Tripod Recommendations (requirements inside)

[Nerd]

May I recommend that you get a tripod that when fitted with the proper head, is exactly at your eye level, without center column extended. That way, tripod deployment will be much faster since you can just let the legs extend all the way, rather than to a predefine length. Anything taller with head, and you'll be tip toeing. Anything shorter, you'll be bending forwards.

In which case, you should try out the tripod with the appropriate head at a shop. I would recommend John 3:16 for their friendly service and no fuss if you don't buy obligations... I was once deciding on a lens there and tested out 6 diff lens... End up didn't buy... No hard feelings from them. Really nice people.

 

[yanyewkay]

i would suggest to look at overal build quality and not just the price. Some tripods are cheap and good.. but it's usually the little things that can just make a tripod useless. eg: the clips that tighten the legs. If you look at the tripods at carrefour you'll notice the clips are rather flimsy, once broken it cannot be replaced. You might find those clips in some of the tripods mentioned.

I bought a tripod recently with the twist and lock kind of legs. I saw my friend deploy his twist and lock really fast! But I can't do that with mine becos the legs are kinda slow in being pulled out. (the air in the legs gets trapped and creates a suction effect that resists you from pulling or pushing the legs)

Get a good tripod that lasts and that'll be your last tripod purchase I gurantee you. It's only a 1 time purchase that stays with you even when you change systems.

I hunted for mine in B&S..waited for more than 3months for my tripod to show up

 

[fWord]

erm... iirc most weight hook are on the center column. if you are choosing one without it? :think:
anyway im pretty sure it is still very stable as long as you don extend too much. from my 330dx experience which is far lighter than manfrotto 190prob, i got no problem with stability extending the center column slightly. (roughly 10cm without adding weight since there is no hook below)

Yup...the hook will be from the center-most piece. Hopefully it'll still be possible to find a tripod with this even if it doesn't have a center column that can be extended upwards.

I suppose I'd need to actually see the models for myself before making the decision. But it would definitely be wise to at least find out here what I should be looking for, the models recommended and then the price level...just in case I end up getting ripped off outside.

 

[fWord]

i would suggest to look at overal build quality and not just the price. Some tripods are cheap and good.. but it's usually the little things that can just make a tripod useless. eg: the clips that tighten the legs. If you look at the tripods at carrefour you'll notice the clips are rather flimsy, once broken it cannot be replaced. You might find those clips in some of the tripods mentioned.

I bought a tripod recently with the twist and lock kind of legs. I saw my friend deploy his twist and lock really fast! But I can't do that with mine becos the legs are kinda slow in being pulled out. (the air in the legs gets trapped and creates a suction effect that resists you from pulling or pushing the legs)

Get a good tripod that lasts and that'll be your last tripod purchase I gurantee you. It's only a 1 time purchase that stays with you even when you change systems.

I hunted for mine in B&S..waited for more than 3months for my tripod to show up

That's true...buy once and you'll never need to buy again. This is partly what I'm aiming for, although I know that in the world of photography it is difficult to stop at something. There's always a tendency to go for bigger and better.

The trick is finding out which model I should be going for, given the things I want from it. In the past I read up widely about cameras and lenses, but have hardly read anything about tripods, hence the requirements are very broad.

Regarding clips, I've read that the wing-nut type of locks might be better than the twist and the clip-type. Any truth in that? Supposedly, a wing-nut is easier to tighten and loosen even with gloves on. Or is it actually the other way around?

 

[fWord]

I'm using a PPCP tripod. Abt 1.3kg which extends to 160cm+ excluding the center column. Can take 4-5kg.

Thank you. Was considering this also. If I remember correctly, is it the one that costs $140 or so in these forums? Not sure about the height though. When specifications mention the 'maximum working height' of a tripod, does that mean extending the center column to the fullest or does it refer to the height of the tripod without the center column extended?

If it is the latter, then I think the search could be easier than this.

 

[fWord]

May I recommend that you get a tripod that when fitted with the proper head, is exactly at your eye level, without center column extended. That way, tripod deployment will be much faster since you can just let the legs extend all the way, rather than to a predefine length. Anything taller with head, and you'll be tip toeing. Anything shorter, you'll be bending forwards.

In which case, you should try out the tripod with the appropriate head at a shop. I would recommend John 3:16 for their friendly service and no fuss if you don't buy obligations... I was once deciding on a lens there and tested out 6 diff lens... End up didn't buy... No hard feelings from them. Really nice people.

That's a great point. Only contemplated that (at my workplace :sweatsm this afternoon...great that you mentioned it.

John 3:16 seems to have moved from their old location at Funan...now they are on another level in an entirely different position. My Dad went there to find a small viewing loupe + viewing box for his slides last weekend and the staff were very nice about it.

Nobody seems to have mentioned CP when it comes to tripods. I used to buy all my stuff from them, but haven't been there for quite a while.

 

[ExplorerZ]

That's a great point. Only contemplated that (at my workplace :sweatsm this afternoon...great that you mentioned it.

John 3:16 seems to have moved from their old location at Funan...now they are on another level in an entirely different position. My Dad went there to find a small viewing loupe + viewing box for his slides last weekend and the staff were very nice about it.

Nobody seems to have mentioned CP when it comes to tripods. I used to buy all my stuff from them, but haven't been there for quite a while.

CP? why not? i got my slik sprint pro and 330dx there. MS is a few bucks cheaper but im too lazy to go all the way to AMK. :embrass:

 

[fWord]

CP? why not? i got my slik sprint pro and 330dx there. MS is a few bucks cheaper but im too lazy to go all the way to AMK. :embrass:

Heheh...yes, CP seems a bit more expensive than other places. I'll try to find some time to go down there soon. I'm keen to feel what a good tripod really feels like.

 

[skyhifi]

I am actually thinking of buying the slik sprint pro for my Canon D20. Lens is 17-40mm L. Not sure if the tripod is too 'flimsy' for the camera and lens. I am looking for a light weight (less than 2kg) tripod. Not sure what is good for a budget of around $300 also.

 

[Volks]

I've had more than 10 change of tripods over 15 yrs until 8 years ago, decided to splash S$1.5 k on a Giltzo carbon, stands tall at 1.8m and weights less than 2 kg. Added another S$600 for a magnesium head with luxurious large quick shoe.

Eversince, I never once complain & look to other tripods.

Now do the math, think of the wasted money I spent on the first 9, they costed between $100 - $300 which delivered disappointment when I would have done the right move from the begining.

And really, it is not doing justice to your dearly/heavily invested camera/lenses with those little filmsy sticks just to save $

I am actually thinking of buying the slik sprint pro for my Canon D20. Lens is 17-40mm L. Not sure if the tripod is too 'flimsy' for the camera and lens. I am looking for a light weight (less than 2kg) tripod. Not sure what is good for a budget of around $300 also.

 

[fWord]

I've had more than 10 change of tripods over 15 yrs until 8 years ago, decided to splash S$1.5 k on a Giltzo carbon, stands tall at 1.8m and weights less than 2 kg. Added another S$600 for a magnesium head with luxurious large quick shoe.

Eversince, I never once complain & look to other tripods.

Now do the math, think of the wasted money I spent on the first 9, they costed between $100 - $300 which delivered disappointment when I would have done the right move from the begining.

And really, it is not doing justice to your dearly/heavily invested camera/lenses with those little filmsy sticks just to save $

Pwhoa! :sweatsm: That's a lot of money for a tripod. But then again if it's the last one you'll ever buy, it'd be a fantastic piece of equipment.

 

[ExplorerZ]

as for me i don need a very very good/expensive tripod since im not a extremely frequent tripod user. so as long as the tripod is stable enough for my setup yet light enough to be carried around easily it is good enough.
come to think of it i doubt i use more than 20times of tripod a year.

 

[canongrapherL]

Slik Sprint pro is ok if you are using it on stable ground and not subjected to heavy wind. However it will shake like mad if you mount tele lens( 70- 200) on it.

But But But..., having a light tripod means you will use it. Better than a 4 kg one that you leave at home all the time. Buy a lightweight for casual and 1 heavyduty for serious shoots.

I am actually thinking of buying the slik sprint pro for my Canon D20. Lens is 17-40mm L. Not sure if the tripod is too 'flimsy' for the camera and lens. I am looking for a light weight (less than 2kg) tripod. Not sure what is good for a budget of around $300 also.

 

[fWord]

as for me i don need a very very good/expensive tripod since im not a extremely frequent tripod user. so as long as the tripod is stable enough for my setup yet light enough to be carried around easily it is good enough.
come to think of it i doubt i use more than 20times of tripod a year.

Sometimes I find it hard to justify if I should really buy a tripod. I rarely shoot from a tripod. A possible reason is that my current tripod isn't a joy to use. It wobbles and the camera needs to be constantly adjusted. But I shouldn't blame my tools. Rather, perhaps my photos are bad because I don't use a tripod.

Don't know what you guys think, but just about every landscape book I read says that a person's photos will see a definite improvement if a tripod is used, mainly because the photographer needs to set up, has to think harder and in the end, is more likely to exclude little distractions from the periphery of the frame. To put it another way, if the scene doesn't look striking enough, then there's no point setting up a tripod in the first place. Hence, quality goes up and quantity goes down.

 

[fWord]

But But But..., having a light tripod means you will use it. Better than a 4 kg one that you leave at home all the time. Buy a lightweight for casual and 1 heavyduty for serious shoots.

Very true of a camera system also. This is obviously off-topic, but this means that a DSLR is not necessarily better than a compact camera and vice versa. After all, a good camera is the one we'll always have with us.

And it's definitely easier to take a photo with a camera that's always on our side, than with one we always leave at home.

 

[waileong]

You should buy a tripod if you want to shoot better pictures.

Not because it forces you to set up a tripod only because there's something worth shooting.

But because it slows you down. You think harder. And you wait for the right moment before pressing the shutter.

You would really start improving if you were shooting medium or large format. Because with sheet film or with so few shots per roll of 120, you would really not be trigger happy at all, and you would learn how to meter properly, how to use filters, etc. so that shooting does not just become a click-click-click followed by photoshop exercise.

Sometimes I find it hard to justify if I should really buy a tripod. I rarely shoot from a tripod. A possible reason is that my current tripod isn't a joy to use. It wobbles and the camera needs to be constantly adjusted. But I shouldn't blame my tools. Rather, perhaps my photos are bad because I don't use a tripod.

Don't know what you guys think, but just about every landscape book I read says that a person's photos will see a definite improvement if a tripod is used, mainly because the photographer needs to set up, has to think harder and in the end, is more likely to exclude little distractions from the periphery of the frame. To put it another way, if the scene doesn't look striking enough, then there's no point setting up a tripod in the first place. Hence, quality goes up and quantity goes down.

 

[ExplorerZ]

Sometimes I find it hard to justify if I should really buy a tripod. I rarely shoot from a tripod. A possible reason is that my current tripod isn't a joy to use. It wobbles and the camera needs to be constantly adjusted. But I shouldn't blame my tools. Rather, perhaps my photos are bad because I don't use a tripod.

Don't know what you guys think, but just about every landscape book I read says that a person's photos will see a definite improvement if a tripod is used, mainly because the photographer needs to set up, has to think harder and in the end, is more likely to exclude little distractions from the periphery of the frame. To put it another way, if the scene doesn't look striking enough, then there's no point setting up a tripod in the first place. Hence, quality goes up and quantity goes down.

if that the case, i think you just like me. will be good if you can settle on one which is moderate in weight and performance yet <$300.

 

[fWord]

You should buy a tripod if you want to shoot better pictures.

Not because it forces you to set up a tripod only because there's something worth shooting.

But because it slows you down. You think harder. And you wait for the right moment before pressing the shutter.

You would really start improving if you were shooting medium or large format. Because with sheet film or with so few shots per roll of 120, you would really not be trigger happy at all, and you would learn how to meter properly, how to use filters, etc. so that shooting does not just become a click-click-click followed by photoshop exercise.

Absolutely. Wonder when I'll do night photography again, but the tripod will surely come in handy then. Haven't been doing much of that since the terrorist scares made security extra wary of photographers.

 

[fWord]

if that the case, i think you just like me. will be good if you can settle on one which is moderate in weight and performance yet <$300.

Yes...I guess it's more or less settled on the model that you recommended me, pending a hands-on session to see if the height is right for me.

 

[fWord]

I went browsing around the Manfrotto and Gitzo websites for more information and found another two possible Manfrottos...the Gitzo ones that fit my measurements seem to be carbon fibre ones and will probably be out of my budget.

Has anyone tried the following Manfrotto tripods before?

- 055CL (Classic Tripod)
- 055DB (Basic Tripod 055 Black)

I found a pricelist elsewhere and both of these seem to cost just as much if not just slightly more than the 190ProB, and yet are slightly bigger. If I were to attach a head and my camera to them, and extend the legs fully, it will be almost at eye level and will be quick to use.

Can anyone advise on this? I won't be in dire need of a tripod until around November when I go off for a New Zealand trip. But of course if I can finalize this earlier, it will give me time to play around with the tripod and get familiar with it before traveling.