Need help deciding on a low budget tripod

F

FaustZ

Member
Hi everyone. I'm looking for a tripod that's around $100 and will work fairly well for my films. Anything will be an improvement, as I am currently using an old photography tripod, and while it is sturdy, it's not smooth.

So Ryan Connolly recommended the adorama 3pod and made the claim that it was the best low budget tripod.

http://www.adorama.com/FP3PV3AH.html

But many people in the comments mentioned that the amazon video tripod is another good option:

http://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-67-Inch-Video-Camera-Tripod/dp/B00CEH7VG8
(as a side note, can anyone confirm that the amazon tripod and the ravelli tripod are the same? they seem to be the exact same unit with different sellers, likely the result of a deal between amazon and ravelli, except that one is inexplicably cheaper. http://www.amazon.com/Ravelli-AVT-Professional-67-inch-Camera/dp/B00139XOCI )

The tripod that seems to be the most popular on B&H is the magnus VT 4000, which is slightly more expensive.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/842086-REG/Magnus_VT_4000_VT_4000_Tripod_System.html


What impressed me most about the amazon/ravioli tripod was the supported weight, which is up to 16lb, way higher than the other, more expensive tripods I mentioned. This would very likely be useful when I'm mounting a rig on the tripod, not to mention the fact that I have some heavy lenses. It also has tension control, which is something that is lacking in at least the 3pod. I'm not sure how smooth it is though. The test footage (for all three tripods) I could find on youtube was all decent.

So what should I do? which one should I go with? The obvious reaction would likely be to go with the cheapest option (ravelli, in this case), especially considering the reviews, but I just thought I'd check with the experienced users here. Maybe someone who actually has one or more of the tripods I mentioned could provide insight into this?

Thanks!
 
All of those will be better than nothing. All of them will let you know very quickly that better ones are out there. Rather than say save up your money and get something better, I would suggest the feature you should prioritise would be a ball head. You might not be able to get a consistently smooth pan. It might take several takes to get a good one. But you will be able to set up and level your tripod quickly and move it about without adjusting the sticks. If I could only have one thing I'd take ease of set up over ease of function. I'd also avoid using a better tripod until you can afford it because once you've tried a pro fluid head you won't be able to go back.

I haven't used any of them but if I was forced to choose one I'd personally pick the Magnus first, the 3pod second only if the extra load capacity was required. I wouldn't even consider the other two. On balance of features I'd pick the Magnus, primarily for the larger 65mm ball, the counter spring and adjustable balance. It is quite similar in spec to my first tripod which was a Libec that cost about 3 times as much. It probably isn't as nice but I expect its performance is fairly close. I really like my Libec and still use it sometimes because it is so light and easy to take with me and with the ball head a breeze to set up and level. But never for serious work unless it will be locked off for the whole shoot. My Libec which I have a soft spot for was also directly responsible for me buying a second hand Vinten 2-3 months later. But it got me out and about in the days before I could afford better and is still great for stills and for backup duty.

There is a tip I can share that helps with the pan movement in these cheaper heads but it looks weird. Get a rubber band, preferably one of those wider red ones that used to be used to bundle mail. Hook your little finger in and put the other end around the handle and then release the pan lock. Use the rubber band to pull the handle and execute the move. It acts like a shock absorber and helps to smooth the movement some. I was never able to get a satisfactory action from these cheaper heads, at my best the start of the move was always jerky and the was always some spring back at the end of the move. It got me so mad I ended up shelling out the big bucks.
 
Well, as long as we're going to recommend $400 kit, I'd go for a Benro S6 tripod & head you can find used for around $200, which is twice your budget, but extremely respectable. I have the S6 and have been very pleased, it's not Sachtler, but if you are broke, the Benro S6 is the best bang for the buck. And the other folks are right - DO NOT try expensive heads and tripods in a store or elsewhere, because once you try them you will become extremely depressed and not be able to use your cheaper kit. Stay away. Compare only between cheap ones. I made that mistake once, and couldn't get out of bed for two days.
 
You will not be happy either one of the Amazon tripods. They are junk.

Here is a cheap tripod that has decent performance that comes in two tripod heights. You will find several reviews/comments on this site and youtube about it. I have this tripod. For cheap bucks, its not bad. No, it does not work like my Cartoni, but I don't expect it to. It's great when I don't want to lug around a heavy tripod and for shots with shorter focal lengths. I don't expect it to last long. But so far, so good. I give it a thumbs up for the price. If you are going to Monument Valley and want to take shots like John Ford, forget it. But if you are doing interviews and other less challenging work, go for it.

What's good about it:
-Its inexpensive
-Its light
-The tripod is decent
-The tilt and pan are remarkably good for the price. No jerks on start/stop. It stops where you stop. No retraction.

What's bad about it:
-Its cheap
-The pan and tilt drag are not adjustable
-The pan and tilt drag viscosity are different. The pan is about 2x stiffer than the tilt
-Pan and tilt not so good on longer focal lengths.

This version is a bit short at 52" - http://www.amazon.com/CowboyStudio-...e=UTF8&qid=1417142463&sr=1-1&keywords=fc-270a

For a few more dollars, here is the same head on a taller tripod - http://www.amazon.com/CowboyStudio-...e=UTF8&qid=1417142542&sr=1-2&keywords=fc-270a
 
Thanks for all the responses guys! I think I will go with the VT-4000. It's on sale on B&H right now for the same price as the 3pod, and was at least included in B&H's video on fluid tripods. It's the best rated tripod of that price range on B&H, so I'll at least give it a try.
 
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