Why buy expensive tripod?

Black_ronin · 10-27-2010, 09:14 AM

Hi,

I am looking for beginners tripod. Seems tripod prices range from $5 to couple grands.

I am just looking for mostly landscape (not mountains), indoor, architectural shooting. I am not looking for light weight since i am not going to carry it much, don't need convenience of fast adjustments (not shooting at weddings or animals). Not going to use huge lenses and camera. I have K-X and my biggest lens so far is DA L 55-300mm which is relatively light.

My main tripod criteria: being sturdy and well balanced.

So, here is question: what $150 tripod can do which $25 tripod can not? Does it worth it to spend more in my case?

Thanks.

apeman · 10-27-2010, 09:22 AM - **1 Like**

I used a $25 tripod for a number of years, too many years actually, and everytime I had to adjust it, I would curse myself for being cheap. A good tripod will last a lifetime, and it will be easy to use, and the easier it is to use, the more you will use it. When I only had a $25 tripod, I would avoid using it at all costs.

I bought a $250 tripod and head, and its good enough for what I use it for, and should last me for a long, long time.

brofkand · 10-27-2010, 09:22 AM

I would go with a Tiltall. B&H, Adorama, and Freestyle all sell them. They're $100.

You spend more money on tripods so they can handle more weight and so they're lighter. The Tiltall I would guess weighs about 3-5 pounds, and some can say it can handle a 4x5 camera. I've never tried that, but it handles my K-7 with all my lenses and my Mamiya m645 1000s with all my lenses beautifully.

It's a great tripod, built well and looks nice. I love mine.

Northern Soul · 10-27-2010, 09:27 AM

I agree with what has been said. I bought the cheapest tripod I could find one holiday as I'd forgotten mine. Now I've lost the other one (which was pretty cheap) and I only have the very cheap one, and it is horrible - you have virtually no fine adjustment on it which makes it awful to actually use.

That said, it's stable enough - I reason that if I'm using it where it moves a little - in strong wind, for example, I can just use SR, although normally it should be off for tripod use.

I've been keeping my eye out for a decent looking tripod in charity shops and car boot sales. A good tripod will last forever, so there must be lots out there.

Ira · 10-27-2010, 09:27 AM - **1 Like**

Spend the most and get the heaviest you can afford, especially since you won't be carrying it.

Even though you're using a lightweight camera, what happens is when the mirror flips up when you hit the shutter, it sends vibrations through the tripod's legs, shaking the tripod and causing blur. The heavier the tripod, the less effect this has on shaking the camera at that critical moment.

No, the extra blur on the lighter tripod won't be HORRIBLE, but it will still be significant. And if you're going to bother using a tripod, do you want that?

Keep in mind that the experts, when using a tripod, will even use the self-timer, so they don't introduce the added shake of touching the shutter release with their finger. Also, the center single column is NEVER raised unless necessary, because it's unstable and it too adds shake when the mirror flips up.

This stuff gets so intricate that my tripod is made of WOOD, because wood doesn't transfer vibrations (to the camera) but instead absorbs it--so if I position my tripod in a moving stream, that shake never makes it to the camera.

If you have Craig's List in your area, check that first. There are a lot of bargains to be found in good, heavy, second-hand tripods. If you're not going to be doing intricate, upside-down stuff, even a video head is fine. (That's what I use.) If you want to shoot verticals, of course, a video head is no good. But for me and the controls on the camera, I always shoot landscape and crop later.

magkelly · 10-27-2010, 09:33 AM

Cheap doesn't always mean bad. I bought a Quantaray floor tripod for about $60 years ago and it still works just fine for my needs. Check Goodwill online. They quite often get some nice ones.

reeftool · 10-27-2010, 09:39 AM

The most important thing a tripod needs to be is sturdy. Most of the cheap tripods you see in the photo dept.'s of department stores aren't very sturdy. A slight breeze outdoors will get them rattling. I know by first hand experience. My advice is to see what you are buying. Go to a store with some tripods and check out if they are sturdy. There should be no play in the rivets or any other parts. Actually, $150 isn't expensive but is considered midrange pricing for tripods. You can probably find a fairly sturdy tripod for well under $100 but it will be alumunium and fairly heavy. You could put a ballhead on a transit tripod. It would be sturdy. Check them out in the tool dept at Lowe's.

GerryL · 10-27-2010, 09:43 AM

Whatever you do, don't buy the very cheap ones since they are priced as how they are made..then again also, don't buy the very expensive ones 'coz what you are paying for is mostly on the brand name.
Get one that is in the mid range price since you can be sure that they will be sturdy and that they are priced right also.
Get one suitable for your needs and weigh the features 'coz there are ones that let you spread the legs real low and there are others that have a quick release ball head..etc.
There are even ones that have the center-post convertible to a monopod!

Black_ronin · 10-27-2010, 11:06 AM

Guys,

thanks for all input. If you read my original post you can see that i don't care much how to easy-to use, how light weight, what material used or how nice it looks. As long as it is sturdy and let's me get the job done i will be happy with it. I would rather spend saved money on better lenses.

So, long story short i just need the cheapest sturdy tripod. What should be my budget range for such thing?

Originally posted by Ira

If you have Craig's List in your area, check that first. There are a lot of bargains to be found in good, heavy, second-hand tripods. If you're not going to be doing intricate, upside-down stuff, even a video head is fine. (That's what I use.) If you want to shoot verticals, of course, a video head is no good. But for me and the controls on the camera, I always shoot landscape and crop later.

Ira, great advice. I will start looking for second-hand tripods. What is video-head?

Originally posted by reeftool

The most important thing a tripod needs to be is sturdy. Most of the cheap tripods you see in the photo dept.'s of department stores aren't very sturdy. A slight breeze outdoors will get them rattling. I know by first hand experience. My advice is to see what you are buying. Go to a store with some tripods and check out if they are sturdy. There should be no play in the rivets or any other parts. Actually, $150 isn't expensive but is considered midrange pricing for tripods. You can probably find a fairly sturdy tripod for well under $100 but it will be alumunium and fairly heavy. You could put a ballhead on a transit tripod. It would be sturdy. Check them out in the tool dept at Lowe's.

Reeftool, what is material for $150 tripod if not aluminum? What is ballhead and transit tripod? Why do i need one? Will check Lowe's - didn't know they sell tripods.

**blackcloudbrew** · 10-27-2010, 11:24 AM

I'm all in for getting the most expensive - sturdy - tripod you can starting out. I read a very good article on this (of course I can't find it now) that essentially said what people typically do is go cheap first off, then get another one somewhat better, then as time passes finally buy a high end one. The point is that you spend more that way then getting the high end one. After I read that, I looked at the three tripods I'd bought over a year or so and realized that was one perceptive comment.

**nater** · 10-27-2010, 11:32 AM - **1 Like**

Here are all the links I used when choosing my tripod and head a year ago:

Tripods & Heads

Tripods 101

Dante Stella

LensRentals.com - Choosing a Ballhead

jimH · 10-27-2010, 11:46 AM

I've got a Vanguard Tripod that I like quite well. Here is a link to a site the sells them with a list of quite a large price range of tripods.

Vanguard Tripods FREE S&H Vanguard Tracker Tripods, Vanguard MAK Tripods, Vanguard VS Tripods, Vanguard MK Tripods, Vanguard Alta+ Tripods. Vanguard, Tripods.

Nesster · 10-27-2010, 11:57 AM

Vanguard is a good lower-price range, as is SLIK - daughter and I have several of these.

Heavy is good, though there may come a day you want to carry it somewhere, so no need to go totally overboard there.

The height of the legs fully extended is important - the taller relative to your height, the easier it is for you to use without bending down or extending the center column. (often they quote max height which includes the center column extension)

A quick release plate is a very nice convenience to have, so you don't have to rotate camera on pod or pod on camera to mount it each time, and then again when you want to un mount.

The craigslist suggestion is a great one - you can check the stability when you pick up the pod.

lowspark86 · 10-27-2010, 12:00 PM

Since you don't mind heavy and convenience/usability are not a concern I second the recommendation to get transit level legs. Look on craigslist or used classifieds for transit tripods, survey levels, construction levels or whatever people are going to call them. Big and probably sturdy. Should be able to nab one cheap.

Ratmagiclady · 10-27-2010, 02:31 PM

The only thing about transit level legs is, you still need a head for them, so

I'd suggest the Tiltall option for the OP: barring any good used finds, for a hundred bucks, that exactly answers to the description he gave, I think, and it comes complete: solid, nothing fancy, but no particular vices, either, and very little that can go wrong with them. If you don't mind carrying them, they're really just a classic, old-fashioned, straightforward design. (There's a good chance that's what I'd have, myself, if I hadn't made a pretty lucky find of something rather more modern. Don't get me wrong, there are bargains out there, but since you don't know what to look for yet, that's the simple and safe answer.

)

Of course, if you want to go with the wooden legs, I'm sure we can try pointing you towards a head to put on there. I approve of that idea on general principle, it's just got maybe more steps to it.

10-27-2010, 09:14 AM	#1
Black_ronin Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 52	Why buy expensive tripod? Hi, I am looking for beginners tripod. Seems tripod prices range from $5 to couple grands. I am just looking for mostly landscape (not mountains), indoor, architectural shooting. I am not looking for light weight since i am not going to carry it much, don't need convenience of fast adjustments (not shooting at weddings or animals). Not going to use huge lenses and camera. I have K-X and my biggest lens so far is DA L 55-300mm which is relatively light. My main tripod criteria: being sturdy and well balanced. So, here is question: what $150 tripod can do which $25 tripod can not? Does it worth it to spend more in my case? Thanks.

10-27-2010, 09:27 AM - 1 Like	#5
Ira Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Coral Springs, FL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,216	Spend the most and get the heaviest you can afford, especially since you won't be carrying it. Even though you're using a lightweight camera, what happens is when the mirror flips up when you hit the shutter, it sends vibrations through the tripod's legs, shaking the tripod and causing blur. The heavier the tripod, the less effect this has on shaking the camera at that critical moment. No, the extra blur on the lighter tripod won't be HORRIBLE, but it will still be significant. And if you're going to bother using a tripod, do you want that? Keep in mind that the experts, when using a tripod, will even use the self-timer, so they don't introduce the added shake of touching the shutter release with their finger. Also, the center single column is NEVER raised unless necessary, because it's unstable and it too adds shake when the mirror flips up. This stuff gets so intricate that my tripod is made of WOOD, because wood doesn't transfer vibrations (to the camera) but instead absorbs it--so if I position my tripod in a moving stream, that shake never makes it to the camera. If you have Craig's List in your area, check that first. There are a lot of bargains to be found in good, heavy, second-hand tripods. If you're not going to be doing intricate, upside-down stuff, even a video head is fine. (That's what I use.) If you want to shoot verticals, of course, a video head is no good. But for me and the controls on the camera, I always shoot landscape and crop later. Last edited by Ira; 10-27-2010 at 03:29 PM.

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10-27-2010, 09:22 AM - 1 Like	#2
apeman Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Surrey, BC Posts: 29	I used a $25 tripod for a number of years, too many years actually, and everytime I had to adjust it, I would curse myself for being cheap. A good tripod will last a lifetime, and it will be easy to use, and the easier it is to use, the more you will use it. When I only had a $25 tripod, I would avoid using it at all costs. I bought a $250 tripod and head, and its good enough for what I use it for, and should last me for a long, long time.

10-27-2010, 09:22 AM	#3
brofkand Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: North Carolina Posts: 836	I would go with a Tiltall. B&H, Adorama, and Freestyle all sell them. They're $100. You spend more money on tripods so they can handle more weight and so they're lighter. The Tiltall I would guess weighs about 3-5 pounds, and some can say it can handle a 4x5 camera. I've never tried that, but it handles my K-7 with all my lenses and my Mamiya m645 1000s with all my lenses beautifully. It's a great tripod, built well and looks nice. I love mine.

10-27-2010, 09:27 AM	#4
Northern Soul Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: The North of England Photos: Albums Posts: 494	I agree with what has been said. I bought the cheapest tripod I could find one holiday as I'd forgotten mine. Now I've lost the other one (which was pretty cheap) and I only have the very cheap one, and it is horrible - you have virtually no fine adjustment on it which makes it awful to actually use. That said, it's stable enough - I reason that if I'm using it where it moves a little - in strong wind, for example, I can just use SR, although normally it should be off for tripod use. I've been keeping my eye out for a decent looking tripod in charity shops and car boot sales. A good tripod will last forever, so there must be lots out there.

10-27-2010, 09:33 AM	#6
magkelly Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,901	Cheap doesn't always mean bad. I bought a Quantaray floor tripod for about $60 years ago and it still works just fine for my needs. Check Goodwill online. They quite often get some nice ones.

10-27-2010, 09:39 AM	#7
reeftool Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Upstate New York Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,554	The most important thing a tripod needs to be is sturdy. Most of the cheap tripods you see in the photo dept.'s of department stores aren't very sturdy. A slight breeze outdoors will get them rattling. I know by first hand experience. My advice is to see what you are buying. Go to a store with some tripods and check out if they are sturdy. There should be no play in the rivets or any other parts. Actually, $150 isn't expensive but is considered midrange pricing for tripods. You can probably find a fairly sturdy tripod for well under $100 but it will be alumunium and fairly heavy. You could put a ballhead on a transit tripod. It would be sturdy. Check them out in the tool dept at Lowe's.

10-27-2010, 09:43 AM	#8
GerryL Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: CA Posts: 2,731	Whatever you do, don't buy the very cheap ones since they are priced as how they are made..then again also, don't buy the very expensive ones 'coz what you are paying for is mostly on the brand name. Get one that is in the mid range price since you can be sure that they will be sturdy and that they are priced right also. Get one suitable for your needs and weigh the features 'coz there are ones that let you spread the legs real low and there are others that have a quick release ball head..etc. There are even ones that have the center-post convertible to a monopod!

10-27-2010, 11:06 AM	#9
Black_ronin Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 52 Original Poster	Guys, thanks for all input. If you read my original post you can see that i don't care much how to easy-to use, how light weight, what material used or how nice it looks. As long as it is sturdy and let's me get the job done i will be happy with it. I would rather spend saved money on better lenses. So, long story short i just need the cheapest sturdy tripod. What should be my budget range for such thing? Originally posted by Ira If you have Craig's List in your area, check that first. There are a lot of bargains to be found in good, heavy, second-hand tripods. If you're not going to be doing intricate, upside-down stuff, even a video head is fine. (That's what I use.) If you want to shoot verticals, of course, a video head is no good. But for me and the controls on the camera, I always shoot landscape and crop later. Ira, great advice. I will start looking for second-hand tripods. What is video-head? Originally posted by reeftool The most important thing a tripod needs to be is sturdy. Most of the cheap tripods you see in the photo dept.'s of department stores aren't very sturdy. A slight breeze outdoors will get them rattling. I know by first hand experience. My advice is to see what you are buying. Go to a store with some tripods and check out if they are sturdy. There should be no play in the rivets or any other parts. Actually, $150 isn't expensive but is considered midrange pricing for tripods. You can probably find a fairly sturdy tripod for well under $100 but it will be alumunium and fairly heavy. You could put a ballhead on a transit tripod. It would be sturdy. Check them out in the tool dept at Lowe's. Reeftool, what is material for $150 tripod if not aluminum? What is ballhead and transit tripod? Why do i need one? Will check Lowe's - didn't know they sell tripods.

10-27-2010, 11:24 AM	#10
blackcloudbrew Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Cotati, California USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,460	I'm all in for getting the most expensive - sturdy - tripod you can starting out. I read a very good article on this (of course I can't find it now) that essentially said what people typically do is go cheap first off, then get another one somewhat better, then as time passes finally buy a high end one. The point is that you spend more that way then getting the high end one. After I read that, I looked at the three tripods I'd bought over a year or so and realized that was one perceptive comment.

10-27-2010, 11:32 AM - 1 Like	#11
nater Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: New England Photos: Albums Posts: 706	Here are all the links I used when choosing my tripod and head a year ago: Tripods & Heads Tripods 101 Dante Stella LensRentals.com - Choosing a Ballhead

10-27-2010, 11:46 AM	#12
jimH Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Central Nebraska - USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,771	I've got a Vanguard Tripod that I like quite well. Here is a link to a site the sells them with a list of quite a large price range of tripods. Vanguard Tripods FREE S&H Vanguard Tracker Tripods, Vanguard MAK Tripods, Vanguard VS Tripods, Vanguard MK Tripods, Vanguard Alta+ Tripods. Vanguard, Tripods.

10-27-2010, 11:57 AM	#13
Nesster Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: NJ USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 13,072	Vanguard is a good lower-price range, as is SLIK - daughter and I have several of these. Heavy is good, though there may come a day you want to carry it somewhere, so no need to go totally overboard there. The height of the legs fully extended is important - the taller relative to your height, the easier it is for you to use without bending down or extending the center column. (often they quote max height which includes the center column extension) A quick release plate is a very nice convenience to have, so you don't have to rotate camera on pod or pod on camera to mount it each time, and then again when you want to un mount. The craigslist suggestion is a great one - you can check the stability when you pick up the pod.

10-27-2010, 12:00 PM	#14
lowspark86 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Southwest Photos: Albums Posts: 157	Since you don't mind heavy and convenience/usability are not a concern I second the recommendation to get transit level legs. Look on craigslist or used classifieds for transit tripods, survey levels, construction levels or whatever people are going to call them. Big and probably sturdy. Should be able to nab one cheap.

10-27-2010, 02:31 PM	#15
Ratmagiclady Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: GA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,563	The only thing about transit level legs is, you still need a head for them, so I'd suggest the Tiltall option for the OP: barring any good used finds, for a hundred bucks, that exactly answers to the description he gave, I think, and it comes complete: solid, nothing fancy, but no particular vices, either, and very little that can go wrong with them. If you don't mind carrying them, they're really just a classic, old-fashioned, straightforward design. (There's a good chance that's what I'd have, myself, if I hadn't made a pretty lucky find of something rather more modern. Don't get me wrong, there are bargains out there, but since you don't know what to look for yet, that's the simple and safe answer. ) Of course, if you want to go with the wooden legs, I'm sure we can try pointing you towards a head to put on there. I approve of that idea on general principle, it's just got maybe more steps to it.