Tripods - DPChallenge Forums

05/13/2002 12:31:38 PM · #1

Is there anything special to know about Tripods? Are there any good brands or really bad brands? All I currently have is this little 6 inch tripod with flexible legs that I'm not very fond of. I'd like to get a large tripod but I don't want to spend too much money.

There is a hole on the bottom of my camera for tripods. Is this camera hole a standard size and do all cameras and tripods use this size or do I have to look for a tripod that fits my camera specifically?

Lastly, where is a good website to order a tripod from? I'm worried about just walking into a camera store without any knowledge of the subject for fear of being conned into getting some crap.

Thanks

* This message has been edited by the author on 5/13/2002 12:32:20 PM.

05/13/2002 01:33:20 PM · #2

Go to Walmart and get the $30 model... works great :)

Originally posted by chariot:
Is there anything special to know about Tripods? Are there any good brands or really bad brands? All I currently have is this little 6 inch tripod with flexible legs that I'm not very fond of. I'd like to get a large tripod but I don't want to spend too much money.

There is a hole on the bottom of my camera for tripods. Is this camera hole a standard size and do all cameras and tripods use this size or do I have to look for a tripod that fits my camera specifically?

Lastly, where is a good website to order a tripod from? I'm worried about just walking into a camera store without any knowledge of the subject for fear of being conned into getting some crap.

Thanks

05/13/2002 02:20:00 PM · #3

Originally posted by jmsetzler:
Go to Walmart and get the $30 model... works great :)

Ok that's what I was thinking. They have one at Best Buy for only $20. I just wasn't sure if this was gonna end up being a piece of crap that'll I'll want to throw away in a few weeks or if this is something that'll last me awhile.

05/13/2002 02:27:42 PM · #4

I'm no expert, but most of the tripods seemed to have a standard thread for the screw. The REALLY high end, ie. professional tripods, seemed to have a wider screw but I'm sure you won't be needing one of those tripods.

I went for a more expensive tripod, about $100 Canadian ($2 American), because it had two built-in bubble levels. I find them very useful. I stitch together a lot of photos to make panoramic views so keeping the camera level with each shot makes a big difference.

One thing I noticed is that the cheaper tripods don't seem to pan left and right smoothly. This might be important later on if you decided to use your tripod as a video camera tripod.

I also bought one of those table-top-telescoping tripods for doing macros of objects on tables, etc...pretty cheap at around $5.

And one other thing I did was I found the right sized bolt at the hardware store, then I tied a 6 foot string to it. I screw the bolt into the bottom of my camera and then step on the string to help steady the shot when I'm using longer exposures (e.g. night shots). I use this method when I'm too lazy to carry around a bulky tripod.

05/13/2002 02:29:15 PM · #5

My $30 walmart tripod has two bubble levels on it too....

05/13/2002 02:43:50 PM · #6

My $30 walmart tripod has two bubble levels on it too....
text

DOH!!!

joebar

Canon EOS-20D

05/13/2002 02:49:28 PM · #7

Originally posted by dpchallenger:
My $30 walmart tripod has two bubble levels on it too....
[i]text

DOH!!!
[/i]

I have a $30 slik tripod (no bubble levels!)... It's ok, but it's a bit wimpy. The head is a little unstable and a pain to adjust. I wanna get one of those ball-head tripods where you just loosen one thing and move it to whatever angle you want then tighten..

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX Aspherical DF for Canon

05/13/2002 02:55:11 PM · #8

You spent too much money on that watch.. u could have had a helluva tripod :)

magnetic9999

Canon EOS-20D

05/13/2002 03:07:18 PM · #9

i have a $30 slik tripod too, and it's okay but i often wish i had bought the $20 best buy pod with the bubble levels, the backpack cord hook, and the ergonomic grab handle for moving it around.

but someday, I will get a 'reeal' tripod. then, look out ... : P

05/13/2002 03:11:40 PM · #10

Originally posted by magnetic9999:
i have a $30 slik tripod too, and it's okay but i often wish i had bought the $20 best buy pod with the bubble levels, the backpack cord hook, and the ergonomic grab handle for moving it around.

but someday, I will get a 'reeal' tripod. then, look out ... : P

Oh yeah...mine has the handle and a little hook in the middle that you can hang a camera bag on when the tripod is set up. The panning action is also very smooth in all directions. That justfies the price...yeah, that's it...yeah...um...worth the price...uh...yeah.

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6G

05/13/2002 03:13:22 PM · #11

Here in North Carolina, we make our own tripods... they are made out of old beer cans... mostly Pabst Blue Ribbon...

tlalonde

Nikon D3200

05/13/2002 03:52:40 PM · #12

The string idea is pretty interesting. I usually hang a bag of rocks from mine on windy days. Tried the beer can thing but by time I drank all the beer I couldn't see to shoot. :)

heritcon

Canon EOS-600D/T3i Rebel

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS

05/13/2002 03:57:36 PM · #13

Bubble levels are in every hardware store and very cheap. They are even self adhesive. Also some camera stores have one that can be screwed into the cable release jack and then used as a button.

Get a solid tripod!!! The feature you will like best is a quick release so a small piece of the head stays on your camera. That allows you to put the camera on or off the the tripod quickly yet securely.

Some venues do not allow tripods---for them put a good bean bag in your gadget bag. You can put that on a table or chair etc and secure your camera well in many angles.

Bryan

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

05/13/2002 04:04:15 PM · #14

Originally posted by heritcon:
The feature you will like best is a quick release so a small piece of the head stays on your camera. That allows you to put the camera on or off the the tripod quickly yet securely.

But don't lose that little thing that screws into the camera like I did ($8-15 and a bunch of phone calls) even when off a standard SLIK model -- the guy at the store was shocked that they had TWO in stock, since HE'D never heard of it.
Standing on a retaining string to form a "tension monopod" is a great idea I've seen before but forgotten -- thanks for the reminder!

Some venues do not allow tripods---for them put a good bean bag in your gadget bag. You can put that on a table or chair etc and secure your camera well in many angles.
Bryan

I also bought a tiny tripod with goose-neck legs about as long is the camera is wide. I haven't used it, but it looked handy and versatile and was about $4-5, and it fits in the case (tiny shoulder bag) with the camera.
--Paul

* This message has been edited by the author on 5/13/2002 4:05:33 PM.

* This message has been edited by the author on 5/13/2002 4:09:19 PM.

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

05/13/2002 04:20:12 PM · #15

The feature you will like best is a quick release so a small piece of the head stays on your camera. That allows you to put the camera on or off the the tripod quickly yet securely.

Oh yeah, mine has one of those too....geez, I guess I'm a pretty good shopper. :)

Standing on a retaining string to form a "tension monopod" is a great idea I've seen before but forgotten -- thanks for the reminder!

Kewl, didn't know there was a name for it!

Some venues do not allow tripods---for them put a good bean bag in your gadget bag. You can put that on a table or chair etc and secure your camera well in many angles.
Bryan

Beanbag! Great idea! Where do I get one of those...Walmart?

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

05/13/2002 04:43:56 PM · #16

Kewl, didn't know there was a name for it!

There isn't that I know up -- that's just a descriptive title I made up. Maybe I should have slapped a TMsymbol on it instead of lame-o quotation marks.

05/13/2002 08:52:13 PM · #17

Originally posted by jmsetzler:
Here in North Carolina, we make our own tripods... they are made out of old beer cans... mostly Pabst Blue Ribbon...

How do you make the bubble levels? :)

Alecia

Canon EOS-10D

05/13/2002 09:01:53 PM · #18

Originally posted by chariot:
Is there anything special to know about Tripods? Are there any good brands or really bad brands? All I currently have is this little 6 inch tripod with flexible legs that I'm not very fond of. I'd like to get a large tripod but I don't want to spend too much money.

There is a hole on the bottom of my camera for tripods. Is this camera hole a standard size and do all cameras and tripods use this size or do I have to look for a tripod that fits my camera specifically?

Lastly, where is a good website to order a tripod from? I'm worried about just walking into a camera store without any knowledge of the subject for fear of being conned into getting some crap.

Thanks

Hey chariot--if you have a Best Buy in your area--I got the cheap 54" collapsable tripod that even has a level--for probably like 15 bucks or something. And it is great--I use it all the time. In school we used the big brand heavy duty ones, but this is virtually the same and no crushed fingers!

Alecia

Canon EOS-10D

05/13/2002 09:14:12 PM · #19

ooops--guess I should have kept reading...:0
anyway, I think this tripod is more than worth the money, like I said, it has all the trappings of a really nice tripod, including the quick release plate and level (only one though), it just isn't very heavy. which is good considering I spent most of my last semester in college carrying around 25lb tripod bags! Wish I'd heard about the beanbag thing then!