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03/20/2009 12:14:39 AM · #1 |
Ok, I'm not going to give you specifics and bore you with details and data- you can find these anywhere if you want to know the ins and outs of a tripod. Hint: it isn't actually that interesting. I searched for ages trying to find a comprehensive review of this tripod online but couldn't find one that didn't copy + paste the manufacturer's spiel, so, I hope this helps someone:
The tripod is heavy, not too heavy, but heavy enough so you're reassured by the weight and its presence. It's made of all aluminium construction- no plastic, and nothing that can potentially rust- which is a big bonus when considering a tripod and its longevity/durability. Total weight of the tripod + head is probably about 4 kg, which can take its toll on your shoulders and back. Luckily (and thoughtfully) the supplied strap and camera bag are both well padded and well balanced.
A touch I found pleasant was that on the bag, they give you two sets of hooks for the strap, one is on top and one is on the side so you can have the strap at an angle or set to however you want. This is a small thing but one of many little touches that show this has been designed for photographers. The bag also contains a zippered inner pocket that I find very useful for storing the tool kit (included), flash gels, batteries and general crap. Another nice touch is the addition of a retractable hook set near the crux of the tripod (where the legs meet) that allows you to hang a counterbalance weight on it should you need to, or just have a place to hang your camera bag so you have easy access to lenses/equipment without having your stuff on the floor.
The finish is of gun-metal grey robust aluminium that is tough as hell, I tried to chip it with a knife, but could not! This isn't a normal practice for me to stab my equipment but I wanted to see if the image of strength was a reality in the product. It is!
I have used this tripod on location a number of times in the past couple of days on uneven ground (sand, gravel, rocks) and the 3 spirit levels on the tripod/head let me know if everything is as it should be and they seem precise. Basically, this thing is secure and steady in all the environments I have tested it in. It wobbles a little bit at full extension but I have not found a tripod that doesn't. All you do then is set the timer on the camera to 2 or 10 secs dependant on the amount of 'wobble' in the tripod. Problem solved.
I am 6 foot 2 and at full extension, this tripod is taller than me by about 4 or 5 inches which I find amazing- no more hunching! It also means you can get a slightly elevated angle on some shots that you otherwise wouldn't have (unless you were 6 foot 6), or if you're super-tall this would help you out.
On the other hand, this can be set up about 6 inches off the ground for stable low level shots which I didn't really care about until I used it and it's surprisingly handy, or at least something to give you a different take on things or if you want a low composition then you can have it- this is great for emphasising foreground elements in a photograph.
My camera is a 40d and the lens is the 17-40mm L and it is held with ease for prolonged periods of time at totally random angles. I have done multi-minute exposures without a problem with no creeping, no downward sloping, no nothing. Impressive. When viewed at 100% the shots are critically sharp with no blur.
Overall, it's a great piece of equipment and essential for outdoor photography that doesn't involve shooting in broad daylight and I'm surprised I went so long without one.
Granted, my choices here in NZ are limited as to what equipment I can test and purchase, but this one had a great spec sheet, great loading capacity and great price ($320 NZD) without being so heavy that I couldn't carry it (unlike the Manfrotto I was looking at) for serious lengths of time.
In conclusion I am very impressed by the stability, build quality, durability (thus far) and reliability of this tripod. And for the price, I think it's awesome!
For the record, the head I have is the MH-5001 which is turning out to be pretty damned sweet!
If i think of anything else I'll let you know...
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03/20/2009 01:55:21 AM · #2 |
Good write up. I was plagued by the same thing when I bought mine (next to no info). To add a bit more to this with my experiences: you can get lower than six inches (you can either reverse the center column or with legs splayed out, tilt the adjustable angle column at an extreme angle down towards the ground). Using the second approach mentioned, I found locking was not nearly as stable, but this didn't surprise me much (Setup was D300 with Sigma 10-20). That's how I captured this  . The tripod did a good job handling the EXTREMELY fine sand that would occasionally pick up in the breeze. I've used it several other times in rough terrain and found it to work great as well. The finish is good, like you said, though I've developed a few scratches from rocks and what not but just cosmetic.
One caveat on the strap: Keep your eye on it if you're doing extended walking, the "loop" that goes around the feet can sometimes spontaneously and slowly slip off suddenly, dropping the whole affair. Never happened to me, but I did catch it just in time (for the record I was walking on rough terrain so it was moving around a good bit).
Have you used the spike feet yet? |
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03/20/2009 03:59:18 AM · #3 |
| not yet, i haven't had the need to thus far and I've been more than happy with the rounded foot things on all terrain I've come across. |
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03/20/2009 07:56:06 AM · #4 |
Looks like a very nice tripod. My only quibble would be with the collar locking mechanism (twist to lock) on the legs. I much prefer the flip-locks used by Manfrotto; they are a hell of a lot easier to use in extreme cold, which matters to me here.
R.
Message edited by author 2009-03-20 07:56:21.
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03/20/2009 09:01:02 AM · #5 |
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
Looks like a very nice tripod. My only quibble would be with the collar locking mechanism (twist to lock) on the legs. I much prefer the flip-locks used by Manfrotto; they are a hell of a lot easier to use in extreme cold, which matters to me here.
R. |
I prefer lever lock too. Giottos actually just came out with the MTL series, which is the same tripods but with lever lock instead. Unfortunately, that didn't exist when I bought mine. |
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