Recommend a Tripod

Cabaal

So got myself a Canon EOS 400D a few weeks back in the states and well I'd like to get myself a Tripod, can anyone suggest a Tripod thats light, pretty small but still stands to a normal height and well isn't going to break the bank

positron

What is your budget?

I bought a €12 tripod from Argos. It was def worth the money, but I soon upgraded to Manfrotto 190XB with a basic three way pan head - for about €180. I am very happy with it, but I can't compare it to others as I haven't owned any other decent models.

There's Russian (I think) tripod that sells very well on eBay, might be a bit heavy but a lot of people seems to very happy with it.

Cabaal

hmm well I'd like the detachable clip on it that allows you to easily remove and place the camera back on it, without having to unscrew it all the time,

Budget I suppose....ah say upto 40/50e if that'll get me something decent

latchiko

I got a €12 tripod in Argos too, it has a detachable clip that screws onto the camera. It's very light but it does the job. I don't think I'd have much faith in it if it was windy though, especially when fully extended. It was fine to start off with but I'll probably upgrade to a 'proper' tripod soon.
Here's a tripod within your budget that has a bubble level indicator built in. To get a good quality tripod you're probably looking at €150+.

amcinroy

My advice would be, not to skimp on the tripod.

You don't mention what you are shooting, how far you are likely to be carrying it etc.

I bought a cheap tripod at the start and was plagued by vibration and frustrated with the adjustments. I would get my camera in position, tighten up the screws and then let go of the camera. Through the viewfinder I could see the head bend and as a result my horizons were always off.

Better to get a decent Manfrotto like the 190 or 055 and a good head. Ball heads are the most useful and adjustable to my needs but it depends on what you are shooting. Also consider if you will need an adjustable horizonal arm for ground level work.

Andy

Cabaal

I'd be using for anything from long exposures, landscape, portraits etc, varied to be honest.

I just find blur due to camera shake has ruined a few really nice shots on me

amcinroy

Caball,

You'll not go wrong with a

Manfrotto 055PRO Tripod
and
Manfrotto 484RC2 Ball Head (RC2 is the quick release type, I prefer the RC0 hexagonal plates but I'm not sure if you can get a 484RC0)

Rock solid, easy to adjust and the PRO version allows you to get your camera right down to ground level. Not particularly light however.

Andy

Cabaal

Any links or suggestions were to buy?

amcinroy

Try warehouse express.

Always worth keeping an eye on ebay also. Aspens of Hereford do quite a bit of Manfrotto sales through ebay and I've always had fast delivery from them.

They are selling the 484RC2 and 055PRO on ebay right now.

Andy

Cabaal

hmm would set me bacfk alot, abit outside my budget as I'm not sure I'd get that much use out of it to start with.

latchiko

I was in the same boat when I got mine. I just wanted a tripod that I could use for long exposures and, to a much lesser degree, allow me to blend multiple exposures together to handle high dynamic range. At the time I wasn't sure how much use I'd get out of it so I didn't want to break the bank either.
As amcinroy said, cheap tripods do tend to move after you've everyting set up which can be frustrating. You can try to compensate for this when you're setting up your shot but you're still likely to get some movement. (By movement I mean when you let go of the camera it can move slightly. Not when you actually take the shot. Hopefully!)
If money wasn't a consideration I'd recommend a good tripod and head, but if you're on a budget I'd say get the best you can afford for your money, then see how you get on with it. If you use it a lot you'll have a better idea of what you want from a tripod and you can always upgrade later on for something more professional.

Cabaal

Might see if I can get a cheap one with detachable head and go from their, its early days so I don't want to spent alot of money on one yet till I'm sure I'll get the use

thanks everyone for your help

positron

What Guru amcinroy said. His average exposure length is probably 5 seconds, may be more!

ThOnda

I regret buying cheaper tripod. It wasn't stable, it shaked a lot, it wasn't easy to adjust it and I broke some small but important parts in the end. I wish I hadd save a little longer and bought better tripod.
If you are going to use it regulary, you would buy better (more sturdy, more adjustable, more reliable) sooner or later. Save that money!
If you could pass that tripod for fiver, buy a cheaper one, but you are going to buy another one soon.

JMcL

As others have said, it's worth spending a bit on a decent tripod, as it'll be something which you can keep and use no matter what your camera, you'll only end up upgrading later if you buy something cheap and cheerful. The Manfrotto 190 series are good, and reasonably lightweight. The Manfrotto 055s are built like a tank, and usually about as heavy. You should be able to find these for around €100 if you shop around, though you'll need to add a head as well

daedalus2097

I've one of the higher end Slik tripods (can't remember the model for the life of me) but I couldn't ask for any more. It doesn't have a ball head, but the hinges and all joints are very smooth, the centre column can be reversed for close to ground work, x and y spirit levels, rock solid in use, but it's fairly heavy. Can't remember what I paid for it, but I think it was around the €150 mark...

Thing is with a tripod, if you buy a good one you'll probably have it pretty much forever.

Edit: Think this is it:
http://www.slik.com/pro/4906752105122-e.html

Shocking looking website though!