Small, cheap tripod recommendations

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impaul

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Im looking into getting a tripod for my 350D and was hoping people could give me some suggestions.

I want to get something small because i won't ever take it out if its big and heavy, plus i do quite a bit of travelling.

I'm also not into spending big bucks on my camera stuff (because im too poor!) so i was thinking of spending under £30.

i've been trying to look on amazon but its really hard to tell what the quality might be like on there.

Anyone got one they could recommend?

Thanks.
 
I bought a tripod from Tescos, was £9.99, called Star 42

It can take my Canon 400D and 70-300 IS lens without bending. To me, it is light. It was tall enough for my colleague, who is over 6' tall and has had issues in the past.

It does what I need, but is no-frills. It has panning, tilt on it.
 
That's a good price for the Star 42 and it gets good reviews on Amazon, at almost twice the price.
 
tdodd said:
That's a good price for the Star 42 and it gets good reviews on Amazon, at almost twice the price.
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They're ok for the money and available in asda for around a tenner, there is also smaller and more portable versions available in argos and I think I've seen them in asda too :)
 
With tripods you really have to spend a bit more otherwise you will find yourself buying another one later. With a low starting budget it would be best to get a good condition used one. Try ebay or gumtree.
 
I listened to a lot of people saying "oh, you have to get a good tripod the first time, if you get a cheap one there's no point in getting one at all!" and then I realised that a cheap tripod that I take with me is worth *****loads more than the sturdy one that stays at home coz it's too heavy! If you have a car, this isn't a problem, but I don't - and if you don't either then I'd go with your original instincts and get a cheap one. I'll recommend you mine when I get home and can check the model number.
 
tdodd said:
I think you will struggle badly to find something small, light and sturdy enough for a DSLR and lens, unless it is a very small, light lens, but this is probably a good option so long as you keep the load fairly light....

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/product/default.aspx?sku=1014517

It's a lot dearer elsewhere - http://www.google.co.uk/products?q=manfrotto+mn785b&scoring=p

Reviews - http://www.reevoo.com/reviews/mpn/manfrotto/mn785b_modo_tripod#reviewsFilter
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I noticed the 785 in Jessops the other day when I went in for a nosie, and although at full length as a main tripod it seemed very flimsy, if only set at half height it seemed pretty good as a travel/lightweight tripod for times when you don't really need one/cant warrant a full size one. I'm tempted to get it myself.
 
And good old Jessops only want £54 for it, whereas Warehouse Express expect you to pay £30 + P&P making £33 in all.

Shame on Warehouse Express for undercutting the market like that!

It might be worth £30 if you do want a small and light tripod, but there's no way on earth I'd pay £54 for that thing.
 
I'm sure it wasn't £54 in the Jessops I looked at, it was nearer £30 too. Having said that I wouldn't have bought it from Jessops anyway. :D
 
Itti said:
I listened to a lot of people saying "oh, you have to get a good tripod the first time, if you get a cheap one there's no point in getting one at all!" and then I realised that a cheap tripod that I take with me is worth *****loads more than the sturdy one that stays at home coz it's too heavy!
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Perhaps this is a matter of personality. My tripod is quite a decent and heavy one, but I remember well the searing frustration I experienced when using the cheap ball head that was bundled with it (so much so that I immediately went out and spent £hundreds importing a RRS ball-head to replace it).

But for me, I would barely think twice about slinging my tripod bag over my shoulder - I tend to cut around with a big bag full of all my work junk most of the time, anyway, so if I'm going out to take photos I'm already lighter by quite a few KG.

I looked at the beanbags thread in the for sale forum today, and honestly, to me, to me those look more inconvenient to carry than a tripod. At least the tripod all goes in a single bag that goes over one shoulder and then you can forget about it. I would feel daft carting about a bag of sand when resting the camera on my spare hand would do just as well, and it's just another thing to clutter up the camera bag, and which has to be taken in & out all the time when you're trying to get at something underneath it.

Stroller.
 
I got one of these, and at £15 they are amazing (allthough it was about £8 when I got one).

I still cant believe how good it is today, it probably matches the quality of a £50 tripod. Its really light too, probably about 2 foot when closed and comes with a carry case.

It supported my 350D really well even when using larger lenses!

http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=777_1&products_id=99654

All the best
 
I got one of these, and at £15 they are amazing (allthough it was about £8 when I got one).
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Yes I got one as well. What a waste of the Earths resources! The legs are actually OK but the head is rubbish, camera moves about under the slightest pressure, in Fact I'm using it as a light stand for my flash gun - its OK for that. Far too much plastic for my liking.

Sorry but looking at a decent tripod will make you realise how bad this one is. I am getting a redsnapper when Joe gets them back in stock, Mnafrotto was my other choice but much more expensive.
 
Dave Pickett said:
Yes I got one as well. What a waste of the Earths resources! The legs are actually OK but the head is rubbish, camera moves about under the slightest pressure, in Fact I'm using it as a light stand for my flash gun - its OK for that. Far too much plastic for my liking.

Sorry but looking at a decent tripod will make you realise how bad this one is. I am getting a redsnapper when Joe gets them back in stock, Mnafrotto was my other choice but much more expensive.
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The one I have seems to be fairly sturdy, I have used it for HDR with no problems... I must have a good one from the batch.

Althogh I will say it gets a bit wobly if I extend out the head unit using the winder.

Jym
 
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