older aluminum tripods from the 80 s can be bought cheap , look on ebay .
Madchemist wrote:
Lastnight when I realized my old one was kaput. So, very soon (Next week seem most likely)
Look at Amazon Basic tripod.
Try Goodwill or some such store. It won’t be top quality but, it will be inexpensive.
Budget and quality are hard to put in the same sentence. The best way is to set a price you want to pay, then research them out. Check B&H photo, Adorama, KEH.
Gitzo if not too expensive. Otherwise, Induro.
rmalarz wrote:
My first choice would be Gitzo. No, these are not budget basement products, but a once in a lifetime investment.
--Bob
I second that and own two of them.
My second Gitzo I bought rather cheaply
used on eBay; older '80 - '90 Aluminum / Steel Head and Legs models (series 2 & 3 (series 5 is super heavy weight studio equipment)). I also have a third large head for my 4x5" View Cameras.
Madchemist wrote:
I am a photographer on a budget and am in need of a tripod. I am looking for suggestions from y'all.
The one I had was very cheap (I got it from Meijers in Michigan). I don't have a price in mind but would love to see what everyone suggests.
I was planning on doing some long exposures when I discovered the tripod suddenly became a dipod.
When you your on a budget how much do you want to spend is the first thing we need know so we can help you?
A good sturdy tripod is a must for the best photos but not always practical. In my younger days I would mount my Raleigh bike with a beanbag in the handle bar bag, sling a camera across my shoulder and head into the backroads. If I saw a scene which inspired me I'd find a fencepost or equivalent, get out the beanbag, a cable release and get my shot, a very adequate make do.
Gene51 wrote:
If you aren't expecting to support your 150-600 and possibly your 16-300, at their max zooms for long exposures, you may be able to get away for around $450 and possibly less.
This will do what you want with the shorter lenses -
http://www.benrousa.com/products/benro-tad38cb3.aspxIt is roughly equivalent to a Gitzo Series 3.
Getting something cheaper like say $100, will only put you right back where you were, with a piece of junk that will break, hopefully without the camera on it, and will not be stable enough to hold your camera and lenses still to prevent camera motion blur.
I purchased a Feisol CT-3472 to use with my 600mm lenses, and found it to be adequate. it is fantastic with macro as well. Well worth the $525 I paid 12 yrs ago. I liked it so much I purchased it's baby brother, the CT-3442, to use for backpacking and airplane travel. It's a little lighter duty than the Benro-TAD38CB3, but it also only weighs 2.1 lbs. It is fine with a focal length up to 300mm.
If you aren't expecting to support your 150-600 an... (
show quote)
Listen to Gene 51. I wish I had read his recommendations before buying another tripod. That tripod now sits in the closet and the Feisol CT-3472 is fantastic. You might ask the Tiltall tripods. I have an old one that has a 31 mm top leg.
Madchemist wrote:
I am a photographer on a budget and am in need of a tripod. I am looking for suggestions from y'all.
The one I had was very cheap (I got it from Meijers in Michigan). I don't have a price in mind but would love to see what everyone suggests.
I was planning on doing some long exposures when I discovered the tripod suddenly became a dipod.
might not be what you are looking for but for really long exposures I mount my camera on the stand that came with my dual head halogen worklights.
it takes a while to aim it due to no pan or elevation but it is rock solid
tinplater wrote:
Literally hundreds of options. By the best you can afford is common advice. How much can you afford to spend? Do you need a head in addition to the pod? Is weight and size an important factor? If just rarely used you probably can get by with one of the common units like Zomei which I paid $100 used I believe. I have a heavy sturdy huge Manfrotto that I almost never use since I got the Carbon Fiber Zomei.
Try buying a Zomei through Amazon. I bought the carbon fiber Zomei for $90.00 during a fire sale or something. Its brand new and easily holds my D7200 with the Nikkor 200-500mm lens. Shop around and you may just hit a lucky deal.
It's hard to convince people to spend the dollars to get a good tripod- I know I was a hard sell. But it does make a difference! The fit and finish alone is enough to buy a quality tripod. And then add in the weight, stability, and ease of use and you have a winner. Buy it now or buy it later because you will end up doing just that. Best of luck whichever way you decide to go.
If you want to reply, then
register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.