Tripods for digital cameras

[KristianJ]

I'm thinking of purchasing a tripod so that I can take better landscape shots and not have to deal with unsteady hands. After looking on eBay, I've noticed that there are a very wide range of sizes for tripods - I'm wanting something that's not too small, but still portable enough for me to carry around fairly easily. If anyone owns a tripod that they use regularly, any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

 

[2Bhumble]

I bought a nice lightweight aluminum table top tripod for my digi-cam. The camera is a heavy SLR and the tripod supports it good. I like that the tripod fits in my camera bag. It's about 7" long collapsed and about 18" extended. I've only used it once to take pictures of the moon.

 

[traingosorry]

ha! I was just looking at tripods today for my digital SLR... thought my head was gonna fall off. :o so many.

 

[Satin and Silk]

I use the MX 1000 Lightweight Tripod.

It telescopes to 57" and doesn't weigh much at all - nice for toting around.

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[KristianJ]

I bought a nice lightweight aluminum table top tripod for my digi-cam. The camera is a heavy SLR and the tripod supports it good. I like that the tripod fits in my camera bag. It's about 7" long collapsed and about 18" extended. I've only used it once to take pictures of the moon.

That almost sounds like an ideal size for me - I have a nice sized compartment in my camera bag that I think is 7 or so inches deep. Does yours swivel, and if so, in what directions? I'd be keen on something that will go up and down as well as left and right. Thanks all for your suggestions so far.

 

[2Bhumble]

That almost sounds like an ideal size for me - I have a nice sized compartment in my camera bag that I think is 7 or so inches deep. Does yours swivel, and if so, in what directions? I'd be keen on something that will go up and down as well as left and right.

Yes it swivels in all directions like a full sized one. In fact I swivel the top sideways so it will fit in the camera bag pocket. The tripod has its own little bag and I would have bought it even if it didn't fit in my camera bag but it was a nice little suprise that it did fit. I guess you could take your bag to the store when looking for a tripod. The tripod legs "click" into place when extended. Oh ya, it's probably about 14"-15" extended (not 18"). Good luck in your search.

 

[utdbear]

It all depends on what type of camera you have as well. With the bigger SLR cameras, you have to have something that can absorb the shock of the shutter without making the camera shake. A good tabletop is good to have in case you need it in an instant, but a good Bogen is nice to have should you need a really nice tripod. I use a Velbon CX690 and it is nice for about 50 bucks.

 

[KristianJ]

utdbear, I have the Fuji S5500 (SLR shape) - so mini tripods aren't really an option for me. And as I've thought more about it, portability's not really that big a factor in what I want to buy. But price is - I might keep that Velbon in mind and find out what it costs here in Australia

 

[utdbear]

You should be fine with the Velbon. One thing I would recommend is to get an extra quick release plate with it. If you lose your primary, it can be tough to find another plate for that model!!

 

[2Bhumble]

I dunno, my Panasonic FZ20 SLR weighs 1.2 lbs. (556 g) and the tabletop tripod works just fine. I do use a 2 second timer just to make sure the camera has "settled down" before it snaps the photo.

 

[utdbear]

Oh, mine weighs about 2.5 lbs so its pretty heavy. The tripod needs to remain steady during the shutter action too, which is the main reason for the sturdiness.

 

[KristianJ]

I dunno, my Panasonic FZ20 SLR weighs 1.2 lbs. (556 g) and the tabletop tripod works just fine. I do use a 2 second timer just to make sure the camera has "settled down" before it snaps the photo.

I'm thinking even more mini than that when I say that minis aren't an option for me - I've seen lots of cheap ones on eBay that look pretty simple, but they're only 5 or so inches and don't extend. Example in the pic below:

I've had a look around to see if I can find any that are similar dimensions as yours, 2Bhumble, but have found nothing.

 

[2Bhumble]

Here's more of what I'm talking about. The legs expand on it. This one gets to about 7" expanded but is sturdy. You push on the legs and they collapse for bag storage. Mine's a bit bigger than this one but it collapses the same.
http://www.pcuniverse.com/product.asp?pid=2761969&m_id=36

 

[KristianJ]

Thanks, guys. I ended up deciding to bid on a larger size tripod on eBay (folded length 535mm, max height 1340mm, brand new) - retails for $75 Australian, but won it for $9.95 (will pick it up on Tuesday). Looks like similar specs and quality to the Velbon that utdbear mentioned, so I'm fairly pleased to get such a good deal

 

[2Bhumble]

Sounds like a winner!

 

[Pink Larkspur]

I have two tripods for mine, a small one and a large one. Have yet to use the large one, but ya never know.