Quote:
Originally Posted by mattyande
Is there a brand of tri-pod that I should look for? I want something I can carry around pretty easily, but I don't want it to be a piece of crap either.
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Depends. What's your budget? Carbon fiber or aluminum? How tall are you? Are you a serious photographer or do you just want any set of legs?
If you get a decent tripod, you'll need a ballhead and a camera plate for each camera you use. Feisol (
www.reallybigcameras.com) has inexpensive but high rated tripods. I haven't seen a negative review anywhere about them. You can get their standard carbon fiber tripod for $215.
DO NOT buy a tripod that has a brace between the 3 legs. You want your legs to be as movable as possible (Think about setting it up on jagged rocks or an embankment). My current tripod is like this and it greatly limits the shots I can get. I'm going to upgrade to the Feisol 3371 since I'm 6"2. My height alone eliminates a lot of great tripods.
Why is height important? You want a tripod that sets the camera eye AT your eye level (or just below). If it's too low you'll be bending over all the time to adjust composition and you'll be very uncomfortable, which is not something you want while you're trying to enjoy your hobby. Read this for a bit more detail:
http://www.nikonians.org/html/resour...tripods_1.html
Thom Hogan has a great article regarding tripods and why it's important to buy the best you can the first time. There is probably not another item you will depend on more than a good tripod. If you are able to buy top of the line you'll never have to buy a tripod again. I just can't fathom people who drop thousands on camera gear and pro lenses only to squabble over a few hundred dollars when it comes to support. Consider it an investment.
http://www.bythom.com/support.htm
I know that might be a lot but it really is an important decision and you want a tripod that fits your needs and most importantly your budget.