Tripods...........which are good?

[colrehogan]

Agreed. I use my 3001 tripod with a 3047 head for everything from 35 mm up to 4x5.

[laz]

Also, I suggest strongly that you buy from a camera store, not via the internet. This after I spent part of a Sunday afternoon in B&H playing with tripods.

You can always go play with tripods, find one you like then go get it off the internet. I go to B&H every time I am considering a purchase, play with whatever it is, then go get it off the 'net.

Of course if I had a little local photo shop I would buy from them just to support their existance, B&H, Adorama and Calmut don't need my help to survive!

[melmoth]

This is great stuff and I really appreciate all contributions.

I am using 35mm and wide angles for the moment. Longer lens later.

I am actually based in the south of ireland. Unfortunately, an old line - 'where is the best camera shop in ireland?
London! ' - still rings true.

Nearly all my stuff will be bought over the internet. This is why advice from individuals who have experience is duly noted and greatly received.

Thanks all M.

[Dan Fromm]

You can always go play with tripods, find one you like then go get it off the internet. I go to B&H every time I am considering a purchase, play with whatever it is, then go get it off the 'net.

Of course if I had a little local photo shop I would buy from them just to support their existance, B&H, Adorama and Calmut don't need my help to survive!

laz127, I must not have been clear. One of the huge shocks of my tripod shopping experience was that supposedly identical tripods weren't equally stable. That's why I doubt it is safe to buy one without trying it first. That is, the very tripod you'll buy, not one of the same make and model.

FWIW, I eventually got an opportunity to try a Berlebach 8023. It was stable enough and light enough for me (not for Melmoth), so I bought it. And then after a little use it went a wobbly on me. Not the tripod's problem, the !#@$ set screws that prevent the head from turning on the center post had vibrated loose in transit. Many are the ways to lose stability, eh?

Cheers,

Dan

[Soeren]

I have the Manfrotto 055 CLB which I don't find that heavy.
In the 055 line there are differencies, not all will go as low as the CLB.
More important the the legs is the head and I recommend you take special care choosing the right one for you. Using a Manfrotto 141 without quick release plates I suggest you get a head with QR. Ball or 3 way ? It's up to you your self to decide that. On the 3 way heads you can unlock one direction when composing your shot which I like for macro. The ballheads I have tried are more sturdy I think.
Søren

[knutb]

I also have a Manfrotto 055 - the PROB version. If you find the weight and bulk acceptable, it should do the job nicely. I agree that the head is likely to be the weak link. I have a Manfrotto 488RC2 which is a ball head. It's rating is 8 kg, which I find way too optimistic. But a 35mm camera with a medium tele (say 200/2.8) or shorter should be OK. The head is equipped with a rubber pad which purpose probably is to protect the camera base where de head is attached. Might seem like a good solution, but it does nothing good for stability, particularly if you use a somewhat heavy lens without a tripod collar, resulting in a front-heavy camera. I will replace the rubber pad with a small piece of aluminium or similar.

[brent8927]

I use a Bogen 3021BPRO with a 488 head for my Hasselblad, and it works great. With a tele lens the 488 might not be the ideal choice, but for a tripod, the 3021 is once of the best all-around tripods; it worked great with my point and shoot digital (for ebay photos!) and just as great with my 4x5 monorail (when I shot 4x5). I don't think I'll ever need or want another tripod... another camera or lens on the other hand... well that's a different matter!

[Curt]

Slik

[Nicole]

I use a Gitzo tripod which I love, as solid as a rock.
I had a cheaper lighter one but it was so flimsy and moved with the slightest gust of wind.

[benjiboy]

Alot of the stability of the tripod, has to do with the head you use, for my 600 f/4 on a bogen 3021, I use a wimberley head and have never had any stability problems at all and no fear to tipping it over, for a 35mm system the 3001, 3021 and many of the lighter Gitzos work just fine, the 3001 is less than $100.00 here in the US and I use one for my backpacking set up with good success up to about 400mm, but again, you have to make sure you have a good head that helps ad to the stability of the tripod.

As Dan said, try to visit a local shop and play with as many different tripods as you can, I have found that tripod choice is often one of the most personal items we use, my wife has her favorites and I have mine and we don't use each others tripods..

Dave

You could do what my friend Brian did when faced with the problem of tripod weight, and portability ( to my great amusement ) he told me he took his wife
to the photographic shop with him to see if she could carry it !!