[Closed] Tripod recommendations - DSLR

gitzo.

I've had a number over the years. My main one is a slightly hefty SLIK one. I've also got a cheapo one which is pretty lightweight, but not particularly solid.
Its probably ok for a small camera in good conditions, but with a DSLR and a large lens in windy conditions then the SLIK is miles more stable.

Gitzo are very nice, but also relatively very expensive. Poor suggestion for a 'beginner', I'd say.

Go to a Jessops and have a browse. You want something sturdy without being too heavy. You're probably looking upwards of £50 for something suitable; cheaper ones tend to be a bit flimsy and fragile. I use an old Manfrotto, which has been faultless for well over 20 years; you'd be looking at about £150 or so for an equivalent, but it will last.

I've got a cheap Velbon tripod, but as it's so big I hardly ever use it, it's certainly never left the house. As a result I've recently bought a MeFoto Roadtrip. I was after a Manfrotto BeFree as it packs up so small but the MeFoto was cheaper, folds the same way and has a spirit level...

[url= http://www.mefoto.com/uk/products/roadtrip.aspx ]MeFoto Roadtrip[/url]

MeFoto do other tripods but this is the cheapest one that accepts a DSLR.

Manfrotto here too - get one with a trigger grip for added ease of use.

Trigger grips are useless, get a ball head for a DSLR, these are good for the money:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Q-666-Camera-Tripod-Monopod-Changeable/dp/B00QY3Z1SI?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00

Another important consideration is the design and quality of the tripod head. A ball and socket head is quick to adjust, but needs to be done up tight, meaning cheaper ones are crap with DSLRs. Good quality ones can be quite expensive. 3-way pan and tilt head might be more secure, and better for fine adjustment, but agins, cheap ones can be crap. Video heads often use a 'fluid' system to keep them very smooth while panning/tracking, but can get very expensive. The better tripods such as Manfrotto, can be equipped with different heads for different purposes. A very useful addition is a QR plate, which allows you to mount/remove the camera from the tripod much more quickly and easily.

Tip: hang a heavy bag on/from the legs, to give extra stability. A lower centre of gravity helps make the tripod more solid and less prone to wind etc.

*Just seen the equivalent to my old Manfrotto would now cost £200 or more. 😯

Trigger grips are useless

A very useful addition is a QR plate, which allows you to mount/remove the camera from the tripod much more quickly and easily.

I fancy one of these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261907006457?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Redsnapper often have offers

Mine has been faultless in over ten years of use (a Calumet own-brand one on my Manfrotto tripod) – I don't know why you think they are (unless you have used crap ones).

Mine was a Manfrotto one and went wobbly in the end and wouldn't clamp, I replaced it with a £15 ball head from eBay and it's 100% better, much more flexible.

As for quick release then its worth looking for an Arca-Swiss compatible one rather than a proprietary one.

I fancy one of these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261907006457?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

The one I linked to above is exactly the same minus the brand name and is half the price.

Is it [i]exactly[/i] the same, or is it a cheap copy?

They do look really nice.

I bought a Velbon 444 for this reason as it is collapsible and can be chucked in, or attached to a rucksack pretty easily. It's not the last work in absolute stability but as a compromise in size/weight/portability it has been fine for what I use it for.

Is it exactly the same, or is it a cheap copy?

They do look really nice

Well if its a cheap copy its a good one, its a really solid very good copy, I have no complaints for £40, its better than my £80 Manfrotto was.

Amazon have loads all exactly the same specs design and weight etc. but vary from £20 to £140, order both and be the judge yourself.....

If you do a search there is a guy comparing the copy to the original(s), the differences are minimal.

I have a Sirui T-025X which supports 6kg and weighs 0.8Kg :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SIRUI-T-025X-Tripod-Ballhead-Carbon/dp/B00AZTCHK2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1460385707&sr=8-1&keywords=sirui+tripod

Has a hook from which to hang your camera bag for extra stability.

Looked like the best option when I bought it.

Go over and have a look at www.talkphotography.co.uk and have a look in their forums at what is for sale. The site is a photographers equivalent to STW.
I've bought and sold off the site a few times, you general get some very good kit at a very reasonable price.
I've you've set a budget for a new tripod, then you can perhaps get a much better one for a similar budget.
Obviously if you've not used it before you'll have to register.

When i was looking I liked the look of the Vanguard Alta Pro, it had some nice features. Not overly expensive so probably good amateur entry level. reviews were very good iirc

Just had a look at that copy / rebrand tragically1969 suggested.

Searching on Amazon for "Q-666" reveals ostensibly the same tripod under a lot of different brands (with varying degrees of bad English in the product descriptions). The "ZOMEI" one is interesting though,

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00SOSF6FE/ref=twister_B00SOSF0WI

They have a number of similar tripods in the range, and the Q-668 looks to be much closer if not identical to the RoadTrip linked earlier. The only major difference I can see is that the MeFoto comes with a five year warranty; ZOMEI lists 90 days (Consumer Rights Act aside). £65 vs £165 is compelling though...

I own a gitzo and manfrotto (for sale but really not ideal for your stated requirements), and I would say as with most things you get what you pay for to some degree so have purchased second hand but higher quality... my manfrotto is however too heavy for any hike trips out for photography so is being replaced by the carbon gitzo which is pretty beautiful in manufacture and steady as a rock. Having a heavy old DSLR I put great emphasis on the quality of the head and mounting plate, I have a cheapish but well made manfrotto head and plate QR and think my super heavy 1DS would have hit the deck using some of the cheaper plastic mount and head combos I have seen.