I think I need a tripod

I think it may be time to spend some money on a Tripod. I have been given a wibblywobbly thing but it's very wibblywobbly which seems to defeat its purpose. I've been reading about the Benbo tracker which looks quite nifty because of the versatility of its centre column. I don't have a lot of dosh so I'd probably have to get one on Ebay. Are there any other reasonably priced tripods which are as versatile as the trekker?

Take a look at Red Snapper tripods. link

Well regarded by many and seem to offer good value, but I don't thing they offer the same versatility.

Use Manfrotto myself which also offer tripods with the variable centre column.

focus-on-imaging is coming up in march go and try several makes who will be there.
then you be able to look at them and they usually have show only prices... at some stalls..

I have a Red Snapper RS 283. I haven't had it long, but it seems very solidly made, supports lots a weight and is very stable. The bag that came with it is also worthwhile good with a good shoulder pad that grips well. The only downside is the cheap head that came with it which isn't great - but as I only wanted it as a spare its fine.

I looked at lots of others, and for the money (c. £55) great value. Purchased new I reckon you'd pay a lot more for something as sturdy.

I use a Red Snapper 324 tripod and a RSH 12 ball head (£160 though). The tripod comes with two centre columns and it is a very solid piece of kit. You would normally choose the tripod and head separately. Wouldn't recommend using the smaller RSH 61 ball head though, not really man enough to support a K5/Sigma Bigma imo and pan-heads are really meant for movie/video cameras.

Anyone have any experience with a Slik Pro II?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Slik-Sprint-Pro-II-Tripod/dp/B000Y070GS/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1359395451&sr=1-4

It only has a load capacity of 2kg. That is not enough. Also the height with the column down is not very high. Using the column up adds instability, especially if you need it fully extended.
The general rule with tripods is buy cheap buy a collection. It really is worth spending more on a tripod, and preferably a separate head.

I've heard nothing but good reviews on RedSnapper gear... They seem to be very switched on to what we need and how much we're wlling to pay...

Redsnapper here as well

Another vote for Redsnapper. Mine has now had a year or more of very heavy usage, in all manner of conditions, most of them pretty harsh. It is very sturdy and easy to adjust. I think it will last a good few years without much trouble and I would buy another one if needed. The only downside is that it's not as light as some others, but the payback for this is increased stability and robustness.

Regards
David

Manfroto have good tripods too. Mine is light and still very stable, which is surprising given all the abuse it went through (the only thing I didn't use it for is driving nails...)

Redsnapper here too, super tripod for the money. I added a half-price in the sales Manfrotto ball head to mine!

We have the Silk Pro 700 DX which we are very happy with but wouldn't use anything 'lower down' the silk range than that to be honest. We looked at them but didn't seem stable or high enough.

I've got a Benbo MkI. Had it for over 20 years. I did buy a Uniloc version of the trekker about the same time, but being a fit young fella who was starting to dabble in medium format I got rid of the trekker knowing I was capable of carrying the heavier MkI anywhere.

Well I'm not so capable now, so don't hike with the MkI. Tend to use rocks, trees stumps, beanbags, etc.

But its been built to last, and when I get my feet wet doing seascapes and the like I wouldn't swap a Benbo for anything else.

If for landscapes, its a good choice. If you need more height, then get something else. For instance if I was to use my Benbo for birding, I'd have to raise the centre column considerably to stand in comfort. That would make it less stable.

I have a Benbo Mark 1 and a Redsnapper. Both are excellent. I would sling the Redsnapper over the shoulder and put the Benbo in the car. I agree with Alan, if I did predominantly seascapes the Benbo woud be the choice.

The answer of course is the standard photographic response, you need them both.