I can now see the difference on using cheep tripod

S

Survival Bill

I have a cheep $40.00 tripod that I have been using it works ok with just a camera on it but I built a slider and mounted it on and it moves way to much and is just not sturdy enough for the pressure the slider puts on the removable mounting plate what would be a good tripod to look for in the $200.00 range or would I need to spend allot more for something steady and robust enough to mount the slider on? slider worked great on a table test but it limits were I can use it now...
 
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Is it the tripod or the tripod head that is wobbling? (I have a $500 carbon-fiber tripod that is rock-solid, but I don't currently have a tripod head that can support really heavy equipment yet.)
 
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Although strong sticks will stabilize much more for the slider, a really nice head will make a tremendous difference if you're having to pan/tilt the camera. Some places, DIY and cheap will do... others require some expense to get beyond usable into good.
 
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A tripod is one of the few pieces of gear worth spending some money on up front. A good one will last many, many years, through several camera upgrades and what not even. We just sold a vinten we had for right around 10 years and aside form it's fair share of cosmetic battle scars it worked pretty much as good as new. Still sold it for well over $1000 I'm pretty sure.
 
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There is a reason for good gear.

Of course you can DIY and do it well. But a well built piece
of professional equipment has its purpose, too. I spent years
never even seeing a c-stand - with them I can get the right
lighting five times faster. You do not NEED them, but they
are great pieces of equipment to use.

Same with the tripod head. There is a reason pro heads and
sticks are separate. A solid set of sticks will last forever. You
can change heads when needed and for different purposes.

You can buy a $100 tripod and get great use out of it for
several years. You can buy a $1,000 set (sticks and head)
and use it for 20/30 years. That's $50/$30 per year. I have
wooden sticks I bought used 25 years ago for $200 - $8 per
year. I have a fluid head Bogen I bought new in 1985 for
$500 (about $1,000 in todays money) and I still use it today.

The camera I was using in 1985 is kind of useless today.

I still use the Sennheiser I bought in 1990.
 
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I have a manfrotto which I love. I have purchased the cheapies over the years and they soon start to fall apart or get stiff or cant move this way or that. This one can also take floor view photos by stretching out all the legs. A worthwhile investment.
 
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