Cheap Tripod?

the 18-250 and K20 isn't exactly heavy, though. I've seen the effects of my old 400mm on the 055/222 combo and I can see blur on the camera screen; the 100-300 exaggerates it even more. It's fair enough, I'll be using the monopod and silly shutter speeds anyway.

I think a lot of this depends on a) the gear and b) the use cases. Lightness is paid for by cost or instability and you can't really get around that. Berlebacher, Acratech or Wimberly make some very nice gear, but to be honest I can see me going for a 161 sooner that I originally wanted, if only to lose the head.

Bret

So you agree but think it's silly? Hard to decipher from this what you really think. (And to set the record clear I suggested something south of half a thousand.)

No doubt adequate for your needs, which is cool. Aluminum is not light enough for me, however. Having trekked tens of km in such a way I wouldn't want to again. My requirements are lightweight, strong, durable and flexible. Also must fold small enough for minimum luggage. Put those requirements together and see if there is anything available at the £180 price point.

Perhaps in the same way as your lack of experience with anything better is tainting your view?

In the same way a camera is simply an air-tight container with a hole in it. Yet few would be content to use only a pinhole camera. (I have an associate who does just that, by the way, in case you read me the wrong way again. This is merely a statistical observation, not a judgement.)

Since it will never go out of fashion you could buy one tripod and keep it for 25 years. If you spend 500 that's 20 quid a year. I'll bet you spend more than that on camera gear.

My income is likely in the bottom percentile of people on this board. So I would never suggest spending money needlessly. You can get a good camera for 200 and a good lens for 50. But if you need a good tripod that meets all my requirements you need to spend somewhat more. Want to compromise on one or more criteria? Your needs different than mine? Understandable.

thats great Robin

The Manfrotto table-top tripod is a cheaper alternative to the Leica table top tripod.

Both are solid, compact and will last a lifetime's use.

In the field, hold firmly against a tree, door, wall or other solid vertical object and use a self timer or remote/cable release to trigger the camera shutter.

Can also be used as a chest pod when seated with a long lens at press conferences. I've used one with a 180mm f2.8 this way for head and shoulder shots.

If you want something a little bigger with a pan/tilt head for panoramics, the Velbon CX-mini is a good contender.

Hope this helps.

truthfully, whenever a tripod isn't being carried, the next best options consist of a manfrotto superclamp and ball head, as well as a bean bag.....

Dodge69 Sir, I am surprised at a lot of comments on a "CHEAP" Tripod. And why should name brands - Velbon, Manfroto, Benro, blah blah be good only. Here is my US $ 22 Cherry - Made in Japan Tripod. Fits into my camera Backpack and pretty light. Takes the weight of my K20D with a 400 mm birding lens.
Oh ho, cant attach a photo here - please see my album as nanhi on the pentax forum (USA) or send me a mail at "nanhi at hotmail dot com" for the photo. Regards.

Ha! Ha! That's almost a word for word repeat of what I said in an earlier post in this thread

Then I'm glad you have such excellent and common sense taste in camera supports.

Me too man, but people take their hobbies to different levels and all power to them. Certainly we all use our equipment to different levels of both punishment and frequency so the expense is justified for some.

I prefer to travel light and would rather spend money on bits of equipment I would use more often, and as I said have got the big Velbon if need be, so I ordered the £16 Hama from Amazon - will update my opinion upon testing - if anyone gives a monkeys

bottom line for me is... you buy cheap, you're buyin twice.
That doesn't mean there aren't any good values out there, value meaning finding a sweet spot between cost, durability and function.... but the truth is many a cheap flimsy tripod is a waste of money to buy and waste of energy to carry, and a waste of time to set up. Nine times out of ten, a steady hand and higher iso/faster shutter combo will yield equal or better results than a flimsy, shaky tripod.

A shoe lace threaded through an eyebolt which is screwed into the tripod socket of the camera and the other end looped around one foot will equal any $50.00 or less tripod when extended four to five feet high. Save your fifty bucks and put it towards a real tripod, and leave the toy tripods on the shelf fo somebody thats got $50.00 to waste.

Hmmmn...... I am reading this thread with some interest and amusement. The bottom line is that it all depends on how you are going to use your tripod, how much abuse, how often, how heavy your kit is etc, etc. For me, only a very casual tripod user at the moment and usually shooting hand-held or with a monopod, it makes no sense whatsoever to spend big money on a tripod. I bought a cheap Hama Star 63 off Amazon for £13 (yes, £13, free delivery) and so far it seems sturdy, reasonably well screwed together and perfectly stable. It does not have wobbly legs. I have not seen any evidence of shake whatsoever on any pictures taken with it so far.

Let's say it breaks after 6 months use (which I don't think it will). Let's say also that I use tripods casually for another 20 years, meaning on average I will need 40 Hamas. That's about £500 quid. That'll do for me.

Regards
David

Even a cheap ass tripod works fine if you don't use the column extension, or use it in a force 9 gale. Probably won't stand frequent hard use, but will probably last many years if you're reasonably careful with it and don't plan on taking it out every week. Clearly if you're majoring in photography which requires a tripod or making a living from it, you'll want the best you can afford. But as far as a cheap tripod being worse than handholding, this is just untrue

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/special_buys3_19382.htm

I bought one of these 2 weeks ago and suits me may be worth your while checking it out.
Ian

Might start another thread 'What's the best way to spend £1500 on a tripod' - see if there's any off topic comments chastising the idea and recommending cheaper tripods, might get some more ideas LOL