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I got a 300 budget (probably on the low side) for a tripod and head combo.

I am beginner so im fairly clueless when it comes to the good models but I understand manfrotto and gitzo are the popular/good brands.

I will be using a D80 and I am not planning to use any massive zooms. Max height of at least around 170 would be good.

Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks!

Well, $300 will not get you into the good gear I am afraid...

But A wise man told me you have two choices: Spend $1000 on gear or $500 on gear...

$1000= One really crap tripod + one fairly crap tripod + one "it'll do for a while tripod" + one good tripod...

$500= one good tripod

Now, I suggest you postpone your purchase for a while.. Membership (read the FAQ) has privlidges on this site... We have a rather nice arrangement with some suppliers that will cut the cost of your gear considerably...

Personally I use a Gitzo 1227L which is not a cheap pod but my Acratech head only cost ~200 and I absolutely love it... Does fine with my sigma 70-200 and anything I throw at it... probably would not handle the 200-400 but I'm not that rich

Add about $120 to get yourself a fairly strong and stable platform.

On $420 you will have plenty more options to choose from.

Not necessary a carbon fibre tripod, but on $400-$450 can get yourself a very good value aluminium tripod.

The Manfrotto 055PRO + 488RC2 head is about $400-$450 range, a very good tripod IMO, despite its little heavy weight side.
Its weight about 3.5kg, max heigh w/o centre column is about 155cm (not including camera height), and with centre column about 175cm. Adding a camera on top places viewfinder at about 10cm taller than the max height. And your eye-height is roughly 10-15 cm lower than your actual height.

If you dont care much about the weight to take, this is a very good value deal.


Adding up to $550, can get you a carbon fibre tripod. I have not much experience with these, so I'll leave others to explain about it. PS. keep in mind, a good tripod is not a tripod which stays home. Is one which serves you a lifetime of photographic experience.

What about Benro a127/128 with kb1/kb2 head for around 270-280 shipped from ebay ? For that price I think that would be your best bet.

Here's some link :
<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Pro-Benro-A-127-Alum-3section-Photo-Tripod-to-DC-DV-K3I_W0QQitemZ200030106651QQihZ010QQcategoryZ3325QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"> leg </a>

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Benro-KB-1-Ball-Head-Ballhead-fit-Gitzo-Manfrotto-K2A_W0QQitemZ200030096617QQihZ010QQcategoryZ3325QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem">head</a>

Quite a few members here have benro I think. Some reviews of this combination are in the Equipment Reviews section. Bought mine after reading them.

The quoted 146cm max height almost put me off (I'm around 173ish). But really once you put on the ballhead and the camera, even without the center column extended the viewfinders are just slighty below my eye level, nothing that abit of knee bending can't fix. With the column extended, the viewfinder is way above my head. Recommended

I've got a 055Pro B I'm looking to sell but that would only leave $80 for a head.

Come on guys, let's not be tripod snobs! Let's remember a budget has been set.

OK, all the talk about buying good, buying once, is true, but when there is a budget and a requirement (as there so often is) then you maybe can't always go for the best. Remember also we're talking about a D80 (roughly same size/weight as the D50), so camera weight isn't a real issue, and lens length/weight doesn't sound like a real issue (yet!) either...

Rasice, I have made good use of my Manfrotto 190D (legs) and 141RC (head) combination. Sure, it's not as sexy as some of the combinations mentioned here, but it does the job - quite nicely

You should be able to pick one up for around $230 (try Vanbar) or a little more if you want to go for a different combination. Probably less if you hunt around

Yes, a lighter combination would be nice - but I have made do with this for a while now, and haven't really felt it held me back too much. And when I do finally upgrade then $200odd isn't too bad a hit - maybe I can use the old one as support for lights or something

(That said, maybe some of the Benro items would be in the same league - I haven't really gone into them at all other than seeing they are pretty well made for the price).

I have a Manfrotto 234RC head and plate, very happy with it. It has a quickrelease and the head is also tiltable 90degrees left/right etc. It holds my D70 and 80-200 lens rock solid.

The quickrelease needs tightening from time to time, but that takes all of 5 seconds. It cost me about $70 if I remember correctly and I would definitely purchase this again if I had to.

Thanks for the replys guys have checked the models out.

I did however find a place highly recommended by my mate. And have managed to get the this tripod and head http://tinyurl.co.uk/c40s for about 220 Australian including shipping. I also got a leg + head kit for my friend from the same shop which was 205 Australian.

Probably worth adding to the Bargain section! Anyway according my mate and most of feedback these products are as good / even better than expensive brands which cost several hundred dollars more.

They also have a online shop http://www.amvona.com/v7/shop/ but the auction prices are significantly lower.

If time is on your side (ie. you don't need the tripod urgently), shop around for a second hand tripod. I picked up a Slik Master tripod at the Sydney Camera Market earlier this year for a song. The head is pathetic, but the legs will survive a nuclear holocaust. With a small amount of modification, I'll be able to mount a decent head and if I do as well price-wise with the head as I did with the legs, will come in well under your budget.

talking about 2nd hand gear, I can get a Manfrotto 141RC head for about $80. Does anyone have any experience with this head?

I'd be using it with a Nikon D80.

rasice - let us know how you go with your head/pod combo.

Does anyone own the Benro C-258 n6? How do the Benro heads compare to other brands?