phit4life Loc: Indiana

Hello

I can see that a tripod will be necessary for many of the landscape shots that I want to do.

I have a Nikon D7100 what would be a good tripod to get. I want it to be able to get very low too.

Hope I'm not opening another can of worms discussion like I did when I asked about Canon v Nikon :D

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

Your photography will change with the use of a good tripod. Even if you have to save up for a while, get the best you can so you only have to buy it once. Gitzo makes great tripods and Really Right Stuff makes fantastic ball heads and Gimbal heads.

drcjc Loc: Berkeley (originally Brooklyn)

If you want to carry it around much I suggest a Benro transfunctional travel tripod. in titanium. It is pricey, but worth it. Especially if you can find a used one or a demo. I am a rather oldish smallish lady and I can carry my tripod with my rebel T2i no problem for hours. Your camera is larger no doubt, but I think it would work.

phit4life Loc: Indiana

What is a ball head tripod and why would I need that?

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

There are so many tripods.
I have a Manfroto 190 tripod (4 leg sections) with the x pro 3 way head. It is light and I like the 3 separate adjustments as when doing landscapes/architecture I can get it level and when panning do not worry about releveling over and over. It is very light and easy to hike with in a small shoulder strap bag. If it needs to be made more stable a plastic bag with rocks from the built in hook stabilizes it. I use it with a 7D, 100-400 and at times a 2x converter.
They also make a carbon version that is more expensive.
This simple set up travels in a medium suit case when flying commercially without adding much baggage weight. And the portability means when hiking in the urban or wilderness environment it is easy to bring and not leave behind due to the carry hassel of bigger and heavier outfits. But those heavier ones are great and the lightweight might not be a factor and let others give info on other tripods.
Good luck with your search.

tsilva Loc: Arizona

Didereaux Loc: Swamps of E TX

probably the most versatile and certainly one the best for getting low is 'The Thing' made in UK, but sold here by a couple of the big players.

B-H
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Shop-by-Brand-3-Legged-Thing/ci/4/phd/4185058479/N/4294255798

EVO mfr video
http://www.3leggedthing.com/brian-video

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

What I like about the 190pro series from Manfrotto is that not only do the legs splay out wide, the center column can go horizontal and even be inverted.

phit4life Loc: Indiana

It looks like.that has been discontinued?

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

There are certain things that can be answered much faster with a quick Google search when you don't recognize a term....

If you Google "ball head" you will get a lot of information very quickly. If you click on images you will probably get a good idea of what you are asking about very, very quickly.

Similarly, if you google "pan head" you'll get lots of motorcycles and a few hot biker chicks! "Tripod pan head" will get you closer to your questions.

I wouldn't try "air head" or "dick head" if you want tripod information - neither of those were directed at you in any way - but the results can be Ummm, amusing!

Cheers :D

bdk Loc: Sanibel Fl.

I have a mephoto tripod. It will hold 17 lbs, converts to a mono and you can set it up so the camera is hanging down in the center of the tripod you can get as low to the ground as need be. . when I first bought it, I was worried that the guy in the store just wanted to get rid of it. Now Im seeing that a lot of people here have the same one. So now I dont feel too bad.
$175 to 199 aprox depends where u buy it. Its great for me, and parts are available should you break or lose a part.

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

drcjc Loc: Berkeley (originally Brooklyn)

Oops!
I meant carbon not titanium.

Richie 34 Loc: Boston Ma.

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bruswen Loc: Eugene OR

If money is no object go to Really Right Stuff and for around $2000 they will equip you with the best tripod you can buy. If that is more than you want to spend, then you will start making trade offs to get the best tripod you can. The variables are size, weight and the materials they are constructed from. Depending on how you use a tripod different qualities will be important, since you said landscapes I'll talk about using a tripod outside. The laws of physics say a heavier tripod will generally be more stable and damp vibrations better than a lighter one, but if you do a lot of hiking lighter and more compact will be appealing.
The most common materials used are aluminum, magnesium, and carbon fiber to keep weight down. Metal tripods are much harder to work with in the cold than carbon fiber, the metal sucks the heat out of your hands quickly. Another consideration is the environment you will be working in, for example, if you shoot a lot on beaches, the sand and salt water will shorten the life of your tripod.
Another thing that will affect you is how big of a lens you want to mount on your camera and how long the focal length is. You are the only one who knows what is important to you, without more information it is hard to recommend a specific model of tripod. Good luck in your quest!