Then I asked the student advisers at the New York Institute of Photography for advise. (Just FYI - I got a reply in 24 hours.) The advisor said she used a Giottos tripod and was very happy with it so I thought "What the heck? You can't make up your mind anyway. Get a Giottos." The advisor also recommended that I go to a camera shop where I could try out the tripod and head before buying and the staff could help me decide what I needed. This was excellent advise. Unfortunately, there isn't a camera shop near to me so I ordered the tripod shown below from Amazon.com. It was what I considered a moderate price and had good reviews on several photography websites.
I got it this week, but haven't used it so my opinion on its virtues and foibles isn't worth a lot at this point. However, in my opinion:
- This tripod appears quite sturdy.
- It weighs almost 5 pounds which is only about 1/2 pound heavier than a similar carbon fiber tripod which costs more than twice as much. I'm an old lady and that 1/2 pound may be important when I'm out in the field carrying it around, but right now it was the price that was the considering factor.
- It's easy to operate, but not if you have weak thumbs. You have to pull out a thingee (they call it a "Quick Release lock") to change the leg angles which isn't hard to do once you know how, but it does takes some strength in your thumbs.
- Comes with a 'tool kit' that attaches to the tripod.
- The "spiked" feet are covered with rubber like material so they can be safely used indoors.
- It came with a "deluxe" case as well as a carrying strap that can go on the tripod or the case. The case really does seem to be of good quality and I had no problem zipping it up with the ball head attached to the base. I have read that this was a problem with some cases, but not this one.
- When folded, it's longer than I would have liked, 26 inches without the head.
Again these are just my first-sight opinions:
- It seems sturdy and well made
- I have a very difficult time getting the quick release lever to budge and had decided to send it back, but I finally got it to move by using more force than I thought should be necessary. I do have a problem with weak thumbs due to old injuries so maybe it was just my problem.
- In the opinion of a beginning tripod user, the directions for this product stink. The directions for the quick release lever are presented on 1 side of a 2" x 3" card attached to the head. However, there are a couple of YouTube videos YouTube videos that were helpful. After watching them and playing around with it a little I know what most of the knobs do and how to use them, but better instructions for beginners would be great.
- It comes in a nice leatherette bag with what I think is called an Allen wrench.
- I had read a couple of reviews that said the quick release plate had rough edges. One reviewer even said he had cut himself twice. However, I found no rough or sharp edges on the plate I received. It was quite smooth.
I usually order from Amazon.com because I have an account there and am quite satisfied with their services, but if you want more complete information on cameras and camera equipment I suggest you check out Adorama , B&H, or one of the other photography shops on the web.