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Old 10-06-2007, 02:09 PM   #3837
Soundy
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It's not really what you'd call "cheap", but I love the Manfrotto package I got at Kerrisdale Cameras: 190CL aluminum legs and 486RC2 ball head with quick-release plate. Still selling for the same price, too, $220.

http://tinyurl.com/2we3yd.

The quick-release latch has an extra little "locking" lever that will keep it from releasing (thus preventing your camera falling off if you snag the lever on something), and will hold the latch open until you drop the camera on, when it releases to lock the camera down.

I like the ball head personally, for quick adjustment - unlock one lever, move the camera to any angle you want, then lock it down again with a quick twist of the lever. Most cheap tripods are designed more for video-camera use, and have a handle that sticks out for easy panning and tilting up and down, but many have nothing to allow side-to-side tilting - if you want to go shoot portrait format, you have to attach the camera to it sideways to angle it the way you want. Been there, done that, no thanks.

These legs are sturdy but relatively light, being aluminum. They too have quick-release tabs for locking the telescoping legs. The legs will actually fold straight out flat, with locks in three positions, and they aren't tied together, to each can be adjusted completely independently of the others.

Here's Manfrotto's page for the head: http://www.manfrotto.com/Jahia/site/...fonce/pid/2304

Can't find a spec sheet for the legs... but you know, drop by a store and check'em out.

The great thing with this kind of setup (separate legs and head) is that it lets you upgrade without having to replace everything - you can slap that head on a monopod, or onto some lighter carbon-fibre legs when the budget allows, or pop a video pan/tilt head onto the legs if the situation calls for it.
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