docanvil

I am new to the forum as far as posting. I enjoy the daily discussions. I would like to buy a small tripod for traveling (going to England) I will be taking my Nikon D7500 with 70-300 zoom. Should I buy carbon or aluminium. 3 legs or 4?
Any other suggestion for lenses would be appreciated.
Thank you.

Chris Hayes

England has so much to photograph that are more landscape or arcitectural in nature, so a wide zoom would be my choice. Not saying don't take the longer lens, but a wide zoom would be of more use. Not sure you need a tripod. Traveling with a tripod is not much fun if it's a stable one. Small and travel, don't normally go with sturdy, and thats the only use a tripod has, being stable.
Unless you are really into long exposures leave the tripod at home, it will only be in the way.
PS i grew up in England.

Chris

Fotoserj Loc: St calixte Qc Ca

I’d suggest you look into platipod, those plate that can, given the right circonstances, replace à tripod

rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin

Consider the MeFoto RoadTrip S travel tripod in either aluminum ($104) or carbon fiber ($154)
Max height 59.4”
Minimum height and folded length 14”

https://www.mefoto.com/products/roadtrip-s-travel-tripod-aluminum

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

Welcome to the forum. My suggestion is Carbon and 3 legs are studier than 4. Check out Sirui brand..

I use this one.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1024704-REG/sirui_bsret2204_carbon_fiber_tripod.html

HardwareGuy

By the time this thread grows old, you will probably get a bazillion different recommendations.
After a great deal of research, I settled on this model:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F2VKSLX/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It satisfies my checklist of features, and it's price belies its quality.
One thing I really like is that the camera attaches to the quick-release plate with a "d-ring" screw, not a slot head that requires a coin.
Good luck tripod hunting!

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

I don't think travel tripods are worth a damn. They are too light, too flimsy, and unstable.

The lightest duty tripod I would suggest would be something along the lines of a Feisol CT 3442 which fits in a carry-on bag and only weighs 2.3 lbs. Not that it says anything about stability, but it does have a load rating of 55 lbs, which is easily triple of any so called "travel tripod" I have seen. I have used mine with up to a 300mm lens, and for closeup work (1:2 magnification) with good results. I have tried a few travel tripods, including meFoto - and they are not even close in terms of stability. But it's your money. My guess is that if you by a $150 tripod, you will have just increased the cost of the truly functional tripod you'll end up buying by $150. People never complain about buying too much tripod - but boy do they complain about vibration spoiling their shots - while using crappy tripods for support.

docanvil

What do you mean by wide zoom?

Chris Hayes

Given you are using a crop sensor a zoom in the 11-16 range would be very beneficial on indoor shots of some of Englands fantastic Cathedrals and Churches.

Chris

par4fore Loc: Bay Shore N.Y.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Welcpme to the forum. Tripods can be a tricky topic. My thoughts are still heavily influenced by an accident I witnessed at a workshop this past summer. One participant suffered a near-catastrophe when her too small (not enough span on the legs to be stable) and too light tripod toppled forward, dropping her body and lens face first onto the ground. She was working with her camera close to the ground, which directly led to the accident but alsoo saved her lens and possibly her camera because it didn't have far to fall.

Consider that a fripod that is light enough to qualify as a 'travel' tripod is also light enough that it is going to cause the center of gravity to be all the way up to almost where the camera and lens sit, making the whole system very unstable. Weight is really a benefit for a tripod, helping make things stable and also reducing vibration.

It was also pointed out to me by a very experienced photographer that if there is an accident with a carbon fiber tripod, it will likely break, putting you at least temporarily out of the tripod business. An accident with a metal tripod usually leaves you with the option to bend the leg (or whatever is bent) mostly back toward straight and keep working.

As for the 3 or 4 leg segment question...More segments result in a slightly smaller length when collapsed, but also add the possibiltiy for more instability when fully extended. I know some folks who have tripods with 5 leg segments, however, and they seem to have good luck with them.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Tripods, monopods, and other such devices do not mix well with traveling, especially if your going on a organized group tour. If you are by yourself and can take the time to set up, then OK. But I have found a tripod slows me down while traveling, and you have to pack it, and transport it at all times. For me, it didn't work out well. And I travel all the time. You should be able to shoot fast enough outside so you really don't need one. And you will find that using a tripod inside is frowned upon in a lot of places overseas, especially museum's and church's. Many places do not allow them, or selfie sticks.
Many organized tour groups will not allow them, some do, they tend to slow the group down, you will find tour guides wanting to keep moving and do not like it when one person holds up the entire group.

queencitysanta Loc: Charlotte, North Carolina

Before you buy check out Carter's Camera Cottage it's MT Shooter on our website. https://www.cameracottage.com/

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Traveling is a BIG compromise for stability regarding tripods. 3 section legs are more stability efficient than 4 - but 4 will give your more height in a dimensionally constrained travel tripod. Carbon is lighter and therefore better for travel.

John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

If going in the Tourist season - it never seems to stop in the really popular places - I'd consider a mono pod, just to give you that little extra stability. Some of those windy twisty streets just won't have room to set up a tripod. And neither will the verges on some of the roads. So a wide zoom for towns capes is probably best and will useful in the Country as well, I'm imagining scenes like Dales hillsides with dry stone wall patterns etched upon then, possibly with nice shadows in the morning or evening.

I normally leave my 15-85 EFS on my CANON 60D but have often found something slightly wider would be useful, particularly for interior shots. I'm sure NIKON will have something similar. If you don't want to buy, try rental. These people are not to far from Heathrow and may be able to help (my neighbour has used them and has had no problems).

http://www.lensesforhire.co.uk/