Finding (and choosing) A Tripod

Question

Here is my dilemma and question:

I have a Nikon D5100 and I am looking to buy a tripod. However I commute by bus and walk a lot so I need a tripod that is sturdy yet can be portable and light enough that carrying it attached to my bag (or even better inside) would not be an issue.

I have considered a Gorillapod but I am not always close to something that I can prop it on or attach it to and need some height that the Gorillapod doesn't have.

One other consideration is price. I am looking in the 100-150 range but would prefer closer to the 100 dollar range but am flexible.

I have read a lot on here and on other sites and I am a bit lost. There are so many options and so many considerations. I have seen some good tripods but paying 500 dollars is a bit much. Also I would prefer a tripod that is bundled with a head (ball preferably)

I am open and welcome any information, help, and recommendations!

Update

After visitng a few local camera stores and looking online I bought a Vista Explorer Tripod and a Gorillapod SLR Zoom (with ballhead). The combo cost less than $100 (USD) total. The Vista is a decent quality tripod for $30 dollars. I was a bit skeptical when looking at the price but after seeing this in store and handling the tripod it was sturdy with overall decent quality. It holds my camera and largest lens that I currently have (NIKKOR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G). This is a decent tripod for entry level DSLRs and a great tripod for Point and Shoot cameras. There may be a few deal breakers for some users but this tripod combined with the Gorillapod handles majority of my situations.

Answer 1

Your combination of requirements is a tough one. You essentially want all of the following in a tripod kit (legs and ball head):

• Lightweight;
• Compact when folded;
• Reasonably tall when extended;
• Sturdy enough to bother with; and
• Cheap

If you wanted to pick any two from that list, your options are wide open. Getting all five together is a lot more difficult. As usual, I'm going to recommend going to the B & H Photo and Video website and using their excellent search filter to narrow down the choices. This link will get you a list of tripods with heads for under $250 (the filter doesn't have a lower top price to select) that will fold down to between 15 and 20 inches (38-51cm).

I will personally vouch for both the Benro TravelAngel series and the Cullmann Magic tripod. I know they're at the top end of your range in terms of price, but they're certainly sturdy enough unless you're using a very heavy camera/lens combo, they fold down to a very compact and baggable package, are light enough to carry all of the time without feeling like you're being punished for something, and while they're not something a very tall person would want to use all day, every day, they do get tall enough to be useful.

Undoubtedly, there are equally good choices to be had from other makers. The higher-end Velbons, for instance, are worth it, as are the Vanguards. Induro is also reasonably good, but they don't have a model that is as compact and as inexpensive as you want at the same time (you can have either, but not both). I've never laid a hand on the Oben tripods, but they look okay on paper—perhaps somebody else can offer their experience with them?

Unless you are buying used or really on sale, though, I'd try to stick to the upper end of your price range. That $50 really makes a difference in the level of performance, and the next significant step up is another $100 or so on top of that. At the sub-$100 level, you're mostly looking at specialty equipment (like the Gorillapod and its kin) or spindly toys that sort of look like tripods.

Answer 2

I recently bought a Manfrotto 290 MK294, which is an aluminum tripod with a fairly nice ballhead. It was about $130 from B+H. I like it a lot, but I don't know if its light enough for a lot of walking/bus riding.

Obviously, the carbon fiber tripods are a lot lighter, and probably twice the price.

I think this a very personal choice, I'm not sure how well you can decide without actually touching a few. Are there any retail camera stores near you?

Answer 3

I always like this link when it comes to Tripod. Have a look at it, I hope it will help.

Tripod 101