recommend me a tripod
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Discussion

4Lmike

Original Poster:

1,910 posts

199 months

Saturday 8th January 2011
quotequote all
as the title suggests i need a new tripod. has to be nice and sturdy obviously, preferably with the ability to get very close to the ground (my current tripods lowest setting is probably about 18" from the ground which is too high), and under £100 ideally. cheers

crmcatee

5,805 posts

256 months

Sunday 9th January 2011
quotequote all
For £100 I would buy a hacksaw and chop the legs of your current one.


Most decent tripods would get below that easily. Benbo (Uniloc), Manfrotto will all get below that - however you'll still have the head price above that.

Speed addicted

6,329 posts

256 months

Sunday 9th January 2011
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Get a gorrila pod and take it too? They're £30-50 for the SLR zoom and it would be handy to have both.

paul911

2,771 posts

262 months

Sunday 9th January 2011
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Definitely recommend Redsnapper. Excellent value for money, strong and sturdy. I’ll be buying another if the one I have ever breaks!

Edit: and it lowers to about 10” of the ground

Edited by paul911 on Sunday 9th January 08:45

ian in lancs

3,853 posts

227 months

Sunday 9th January 2011
quotequote all
I have a uni-loc tripod on eBay at the moment. Its similar to the benbo, costs £180 ish new, gets top reviews and all my nephew wants for it is £50. If SWMBO wasn't on form I'd be having it myself! All the info is on eBay.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

Edited by ian in lancs on Sunday 9th January 09:00

GetCarter

31,254 posts

308 months

Sunday 9th January 2011
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If you want to get really low Benbo will almost touch the ground. (And they come with a head).

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Benbo-Trekker-Tripod-/230569...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BENBO-107C-TREKKER-MK3-TRIPO...

Simpo Two

92,743 posts

294 months

Sunday 9th January 2011
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I had a Cullman with a centre column that removed and inverted. You're on the ground easily enough albeit upside down. In fact my Manrotto 055ProB does exactly the same, or you can detach the lower part of the centre column, splay the legs out and get down that way. Or stick the column horizontally trough the hub.

4Lmike

Original Poster:

1,910 posts

199 months

Sunday 9th January 2011
quotequote all
Thanks. I quite like the idea of a ball head...what are people's thoughts on this? http://www.redsnapperuk.com/camera-accessories/RS-...

MartinP

1,275 posts

267 months

Sunday 9th January 2011
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I bought a ball head when I got my 'proper' tripod, but I found it really annoying when trying to make fine adjustments to the camera position, especially if trying to just tweek it in one plane as the whole joint goes loose and you basically have to line up from scratch. Really depends what sort of photography you're doing but I eventually bought a 3 way head ( http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-manfrotto-460m... ) and it hasn't come off the tripod since.

paul911

2,771 posts

262 months

Sunday 9th January 2011
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4Lmike said:
Thanks. I quite like the idea of a ball head...what are people's thoughts on this? http://www.redsnapperuk.com/camera-accessories/RS-...
That’s the one I have, with ball head. No complaints from me. smile

4Lmike

Original Poster:

1,910 posts

199 months

Sunday 9th January 2011
quotequote all
paul911 said:
4Lmike said:
Thanks. I quite like the idea of a ball head...what are people's thoughts on this? http://www.redsnapperuk.com/camera-accessories/RS-...
That’s the one I have, with ball head. No complaints from me. smile
Purchased smile

paul911

2,771 posts

262 months

Sunday 9th January 2011
quotequote all
Good man biggrin. Forgot to say but I also have a Manfrotto tripod with 3 way head. I still prefer to use the Redsnapper though.

4Lmike

Original Poster:

1,910 posts

199 months

Tuesday 11th January 2011
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RedSnapper arrived today. First impressions are that I'm very pleased with it. The only minor issue I have is that I don't like the quick release plate that attaches the camera to the tripod...it seems a bit fiddly. apart from that im happy smile