Camera Tripods - Your Recommendations...

[purplegrum]

Hi Guys,

I think it's time I invested in a tripod for my cameras (Minolta Dynax SLR and Fujifilm S5000 digital) so I was wondering if any of you could recommend a particular brand?

Need something compact and light.

Cheers,
PurpleG

[Fossil]

Got this one a while back light, fluid head easy to transport about
http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=1751&productId=87008

hope this help

-Fossil-

[duncan]

MF, I was going to buy that very one recently, but none of the Argos's in Edinburgh or Glasgow had it in stock. Will try again later probably.

[Fossil]

Duncan, I had to go to the Forge and get mine. (They had four left)

The one I got was a substitute brand (but does exactly what it say)

-Fossil-

[Sharon]

I also have that very tripod!

In adition though I also have a rather sturdy Manfrotto with an assortment of tripod heads... my favourite being teh joystick one, its just brilliant!

I'd like a super comapct lightweight one too though.....

[Apollo]

Apologies in advance if you're looking for something cheap, but I have to drop in a recommendation for the Benbo series.

They may look a bit like a set of demented bagpipes without the bag, but they are just so much better than a conventional tripod I have to suggest you a least go and play with them in a shop before making a decision.

Success seems to have gone to their heads, and the prices seem to have taken a hike in recent years as I'm sure I only paid about £20 for mine, and that was in London.

[turbozutek]

I got THE cheapest I could find...

Asda's smartprice tripod (£19.99) has full adjustment, removable camera plates and only weights around 200G....

Yeah, it's lighter than a Nokia 5110 with the high performace battery installed!!

As you guys know - I take some snaps in dodgy places ( ) and so I don't use anything that I am not completly happy about leaving behind / using as a weapon!!

So... That fit the bill nicely!!

Chris...

[purplegrum]

After a rather miserable 'Interactive Software Development' exam this morning at Uni I dragged the girlfriend down to Argos but they had none of the tripods in stock and I wasn't taking the £30 one so I think I'll order it online!

[evilmiss]

Jessops!!!!!! They do a very basic tripod for £17/18. It has 4-section sliding legs, weighs about half a kilo, comes with a tripod head and does the job very nicely...

[purplegrum]

I'm holding out for one on eBay that ends in a day or two, going to try an Auction sniper (found out from another thread on HG) and hopefully will get it, if not might try that Jessops one then!

[gridrunner]

What about panorama heads? (is that what they're called?)

[Snapshot]

turbo, I think I could use my manfrotto as a weapon, and it'd be completely unscathed anyway... couldn't say the same for the recipients of the tripod-inflicted justice though...

I wasted a lot of money on tripods, starting with a cheapo one for my small digi camera, which I replaced when I got a bigger camera, and then once I got my dslr I felt the tripod was too wobbly and faffy, and looked to get "my last ever tripod"

Fortunately I got the manfrotto and joystick head as a leaving present (made me feel bad for going!), as they'd normally be more than I'd ever spend on a tripod... but now I've got it, I'd say it's definitely worth the money, in terms of flexibility (able to shoot from about 3-4" off the ground to 6ft+ very easily) and robustness.

Any kind of "ball head" is, in my opinion far superior than the "video-style" heads, that separate movement on each axis, as you can easily shoot at a slant, or straighten slightly wonky horizons etc.




Alan

[allyharp]

For anyone looking for a small carry-around solution, I'd recommend the Joby Gorillapod.

The bendy legs have proved very useful for attaching to trees, poles etc.

[scotgio]

What about panorama heads? (is that what they're called?)

The cheapest panoramic heads (i.e. one which rotates around the nodal point of the lens rather than the base of the camera) are around £300 given how large and complex they are. Possibly not what you meant!

I have always fancied one to try making full 360 degree quicktime VRs, but have never been able to stomach the cost of the heads.

http://www.panoguide.com/howto/panoramas/panohead.jsp