Decent camera tripod for festivals

[Deepsky]

Broke my camera tripod the other week in the ice and snow and am now looking for another one...

Need something rugged and sturdy enough to take a DSLR and fairly heavy lenses but be nice and smooth for tracking with a camcorder / video camera.

Also it'd help if it was nice and light and folds up fairly small. Can't have anything too bulky when its strapped on my camera rucksack and walking through crowds of people.

Recommendations?

[Monkey Boy 44]

Hey, i can recommend this.

I got it last wk for my dslr. Light, compact, a great price!

If you are aware of "quidco" then use that too to get it even cheaper!

http://www.mymemory.co.uk/Tripods/Hama/Hama-Star-75-Tripod

[lord stradmor]

A couple of pro snappers I know rave about Gorrilapods. You'll not find anything more compact.

Pricey though

http://joby.com/gorillapod/focus/

[Okky]

[Deepsky]

A couple of pro snappers I know rave about Gorrilapods. You'll not find anything more compact.

Pricey though

http://joby.com/gorillapod/focus/

[MilkyJoe]

I've got one I very rarely use that you can use for free so long as you give me copies of your pics!!! I'll give you the details tomorrow if you're interested once I dig it out of my loft.

[future_shock]

Basically the problem is light tripods tend to be a bit shitty and the sturdy ones tend to be too heavy. I try to make do without a tripod mostly as I prefer to just snap away randomly and use whatever is around as support. Setting up a shot at a festival just doesn't seem right to me. However when I have used one I just always got cheap light ones. Mainly because I don't use it a lot. This one has been good to me for the most part but its a bit flimsy if it gets windy.

Argh the post link doesn't seem to be working for me today so here it is old skool http://www.picstop.co.uk/camera-tripod/sta...ra-tripod-61cm/

They do a few sizes so if that's too short try another one.

Edited January 25, 2010 by future_shock

[Deepsky]

Basically the problem is light tripods tend to be a bit shitty and the sturdy ones tend to be too heavy. I try to make do without a tripod mostly as I prefer to just snap away randomly and use whatever is around as support. Setting up a shot at a festival just doesn't seem right to me. However when I have used one I just always got cheap light ones. Mainly because I don't use it a lot. This one has been good to me for the most part but its a bit flimsy if it gets windy.

Argh the post link doesn't seem to be working for me today so here it is old skool http://www.picstop.co.uk/camera-tripod/sta...ra-tripod-61cm/

They do a few sizes so if that's too short try another one.

[ukslim]

A couple of pro snappers I know rave about Gorrilapods. You'll not find anything more compact.

Pricey though

http://joby.com/gorillapod/focus/

[IamChappu]

When I checked about taking a slr to Glastonbury (as I know some music venues are a bit funny about 'professional' cameras & wasn't sure if Glastonbury was), I was advised that the camera would be okay but not to take a tripod as it may get confiscated.

Not sure if it has been a problem for anyone but just thought would let you know.

[paulo999]

I was advised that the camera would be okay but not to take a tripod as it may get confiscated.

[Deepsky]

Sounds fishy tbh. I've always taken a bridge camera in the past and a tripod.

This year i'm looking to do it properly though. SLR all the way.

[jameshunt]

When I checked about taking a slr to Glastonbury (as I know some music venues are a bit funny about 'professional' cameras & wasn't sure if Glastonbury was), I was advised that the camera would be okay but not to take a tripod as it may get confiscated.

Not sure if it has been a problem for anyone but just thought would let you know.

[paulo999]

Those are all well and good when out and about but i need the height, espcially with tents and people around.

I need a proper full sized pod.

[jameshunt]

...

Best of luck! Finding the right tripod is always a challenge.

[Dukeicon]

Manfrotto are a really good make of tripod. Quite pricey though I think. My friend who is a keen photographer is always going on about them!

[sprocketrocket]

have you looked at redsnappers? http://www.aldine.co.uk/redsnapper/redsnap...ty-tripods.html

[Wickedfaerie]

Hi! We bought an expensive tripod from Amazon (worth checking the price there once you've chosen - we found it was a lot cheaper than anywhere else), but we sent it back because it was too heavy.

In the end, we were passing Jessops and bought their CamLink TP-1700 for just £17 and weighs just 738g. It has proven sturdy enough for our heavy pro dslr with a 70-300 zoom lens, but the down side is the height; its' max is 127cm.

This hasn't been a problem for me yet, but we haven't had it long! And I like to get pretty low for my shots anyway. Like you I may be taking the camera in this year. I think it was 1997 when I took my old slr and came away with some great shots. Since then I've only taken a happy snappy camera, but now we've got a decent DSLR, I'm considering giving it another go. A lot depends on whether the rest of the family are patient enough to put up with me!

[IamChappu]

When I checked about taking a slr to Glastonbury (as I know some music venues are a bit funny about 'professional' cameras & wasn't sure if Glastonbury was), I was advised that the camera would be okay but not to take a tripod as it may get confiscated.

Not sure if it has been a problem for anyone but just thought would let you know.

[Deepsky]

have you looked at redsnappers? http://www.aldine.co.uk/redsnapper/redsnap...ty-tripods.html

[r0cky]

Another Manfrotto user here; although mine is far too heavy for a festival, but it's rock solid and fantastic!

[ukslim]

Out of interest, what kind of shot do you have in mind that will require a tripod?

It seems like a bulky item to take for just a few shots.

[cheekycheeky]

i suggest using a mates arse to rest your camera on after he's/ she's fallen face down into the mud, comatose after a dodgy hit of mephedrone... they'll be sure to be as static as footings for an hour or two....

[r0cky]

Out of interest, what kind of shot do you have in mind that will require a tripod?