Best tripod setup~$200 at DVinfo.net

Michael Herrick · November 16th, 2010, 04:26 PM

I am looking for a good tripod setup for around $200 for my rebel t2i to shoot mountain bike videos. This tripod has to be fairly dirt and dust proof because i will be shooting mainly on a dirt surface. Since i will be only using a dslr setup, it doesn't have to support a lot off weight, but i don't mind having a little extra bulk if its going to be stronger. Don't tell me I can't get a good tripod in this price range or anything like that, i understand this is a low budget, but its what i have to work with. I just want to know what you would get if you had around 200 bucks to spend with my needs in mind
Thanks a lot

Chris Harding · November 16th, 2010, 05:03 PM

Hi Michael

I have been using Weifeng E-717 tripods so a few years now and at under $200 they are awesome. However they might be a wee bit too heavy to carry up a mountain but boy, they are tough!! In the bag mine weigh almost 10 lbs but they are rock steady (I use 8lb cams on them) and the bowl heads are great for levelling out on rough terrain without having to adjust leg length!!

Chris

Michael Herrick · November 16th, 2010, 05:06 PM

oh, bowl heads, thats what there called! I definitley want one of those, because leveling by adjusting the legs is a huge pain! I will look into that one for sure

Michael Herrick · November 16th, 2010, 05:36 PM

I can't seem to find that exact tripod, do you have a link to where you bought it?

Chris Harding · November 17th, 2010, 12:34 AM

Hi Michael

Just go onto eBay and search for "75mm bowl tripod" The E-717 is stocked by plenty of shops there.

I actually bought mine from the USA and it was cheaper than buying it locally here in Australia!!

Chris

Mike Beckett · November 17th, 2010, 02:36 AM

Or look for a Libec TH-950DV. That's about all I can think of around your price point that is remotely near good.

(And for heaven's sake keep Soucy away, he'll want you to spend $2000!)

Chris Soucy · November 17th, 2010, 04:34 AM

I say NAAATHING.

I'll let you lot dig holes, then fill 'em in later...........

CS

Mike Beckett · November 17th, 2010, 05:55 AM

The correct answer is of course to buy a Vinten Vision Blue or a Sachtler FSB-4! (Which I am humming and hah-ing over for my 2kg Panasonic babycam).

But that costs slightly more than $200.

BTW, for $200 you'll probably get something good for locked-off shots, and if you're lucky you could do a decent pan or tilt at full wide angle with a bit of work. Which might be OK for the mountain-biking stuff, as long as you don't expect to do a lot of long lens work.

Chris Harding · November 17th, 2010, 07:43 AM

I have actually been thru a pile of tripods and "so called" fluid heads and these Weifeng's are as smooth as silk...Outstanding performance for the price and have never let me down yet...however I am dumping 3.1kg of camera on them so the head may not be as good as I have experienced if you plonk a tiny DSLR on it....I'm just saying that they work like magic with my setup.

I guess a $5K tripod might be a lot better but my budget is just a trifle lower than a TV studio!!!

Chris

Xin Jin · November 17th, 2010, 09:25 AM

I bought one of these tripods in china for about 100€. they are great for the price. and the pans work well with dslrs. and they are heavy, which i consider to be a plus.

im now looking for a distributor here in europe, since i couldnt bring mine to europe (here the weight wasnt that positive). does anyone know one? i googled but couldnt find much.

cheers

Xin Jin · November 17th, 2010, 10:11 AM

I think walimex is a rebrand for asian brands.

Walimex pro EL-717 is Weifeng E717

Walimex Shop Austria - Walimex pro EI-717 Videostativ 15610

Mike Beckett · November 17th, 2010, 12:17 PM

Chris,

FSB4 sets are around $800 US. Vinten Blue is around $1000.

You don't need to go to $5k these days. Unless you move over the Tasman to live in Dunedin, that is!

Michael Herrick · November 17th, 2010, 02:05 PM

I have been doing a little research about that 717 tripod and i cant seem to find anything but positive reviews about it, for under 200 bucks, it sounds like a steal

Chris Harding · November 17th, 2010, 05:14 PM

Hi Mike

Ireland is pricey then???? I actually write a bit of Software for a guy in the Munster area. I see that most prices there are also in Euro rather than pounds????

Don't worry I wouldn't pay $5K for a tripod ... I see that Miller make a unit that retails for $4950 here...that's more than my cameras cost each!!!

Michael

The E-717 is quite a lot under $200 currently in the USA !! If you are not happy with it, dump it on ebay and buy something else but they certainly work for me!! If you do a search for Weifeng you can also look at the factory website based in Taiwan...they have a lot fancier than the 717 too!! That's the entry level bowl unit!!

Chris

Mike Beckett · November 18th, 2010, 12:59 AM

Chris,

UK is pretty much take the US$ and and replace the $ with a £ sign, always has been. Add on taxes and duties and a bit of ripping off customers. Thankfully I live in the slightly less bankrupt part of Ireland!

Michael - my advice on that tripod is to go for it. No point pontificating on bigger and better things if all you have is < $200! There's always a "best tripod at each price point" and this is probably it.

November 16th, 2010, 04:26 PM	#1
Michael Herrick Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Temecula, California Posts: 108	Best tripod setup~$200 I am looking for a good tripod setup for around $200 for my rebel t2i to shoot mountain bike videos. This tripod has to be fairly dirt and dust proof because i will be shooting mainly on a dirt surface. Since i will be only using a dslr setup, it doesn't have to support a lot off weight, but i don't mind having a little extra bulk if its going to be stronger. Don't tell me I can't get a good tripod in this price range or anything like that, i understand this is a low budget, but its what i have to work with. I just want to know what you would get if you had around 200 bucks to spend with my needs in mind Thanks a lot

November 17th, 2010, 04:34 AM	#7
Chris Soucy Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Fairfield, Dunedin, New Zealand Posts: 3,691 Images: 18	I watch........ I say NAAATHING. I'll let you lot dig holes, then fill 'em in later........... CS

November 16th, 2010, 05:03 PM	#2
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Hi Michael I have been using Weifeng E-717 tripods so a few years now and at under $200 they are awesome. However they might be a wee bit too heavy to carry up a mountain but boy, they are tough!! In the bag mine weigh almost 10 lbs but they are rock steady (I use 8lb cams on them) and the bowl heads are great for levelling out on rough terrain without having to adjust leg length!! Chris

November 16th, 2010, 05:06 PM	#3
Michael Herrick Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Temecula, California Posts: 108	oh, bowl heads, thats what there called! I definitley want one of those, because leveling by adjusting the legs is a huge pain! I will look into that one for sure

November 16th, 2010, 05:36 PM	#4
Michael Herrick Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Temecula, California Posts: 108	I can't seem to find that exact tripod, do you have a link to where you bought it?

November 17th, 2010, 12:34 AM	#5
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Hi Michael Just go onto eBay and search for "75mm bowl tripod" The E-717 is stocked by plenty of shops there. I actually bought mine from the USA and it was cheaper than buying it locally here in Australia!! Chris

November 17th, 2010, 02:36 AM	#6
Mike Beckett Trustee Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Antrim, Northern Ireland Posts: 1,569	Or look for a Libec TH-950DV. That's about all I can think of around your price point that is remotely near good. (And for heaven's sake keep Soucy away, he'll want you to spend $2000!)

November 17th, 2010, 05:55 AM	#8
Mike Beckett Trustee Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Antrim, Northern Ireland Posts: 1,569	The correct answer is of course to buy a Vinten Vision Blue or a Sachtler FSB-4! (Which I am humming and hah-ing over for my 2kg Panasonic babycam). But that costs slightly more than $200. BTW, for $200 you'll probably get something good for locked-off shots, and if you're lucky you could do a decent pan or tilt at full wide angle with a bit of work. Which might be OK for the mountain-biking stuff, as long as you don't expect to do a lot of long lens work.

November 17th, 2010, 07:43 AM	#9
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	I have actually been thru a pile of tripods and "so called" fluid heads and these Weifeng's are as smooth as silk...Outstanding performance for the price and have never let me down yet...however I am dumping 3.1kg of camera on them so the head may not be as good as I have experienced if you plonk a tiny DSLR on it....I'm just saying that they work like magic with my setup. I guess a $5K tripod might be a lot better but my budget is just a trifle lower than a TV studio!!! Chris

November 17th, 2010, 09:25 AM	#10
Xin Jin New Boot Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Austria Posts: 19	I bought one of these tripods in china for about 100€. they are great for the price. and the pans work well with dslrs. and they are heavy, which i consider to be a plus. im now looking for a distributor here in europe, since i couldnt bring mine to europe (here the weight wasnt that positive). does anyone know one? i googled but couldnt find much. cheers

November 17th, 2010, 10:11 AM	#11
Xin Jin New Boot Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Austria Posts: 19	I think walimex is a rebrand for asian brands. Walimex pro EL-717 is Weifeng E717 Walimex Shop Austria - Walimex pro EI-717 Videostativ 15610

November 17th, 2010, 12:17 PM	#12
Mike Beckett Trustee Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Antrim, Northern Ireland Posts: 1,569	Chris, FSB4 sets are around $800 US. Vinten Blue is around $1000. You don't need to go to $5k these days. Unless you move over the Tasman to live in Dunedin, that is!

November 17th, 2010, 02:05 PM	#13
Michael Herrick Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Temecula, California Posts: 108	I have been doing a little research about that 717 tripod and i cant seem to find anything but positive reviews about it, for under 200 bucks, it sounds like a steal

November 17th, 2010, 05:14 PM	#14
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Hi Mike Ireland is pricey then???? I actually write a bit of Software for a guy in the Munster area. I see that most prices there are also in Euro rather than pounds???? Don't worry I wouldn't pay $5K for a tripod ... I see that Miller make a unit that retails for $4950 here...that's more than my cameras cost each!!! Michael The E-717 is quite a lot under $200 currently in the USA !! If you are not happy with it, dump it on ebay and buy something else but they certainly work for me!! If you do a search for Weifeng you can also look at the factory website based in Taiwan...they have a lot fancier than the 717 too!! That's the entry level bowl unit!! Chris

November 18th, 2010, 12:59 AM	#15
Mike Beckett Trustee Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Antrim, Northern Ireland Posts: 1,569	Chris, UK is pretty much take the US$ and and replace the $ with a £ sign, always has been. Add on taxes and duties and a bit of ripping off customers. Thankfully I live in the slightly less bankrupt part of Ireland! Michael - my advice on that tripod is to go for it. No point pontificating on bigger and better things if all you have is < $200! There's always a "best tripod at each price point" and this is probably it.