cheap tripods

[jp]

330565896889 on ebay for $36.99 with free shipping. I just bought two for non-photography work, and it's just as good/better than the $60 ones from china, but I'm going trade for one of these. Bosch is a good brand. I have an orange aluminum one which clashes terrible with my camera's red bellows, so this deep bluish bosch color is a better match, unless you're working on a roadside and don't want to get hit and need something to match your orange safety vest. Notable features are the adjustable tension on the leg clamps by adjusting a nut on the back. It's got a little hook under the tripod screw handle too. You need a 5/8" to 1/4" adaptor as would be required for any surveying tripod, but I've got one of those for my previous tripod.

[Ari]

That's a pretty good price; shame there's no shipping to Canada.
What's the maximum load on these tripods?

[Joanna Carter]

Not allowed to view that page in the UK????

[Frank Petronio]

What's the best way to get a photo-tripod head on it? Is there something off-the-shelf we can buy?

[BetterSense]

That's a good price. I bought a similar one, but it was about $60. To mount my Bogen 3047 head, I just drilled a couple holes in the top and bolted on a piece of hard 1/2" board, then bolted the 3047 on.

[jp]

I use one without a head and one without. I have a pacific laser systems 5/8-1/4" adaptor on it.
http://www.amazon.com/Pacific-Laser-Systems-PLS-20351-Threaded/dp/B00006393Y

There are other options as mentioned.

The tripod that holds my 8x10 I spin the camera right onto the above adaptor. If the tripod is fairly level, I don't need a head, front/rear rise is a nicer way to aim upwards/downward.

For small format and work use (fusion splicer) I have a 1/4-3/8 adaptor to put a cheap ball head on it.

[BetterSense]

The things I don't like about mine are that it's just not that ergonomic. It's hard to carry because it's lumpy and doesn't collapse very far, but it is very stable.

[Josh X]

How much weight can these hold? I'm looking at options for my 11x14 and a cheap surveyor's tripod could tide me over if it will hold the camera reasonably well.

[TheDeardorffGuy]

I have a friend who has one of these Bosch tripods. He shoots w/ a Deardorff 11x14. It holds it fine.

[Peter De Smidt]

I have a version of this, possibly a DeWalt, if memory serves me. It works ok. It's not hard to adapt a head. It works fine from about 4 ft and up. I don't use it anymore, though, as I have better pods now.

[Josh X]

Ken, that's good to know. Thanks.

[TheDeardorffGuy]

A V11 Deardorff is a real heavy camera. Every camera is lighter that it is. So that tripod is ok. Ask the seller where it is made. yes I know Bosch is german but you should ask anyway.

[speedfreak]

One of the main comments that I get when I'm out shooting is in regards to surveying. Things like; " Are they going to finally tear that old building down?" and "where's the guy with the stick?". And this is all with a regular camera and tripod (relative, I know.)
If I used my transit legs, I may as well put on the orange vest, hard hat, and set up a cone in the middle of traffic. I'd beable to get any shot from any location. Hmmm...

[jp]

My bosch tripod was made in India I think. It's some sort of normal construction-work oriented tripod for transit/laser/measuring/work. Choice of head is going to be far more important for estimating weight handling.