First tripod
 

Morning all,

I've been toying with the idea of getting a tripod for when I manage to take the camera out on landscape shoots.

To be honest, I don't really know where to start. As a fairly new photographer, I dont want to soend a fortune on something professional but I dont want to waste money buying the cheapest option only to find that it doesn't improve my photos.

Can someone point out what I should be looking for in a tripod or preferably point me in the direction of a particular model which youd recommend.

Cheers

Budget would help point to a model.

Some things to look for in landscape photography and tripods would be light weight, hook for bag or some other weigh down, self leveling feet, sturdy.

Around £100 should get you a decent tripod which will last you years. This Giottos MTL9351B Adjustable Column Aluminium Tripod at £69.95. You will also need a ball head which should set you back about £50. :D

A ball head is the least useful for landscape photography in my opinion.

what you need to do is make sure that leg head combination can support the weight of your camera lens combination and then think about if you get any heavier equipment

Sorry guys, should have mentioned budget. I guess up to about £150 ish to get a good tripod to support a 600d

Within your budget you will have a good range of pretty sturdy tripods. However, for landscapes you want something that you can carry about over hill and dale, and for that you should really think about carbon fibre models like the Manfrotto 190Cx. Unfortunately, the legs alone will blow your budget and by the time you've added a substantial head (like the 496RC2) you're in the £200 range.
I don't agree with StephenBatey. I think ball heads are the only practical option for landscapes giving you complete control over the camera attitude.

There are two basic tripods to consider. The first is the pan and tilt. These were the ones I always broke. In addition, I found their range of motion to be limited, and awkward. The alternative is to buy a set of legs, and then pick up a ball head separately. This is more expensive, but in my experience, a much wiser long term investment.
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Sorry, but it's still my opinion that ball heads are the least useful for landscape photography, and I've used all types of heads except the pistol grip version of ball heads. I also photograph landscapes and architecture almost to the exclusion of all else, so it's not purely prejudice - it's my experience. If jet_kit meant that they were the only practical option full stop for landscapes, then it's contrary to my experience; if he meant that they were the only way of gaining complete control over the directions, then he's in error. But make your own mind up. I gave one ball head away, and only kept another because it's small and light - I'd never use it unless I had no choice. I have practical reasons for my comments, but if you don't work in the same way as me, you can ignore my opinion. I just need complete, precise control.

I opted for this combination and to be honest I find they work a treat.
Manfrotto 190BX tripod + 486RC2 head