2013-07-01T21:00:00
Rated 4 out of 5
Great all around tripod
Solid tripod with only a few drawbacks, the legs will become loose, the allen drivers are included and is a very simple fix, holds my 100-300 without problem. The Air Head is great, was very tight on the pan however after some use it has become a smoother pan.
Chris S.
2013-06-17T21:00:00
Rated 5 out of 5
Great Tripod
Great tripod. Love the engineering on this one. Its sturdy, easy to use, and has many multiple purposes. Takes a little while getting familiar with all it can do. But once you got that down, its amazing!
Jacki M.
2013-05-17T21:00:00
Rated 5 out of 5
Simply outstanding!
One very important takeaway is that this is a travel tripod but don't let the small folded size fool you; this tripod is very sturdy, light, and easy to operate. One the best features is that one leg comes off to become a monopod. The head is strong and very smooth.
Excellent buy.
JG
2013-04-22T21:00:00
Rated 4 out of 5
Solid stand
This is an awesome stand, sturdy and easy to set up.
William M.
2012-06-04T21:00:00
Rated 2 out of 5
Lightweight Gear Only
My selection criteria for this tripod were threefold : travel size, low profile macro capability and incorporated monopod. I shoot with a Hasselbald H4D camera, 90% from a tripod. I use lenses ranging from 28mm to 300mm including the use of converters and extension tubes. The tripod will support any or all of these items even at maximum leg spread. The issue is the AH1 Ball head. In any positions other than level, the tensioner will not apply sufficient pressure to hold the ball in place. I spend a lot of time with my hand on the camera to insure the ball does not slip in its socket and allow the camera to tip forward. (I had specifically communicated with 3LT prior to purchase about being able to support the equipment described above, and was assured that it should not be an issue.)
On the new ball head design(AH1) the third knob has been removed from the head and a ring around the ball tensioner is to be used to act as a clutch mechanism to avoid immediate release of the ball. This does not work on my ball head. Additionally the pivot release knob seems to only partially release, and the 'fluid motion' is more like moving through molasses.
The copper colored quick release plate also had its own set of issues. The screw for attaching the plate to the camera was defective and came apart when the camera was mounted on the tripod. Fortunately I had my hand on the camera when it broke and the camera did not fall to the ground.
The conceptual design of this tripod was ideal for a traveling camera support. It seemed to be designed by a photographer to fill this need. Most tripods are too bulky for ease of transport(>20 inches/500mm long).
Lighter weight camera/lens configurations should have no problem, but for my application this tripod is not a good match.
Rollin S.
