Tripod for Pentax K10D

Hi - I was wondering if anyone knew a good, reasonably priced tripod for the K10D. What about Manfrotto/Benbo/Velbon? I have a very cheap Hama but it' v flimsy.

Any ideas greatly appreciated - last time I was on here the flash af240 was recommended to me - I managed to get a v cheap one on e-bay and it's givin me great results of my newborn son.

I use a Manfrotto 055 with a #115 head. Solid and reliable.

Good and reasonably priced don't always go together. The Manfrotto etc are very good but are likely to cost well over £100 new. I have had a Slik 88 for many years and it really is an excellent tripod and very versatile. Not up to the modern ones with different heads etc but very flexible. You can normally pick up a good on on eBay for about £20. I think there are 3 on list at the moment all with no bids.

Kim

Buy the biggest, sturdiest one you can afford and are prepared to lug around. As you probably know by now flimsy doesn't hack it. I have a set of Velbon legs which have been around the planet a few times and have been chucked around a lot by baggage handlers and the like, after 30 years they are still going strong. The head eventually wore out - and no shame to it and was replaced by a Manfrotto one; its a 3-way with 2 spirit levels and quick release plate - beautifully engineered and stays put with no whiplash, some people prefer ball and socket heads. I have a Giotto monopod which is very well made too so I suggest you look at their tripods too.

Ken

Isn't that amazing - 3 wise posts in 3 minutes!

Thanks guys I'll look into these suggestions

I also like the idea of the tripod being able to be manipulatd to be close to ground level too - any ideas for one of those type?

The Slik 88 legs can be released so they can splay right out either for low or to put one on a wall or chair. The normal version of the Manfrotto 055 legs and the slightly lighter ones (190 I think) have an adapter for low level work so the camera can go straight on the legs without the head. The pro version dont have this as they have a tilt top post.

Kim

Hi martinspence

Yep, my vote goes for the Manfrotto 055 as well. It's reasonably light, beautifully engineered and built like the proverbial brick 's**t-house' if you'll pardon the expression. Best value you'll find, although you'll have to budget for a separate 'head' of some description. There are quite a number of similar but different varieties of the 055 (this model has been through a number or re-incarnations), so be careful to find the latest and most suitable one for your needs !

Best regards
Richard

P.S.
The 055 does this brilliantly, so no problem !

I've got a cheap (£10 -£12) aldi tripod to get me started. I believe any tripod will take any camera, as long as the mounting plate fits, so it doesn't need to be specific for a k10.

I've got a Velbon Sherpa Pro CF630, with a Markins ball head, with Arca Swiss type quick release. The head cost as much as the legs.
I chose the Velbon because it is tall enough for me to use without needing the centre column, and it goes flat on the ground too. Being Carbon ibre it is light enough to carry almost anywhere. The only downside to it is that it is quite long when folded. The 640 is shorter as it has 4 sections, but they didn't have a 640 in stock and would have had to order it. I didn't want to buy it without trying so went for the 630.
It is important to look at the maximun weight the tripod can carry - include the weight of the head in your calculations.

I've got this:
http://www.calumetphoto.co.uk/item/CK7114/

May not be the lightest but solid and flexible in its use.

PeterM

May I direct you to this...

https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6065

...although the postage to Northern Ireland might be a few quid. But it is a cracking tripod, and as I say, I feel it's better than my Manfrotto 055ProB. Certainly getting the centre column horizontal for those low level shots is easier, although the new version of the 055 (the XPROB) is easier too in this respect. But it will cost you more. Oh, and doesn't come with a bag and strap.

Dan

My favourite allround tripod is a Manfrotto 190XPRO. It combines reasonable height, rigidity, light weight and versatility. The centre column can be adjusted to the horizontal position.

The Manfrotto 055 is very tall and rigid and is superb. However, in my opinion, it is too heavy for walking far into the landscape.

For a very lightweight tripod that is also fairly tall, I recommend a Velbon Max i 343E.

For maximum versatility for nature, particularly plants and toadstools, I prefer a Benbow Trecker.

Regards
Graham

I use the Manfrotto 055Xpro - very good tripod. I really like the quick shift you can do with the center column - very easy - just push one button and you can rotate it 90 degrees.

For most use i prefer the midi ball head. Its very easy to adjust and gives you flexibility. Its still strong enough to hold the K10D and some big lenses.

I think you can get this combo for around £200 in most shops...

Slighty off topic here but why do you want to rotate the centre column to use it horizontally? What advantage does it give, and under what circumstances do you use it?
Just curious. I have removed the centre column from my tripod as it is tall enough without, and it is one less thing to introduce wobble.