Tripod purchase

[mondmagu]

I have my EOS 450D for nine months now and am looking to purchase a tripod.There is such a huge selection out there it is confusing to select the best one.My favourate photos styles are landscape/portrait and macro.Any suggestions anybody???

[flake]

I use one of the larger Giottos models, although models by Induro Benbo & Gitzo are also good. I'd avoid Manfrotto as they only allow the column to be horizontal or vertical and nothing between. You might also want a hook on the bottom of the column to attach a counterweight to.

For a head, although it's a bit of a luxury the panoramic head would allow you to create perfect panos for stitching, especially when there is an object in the foreground. It also works well for macro as it's really just a couple of macro plates screwed together at 90 deg to each other. This will allow you to take several images at slightly different positions, to focus stack them, and acheive a much better depth of field.

Of course its not ideal for portraits but the Giottos tripods have a small head built in, and the pano head allows portrait and landscape mounting.

[chris-p]

Whats your budget?

I bought a Calumet 7300 which works perfectly well and didn't cost the earth (unlike some of the Gitzo ones)

Edit: added link to original post

[ap4a]

I also use a Giottos. The quality is great and it's very stable, and it came with a 5 year guarantee. After-sales support is excellent too, for example when I needed a new part they sent me a second copy as a spare.

[mondmagu]

Thanks forthe comments guys,My budget is between 120 and 150 euros.I will keep looking for the moment.

[dbrooke]

Manfrotto have a promotion coming up in October (Christmas Presents) - head and tripod combinations. They should fall into your price bracket.

[Emanded]

Originally Posted by mondmagu

Thanks forthe comments guys,My budget is between 120 and 150 euros.I will keep looking for the moment.

Have you seen the Redsnapper tripod and heads?
They're very big on other forums and get great reviews - from these recommendations I bought a 3 section tripod and ball head kit for under £!00. It arrived next day and I was amazed at the quality, I've looked around and there really isn't anything that comes close for that price - I've not looked back since.
Their site is www.redsnapperuk.com

[orangechips]

Hi, 1st post on here so hope i'm doing things right.
I've seen the Giotto's stuff about and it seems really good - certainly the previous comments seem reassuring and its been getting some good writeups in the magazines.
Just been looking at their site and there's loads of info there and product videos showing the product features.
Looks like they're doing a kit for Christmas aswell http://www.giottos-tripods.co.uk/ind...ge=competition Kits looks to be slightly better specced than the manfrotto with lever leg locks and a head with quick release plate.
Might have to have a closer look at this myself.
cheers
OC

[lifecapture]

With that budget, choice will be,,,,, slim. The only thing you can really choose is the style of tripod and the height. I have a manfrotto 055, the reasons i chose it, its cheap, solid, has a good load strength, and its height- fully extended i don't have to hunch over the camera, and also height is important when you are shooting landscapes in awkward tight spots where you need an anchor point that is some distance from the cameras centre of gravity- the only down side is the weight, but its cheap, cheap enough for me to learn what i really need from a tripod, in the mean time i save for a gitzo

Best of luck with your purchase.

[mondmagu]

Hi Emanded,thanks for the heads up! I bit the bullet and ordered a Redsnapper.Took delivery last Thursday and took it out last weekend.For 106 euros I got the tripod,head,quick release plate,rubber and spiked feet,additional short center shaft,a carry bag and delivery to Dublin!!!!!!!! For a first tripod I think this is a bargain, even if I only get a couple of years out if it.I couldn't have asked for more,cheers mate!