Need Tripod Help! - Slik Pro 500DX

[onecolortee]

Hi, I'm a newbie to photography, but between trying to shoot in low light and the reading I've been doing on here and in books, I realize that I really need a tripod. I've done some reading on them, and shopped around a bit, and it's looking like the Slik Pro 500DX might be good for me. I'm on a bit of a budget. I know I can't go with a cheapie, because it will just be a piece of crap and I'll have to buy a new better one, but I also can't afford a $400 Manfrotto tripod. I'm a college student working a minimum wage job and accruing a ton of loan debt, so it's just not gonna happen. So my question is, would the $130 Slik Pro 500DX be a good choice due to my budget? Does anyone have one? Or have a suggestion of a better (but affordable) tripod?

Note: I have a Canon T2i with the 18-55mm lens that came with it and a 55-250mm telephoto lens. I don't foresee myself getting any massive heavy telephoto lenses for a long time (if ever), so I think the weight allowance of the 500DX (10 lbs) would be fine for me.

[Michael_2010]

The first semi-serious tripod I got was a Slik Pro 400DX with a pan & tilt head. I don't have any complaints about it. I didn't like dragging it around out in the field, so I got something lighter that would collapse down to a more manageable size with a ball head rated for a heavier camera and lens. I leave the Slik setup in my house and use it a lot for tabletop type stuff.

Probably not the best, but not bad. However, I have never taken it out into the water or really given it any rough treatment, so I have no idea how durable it might be in environmentally challenging areas.

[ffscj3562130]

I have the Slik Pro 700dx and am satisfied with it. Not something I'd want to carry on a multi-day hike but do carry it for short multi-hour treks into the mts. Being 6'4" tall I like the height available on the 700. The legs are sturdy and stable. The panhead is acceptable. I will probably upgrade to a better ballhead in the future. This is my second Slik tripod as I bought a U212 model 20+ years ago when I was trying to learn film photography and it served me well..

I assume the 500dx would be solid as I think the legs are made from the same material. Don't know if the pan head is the same as on the 700 or not. The 700 will support more weight and extend to a higher level than the 500. If these features are important to you, you might want to look at the 700 as it is only $10.00 more at B&H Photo.