Slik U212 Universal Deluxe Tripod with 3-Way Pan Head #212

2024-11-25T14:35:08

I own a Slik U212 tripod that I bought used over 30 years ago. It's been all over Alaska, Hawaii, Europe, and about 20 states in all kinds of weather. Recently, one leg clamp broke so I thought I would buy a used one for parts to fix mine. Adorama had a used one listed for $35 (with freight) that was described as "heavy usage." I was not expecting much, but was very pleasantly surprised when I opened the box to find a well-packaged Slik U212 tripod in much better shape than mine. It has some minor cosmetic wear, but is mechanically in excellent condition. I switched my ball head over to this one, and my old tripod is now the "parts" source if I need in the future. Hopefully, I will get another 30 years' use out of this one. BTW - I bought my Nikon D7500 from Adorama a few years ago and they were great to work with. I would definitely recommend Adorama.

Michael E.

2017-03-08T10:45:40

Very sturdy, maximum adjustability. Slik Quality.

Sam D.

2017-01-28T10:59:28

I previously owned a Slik U212 tripod I purchased in the early 80's. I just gave that one to a nephew who is just getting into photography. Considering that one was over thirty years old, and in excellent shape, gives me great hope that this one will last as long. Well, the photography bug bit me again, and that is why this new 'improved' version made it into my collection. Everything on this new U212 seems to be of good quality, but a few things I am not real keen on in comparison. I don't really care for the new version's low level locking levers (that let you release the legs so they can extend outwards). The old U212 had knobs that you would turn to loosen, and then re-tighten. The new version has downsized leg locks. They get the job done, but the knobs seemed to be more secure, and more precise when locking. The other 'improvement' is the head surface that the camera sits on. Old one was rubber, that occasionally had to be re-cemented back into place. The new version is cork, which it appears everyone is using now. This would be fine, but the new version also has an "Adjustable Camera Base", that probably would have been a fantastic addition when I was shooting 35mm film, but my Nikon D5500 has a swivel out scree on the back, so with this new version, I have to decide before I place the camera on the platform, if I want the screen tight on the back of the camera, closed altogether, or swiveled out to the left side, as the adjustable base locks tight behind the camera body (blocking access to moving the screen. The new version still has the Quick Release Camera Post that attracted me to the U212 over thirty years ago. So much easier than the conventional method when you really want your camera converted to handheld in a hurry. I'll see how it goes as time goes on, but in the interim, it is a very nice tripod, holding my D5500 with 55-300mm zoom attached quite steady. The tripod does what it's supposed to do, and at a pretty reasonable price I also purchased the Slik 2770 Carrying Case, and highly recommend it, again, at a very reasonable price through Adorama.

James D.

2016-01-10T11:11:17

I have to say that I really like this tripod. I find it sturdy and fairly portable. I've never had an issue with the leg clamps. My biggest beef though is that crucial elements of the tripod are plastic, Last week, I tripped and fell while carrying my tripod. The plastic base was completely broken on one side. I could not properly raise and secure the tripod, so I had to buy a new one. I can't for the life of me understand why such an important part of the tripod was mad out of flimsy plastic.

Michael C.

2015-10-10T17:58:24

One plastic leg lock developed a stress crack while sitting in my closet. Tripod is worthless now. I emailed the US distributor to see if I could purchase another. I am not optimistic.

barry b.

2011-05-08T21:00:00

I have had my U-212 for 16 years now and Have no major complaints. For me it has been a solid, stable platform for night shots, Macro work, floral and Landscape photography. The longest lens I have used on it has been a 500mm and the tripod performed beautifully even with Semi-trucks going past at 65 mph less than 15 feet away.(I was feeling the effects of their going by) I have experienced the clamp cracking problem myself and was able to purchase a replacement clamp from Slik Co. [...] I had the tripod operational again in less than 30 minutes. As I am quite tall, I like the full extension height of the column. There is a little loss of stability at full height due to a slight column wiggle but at high shutter speeds it's not noticeable.The one complaint I do have is the weight of the tripod. At six (6) pounds it is a bit heavy. It's not really the thing you would want to lug along on a two or three day wilderness trek.All in all I like this tripod. On a scale of 1-10 I would give it a 9.

Ted M.

2010-01-09T19:00:00

A classic tripod that can do a little bit of everything. Make no mistake: it's heavy. But the amount of things that this tripod can do more than compensate for its weight. Stands high enough for taller people, and can get really low to the ground for "floor shots." I wouldn't recommend this camera for video, though, as its panning capabilities are not as smooth as it could be. But with the money you've saved, you can always purchase another head to add to the unit! The clamps are plastic, but with care, they should last a long time. And they are replaceable. [...]

EMANUEL H.

2009-12-31T19:00:00

I bought this as my first tripod, so I don't have much else to compare to. After owning it for 3 years, and putting it through lots of use, I am very happy with the purchase. The tripod is well made. I didn't have any issues with the clamps breaking or cracking. Everything functioned like it should, and it is very sturdy. I've used this around rocks and trails with uneven surface, and it has always does the job. I don't really like the quick release piece (the little knob that screws to the bottom of the camera body). With the piece screwed into the camera, you can't set your camera down on a table. It would be nice if it's a plate rather than a knob. Also, the tripod is a tad heavy to haul around. It's great for use in the studio or at home, but I wouldn't take this hiking up a mountain. For this price and the stability/durability of the product, I think the tripod deserves a 5-star.

Angela V.

2009-05-25T21:00:00

30 years and still going strong. What more can I say, it is awesome.

Moe P.

2009-05-10T21:00:00

I have been using this tripod since the mid 1970s and I never have any problems with it. I took it all over the world with me. The only thing I had to do was to glue the rubber pad back on the head.

MorgothJEV

2009-05-10T21:00:00

I intially really liked this tripod but at some point when I opened the legs umbrella style one leg would never lock and the tripod was forever unstable after that. I've considered user error but for the life of me cannot figure out how to secure that one leg. SLIK really doesn't have any support. No manual. etc. The tripod is totally useless to me now.

Harry

2009-05-05T21:00:00

I HAVE AN OLDER VERSION OF THE U212, HAD IT FOR 30 YEARS HASN'T FAIL ME YET. THANK YOU! STILL HAVE THE U210 AND IT'S GOING STRONG.

CONEHEAD

2009-02-21T19:00:00

The Slik U212 has a fatal flaw. The quick-release leg clamps are made of plastic and are under-designed, causing them to break under the considerable pressure of normal clamping. It really doesn't matter how well you treat this tripod, the clamping mechanism is just fragile. I've had two of these and they both broke the same way after about 10 uses. Slik should make the clamp, itself, out of metal, or heavier-gauge plastic. I've included a photo showing the broken clamps on both tripods.

sarpent

2008-12-30T19:00:00

You never forget your first tripod. I had one of these stolen out of my car after 20 years of dutiful service. I went with the Bogen Manfroto setup about 2 months ago but it was a LOT heavier and twice the price. That mistake got returned. The only down side of the SLIK is the double-edged sword feature of weight. It's easy to carry but difficult to keep planted at times. However, you can hang your camera bag from it if you need to. It folds up short and tight, too, so it easily fits into slim camera bags. LOVE the built in bubble level. I use that plus the grid lines in my NIKON to make sure I'm level, though I just picked up a triple-plane bubble level for the hot shoe. If I'm not plumb now I'll never be.

Walker B.

2008-12-28T19:00:00

I'm in the market for my third U212. Yes, third. I've been using this tripod for low level photography since the mid-1980s. Install a ball head, cut down the center post, and you are as stable as possible and super low to the ground. It doesn't matter if the ground is flat, angled, or rocky, this tripod will get the camera where you need it. The only issues I've ever had are the plastic leg locks that do break with enough use, and don't superglue back together. The broken leg locks are the only reason I've needed to replace the tripod. This is the tripod that always gets packed, and I'm tickled to see it's still available.

JON S.

2008-12-04T19:00:00

I have used the U212 since about 1990 and it's still going strong. I use it for nature photography (animals and landscapes). I really like the way you can put the legs at any position without being stuck with interval positions. This feature allows me to get the camera almost on the ground when I put the tripod head on the screw that is on the leg (you can prop the leg up on a branch or rock or even a lens case). I have even used an old Novoflex (400, 600, 800 and even tried the 1200 mm set up just for fun) with the pistol grip which makes it unstable when mounted on a tripod. But this tripod did well and even did fairly well with the 1200 mm set up). The only things that could make it better would be to make it lighter and to put a ball head on it.

Tracey K.

2008-03-28T21:00:00

My first choice when I go into my tripod collection after I switched to a Gitzo ballhead. The supplied head is useless plastic. Have used the legs for approx. 30 yrs. Just broke a leg lock at an important event! Yup, the locks are plastic!! Good reason to have a backup tripod with you. Lose the plastic head and it's hard to beat. See photo of broken lock.

DaveF4n

2008-03-21T21:00:00

Been using this great tripod for 5 years. In use it has met every need for a stable platform. From potraits to macro nature shots the U-212 has been a ready tool. The pan head is functional though a higher quality replacement certainly wouldn't hurt. That would solve my only real gripe. The product specific quick release button is too easy to lose and in fact it is the only camera related item I have managed to lose. Twice so far. It is fast on-and-off the head, but gets in the way at inconvinent times with predictable results.[...]

Shutterfish J.

2007-12-26T19:00:00

I purchased my 1st U 212 at least 20 years ago. Because of recent collision damage I am in the market for a new tripod. I'm surprised that the model has survived. Well I now know what I am going to buy.

Digital2

2007-02-11T19:00:00

Overall a great tripod for the price. I replaced a Slik U112 with this version and it's just as good, if slightly larger. The leg locks are easy to use, even with gloves, and the combination rubber feet with internal spikes makes the U212 stable on hard surfaces or soft. My only gripe is the 3-way head, which is fairly sturdy but made mostly of plastic. I replaced that with a ball head which, in my opinion, is a much better choice.

JOHN S.

2007-02-05T19:00:00

This is a well thought out tripod with great stability. It is not especially portable due to it 's weight. However it is great for studio use as it is very stable and has multiple adjustments to get you exactly where you want to be. Due to the numerous adjustments it would be good on most any terrain or uneven footing. It holds my Nikon D70s with extra heavy and long lenses without difficulty. Mine is used primarily for photos of jewelry products for listing in our internet store [...]I'd recommend it to anyone, interested in a sturdy, adjustable tripod at a reasonable price.

fishingfog