Entry Level Tripod

I was hoping to get some suggestions for an entry level tripod. Money IS an issue, weight is not much of a concern. Ideally, I would like something that can get down real low for some macro work, as well as something that can handle water and streams. I have a D300s with a 300 f/4 & 1.7XTC and will be buying a macro lens. I don't anticipate getting a heavier lens any time in the near future (unless I come into some big $$ at which point, I'd buy a top of the line tripod anyway). Thanks in advance.

- Luke

Sunpak makes one that you can get at Bestbuuy for around $89.00 or you can go with a basic manfroto with a good head for around $160 tilt and pan or $200 with a ball head.

Mike

Sunpak makes one that you can get at Bestbuuy for around $89.00 or you can go with a basic manfroto with a good head for around $160 tilt and pan or $200 with a ball head.

Mike

Don't cut corners on your tripod. A good one is worth it. A poor one is money wasted.

Agree with Buck. A good tripod is an investment and a cheap one is money wasted.

Bill

Buck and Bill, I understand what you are saying, and I'm not disagreeing with you, but it would be helpful if you had suggestions for tripods, as that's what I'm looking for. Even if it's a good reality check, I have no idea what I should be looking for/at so any advice is welcome, thanks.

I have the Manfrotto 190XDB with a bogen ballhead I think. It costs around $100 for the legs and is pretty solid for landscape photography.

I agree that equipment costs a lot of $$ and not everyone is rich so you go for the most bang for your buck. Also, one thing to consider is if you shoot at the beach and/or in the water a lot, taking an expensive tripod there is sort of a waste of money because your legs will get corroded in no time by salt water and sand.

Richard,

Thanks for the advice. This tripod will be exposed to saltwater/freshwater and sand on basically a daily basis, particularly in summer and in some instances probably 2 or 3 feet deep worth of salt water and carbon fiber is obviously too $$$

I think that you can come up with a reasonable carbon fiber solution from the Flashpoint brand-they are a house brand from Addorama I think. Take the time to save some money on the front end and get carbon fiber.

Luke,

Perhaps you should look into Benro, they have CF tripods, they are what some people call a "gitzo knock off". However I have heard good things about them and they are less expensive than Gitzo.

For me weight is an issue, I'm a small woman. So I went with CF Gitzo, Black Widow head, but even with the CF legs, the gear gets heavy for me.

I have seen many FL photographers with their Gitzo legs in the salt water, but every one of them washes the legs off immediately with fresh water when they are done. I never used mine in salt water, but in FL I shot handheld virtually 99.9% of the time.

Be most concerned about how much weight the legs can hold, you sure do not want the 300mm and the D300s falling to the ground.

Hey Luke, until recently when I upgraded I had a Bogen 3221 model that I bought used on ebay for about a $100.00. Manfrotto/Bogen has a ballhead 488RC2 that runs about $95.00 new. I used this set-up since 2001 when I started shooting and just retired it about six months ago. If you didn't want to go used on the 3221 then I would suggest something from the Manfrotto 190 series which will run from $100.00 up to $160.00. I have a lot of people in my workshops that use this tripod and they seem to work fine.

Luke, I agree with Richard about the Manfrotto XDB. I used the Bogen 3021 (same model much older than the XDB) for 20 years. It was a great, steady, but heavy tripod. I used it hard, but could break it down and replace parts, clean, etc very easily. I upgraded to carbon fiber, but I still have my 3021 and it still works great...I found the Manfrotto XDB new on Amazon for $98...you can add the Manfrotto 488RC0 Midi Ball Head with 030- 14 RC0 Rapid Connect Plate for just over $100. It supports 17lbs so a good compromise. I think Bogen/Manfrotto products have really proven themselves...just over $200 to get a very good, complete rig.... go for a Gitzo when you've got the dough

I have used a Bogen/Manfrotto 3221 for years and it is great. I'd like something that collapsed a bit shorter and lighter would be nice too but it gets down low, has independent leg angles to set up in very uneven terrain and is stable. They can be had used off eBay quite reasonably. That's where I got mine.

Luke

I haven't done any tripod shopping since I bought my Gitzo 1325 years ago, so I'm afraid I can't offer any product advice from personal knowledge. At the time, I believe that it cost about the same as a good macro lens. You mentioned that you plan to get one. Putting that money on a tripod and getting an extension tube for your 300 f4 is an option. If I were to replace my 1325, it would be with the newer equivalent Gitzo model with the improved leg locks. Don't know what it costs but I'm sure it's pricey - wouldn't settle for less.

I use my Gitzo CF tripod in and around seawater all the time. Conscientious attention to the leg joints is an absolute must. I try not to let a joint get immersed, and if it does I disassemble, clean and grease the collett threads as soon as possible. Seawater in Gitzo leg joints, if not attended to, will cause corrosion and ruination.

Hi Luke: Believe me, I understand your budget issues. Some years back, when I got out of school and was buying homes, raising kids and trying to get a career kick-started, I didn't have lots of extra $$ to spend on our expensive hobby. And the tripod doesn't do you much good if you don't have a decent camera and good glass first. So you've generally "shot your wad" by the time you get to the accessories.

But I consider a good stable well made tripod a necessity rather than an accessory. You have $3,000 in equipment -- don't support it on a department-store, cheap support!

I have a Bogen 3221 that I bought 20+ years ago and it is still a workhorse, going strong. I am sure that you could get this legset and a decent head for under $200. It is heavy, but solid. To me, this is the MINIMUM acceptable support for the gear you describe.

I recently purchased a much larger leg diameter, carbon fiber legset. It is lighter than the 3221 and I set it up side by side with the 3221 and the difference in stiffness is amazing! I am certain that it will translate into better images. But I have shot, happily and confidently with the Bogen legset for years.

My new legs are Induro brand (which, I believe, is the same manufacturer as Benro, -- owned and marketed by the same folks that own the Mamiya companies). They are "Gitzo" lookalikes, but for substantially less, they are solid and well-built.

Hi Luke,

I understand your concern over dollars as well. Everyone would like a Carbon Fibre Gitzo with all the goodies but, not all of us have these extra dollars to spend. I have 2 Giottos tripods and I am very happy with them. I have a MTL9351B with a MH7002-652 ball head/quick release and a MTL3271B with a MH7000-652 ball head/quick release. Both work great. Both were under $ 200.00 Canadian (with the mounts). I can even get accessories like a arca swiss type mount, L-brackets, different center columns, different feet and rails for mount multiple cameras or flashes. For the money I think they are tough to bet. The Manfrotto 190 is very good as well but, I like the MTL9351B's options and function of the centre post a little better. You might want to have a look at them. Sorry to all the brand players, lol.

Luke: I have two Bogen 3221s. I have a Bogen 3055 ball head on the older one and a Kirk BH-1 on the newer one. The 3055 is barely adequate for my Tokina 80-200 f2.8 and I very rarely use it. The BH-1 handles my 300 f2.8 with ease. I do want a Gitzo but since the Bogens have worked and continue to work well I consider the CF a luxury and not at the top of my priority list. My only concern about your intended use would be the salt environment. It won't mess up the tubes but the steel hardware will need to be rinsed thoroughly after each use. I do like the flip clamps on the 3221 but I've never used twist locks so can't make a direct comparison. An inexpensive tripod is a whole lot better than no tripod so I would pull the trigger now and upgrade later. I've been waiting to upgrade the past five years or so and I don't think my image making has suffered too much. >=))>

Hi Luke,
My first tripod was an older Manfrotto with a Bogen head that I bought on FleaBay for $51.45. It was all Aluminum and fairly heavy, but quite solid and it supported my old manual focus Nikon 600mm (the Heavy one) lens and D200 setup. It was good exercise, and photos were sharp. Did I say it was heavy? I then went to a Benro Carbon Fiber Gitzo knockoff, which was lighter and also pretty solid. Then eventually went to the Gitzo/ Wimberly setup that a lot of other seem to use. As the Benro wasn't all that cheap, I think I should have skipped that step and just went for the Gitzo. Otherwise, that old aluminum one was just fine.

Wow you ask and you shall receive. I guess I have a little bit of research ahead of me but thanks in advance for all of the excellent advice.

Luke, I use the same lens combo (300/4 and 1.7X) on a D200. I bought a Kirk BH-3 ballhead when I bought my first Bogen 3001 tripod. The ballhead was still good when I had to replace the 3001 after 2-3 years. Still good when the second 3001 went belly-up after another couple of years. It's not necessarily cheaper to buy a cheap tripod. I still have the ballhead, which is great, but I bought a Feisol CF tripod a few months ago and have been very, very happy with it compared to the 3001's I had. The weight difference is slight on paper, but on daylong carries it is extraordinary. I use it w/o center post, and it's so tall I don't have to bend over anymore to look through my viewfinder (I'm 6'). I routinely take it all the way down to ground-level for macro work too. Hopefully its longevity will be better than the 3001, but only time will tell. The rubber feet fell off and were lost rather quickly. Feisol sent me a new set for free, and I have Superglued them on. So far, so good, despite lots of good exposure to mud, salt- and freshwater, uneven lava-rock surfaces, etc.

I highly recommend getting an L-bracket for your camera/tripod head if you intend to use a macro or any other lens that doesn't have a rotating tripod collar.