Bogen 3001 tripod legs are nice for the price. Very lightweight and stable for light to medium cameras. The tripod head is where the price will really get you. They can be very expensive for nice ones. The best cheap one that I have used is the Bogen 3030. It's a pan/tilt mechanism that can support a good weight. Currently I use an Acratech, but I really had to save up for it. It is a very stable ball head wth a great mechanism. It'll hold pretty much anything this side of my Jeep.