Trying to choose a tripod

Hi all,

Been looking to invest in a tripod for a while now, but haven't been decide on within my budget (under £100 if I'm honest), as they all seem to be limited in some respect.

In short, I'm after a tripod which is sturdy enough in normal (i.e. not hurricane) conditions, light enough not to be a severe burden if carried on my back for a few hours, ball head and able to get low down.

One tripod I have seen is the RedSnapper RS-284 & RSH-12 Ball Head, which comes in at £99. It seems to be (note seems, I have only seen pictures) well made and sturdy (better than the more lightweight offerings from the likes of Manfrotto at this price point) with a good quality ball head.

Does anyone have any experience of the RedSnapper range? Alternatively, can anyone suggest a suitable alternative?

Also, my one worry is becasue of the size of a regular tripod, I would end up not taking out more often than not, thus negating the point of purchasing it. As an alternative I was wondering whether something like the Gorillapod SLR Zoom with the ball head might be a good alternative. Although by no means a straight replacement for a traditional tripod, the fact that it would always be in my bag might count in its favour.

Any thoughts?

Robbie I have a RS-284 & RSH-12 Ball Head, I purchased it just before Christmas. Firstly the service from Redsnapper was excellent. Ordered mid afternoon and it arrived the next morning, can't say better than that.

The tripod and head are extremely good for the price, some reviews say that you would have to pay significantly more than double the price for the same quality and I can believe it. It comes with a good quality bag too. I would say for the money it's a no-brainer quite honestly

Edit: I would just add that I have a lighter weight Velbon tripod and monopod and for me the Redsnapper definitely matches up to Velbon quality... I was very pleasantly surprised.

I would without doubt say that Manfrotto are hands down the best. Nothing comes close. Italian quality, sturdy and very resistant to time. I have had mine for 6 years now and its been in and under waterfalls, in the desert winds and immersed in the ocean in the poring down rain. Still looks new and best of all it stays damn still, even in high winds. They are expensive if you go for the separate tripod and head (around 200 pound), but there is a model or two complete and ready to go for under 100. Check them out, you won't be disappointed. Hope this helps your query

I know someone who uses the larger Gorillapod with a full frame DSLR, they don't seem to have any trouble. I might well consider buying one in the future.

I'm currently waiting for a used Slik 500G to turn up. Not expecting wonders as it's a lightweight tripod, but for £8.50 including post in what was described as perfect working order I can't really argue. Reviews I've seen suggest that it was pretty popular with backpackers/photo journalists/etc in years gone by. I just want something I can sling in the back of the car for long exposure landscape photos that looks fairly inconspicuous.

My old Velbon is great, but rather too bulky to take out and about. The quick release head is annoying too, as I don't like leaving the mounting plate on the camera and it's therefore a pain having to fit it before using the tripod.

I have found the gorilla pod to be great too. They are a little limited however. Great for a traveller when you a desperate. Light, sturdy and really cheap on ebay.

Manfrotto 190 XPROB with 322RC
Not very short or light, but very stable, flexible and not too bad to carry.
If you are hiking up a mountain though, might be too much for you.

I agree with the points on the Gorillapod. I have the 'SLR Zoom' version I think and it is great for portability/travel, and solid enough when I have a limited prime on the camera. Not so good however (as you would expect) with a heavier lens - DA* 16-50 for example tends to gradually cause the thing to sag...

Mat

I have a Redsnapper TRI-283 (with the standard lever-operated head, whatever that's called in tripod jargon ) - can't remember exactly how much I paid for it but it was well short of £100. It is noticeable weight-wise but then if (like me) you don't have hundreds to blow on a carbon fibre model then all brands will be similar. Also, the Redsnapper comes with its own carrying case (not all makes do IIRC) which includes a comfy strap pad. I've not used it on weird inclines or in high wind, but it seems solid.

really be prepared to put some money into a tripod that you want, it's a good investment at least a better investment then your camera.

For walks I strongly suggest to get a carbon one, aluminium is a bit heavier but more importantly they become very cold in cold weather.
It's no fun carrying them around then.

I looked for tripods recently too, what about one of these:
Giottos MTL9251 Pro Tripod with MH5011 Head
or
Giottos 9351B Pro Tripod with MH5011 Head

Right, managed to get into the closest big town today and got my hands on a few tripods. Thoughts so far:

Manfrotto 190XPROB seems really well put together and light enough, whils the R22RC2 head is good but probably out of my budget.

The Giottos MTL9351B was as impressive as the Manfrotto and a little cheaper (always a bonus).

The Jessops Major Carbon Fibre tripod is cheap for carbon fibre, although it didn't feel a great deal lighter than the two above, and was severley lacking in terms of build quality. Also, the head it comes with wasn't up to much and would probably need replacing.

As things stand I've narrowed the choice down to these three systems:

Manfrotto 190XPROB & 486-RC2 (about £125 when sourced separately online)
Giottos MTL9351B & 7002-652 (about £106 when sourced separately online)
RedSnapper RS-284 & RSH-12 (£99 including bag)

Worth pointing out that I would have to factor in the cost of a bag for the first two options, with the prices above, what does everyone think?

Also, does anyone have any experience of the RedSnapper carbon fibre tripod?

I've never put my tripod in a bag. Never seen the point to be honest.

Dan

Robbie, I have been using a Redsnapper tripod with ball head for over a year now and have found it to be a great piece of kit. I tend to favour landscape photography and although the tripod is perhaps heavier than equivalent models from competitors, it has not been an issue for me. I have climbed numerous mountains carrying this tripod and it has the scars to prove it. However whether it be perched on the side of a mountain or in swollen burn (small Scottish river :wink it has always been steady as a rock and provided a stable platform for my photography. I don't doubt you could buy a lighter model, but for the same quality, you will have to pay considerably more. As an aside, I did purchase a Velbon tripod from a friend to try a lighter model but after one day on the hill, I sold it on ebay!
Good luck with your search.

After I saw the marks on the legs of my 190 after Germany, I can see the point of a bag. However, the blue IKEA ones work well......

Bret

Forgot to add that i also use the tripod for Macro work and while the centre post can only be adjusted vertically, Redsnapper provide two lengths of centre post to choose from. I have so far managed in every instance to adjust the tripod to suit. Well okay, occasionally I might have had to adopt a position akin to a martial arts pose, but thankfully not that often I take the point about using a bag, but quite often I walk with the camera mounted to the tripod, over my shoulder etc in case I come across some wildlife or sunlight breaking through cloud etc. I really couldn't be bothered with opening up a bag to get the tripod out and set up. Anyway, the scars are only cosmetic and don't detract from the performance of the item. Not sure I would say that about a lens though