flash and tripod suggestions

does anyone have any? im looking for cheap here as well, and i dont mind getting used

plan your purchase with the future in mind so you don't end up buying 3 tripods that break for the cost of the 4th that you will buy to replace the first 3.

Think about what you plan on shooting and plan to spend a little more than you thought.

Look at the max weight the tripod can hold and think about the lenses you may want to get down the road. Can the tripod hold the combined weight of the camera + the new lens?

Look at the design of the quick release system. Will it hold the lenses you want? Will it hold the weight?

I have 3 broken tripods that did not meet my future demands. After I broke all of them (which I paid about $180 for in total) I went out and spent $120 on a professional tripod and another $150 on a Jobu Gimbal head to put on it. No more broken tripods at a shoot, no more bitching about crappy gear. You definitely get what you pay for with camera gear.

There are a lot of really good name brands out there but each of them make a lesser known name product. Look around and check the stats on it. Try it before you buy it if you can. Ebay is a good source but you cannot try it before you buy it there.... so read the stats carefully.

Flash - you have a few options but if you want bang for the buck look at the Vivitar 285HV. It's a workhorse. I go mine brand new for $85 US and then bought 2 used ones for a total of $75 US. That way there's always at least one with fresh batteries for a back up just in case.

And lastly after you have the flash you will most likely want a battery pack for faster recharge and longer use. MAKE SURE they are compatible BEFORE you buy and make sure the power cables are readily available. You want to be sure that if you are away from your home camera shop on a shoot that you can get replacements easily so you won't end up SOL.

In my film days I had an old yard sale tripod that tipped over from time to time, before the a bean bag.. Now I use a Slik. I am not sure of the model but it is well built. If you are going to stick $1000.00 on top of a tripod make sure it's a good one.

why are heads so expensive? and why are they necessary? can i mount my camera to a tripod directly? whats the meaning of life? is a $100 enough for a decent tripod considering the E510 is pretty damn light, especially compared to nikons that much of the market is based upon?

Here is the one I have. The head on it gets it done no problems. I think the heads you are refering to just adjust easier and are a bit better built. I wish mine was taller but like I say, It gets the job done.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...ro_Tripod.html

I find having one with a leveller good, so that you don't take shots on a slight slant. Also one with a quick release is handy. Usually they are the ones where you have a square pad that screws into your camera and you can clip it on top of your tripod, then when you need to release it, it has a thumb release. Great if you need to take it off the tripod for a particular shot then clipping it back on with less fuss.

I bought myself an Olympus FL-36R that was reasonably priced. Not as strong as the big brother model, but does the trick. What I like is that it has a disperser cover built-in so if you need to take wide angle shots - or even macro shots - you can flip down this opaque cover which will disperse the light more evenly. I still haven't had a good play with this flash, so I'm still learning. It requires 2x AA batteries and is fairly light.

I'm in the market for a flash myself, so I can't help you there.

I can help with the tripod though. Spend the money you would use on a tripod for your 70-300. I've only come across a few situations where I thought a tripod would be helpful, and most of the time mine collects dust. In fact, I Think the only time I'd ever use it is to get flowing water shots, long exposures of stars, and self portraits. Other than that, it's an overpriced coat rack.

A little bit of good technique will help steady your hands - hold your breath when shooting, brace against things, etc. I haven't had too much trouble getting sharp images out of my 50 f/2 at 1/12s.

1/12? im getting decent 1/8s, even usable 1/6s [if i really try] with the IS at 150mm!
but im dead set on getting a tripod. my budget is 50-100 hoping to get a usable one. i figure the 510 with the 70-300mm is still under 2kg so im not TOO worried, but i want something with a little more buffer room then what Greg has posted. also i want a head that i can adjust

i think ill wait another couple weeks and make my final decision after finals.

This is pushing your budget a bit but I bought a Velbon tripod locally for $150.

Very pleased with it, all metal, smooth adjustments, etc.

http://www.velbon-tripod.com/sherpa.htm

Cheers, Don

any update on the FL-36?

i think i might get that one,
also the Vivitar 285HV that was suggested earlier, what does the FL-36 have that this one doesnt?

I'm going to use the one I got from Buy.com for 73 cents after google checkout.

Mounted my Canon G1 to it for testing and it seemed to hold up fine, so I would imagine the 510 should be fine too. Best 73 cents I have spent in a while lol.

And no I am not kidding. It's probably only a $50 tripod though to begin with. Going to see how much I use it before I splurge.

ahh found it, http://www.amazon.com/Kraftech-94824...1185442&sr=8-1

Am I crazy? lol

here's a good review of the fl-36 ($175):
http://www.wrotniak.net/photo/43/fl-36.html

and vivitar 285hv ($90):
http://www.popphoto.com/lighting/398...hv-review.html


seems like the vivitar would be a good bargain if you really know how to use a flash well. the olympus seems to be able to set itself up right for every shot because it communicates with the camera and knows what settings you are shooting with. also, the main reason why i am planning on getting the fl-36 is for the auto-focus assist. instead of my e-510 strobing it's flash to help focus, the fl-36 has 3 red beams with different patterns in them to give you plenty to focus on.