I know the really good ones are expensive but I'm ready for a good quality tripod thats easy to maneuver and with a foot that I can get my camera on and off pretty quickly. (i think its called a foot..)

So point me! Link me! Spend my money! ha..

If you want a good one and are prepared to pay, check out Gitzo. I have the Gitzo 1325 with a Really Right Stuff ballhead. I don't dig it out too often, but when I do it's full of solid tripod-y goodness.

I like Manfrotto gear a ton, very strong. This page will help you select what you need according to your needs (i.e. weight, camera size, etc.):

http://www.manfrotto.com/page4482.html

Manfrotto 3021. Either the "Pro" or the regular model. It comes in black, if you want. The regular is a little more stable, but the Pro has more features.

The 322RC2 head is very nice. I also have a 388 (I think) ball head that's good, too. It's the one with the panning base -- very helpful at times.

Expect to spend around $100 each for the legs and head. I haven't checked prices lately, though.

Gitzo legs are great, but they're very expensive. You really get what you pay for with them, but if it's not in the budget, it's not in the budget.

Gotta 2nd the Manfrotto 3021. I have the 3021 w/ speed grip and quick release plates...very easy to use and remove. In fact...so easy...you gotta be sure to have your hands on the camera when you release the quick release plate. If you have a heavy lens like the 24-70...it's gonna wanna nose dive on you if you aren't ready! It's a little pricey but it's worth it considering I have two (or three) other tripods I've bought over the years in the $100 range...and they either didn't last...or aren't as convenient as the Manfrotto w/ the speed grip and quick release...

Another tip...(if you get a quick release set-up)
--> Buy extra quick release plates -- esp. if you have multiple camera bodies or lenses that need to be tripod mounted in a hurry. Plus...the plates are easy to lose (since they are small and gray)...at ~$12 each it's not too terribly expensive to keep 2 or 3 handy. I have 3 camera bodies plus the 70-200 IS lens...and a Sunpak flash unit...all of which I like to put the quick release plates on when shooting and I need quick support for a camera or flash.

Make that a third vote for the 3021. Mine's the pro version. I just got it to replace my old 3011. Not the lightest one out there, but rock solid and full featured, best bang for the buck by far.

BTW, even though my 3011 is years old and I'm the second owner it still works like the day it was new, seriously. (wanna buy it?) ;-)

Dan's setup is exactly what I use. The speed grip (322RC2) with a silver 3021 and then a 488RC2 head on a black 3021pro as a backup. I was wrong above -- it's a 488 not a 388. It's more stable than the speed grip, but not as easy to use as it has a regular knob to tighten.

A backup tripod... that seems excessive. I've been looking at that silver 3011 sitting in the corner and thinking 'do I really need a backup tripod?'...

The head I use is a 3047. I'm not recommending it unless you're taking up landscape photography in a serious way, but it's sturdy and I'll be able to will it to my next of kin...

Those 322RC2 heads look mighty fine.

The back story is that I was doing some commercial work and the tripod broke. I needed one right away so I bought some new 3021 legs. Then Bogen couldn't find the tripod I sent in (though they had a record of receiving it). So they sent me a new set of legs. I then got another head for the few times we need two cameras on tripods. Then Bogen found them and sent them back and said I could keep the others. So, really, I have three sets of 3021 legs and two heads. You know, a backup to the backup.

But I use a tripod more than most folks here, so when one breaks, I need to be able to have one to use. I suppose I could sell the original 3021 -- I haven't touched them for three years.

Stephanie, wanna buy a used 3021 that's been refurbished by the factory and not used since? It's the older model with the "snapping" levers and without foam grips. It looks like new ones are about $160. I'll sell them for $90 plus whatever shipping ends up being. You'd still need a head, and the 322RC2 is about $120. So that's $210 plus shipping and extra plates.

wow. great info guys! Thanks! I think I like the Manfrotto's the best so far and the recommendations are really helpful. Guess I know what my next purchase is.

THANK YOU!

I've got a Manfrotto carbon fiber 055MF4 with the standard 3030 head. I love it, but I'd like to get a different head eventually... I just don't use my tripod enough to justify it at the moment. The whole shebang cost about $400, but i know it will last me forever and it's really everything i need in a tripod - light, super-strong and holds a ton of weight (i believe somewhere around 13 pounds!)

I have the 3021 as well but it rarely gets used since discovering the Neotec. It's light, strong, and is extremely quick to set up and take down. The big plus is the lower legs are solid so it's fairly impervious to sand. I also use the quickgrip (or whatever its called). That is also WELL worth the money as adjustment is very fast. I also have the neotec monopod which is just as cool

michael

oh mannnn i love the neotec tripods...