pkr wrote:
Lightweight and under $100. Amazon has many tripods that look sturdy for this amount, but it's hard to judge their quality or stability. I need a basic tripod for use in botanical gardens, wetlands, and other non-rigorous conditions.
There isn't a tripod made that costs $100 or less that will be stable with macro or the equivalent of a 600mm lens - both of which are the most rigorous and most stability-demanding uses for a tripod. What you "need" is a tripod AND HEAD that does not vibrate at the slightest hint of a breeze. If you buy a $100 tripod, you just added $100 to the price of the correct choice.
In an automotive analogy, the <$100 is to a real tripod as this is to a real car:
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