[GibbyTheMole]

I have an old Heiwa HS-518 tripod that I've used for many years & it's ok for shorter lenses, but I'm looking for something more sturdy for moon shots, copy work, & suitable for long, heavy lenses.

What's the best sub-$150 tripod/head combo out there? One I'm looking at is the Slik U212. Is it significantly better than my Heiwa? Is there something better in that price range? I know it's not a lotta money for a pod, but I'm uh... "financially-challenged".

What's important to me is stability & durability. Weight's not really that big of a concern, although a studio pod would be kinda much.

Cheers,
Bobbo :-)

[Ratmagiclady]

Well, you could probably do better for that kind of money, actually, at leas t for most purposes. Those U-212s were actually pretty clever: they were making them when I was a kid. They aren't in general smooth about anything, and they're kind of rattly and cantankerous, but with a bit of patience, they can in fact usually contrive to do about anything.

The heads are strange and big plastic pan heads, with proprietary (but very convenient) quick release posts, but they did seem to hold pretty well.

They basically do a lot of things, none of them very elegantly.


That said, I think you would do better with something bigger for your long lenses and sky work, and do something else for your copy work. (It's possible to use a big tripod for this, especially if you can invert the center column and put your materials on the floor.)

[bdery]

I have read again and again that the best sub-100$ tripod is the Dolica proline 62 inches sold at Amazon for 40$ (sometimes less). I have a colleague with an Induro 150$ tripod that looks exactly identical on pictures. I cannot confirm yet that the two are the same, but my Dolica is ordered and should be here in a couple of weeks (someone is bringing it to me from FL).

[calicojack]

I have a Slik U212 that I bought ages ago. It was marketed as a U212AF with their pistol grip ball head instead of a typical pan/tilt head.( Slik AF-2100 Pistol Grip Head (Quick Release) 618-210 B&H Photo ). I love it and use it regularly. It can make very unusual leg configurations to accomodate almost any situation. I have even shortened up two legs to make it lean to the side for use as a copy stand. (I do add a heavy weight to the extended rear leg to ensure it doesn't tip over). I can heartily recommend this tripod, but I can't compare it to others at or near the price point.

[Ratmagiclady]

Those Dolicas are indeed pretty well-regarded as bargains, (But is that model big enough for the long-lens work the OP's talking about? )

I have a Slik U212 that I bought ages ago. It was marketed as a U212AF with their pistol grip ball head instead of a typical pan/tilt head.( Slik AF-2100 Pistol Grip Head (Quick Release) 618-210 B&H Photo ). I love it and use it regularly. It can make very unusual leg configurations to accomodate almost any situation. I have even shortened up two legs to make it lean to the side for use as a copy stand. (I do add a heavy weight to the extended rear leg to ensure it doesn't tip over). I can heartily recommend this tripod, but I can't compare it to others at or near the price point.

Hrm, I wonder if that pistol grip head takes the same quick-release posts. Did always think those were clever, if not inherently anti-twistey for long lenses, (though better than you'd think) (I've actually still got a couple: when I lost my camera support cache I had a couple in my bag. I'm not sure if they're hard to find these days. )

Definitely a nice tripod for flexibility, there's even a fitting on a leg or two that you can attach a head to and use for whatever purpose: (like extending that leg out straight and putting it on a table to make a fair copy setup. )

One option for the long lenses and astro might be the surveyor's tripod (They apparently run about fifty bucks) and the rest on a good-sized budget head of some kind.

[GibbyTheMole]

Thanks for the opinions, all... It might just be a wise idea for me to hit a camera shop & check the selection out in person & go from there.

Cheers,
Bobbo :-)

[calicojack]

Hrm, I wonder if that pistol grip head takes the same quick-release posts.

Slik Quick Release Plate for the AF2100 Pistol Grip 618-734 B&H

The plate just has a thumb screw with a fold down thumb part underneath. It attaches to the actual head like a camera attaches to a lens. A bit of a turn and your in pivot allowed mode. Then just push down on the thumb tab and it locks the rotation. It works pretty good for me.

[bdery]

Those Dolicas are indeed pretty well-regarded as bargains, (But is that model big enough for the long-lens work the OP's talking about? )

It bears more than 10 pounds according to the specs. and personally, I'm going to use a stronger ballhead I got with my monopod, and put the lighter Dolica ballhead on the monopod.

Even someone purchasing a stronger ballhead would have paid a bargain price. And that's only if the ballhead provided with the Dolica does not please the buyer.

[GibbyTheMole]

I'd be interested in some feedback about the stability & durability of the Dolica tripod, if anyone has used one.

Cheers,
Bobbo :-)

[Ratmagiclady]

Slik Quick Release Plate for the AF2100 Pistol Grip 618-734 B&H

The plate just has a thumb screw with a fold down thumb part underneath. It attaches to the actual head like a camera attaches to a lens. A bit of a turn and your in pivot allowed mode. Then just push down on the thumb tab and it locks the rotation. It works pretty good for me.

Hrm, no, then, that's different. These posts were, like little posts, maybe about a half inch in diameter, and maybe an inch tall, and they'd go into a socket on that big thick plastic panhead, which had a little clamp that'd pull the whole thing down onto the head's pad itself. Nice part was it was convenient: you could just put a post or two in your pocket and just screw it in when you needed it. ...Problem was, they don't go to anything *else. * And it's still a plastic panhead. (Though as such things go, a nice one.)


I do think our poster might be better off just going big, though.

[bdery]

I'd be interested in some feedback about the stability & durability of the Dolica tripod, if anyone has used one.

You could search the forum, people seem very happy with it. My colleague who owns the Induro copy (or the Dolica is the copy? I've also seen Dynatran versions) loves it. I'll get my dolica in May apparently (it's waiting for me in FL, the person who was supposed to bring it to me couldn't before...)

[GibbyTheMole]

Actually, I just bought one... I went with the Ravelli APGL4 from Amazon for $80. It looks like an awful lot of bang for the buck. Here it is:

Amazon.com: Ravelli APGL4 New Professional Tripod with Adjustable Pistol Grip Head and Heavy Duty Carry Bag: Camera & Photo

And here's a video review:

You Tube

You Tube

It might be a little heavy at 10 lbs., but to me, stability and durability are more important than weight. My old Heiwa tripod has some heft to it too, so that's not a big deal for me.

When I get it, I'll put it through it's paces & let you know my impressions.

Cheers,
Bobbo :-)

[Ratmagiclady]

Actually, I just bought one... I went with the Ravelli APGL4 from Amazon for $80. It looks like an awful lot of bang for the buck. Here it is:

Amazon.com: Ravelli APGL4 New Professional Tripod with Adjustable Pistol Grip Head and Heavy Duty Carry Bag: Camera & Photo

And here's a video review:

YouTube - Ravelli Ballhead Tripod APGL4

It might be a little heavy at 10 lbs., but to me, stability and durability are more important than weight. My old Heiwa tripod has some heft to it too, so that's not a big deal for me.

When I get it, I'll put it through it's paces & let you know my impressions.

Cheers,
Bobbo :-)

Cool, at least as far as the legs go: actually, finishes and a couple details aside, those look just like the big Amvona legs I've got. I'm skeptical of those pistol-grip ballheads cause they make big levers like when you go vertical, but they might be good for quicker horizontal work.

No big worries, though, you're under budget enough that you can just put a more-suitable head on there if the pistolley one doesn't work for everything. (Check for loose screws when you get it, though. One reason I got what I did was cause (for the money I paid, especially) that also made em more fixable-by-me.

Heavy's good for what you're wanting to do there, though. I suspect you'll find these sufficient to be getting on with.

[GibbyTheMole]

Thanks for the input, Ratmagiclady.

Yeah, I had planned on checking & tightening all of the screws when it arrives, & I've heard using a little machine oil on the center column lock is a good idea, too.

I quite like the idea of a pistol-grip head for what I do. The regular ball-heads always have seemed too "fiddly" for me.

I'll post a review after I've had a chance to test it out.

Cheers,
Bobbo :-)

[Ratmagiclady]

Thanks for the input, Ratmagiclady.

Yeah, I had planned on checking & tightening all of the screws when it arrives, & I've heard using a little machine oil on the center column lock is a good idea, too.

*checking.* Hrm. Maybe not such a bad idea. Though I actually hardly ever raise mine at all, and plan to cut mine short for lower angles later. (At the very moment I don't seem to need it to be shorter and in this particular place it's actually occasionally handy to have it long for one particular purpose, namely, getting close to a wall for some 'copy' work.

I quite like the idea of a pistol-grip head for what I do. The regular ball-heads always have seemed too "fiddly" for me.

I'll post a review after I've had a chance to test it out.

Cheers,
Bobbo :-)

Well, here comes one. I hope it works well. I've never tried one,myself, but on principle I approve more of the ones where the handle goes out to the side: keeps everything closer to the stablest point. With any head, the further you go away from all the weight transferring right down the tripod legs, the more you'll be applying leverage to any shake or slippage, and that's a pretty long lever, those heads, is all.

They do look like they'll *operate* nice, though.