bkblaw

Have a Nikon D3300 - learning to use it - but its been suggested that because I take nature, landscapes and animal action shots, a tripod may enhance the final product. Is that worth considering?
If so, what tripod could be best for a new photographer, using the above camera, that is light weight, easy to use and not terribly expensive? Really appreciate any thoughts.

Thank you

Indi Loc: L. I., NY, Palm Beach Cty when it's cold.

Landscape definitely. Remember to switch off IS/OS on a tripod.
Lightweight = carbon fiber but they're expensive so if you tell us what you budget is we can offer suggestions.
You might want to consider a monopod or both.
A tripod is not as important for wildlife.

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

It depends on what you do in the future. A tripod that is not steady is useless. You want one that will firmly support twice you camera weight. Also, portability can be a factor, it needs to weigh 1lb. during transport and 200 lbs. when its set up, still looking for that one!
Aluminum will be the sturdiest, Carbon will be the lightest, fewer leg sections are better for stability, more leg sections are better for transport.
The head will cost as much as the legs.
*if interested, I have a Manfrotto 410 Jr. geared head that I will let go for $150.00 plus shipping.

CO

It's definitely worth getting for nature and landscape photos. You'll need to use one for getting the cotton candy look for your flowing water photos of waterfalls and streams which requires long shutter speeds. Manfrotto gives you excellent quality at reasonable prices. You might check out their 190 and 055 series carbon fiber tripods. Carbon fiber is lightweight and dampens vibrations much better than aluminum. I have a carbon fiber 055 series Manfrotto tripod. Manfrotto has a lot of different tripod head designs. I got their new MHXPRO-3W 3-way pan/tilt head. It has adjustable friction for the front-to-back and side-to-side tilt. The handles can be collapsed in for transport. They also have a new XPRO geared 3-way pan/tilt head. You can squeeze a lever next to the knobs to make quick adjustments and then use the geared knob for fine adjustments. It's made of a rigid technopolymer for light weight. Their magnesium 460MG 3-way head is the lightest of all of their 3-way heads. I have one of those also.

The MeFOTO road trip ball head/tripod combinations look interesting. They seem to be very compact when collapsed.

davidrb Loc: Half way there on the 45th Parallel

Plan on spending a minimum of $1000.00 on A tripod? The average first-time tripod buyer looks at price, not much else. Their first tripod is usually junk. When they buy their 2nd tripod they know enough to look at what they are actually getting. Tripods can be more confusing than DSLRs. For a starter rig "transportability" should be one of the last criteria used, stability is another word for tripod you will find most important. If a tripod isn't stabile it isn't worth using or buying. The material used in construction is a factor only to engineers. The difference between carbon fiber and aluminum is not critical for someone who "frequently" (on the weekends) uses a tripod, C/F is more status. Some tripods will double as monopods, are you aware and/or interested in that information? 3 sectioned legs or 4? See why tripods are confusing? You haven't even got to the critical feature, the head. LOTS more money. Help yourself, which you already have done here, and research as much as possible. Then contact Carter Bouslaugh (aka MTShooter here) and ask for his advice. He is the most honest man on Earth and he invented tripods! That's the truth. Nuf said? GL

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

A tripod is good for landscape and some nature photography, not so much for any type of action shots. Like everything else, there's no "always for this--never for that". It comes down to the situation and what you want to accomplish.
As for light and heavy, that's a trade off. A light tripod is good for when you're going to be walking/hiking long distances, but is not all that sturdy and will move in the wind. A heavy tripod is a pain to carry long distances over uneven terrain but is more solid in windy conditions.

jim quist Loc: Missouri

I don't like lugging them around but a tripod is one place you don't hold back. Get a heavy sturdy one. You don't want it shaking in the wind. You want to feel your camera is safe when you are set up in a lake or river. It should be very sturdy when the camera is at the height of your eyes. I have one where one of the legs operates independently of the others. For example. photographing at an old building, I had two of the legs on the ground. and one of the legs raised up and pressed against the side of the wall, about knee high. It was the only way to get it sturdy.
You can get one where the center column can be removed, turned upside down, and inserted so your camera is upside down and under the tripod. Comes in handy sometimes.
A lot of variety to choose from.
But a good heavy sturdy one will serve you well.

bkblaw

Your thoughtful comments are greatly appreciated. I may look into used tripods - B&H - since I am a senior with a shoulder issue, weight would be a problem

Thank you all

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

bkblaw

Thank you - appreciate the site link

teesquare Loc: USA

Exactly the one I would suggest - and the one I reach for most often. Smaller, lighter - and as rigid as a much more expensive Slik.....

Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

Don't be impulsive in your selection of a tripod. Take time to learn before buying anything.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

Many will tell you that you MUST have a light-weight carbon-fiber tripod. These run from $150 to $600! I have a Slik tripod that weighs no more than a carbon fiber one and has proven sturdy and useful for many years. They are still under $50: http://www.amazon.com/Slik-U8000-Tripod-Fluid-Head/dp/B0001PNLIW/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1438515653&sr=1-5&keywords=slik+tripod

This would be a perfectly fine starter tripod.

And remember that to use a tripod effectively you want to have a cable release so that you don't shake the camera pushing the shutter button, and you want to disable the image stabilizer.

Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

A $44.95 tripod is a waste of $44.95.

RKL349 Loc: Connecticut

These are great suggestions. A little more invested up front will serve you well in the long run. Any of the equipment mentioned above will meet the needs of most. I use the Manfrotto brand and am very satisfied with the quality of their products.