Recommendations for a good & cheap tripod for Nikon D5100?
Going to be headed to the cherry blossoms in DC next month. Looking for a tripod but don't want to spend too much since it's mostly just going to be used for trips and/or portraits at home.
I don't want to spend $100. I'm assuming it should be able to get about 5ft tall at the least.
Any specific recommendations?
You can get a pretty sturdy tripod for around $100. Look here
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/...4291757709
If you can save your pennies a little longer, you can buy one that can hold 7 kg total weight (lens + camera) since eventually you will have a heavier combination attached to your tripod and you really don't want to buy more than one tripod in your lifetime
You can get a decent tripod for less than $100, but not by much. The Slik Sprint Pro II is pretty good. Consider how you will pack and carry the tripod. Measure the inside of the pack you expect to use. The folded length of the tripod with head must be less.BH Photo and Adorama are good sources, partly because they have a good selection at competitive rices, and also because you can look up the specifications (something Amazon usually lacks).
The Slik Sprint Pro can fit in a medium day pack, but might not make it into a smaller pack. The Slik Sprint Mini II is more compact, but its extended height is less than you want.
The $150 Oben AT-3400 4-Section Aluminum folds a little bit smaller than the Slik Sprint Pro.
At Wal Mart you can get one for less than $40. Sure, it's won't support the camera in a hurricane, but I've hauled mine all over the US on a motorcycle and have never had any problem with it.
How about a metal tripod with ball head that can support 13 pounds, 62" max height, adjustable leg angles, and weighs next to nothing?
http://www.newegg.com/...rentOnly=1
I've been toting one of these around the country for 3 years now and still going strong. They don't make it obvious, but this tripod has a standard 3/8x16 mounting screw to attach the head, so you can change it easily if you feel the need.
There's also a larger (and heavier) version for all of $60 on the same site. Just search for Dolica tripod. They are also running deals with the larger version and a couple of different bags for the same price.
I don't carry my tripod in my bag… Why would I? It gets attached outside, so length is not an issue. It also fits nicely inside the tour pack on my Electra Glide.