Gasp!

Suggested retail 399 Euros, about $540 USD, and that's before you add any "accessory" so you can actually attach a camera to it. Add another $70 for a tripod head... You guys make me feel like a rank amateur (well, actually, I guess I am a rank amateur ). But I can't imagine buying a tripod for half again what I paid for my camera (Panasonic DMC-FZ50), the best and most flexible non-DSLR camera I have ever come across.

My tripod is, I am sure, nowhere near as good as that Manfrotto, but the differences are not ones that concern me. Mine has some nice features (sturdy non-slip leg-locks, detachable mounting plate, 90-degree tilt head, a pair of leveling bubbles, a built-in carrying handle, a hook to hang stabilizing weights) and it actually weighs less than the Manfrotto. (Manfrotto: 4.3 lbs with tilt mounting head; my tripod 3.2 lbs) No doubt the Manfrotto could double as a car jack if you needed to change a tire, but my camera (with all lenses and accessories ) weighs only 1.6 pounds, so my puny tripod is sufficient. I always use the self-timer when shooting with the tripod, so ultimate rigidity is not my highest priority.

However, if I have learned anything from these religious discussions, what works for me doesn't necessarily work for other people. As always, YMMV.

Oh, and I forgot to mention... my tripod came bundled with my camera at no cost.

tanstaafl.