subject matter. Black and green are fine.
* Postionable center columns are useful, i.e. on the Gitzo Explorer series.
* Buy a good one if you are serious about photography. The 055 is my first tripod, and I have used it for 6 years, and haven't thought about upgrading. Tripods need to work for you in the field, not the other way around. IMO, that is the most important point. Make sure you get one that works and is reliable.

Here's a pic of mine: The main drawback are its 6kg weight and generic QR system.

[GuOD]

That tripod is a beast! I highly recommend Gitzo after receiving my GT3540. It's totally solid.

You can easily spend over $1000 to get a full setup tripod that works for anything You could also spend $600 and get a damn good one.

Here's what mine looks like with a RRS BH-55 (Really Right Stuff - they make tripod tops)

[beerguy]

The RRS ballheads rock.

I'm using a a Gitzo Gt2540 with an Acratech head, RRS lever lock clamp and L plate.

[raddogz]

I have the same tripod as GuOD with the Acratech ballhead and it is very sturdy - great combination.

[ReefTank1]

bump