Anyone care to offer advice on tripod?

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shufflemoomin

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I've decided to finally get myself a tripod since I've never owned one before. I'm a bit lost in this new world. I've read that it's best to buy the tripod and head separately? Can anyone recommend something small and light yet good quality for around £150 or am I dreaming with that budget?
 
For around £150 I picked up a manfrotto 055xprob and 496rc2 head.

Awesome combination, but the centre column was too long so I struggled getting close to the ground, so I had to get the short centre column.

I also have a 190 which is largely just as good as the 055, so if the 055 doesn't come into your budget it's a good option.
 
I was recently looking for the same and finally decided on:

Velbon Ultra Rex-i L
Manfrotto 494RC2 Ball Head with Friction Control

Came to £135 in total from Amazon and I'm really impressed with both. Compact, really light to carry around and really easy to put up and take down.
 
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Just Dave said:
The centre column swivels to horizontal on a 055
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I know As i said have one.

A horizontal centre is nowhere near as stable as a vertical one.
 
redddraggon said:
I know As i said have one.

A horizontal centre is nowhere near as stable as a vertical one.
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And what's more 45€ will buy you an add-on horizontal bar that provides exactly the same abilities, but is something you can remove when you need stability above flexibility.

If you're staying at the budget end, though, you're probably not looking at maximising your stability anyway.

But, following Thom's philosophy you'll end up buying for stability some day anyway, and end up dropping ~£1000 or more on a tripod/head combo, at which point the flexible positioning central columns very much become a 'con' rather than a 'pro'.

I wish I'd spent the money in the first place on something other than 'cheap' manfrotto tripod/head, rather than adding another 450€ for a replacement head, and £300 for a replacement set of legs months later.

I'd also suggest starting off with good intentions and choosing a head that uses the arca swiss plates from day 1. For some bizarre reason, UK photographers generally seem to shun the arca swiss system, whereas in Europe and the US if it doesn't have an arca-compatible QR, it's pretty much a non-runner.
 
Thanks for all the advice. There's a lot to take in here. Doesn't seem to be one overall suggestion though so I'm assuming people just go with what they want. Maybe I'll take a trip into a camera store for more advice. Thanks for the help though. Means I'm going in with more knowledge than before and won't be sold something useless like a sucker. (Hopefully) :)
 
I got one of these http://www.netgadgets.co.uk/product/product2.aspx?product=tp55 and I know I'm in the minority but I just wanted something I could use without worrying it was going to fall apart. It's heavy but it's solid, it's got a great height reach and it's versatile while still stable and can hold up to 8KG.
I've had it over a year and never had a problem with it, but then I'm not carrying it about every day using it. It cost around £110 IIRC and it has a built in monopod and minihead that does get used very often. Don't know where it's available from now but I like it and more importantly I trust it to hold 4 grands worth of kit without a problem.
 
redddraggon said:
I know As i said have one.

A horizontal centre is nowhere near as stable as a vertical one.
Click to expand...

I find the stability of the 055 great, even when horizontal position, must be the way you position it to be honest,

OP dont get any old cheap pod and head, you'll end up buying a better one anyway,
 
Just Dave said:
I find the stability of the 055 great, even when horizontal position, must be the way you position it to be honest,

OP dont get any old cheap pod and head, you'll end up buying a better one anyway,
Click to expand...

Very interesting, I am looking for a new tripod, Dave would I be right in saying that the Manfrotto 055XPROB also goes horizontal giving me the opportunity to take a decent shot from above the subject.


Darren
 
I have a manfrotto 190 and am happy with that, but the head i have is a 3 way, and i find it a pita. They are better for panoramas, but i wish i had a ball head.

Regarding the stability of the manfrotto with the centre column in horizontal mode, i have not found any problems; but i only have a d300s and a tamron 17-50 2.8, so only about 1.5kg total weight, and i dont extend the centre column when working.
 
IanAshworth said:
I was recently looking for the same and finally decided on:

Velbon Ultra Rex-i L
Manfrotto 494RC2 Ball Head with Friction Control

Came to £135 in total from Amazon and I'm really impressed with both. Compact, really light to carry around and really easy to put up and take down.
Click to expand...

I can't justify replacing my tripod (which is a Velbon and I am happy with it - it's just a bit long for some of my travel bags) but I was looking at small, compact tripods on line recently - the Velbon Ultra Rex-i L looks very good if small and lightweight are important qualities.

Take a look at this review
 
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I have just recieved delivery of a spanking new Red Snapper tripod and head. Cost me £66 in total (inc postage).

I am very happy with it and the build quality if very nice. Even comes with a padded carry case!

I can heartily recommend these tripods!
 
shufflemoomin said:
I've decided to finally get myself a tripod since I've never owned one before. I'm a bit lost in this new world. I've read that it's best to buy the tripod and head separately? Can anyone recommend something small and light yet good quality for around £150 or am I dreaming with that budget?
Click to expand...

To be honest it all depends on what you're going to put on it and how 'stable' you need it to be. Most you can attach your kit bag, to make it more stable so that part may not be important.

If your only going to put a 7D and a short lens then you dont need the overkill of a Manfrotto 055 (their not that light if your carting one around unless they are the carbon fibre model) and the 190 would do fine.

Me, I went for a Giottos MTL8360B Carbon Fibre Jobby with a Manfrotto 322RCC head attached to it (which I think weighs more than the legs :) ) and now for what i do its overkill, I would gladly exchange it for a 190CF given the chance now.

So if it was me I would work out what i need, work out what i might need further down the line and then go have a play!

For a £150 you can get quite a lot for your money, even some carbon fibre legs :)
 
I bought a used manfrotto 190 classic and 488rc2 ball head a week ago and I am loving it. It is not the lightest tripod, but is stable, suits my needs and I am really happy with it.
 
CScottMcQueen said:
If your only going to put a 7D and a short lens then you dont need the overkill of a Manfrotto 055 (their not that light if your carting one around
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Yeah I needed the 055 as I have a gimbal and 500mm lens to cope with the weight, as well as using it for low level macro with my 105mm macro :thumbs:

vickylou said:
I bought a used manfrotto 190 classic and 488rc2 ball head a week ago and I am loving it. It is not the lightest tripod, but is stable, suits my needs and I am really happy with it.
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Both the 190 and 055 for flat to the ground great for macro and sturdy, 055 if you want to put a gimbal and big lens on, and great all rounder :thumbs: get any of those and a ball head, you wont look back :thumbs:

dont get any old cheapo youll have to get a better Tripod in the end save your cash and buy right
 
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Just Dave said:
Id recommend the Manfrotto 190 or 055 and Manfrotto 498RC2 Midi Ball Head
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I was going to offer the exact same recomendation, if you dont have a big heavy camera and lens you could save a few quid and get the 496RC2 head.
I have a 190XproB and is serves me well, its a bit on the heavy side for hiking up mountains with, but it was under £100.
 
Due to my background I have experience in beam theory, so I KNOW that the centre column is far more stable in vertical orientation than horizontal .
 
Just talked the wife into buying me a 498RC2 head for my birthday to replace the 3-way I got with the tripod. I tried for a 7D but she just gave me 'the look'.
 
Manfrotto 055 or 190, both excellent and reckon from what you said the latter would be fine
 
Manfrotto make some excellent kit,

But I would also recommend anyone looking around the £100-£150 mark that Redsnapper (they are in the trader forum, you get 10% off being a TP member) produce some superb VFM tripods.

I've just taken delivery of an RS324 (legs) and RSH12 (head) combo.. My only comparison can be to the 055XProb/496RC2 ball head since I have used that combo a few times.

What I like about the redsnapper
- Legs are rated to 12Kg load
- Legs Weighs the same as the 055's
- Comes with a very nice bag (proper padded/zipped/accomodates head/extra storage/shoulder strap
- Accomodates both common head mount thread sizes (Legs have reversible mount bolt, the head has a threaded insert)
- Extra shorter column supplied
- Head is rated to 10Kg load
- Head is very well engineered, it's so smooth and controllable
- Uses Arca Swiss plates

This costs £142 delivered using the forum discount.

I think they are a good VFM alternative to Manfrotto down that end of the market, the engineering of the heads is excellent. They don't have the horizontal column feature, but do come with choice of columns (which are reversible).
 
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I use the Redsnapper RSH-12 head on my Velbon and I can certainly vouch for the comments made about it by phil-t. Redsnapper also do spare plates for £6.95 a piece.
 
I replaced my Manfrotto 190 tripod at Christmas with another Manfrotto 190 with a Giottos ball head. I had my first 190 for just over 20 years and decided to replace and give it bit of a rest:)!! I can't fault the Manfrottos and my husband uses my dads old Manfrotto 055 which is even older and still works great!
 
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