Compact tripod recommendation

[froyd]

Need a tripod that won't stay home when I travel or go for a walk, can you offer recommendations?

It needs to meet all of these criteria:

- Cost under $100
- Weight under 3lbs
- Must support at least 2lbs of equipment (will be used with RF and TLR)
- Includes head (ball or pan OK)
- Fold to under 14"
- Extend to at least 34"
- Be well built / reliable
- Be able to support 35mm camera in vertical orientation

PS - I have been eyeing the SLIK SPRING MINI II

 

[Gerry M]

I have a Slik Mini 2. For smaller body/lens, it works well.

 

[Rom]

Wow for 100 dollars or less, it will be very interesting to see what are the actual solutions. So i am quite interested too.

What i know, is, we are always changing our cameras during our photographic life. But a tripod, you will keep it for years and years. So, to take a nice quality one should be an important advise as you will probably never change it.

 

[froyd]

Wow for 100 dollars or less, it will be very interesting to see what are the actual solutions. So i am quite interested too.

What i know, is, we are always changing our cameras during our photographic life. But a tripod, you will keep it for years and years. So, to take a nice quality one should be an important advise as you will probably never change it.

I agree in spirit, but for me, the tripod is an accessory of marginal use (most of my photogaphy consist of candid shots of the fam, mostly handheld). Occasionally I need something to hold the camera when I want to be part of the picture, but nothing more complex than that.

I do have a bigger size tripod, but I want something that will be easy to take along. I had a Giotto that was great, marginal on the max weight rating, but OK in a pinch. Unfortunately I lost it somewhere. The Slik looks promising, but the 2.2 weight rating is a bit too close to the weight of the Rollei.

 

[leica M2 fan]

Slik Sprint Mini II tripod weighs 1.75 lb.

Slik Sprint Mini II tripod weighs 1.75 lb.

It works for me especially with its folded length of less than 14 inches. With a better head you can support much more weight. Take another look at it, you may find you do like it.

 

[Rom]

I agree in spirit, but for me, the tripod is an accessory of marginal use (most of my photogaphy consist of candid shots of the fam, mostly handheld). Occasionally I need something to hold the camera when I want to be part of the picture, but nothing more complex than that.

I do have a bigger size tripod, but I want something that will be easy to take along. I had a Giotto that was great, marginal on the max weight rating, but OK in a pinch. Unfortunately I lost it somewhere. The Slik looks promising, but the 2.2 weight rating is a bit too close to the weight of the Rollei.

Ok. So, you are almost in the same situation of me. I have a good tripod (don t remember the name, packed in the back of my car) and i do not use it too much as i don t do too much landscapes or whatever needs a tripod.

So, for a small one, did you think about a gorillapod ? It seems usefull but i don t know abouth the max weight that you can load on it.

I saw it around 69 euros at tambo airport but i think you can find it for less IMO.

 

[froyd]

I do have a Gorilla Pd, but even their largest models does not seem suited to the conditions outlined above.

BTW- I'd be willing to give up a little in folded size (+1") and weight (+0.5lbs)

 

[Vics]

I have the Slik F630 and I like it a lot, but it folds to 23". I paid $39.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Go for second-hand. Today I bought a Gitzo Gilux Weekender. Folds to about 18 inches (depends on head). Extends to about 60 inches. Weight including head 1305g, about 46 oz. -- I just weighed it. Cost 5€ (call it $7). Other excellent, small tripods: Slik Snapman, Velbon 343i. I have both.

New? And 14 inches? With anything resembling quality and solidity? You've quite a spec there, especially for the money.

For an unbeatable table-top, check the UltraPod II. Silly cheap, American made.

Cheers,

R.

 

[froyd]

New? And 14 inches? With anything resembling quality and solidity? You've quite a spec there, especially for the money.

Oh, I know. And I guess one man's "well built" can be another's "shoddy".

I've been prowling eBay and Craigslist for a bargain find, but not much luck and I also don't know what to search for. Wish there was a way to refine the tripod search with all my requirements, exp. folded length.

Gerry M seems to be happy with the SLIK. So far they are the only tripods that meet all my requirements, though using them with a TLR might be pushing its limits. I was hoping to unearth a few more units along those lines.

If anyone has other recommendations for tripods that meet my criteria but cost more than $100, please let me know and I'll search for second hand version. Nothing silly expensive though, i'd still want the used price to come in around $100.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Oh, I know. And I guess one man's "well built" can be another's "shoddy".

I've been prowling eBay and Craigslist for a bargain find, but not much luck and I also don't know what to search for. Wish there was a way to refine the tripod search with all my requirements, exp. folded length.

Gerry M seems to be happy with the SLIK. So far they are the only tripods that meet all my requirements, though using them with a TLR might be pushing its limits. I was hoping to unearth a few more units along those lines.

If anyone has other recommendations for tripods that meet my criteria but cost more than $100, please let me know and I'll search for second hand version. Nothing silly expensive though, i'd still want the used price to come in around $100.

Highlight: that is, I think, the most difficult bit of all.

I've used the Slik Snapman with an Alpa (as heavy as all but the heaviest TLRs) but again you're looking at more length folded and it is marginal with a camera that heavy: you don't want the centre column extended. Why is 4-5 inches so important? I fully accept that it may be: I'm just wondering why. Remember that more leg sections makes for lower set-up.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Gerry M]

Oh, I know. And I guess one man's "well built" can be another's "shoddy".

I've been prowling eBay and Craigslist for a bargain find, but not much luck and I also don't know what to search for. Wish there was a way to refine the tripod search with all my requirements, exp. folded length.

Gerry M seems to be happy with the SLIK. So far they are the only tripods that meet all my requirements, though using them with a TLR might be pushing its limits. I was hoping to unearth a few more units along those lines.

If anyone has other recommendations for tripods that meet my criteria but cost more than $100, please let me know and I'll search for second hand version. Nothing silly expensive though, i'd still want the used price to come in around $100.

My last time out with the SLIK Mini, I was using an Iskra. It weighs right at 2 lbs w/film. No problems at all. My tlr is out for service, but when it gets back, I'll use it on the SLIK also. Unless I want to lug the Manfrotto 3021 around.
Gerry
Gerry

 

[froyd]

My last time out with the SLIK Mini, I was using an Iskra. It weighs right at 2 lbs w/film. No problems at all. My tlr is out for service, but when it gets back, I'll use it on the SLIK also. Unless I want to lug the Manfrotto 3021 around.
Gerry
Gerry

Thanks Gerry! That's very valuable feedback.

Highlight: that is, I think, the most difficult bit of all.

I've used the Slik Snapman with an Alpa (as heavy as all but the heaviest TLRs) but again you're looking at more length folded and it is marginal with a camera that heavy: you don't want the centre column extended. Why is 4-5 inches so important? I fully accept that it may be: I'm just wondering why. Remember that more leg sections makes for lower set-up.

Cheers,

R.

Roger- at the cost of sounding silly, my other tripod is over 20" long and does not fit in my camera gad nor in the messenger bag that often serves as my makeshift camera bag. On my camera bag, I can attach the tripod externally via straps on the bottom of the bag, but I find the set-up uncomfortable and clumsy.


At one point I had a little Giotto tripod that folded small enough to fit in my messenger bag laying flat on the bottom (rather than diagonally). I could barely feel it there, and it actually improved the bad by giving it more structure. As a result, it was always with me. And as a result of that, many of my pictures were improved despite it's limited height (36" I think). That tripod is now sadly lost, but I'd like to find a comparable replacement.

 

[rxmd]

Those specs look hard to meet. Going used is a good idea, but it takes a lot of reading up on the various models, and if you don't do that you might be surprised. I once was looking for a compact travel tripod and ended up impulse buying a used Gitzo G2228, which is nice and not too heavy, but not really compact (it turned out a great universal tripod for landscape and macro work though, with its tiltable center column, so I don't regret it at all).

If you go prowling eBay, there's a great German site with a gallery of lots of different tripods (and monopods, and quadripods, and heads): http://www.stativfreak.de/3Bein.htm.

If all you want is a way to fix the camera somewhere (I've seen Gorillapods mentioned) you could also simply try a Manfrotto Superclamp and a small ballhead; that will cost a lot less than $100 even new and may end up more universal.

 

[froyd]

Those specs look hard to meet. Going used is a good idea, but it takes a lot of reading up on the various models, and if you don't do that you might be surprised. I once was looking for a compact travel tripod and ended up impulse buying a used Gitzo G2228, which is nice and not too heavy, but not really compact (it turned out a great universal tripod for landscape and macro work though, with its tiltable center column, so I don't regret it at all).

If you go prowling eBay, there's a great German site with a gallery of lots of different tripods (and monopods, and quadripods, and heads): http://www.stativfreak.de/3Bein.htm.

If all you want is a way to fix the camera somewhere (I've seen Gorillapods mentioned) you could also simply try a Manfrotto Superclamp and a small ballhead; that will cost a lot less than $100 even new and may end up more universal.

Thanks for the link. Very useful resource!

PS- Gorillapods, claps, tabletop devices are nice, but I need something at least 36" high.

 

[froyd]

Benro MeFoto Travel Tripod

Benro MeFoto Travel Tripod

Anybody using the Benro MeFoto? $50 more thna the Slike, but seems better built. Plus it folds to 13"!!!

 

[Roger Hicks]

. . . Roger- at the cost of sounding silly, my other tripod is over 20" long and does not fit in my camera gad nor in the messenger bag that often serves as my makeshift camera bag. . . .

Not silly at all. As I said, I was wondering, not attacking.

Benro make a lot of good tripods, but if the ones you're talking about are the ones I think they are, I don't think they're any better than Slik. I may however be conflating them with another range of brightly-coloured tripods. As a rule of thumb, you pay more for colour than for quality.

If you can delay your purchase for a couple of weeks, I'll keep a specific eye open at photokina for something that meets your original requirements. We're covering tripods for Shutterbug anyway.

Where are you? USA? Europe? Elsewhere?

Cheers,

R.

 

[froyd]

Roger- Thanks for keeping me in mind. I can certainly wait a few more weeks, I'm in no major hurry. And I'm using the time to read through your guide on tripods...who knows if my requirements won't change after I'm through with it!

 

[peter_n]

Anybody using the Benro MeFoto? $50 more thna the Slike, but seems better built. Plus it folds to 13"!!!

I think Benro must have cut corners with the MeFoto line to price them the way they have. I'm one week short of my third year of use of a regular Benro travel tripod and I've hammered it and it's definitely durable. I bought it as a backup to a Gitzo traveler but it soon replaced the Gitzo which I ultimately sold.

It's worth investing in good support. Buying expensive cameras and lenses and then putting them on top of cheapo support doesn't make sense to me. A good tripod and ballhead will give you stability (which is what you want in support) but also last a lifetime, or if you prefer it several generations of digital camera bodies.

 

[froyd]

OK- I seem to have found another candidate:

Sirui T-005/025

It's a little more than my original budget, but not too bad. Seems like a reputable company, but so again is Benro.

Anyone using the Sirui T005