How do I chose what tripod for a DSLR I should buy?

I need a good, non-professional tripod. I may carry it around at times, attached to my camera bag, so I'd definitely prefer it light and compact when closed.

I am looking at Manfrotto lineup, as it is quite popular here and you can really find them anywhere. But I am a bit confused and I don't fully understand the difference between the various series.

What would you guys recommend? What should I be looking at?

It must be quick adjusting for leg lengths. Anything that takes more than a couple of seconds (literally) to adjust is a no-go.

I prefer the lever-style quick releases for adjustment, but others swear by the better versions of the twist style. Try them both and think about it.

Stiffness and weight are the other two big considerations. The ideal tripod weighs nothing and is as stiff as a concrete foundation.

Finally, think HARD about a quick-release mount. If you have to twiddle the little 1/4" screw gizmo to get the camera on/off the tripod every time, then you won't use it. So decide on a quick release system, and then find a tripod that has it built-in (for weight savings).

Oh, and for still-photography, get a ball-head mount.

Cheers

The tripod I have here is a Manfrotto 190CLB 352RC. Not particularly lightweight, but good in all other respects. Google 352RC to see the quick release mounting system it uses.

I have a third-party mounting plate installed permanently on the camera for it, and it has a built-in hand strap thingie so that I don't need a cumbersome neck strap for the camera.

Cheers

Note also that the tripod (legs) can be separate from the tripod head (or ballhead), and can often be from different manufacturers. You can mix and match those to a fair degree, especially with Gitzo and Manfrotto gear. Or even purchase two or more different head styles to go with one set of legs.

Cheers

Thank you Mark, this is very useful!

Spend the maximum amount of money you can to allow you to get the best possible tripod. Do not cheap out on a tripod since you'll only end up spending more money to replace it once you become dissatisfied. Manfrotto and Gitzo are the two top large commercial brands IMO. I've used both and currently have a Gitzo. I'm also using a third-party (Really Right Stuff) ball head and quick release system, but you can get away with some of the first-party stuff too.

For greater rigidity and stability you generally have to sacrifice a little bit on portability - wider leg tubes and less sections (3 instead of 4 or 5).

Read Thom Hogan's excellent Tripod 101 article:
http://bythom.com/support.htm

Thank you Bruno. The article is proving an excellent guide...
Also, I found out that Manfrotto and Gitzo are both part of Vitec Group, and their websites are basically one almost mirroring each other. So, the article provides recommendations for Gitzo, but by looking at ripod specs you can quite easily apply those same concepts to Manfrotto's products...

I'm presently using an exceptionally cheap tripod base (from Stitz, purchased in the mid 1980's) with an exceptionally good ballhead (an RRS BH-40-LR) that's compatible with the standard Arca-Swiss-style plates that you can attach to most any camera.

Honestly, I think that's the right tradeoff.

So, after getting lost in the confusing line up by Manfrotto, where the same tripod model is illogically included into more than one series, and where I have the suspicion the same model changes name depending on where it is placed or if it comes or not with a ballhead of some sort, I finally almost made my mind.

I am thinking to buy this tripod:

Manfrotto 732CY (carbon) + the 484RC2 ballhead, to form the7322CY Kit at Euros 160 (shipping included).
Based on your recommendations, I realize that it would be wise to get a better ballhead, but the 732CY alone is costing almost Euros 200 on eBay. or elsewhere on line. Pricing is another source of confusion, as you can see, and it took me a while to make sure it is the same tripod in the kit with the ballhead, and alone. While I am still not entirely sure , name and specs are indeed the same.

So, I am thinking to go with the kit, and still plan to get a good ballhead later on.

I am spending indeed more than I had planned, as I thought I could get all I needed for around E 100, but, what I read here was very instructive and I would definitely hate to get tripod I'd not be happy with.

Make sure that the kit includes at least one "mounting plate" to attach to the camera!

Cheers

Ok, actually, I am reconsidering that.
I realized I already have a ballhead (with a mounting plate, Mark, which is good) - from my Joby tripod - which I could use in the meantime, before I buy a good one.
And, which is good news, I may have found a Manfrotto 190CXPRO4 at "only" 250 Euros, new. That's quite a higher-end tripod, it's lighter, and it seems a decent deal as the next best price is actually 340 Euros.
I wonder if it make sense to get that, rather than something cheaper with a ballhead I don't need.

As a side note, 190CXPRO4 comes, as you can see on its webpage, with the Q90 system, which allows you to tilt the central stand by 90 degrees.

Gosh, are these expensive. Again, because my gf and I are both using this stuff, it feels I am actually getting a bit more value for what I spend...

I feel that the advice in Thom Hogan's article is spot on, and it is nearly always correct to just skip over low-end stuff and go straight to the known-good quality solutions.

But it does depend a bit upon one's own needs, style, and budget. Here, I drool over carbon fibre tripods with luxurious 1-lb ballheads. But in reality, my photography is most often done while travelling, mostly on foot, and a tripod is simply too much bulk.

So while I do have a good tripod, it is heavy and suitable only for domestic travel (mostly by car). For overseas use I simply do without. Well, I do take a tiny (and excellent) table-top mini-Manfrotto with me. As such, I could never get enough value back from a $1000 system to warrant the cost.

Bummer, that, but c'est la vie.

Cheers
-ml

Gasp!

Suggested retail 399 Euros, about $540 USD, and that's before you add any "accessory" so you can actually attach a camera to it. Add another $70 for a tripod head... You guys make me feel like a rank amateur (well, actually, I guess I am a rank amateur ). But I can't imagine buying a tripod for half again what I paid for my camera (Panasonic DMC-FZ50), the best and most flexible non-DSLR camera I have ever come across.

My tripod is, I am sure, nowhere near as good as that Manfrotto, but the differences are not ones that concern me. Mine has some nice features (sturdy non-slip leg-locks, detachable mounting plate, 90-degree tilt head, a pair of leveling bubbles, a built-in carrying handle, a hook to hang stabilizing weights) and it actually weighs less than the Manfrotto. (Manfrotto: 4.3 lbs with tilt mounting head; my tripod 3.2 lbs) No doubt the Manfrotto could double as a car jack if you needed to change a tire, but my camera (with all lenses and accessories ) weighs only 1.6 pounds, so my puny tripod is sufficient. I always use the self-timer when shooting with the tripod, so ultimate rigidity is not my highest priority.

However, if I have learned anything from these religious discussions, what works for me doesn't necessarily work for other people. As always, YMMV.

Oh, and I forgot to mention... my tripod came bundled with my camera at no cost.

tanstaafl.

My tripod and head will last me through many many cameras. They didn't cost more than my camera, but quite a bit more than the price of the Manfrotto, after a discount.

If you are considering Carbon Fiber Tripods (and you should) before you go out and spend money on a Manfrotto check into the Feisol tripods here. Sold in the US by Kerry Thalmann. I just got a CT-3401 one recently and can't believe the quality/price ratio. You would be hard pressed to get a good aluminum tripod for the price of these CF tripods.

Yeah, but if I get another free tripod bundled with each new camera...

No, I know where you're coming from. There is immense satisfaction in owning and using a truly top-quality piece of equipment. Very likely there are situations where your tripod would serve you better than mine, but for what I do, my tripod suffices.

"...many, many cameras." ?? In that case, perhaps you should spend less on tripods and more on cameras that will last longer. [sorry -- couldn't resist. ]

tanstaafl.

Except for taking long-exposure shots of moonlit lakes. Then it wobbles.

Peter

I think here "quality" means "stiff enough that the camera won't shake so that photos aren't slightly blurred", as well as "light enough to carry long distances".

Yes, but that's my point: I can get it at 250 Euros.

But, I completely understand your point, Doug.

The fact is, I own a Canon 7D which I mostly use with a EF 24-70. They're both "heavy". I really, really don't what to buy anything that will shake when I press the shutter release. What would the point be? I'd rather spend 100 Euros more now, and keep this stuff "forever" and even with heavier lenses, than having to go through a second purchase.

In your case, with your camera, I completely agree that this tripod would be possibly too expensive.

Yes, that's exacttly what "quality" means to me in this context. Or, if one wishes a more academically accurate definition, that's fitness for my intended use.

I've also been looking at how long the tripod is when closed, but then, after measuring my camera bag, 45 cm vs 50 cm will not make any difference, so weight and stiffness are the only two parameters left. And cost, of course.

In choosing quality, IMO, you also have to look at the build and reputation of the manufacturer to judge whether a premium price is worth spending for you.

Before my Gitzo I had bought a carbon Induro (aka Benro). It "looked" decent, but it definitely wasn't built as robustly as the Gitzo. I ended up taking it back because the center tube cracked as a result of the mounting base coming unglued from within it. I *almost* lost my camera off the edge of a cliff while taking some photos.

This happened after a few months of owning the tripod and I made it clear to the store that I didn't want it replaced and instead wanted to buy something completely different. I've subsequently read stories of others with similar issues with the same brand of tripods.

Unfortunately it seems that Feisol in Eu is only sold in Austria. One advantage of Manfrotto, here in Italy, is that you find it really everywhere and can have it serviced/replaced, or claim warranty, in virtually any phot gear shop. That's obviously quite convenient, and the reason why I am leaning towards them... But thanks for the recommendation. I never heard of Feisol before.

Now, that's disappointing.
Well, no producer can possibly be "perfect", but I suppose Manfrotto is trustworthy enough? Again I noticed that Gitzo and Manfrotto are now the same company. Not that it necessarily means that all their products are similarly good...

Manfrotto stuff has always been of very good quality.

Ok. I did it. For € 250, I am the proud owner of a 190CXPRO4.