UKC

Looking for a bit of advice on which tripod to buy, more than happy to buy second hand and save some cash. Ideally want it to be £100 or under, will be for a Nikon D7000. I've been using a gorillapod for a couple of years and finally the joints have worn out, I've found it really good but thinking a proper tripod might be better for filming.

In reply to Brumbler:

You could try established brands such as Manfrotto (Bogen?), Slik, Velbon, Giottos, and so on; you might have luck on ebay or try Ffordes if you want to pay a bit more for a guarantee of some sort. Are you going from a tabletop gorilla pod? If so, you may want to try something in between that and a heavy aluminium standard model. See this thread, where there is a discussion about an ebay travel tripod that is supposed to be good value:

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=602347

You probably want to get something that includes a head and legs (either pan & tilt platform or ballhead) perhaps even a bag to carry it in. China produces such inexpensive set-ups these days, you could get something for a ton that will do you for years.

Personally, I would get something light and compact for that price, which will mean stooping with the centre column extended and concomitant risk of camera shake --- that way you are left with a sensible upgrade/addition rather than replacement in future.

Jon

In reply to Brumbler:
I've got a velbon- one of the bigger ones velbon 630 I think it is off hand... Plenty sturdy, nice big latches on the tele legs-just don't expect to use it that much. I've switched between tripods and monopods etc and I'm only happy when I haven't got one of them. Quite a hassle(and I LOVE carrying stuff for what its worth)

The shorter tripods with the stupid wind up stalk are Shakie at the top end.

I would stick to the gorilla pods to be frank.
I do however have a smaller velbon tripod I bought and didn't get on with if you're interested in getting a feel for what you want before you buy?
Cost is a pint, if we did ever come across each other.

In reply to Brumbler:

I went into a shop to buy a tripod 20 years ago. The sales-person advised me to buy a good one because it'd last and, as with all tools, her advice was absolutely spot on. "Buy the best you can afford."

The Manfrotto I bought then is still going strong (and slightly heavily by today's standards!) and I'm sure it's saved me money in the long run.

In reply to Solaris:

I second this. I bought a Slik DX300 way back in 1996 and it's still going strong. I have upgraded to a carbon now but my slik took some battering all over the world.

In reply to Brumbler:

I got a Benro tripod a while back for my D5000, which has a ball-joint head and was just under £100. It's good and sturdy without being too heavy and has decent leg adjustment. I now use a D7000 with it and it's fine but I think you'd want a 3 way head for video.

http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-benro-a-500ex-bh-1m-aluminium-tripod-kit...

In reply to chris fox:

Ha! Cheers! I'm wishing my Manfrotto (bought 1990) would die so that I can justify buying a carbon tripod!

In reply to Brumbler:

If you are going to buy a tripod, go full size and with a proper ball or 3 way head that locks down securely. It needs to have sturdy, securely locking legs that are long enough to mke winding up the centre pole a rare occasion. I have a cupboard full of light-weight tri-pods that my cmeras never touch and which I only use for supporting off camera flash. The maxim; strong, light and cheap, pick 2 - is very true for tri-pods!

In reply to Brumbler:
Suspect your choice/requirements will also determine how mobile you need to be, but I have found compact, light and sturdy to be valuable to me. I spent ages at last year's Photography Show trying out almost every tripod there and there is loads of them at the show! My favourite on the day was the smallest in the Sirui range http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00AZTCHFW?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_a... but their larger ones seemed equally good. I went with the aluminium alloy as I did not feel the carbon version's 100g saving at double the price at the time was worth it to me.

One year on and I still love mine and it has been lugged up and down hills, spent ages in rivers taking waterfall shots, flown long haul, dealt with many beach shoots and been borrowed and admired by every friend that has a weighty "professional" one. It's a very compact well designed little work horse.

I think for its size it offers exceptional value and I've found the tiny ball head happily holding my Pentax K-R with large, heavy film zoom attached without any creep once stiffened. The tripod legs are sturdy and in very windy conditions I just hook my rucksack to the clip on the center column to add stability with weight and have never had an issue. The legs invert for storage, but it also means with the column extender you can get your camera very close to the ground if required.