dbeals Loc: Washington State

I just purchased my D7100 with a sigma 18-300. My next addition will be a back packing tripod but knowing nothing about tripods. I need to have some guidelines on what makes one better than another. I would like to spend no more than $200 since I just bought the camera/lens.

Big Stopper Loc: London

I bought a MeFoto Backpacker last year and it does the job for me. It's small, light and robust enough to support full frame camera and 70-200 lens. Check it out.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Save your money. Better to wait until you can afford a quality set of legs and a head, than buying something cheaper that you will not be happy with. Learn to brace your camera against trees and other relatively inanimate objects, get a walking stick (or rig one up with a tripod screw), or just rely on the VR function on the lens to help you deal with camera shake in the meantime.

Ebay, Craigslist, Fred Miranda and most selling forums are littered with junk tripods that people like yourself bought, completely unaware or based on "reviews" from people who have never shot with a quality tripod supporting their cameras - cheap tripods that were completely inadequate.

That being said, you might look at Sirui and Feisol - both make really high quality carbon fiber tripods with decent heads - Feisol makes a 4 section "Tournament Class" tripod that weighs under 3 lbs with ball head, and Sirui has a 5 section leg that folds down smaller.

Here is a comparison of 5 popular tripods -

http://www.dpreview.com/articles/5352974021/travel-tripods-5-carbon-fiber-kits-reviewed/7

I would avoid the Feisol CT 3441 SB, the CT 3442 is a more substantial - and lighter - tripod - 2.6 lbs vs 3.1 lbs. With their ball head, the tripod will cost you a little over $400, but it will be the last tripod you will buy unless you start shooting with super-tele lenses like 500mm 600mm or longer.

You can buy the $200 tripod, and end up spending $600 - in total for the beginner/newbie version + the right tripod. Or you can save $200 and buy just one tripod.

Capture48 Loc: Arizona

Agree
:thumbup: :thumbup:
One of the biggest mistakes people make when buying a tripod for the first time is to buy cheap at Walmart or somewhere. Very shortly you will throw that junk away and buy again, almost doubling your cost of a tripod .

The thing with tripods is you need one rated for your heaviest lens when attached to your camera. If you are hiking it will need to be light, carbon fiber. These materials do not lend themselves to CHEAP.

Buy right or buy twice, many of us have learned this the hard way. Maybe, just maybe we can save you the same fate!

Capture48 Loc: Arizona

Here is another way to think about this. I don't know what you have for lenses, but ask yourself if you want your best lens supported by the cheapest tripod you can find??

RICARDOOO Loc: Findlay, Ohio

Years ago a pro photographer told me that a tripod should be strong enough to support a bowling ball.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Capture, though I agree with you on buying a proper tripod, I have to disagree with load capacity as a criteria for tripod selection. There is a myth perpetuated on the web that load capacity = stability. It really doesn't.

Both Really Right Stuff and Gitzo - two of the most respected Tripod manufacturers - rate their tripods using "stability" as a meaningful criteria. They actually test long focal length lenses on their legs - and though they don't say so, the top tube diameter is actually a more reliable predictor of stability since it has greater torsional rigidity. You will see that a tripod with a 28mm top tube will adequately support a 300mm lens. But if you want to support a 500mm lens or longer you will need a tripod with a 37mm or larger top tube diameter.

Here is an excellent paper on the subject at RRS:

http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/Be-a-Gear-Expert/Choosing-a-Tripod/

And it doesn' really matter if you are using a 7lb 150-600 or a 13lb 600mm F4 - they both need the same tripod.

If you download the Gitzo catalog, you will see similar information - http://www.gitzo.com/service/request+a+catalog

It begins on page 14, but in summary it says:

"Selecting the right series Gitzo

Use ‘Series’ numbers to provide photographers with a useful guideline
to help select and combine products. For tripods, the Series number
corresponds to the diameter of the top leg section: the higher the Series
number, the larger the diameter of the top tube, and the better the
torsional rigidity.

At Gitzo we recommend using the focal length of the lens you intend
to use, not the weight of your equipment, as the primary factor for
selecting the tripod Series. Lenses with longer focal lengths have
narrower angles of view and stabilizing the lens requires a tripod with
higher torsional rigidity. Even the smallest Gitzo tripod may be strong
enough to support the weight of your camera equipment, but it might
not have enough torsional rigidity to properly stabilise images when
using a long lens.

The following table should help you select the ideal Series of tripod
depending on the focal length of the longest lens you intend to use
with it on a regular basis. For example, if you are using lenses up to
200mm, we recommend Series 2 tripods. If you opt for a Series 1
tripod, you will need to pay more attention to keeping your equipment
steady; on the other hand, if you think you need extra leeway to use
your system in extreme conditions without having to worry about
image stabilisation, you may opt for a Series 3 tripod.

When combining products to build a complete support system,
bear in mind that Gitzo heads and accessories are designed to suit
tripods of the same Series. The first numeral in a Gitzo product code
indicates the Series to which it belongs; for example, if you choose
a Series 2 tripod GT2542, the best matching centre ball head would
be the Series 2 GH2780QD."

There are images and charts that detail this information nicely.

If you peruse their catalog, you will see that their Series 0, their lightest duty tripod, still supports 18lbs. But though it will easily counteract gravity to support a D3200 and a Tamron 150-600mm lens which only weighs 9 lbs, they do not recommended it for a lens with a field of view greater than a 75mm lens because it is not stable with longer lenses.

kayakbob Loc: Placerville, CA

You defintely want to go with Carbon Fiber for weight, probably 4 section legs for minimal collapsed length. It is a trade off for between stremgth and packability between 3 section & 4 or more section legs.
You may want to consider a CF Monopod to begin with, Manfrotto used to make a adjustable support brace you attached beneath the head and could be used against you body forming a tripod. I use the Manfrotto single axis monopod adjustable head (Acra Swiss version) on mine, as I have found the ball heads have to many degrees of freedom when used on a monopod.
I prefer the "Twist Lock" design over the "Flip Latches" as they don't seem to catch as much when hiking through brush, and I can unlock all the sectons of a leg at one time easier.
In addition to the Tripod's Load Capacity, the diameter of the legs is an important factor, the strength increases by Diameter^4 th for the change in diameter, if I remember my structural design correctly. A small change in diameter is a large increase in strength. Larger Diameter Legs = Stronger/Greater Stability.
I would suggest you consider Vanguard's Tripods, I have been happy with my Vanguard CF with 4 section legs. It was about $ 350 several years ago, which is about double your budget, and that is w/o a Ball Head. That is why I suggested a CF Monopod to start with. Vanguard also has some nice Ball Heads as well, I would suggest a "Open Frame" design, lighter, and easier to clean/keep clean.
Also you may want to look at Click Elite's Adventure series of photography backpacks, some models have a built in sleeve for a hydration bladder, it is external to the camera section, and has an external drain in the bladder sleeve just in case. The waist belt is as good as those found on non photography backpacks such as Deuter, Osprey, Kelty, etc., quality is also excellent.
The waist belt which places the load on your hips, is another area that when I was researching this a few years ago I found that many photographic backpacks were deficient in MHO.
Bob

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Bob, along with load capacity as an indicator of stability, the number of leg sections is another myth that needs dispelling. while the number of leg sections may make a difference in cheap tripods that have underdesigned leg locking mechanisms, Gitzo, RRS, Sirui, Induro, Feisol, Benro, Three Legged Thing, and many other manufacturers of high quality well-designed tripods do not make a distinction between a 3 section leg or a 5 section leg with regards to stability.

Years ago I owned two versions of a Gitzo Systematic Carbon tripod - one with 3 and one with 4. I saw no difference in rigidity or performance. Sold off the one with 3 sections because I wanted something that would pack smaller, and I didn't mind trading off few extra ounces for a smaller collapsed size.

Those Clikelite bags are the most practical thing for hiking photographers that I have ever seen!

jkoar Loc: The Gunks, NY

Gene,
This RRS review rules out carbon fiber since it is not abrasion resistant. What are your thoughts on this? Is the weight consideration that important when you are carrying a lot of weight in lenses? >200mm You've done a lot of research on this ... is this your final recommendation for dbeals and me for that matter: Feisol CT 3442 ?

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Which review?

Carbon fiber is the material of choice for light, strong and stable tripods - I'd love to see a review that says otherwise.

When it comes to weight, it is difficult to get a stable metal tripod that weighs less than 12-15 pounds to equal the stability of a 3 - 5 lb carbon tripod. The OP has up to a 300 mm lens on a cropped sensor camera, making it equal to a field of view of a 450mm lens. You bet he is going to need stable support. Spending less for a toy is not a solution, unless he doesn't mind blurry pictures.

The RRS article goes deeper into the need for stability - it takes into consideration image magnification. A 600 mm lens at close focus distance of 15 ft will have the same magnification as a 200mm lens at 6.5 ft - and if you are using that 200 mm at that distance, or shorter, you will need the same torsional rigidity - if you go to 1:1 with macro, you need even more rigidity, but that is hard to get and equally hard to carry, so you make due with various ways of stabilizing the camera/lens/tripod assembly.

jkoar Loc: The Gunks, NY

[quote=Gene51]Which review?

Carbon fiber is the material of choice for light, strong and stable tripods - I'd love to see a review that says otherwise.

http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/RRS-Ground-Pod.html

It was in here in the considerations - maybe ground pods are an exception.

Still, is this the recommendation in this case? Feisol CT 3442

mikedent Loc: Florida

Gene- what ball head do you suggest for Feisol ct 3442? (You mentioned "their" head). Current price for the legs alone is $399 so the head would be in addition unless they have a special combo offering?

dbeals Loc: Washington State

I appreciate all the valuable information that has been post so far. I have a lot of information to process through to make a wise choice. Thank you

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

[quote=jkoar]

Yes you are correct, aluminum and steel for their groundpod only. Their other products are CF and Aluminum, but for lightness/rigidity, CF is the choice.

I like the CT3442 or the same version in Rapid (anti rotation legs), it is light and strong with 28mm top tube diameter.

I also was impressed with this Sirui:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/822143-REG/Sirui_BSRT2205_T_2205X_5_Section_Carbon_Fiber.html/prm/alsVwDtl

From my brief exposure to it, it appears to be the same weight, but it shrinks down to 14.6" and is price compatible with the Feisol. Sirui's ball heads are well engineered as well.