Thanks for the kind words. Its a heck of a jump from $350 to $600, for a tripod that performs the same and looks almost identical to boot. You have to measure the stability of the tripod to get a sense of the weight rating. Both tripod and head are very good quality and cost less than the Peak Design. This is a great tripod, but I really want to make sure that people buy the right tripod for their needs! Theres also a small lever that locks the jaws of the head to prevent accidental release of your camera. Every bit shortly as Actually Right Stuff launched the Arise-14 travel tripod, I knew I would go questions about how it compares to the Summit Pattern Travel Tripod. Most people would consider being a standard feature on anything but the absolute cheapest of tripod heads. I honestly dont really know why people suddenly forgot how to choose the right tripod, but I had enough conversations like this to know it is a thing. I got a Sirui with a compact ball head. When fully collapsed, there are barely any gaps between the legs, leg locks and column. Having said that, the PD is nowhere near as stable as my Gitzo, but that is to be expected for a travel tripod compared to a full tripod setup. It is designed to screw onto a camera. Depending on your head choice, its very likely that your standard ball head will also have a higher load capacity and just generally be more ergonomically friends than the somewhat fiddly head that comes with the tripod. Another thing I dont like is that in order to move the head, you first have to raise the center column slightly only about 1cm, so it wont really affect rigidity, but it does affect the ease of use. The ball head is also pretty nice. Compare Manfrotto Element Small Aluminum Traveler Tripod Black vs Manfrotto Element MII Aluminum Tripod with Ball Head Black vs Peak Design Aluminum Travel Tripod vs . Need some help with selecting a tripod. The Comparison the Peak Design win the compactness battle. Compared to all other Tripods on the market, however, the Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod performed great. If you plan on putting a camera setup on this tripod this is pushing up towards the specified weight limits, then yes, I think this is well worth doing. Hi Libor, thanks for the review, an interesting read! That tripod is the Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod ($599). Theyre fine, I guess, but I wish they were sharper. I know some people hate on it for having 5 leg segments but I honestly don't mind. Print Email. Period. All travel tripods make sacrifices in stability in order to achieve their compact folded size and light weight. Peak Design Camera Straps; Canon Battery Grips; Nikon Battery Glips; . Build quality is mediocre. They share a maximum height of 152 cm (60 inches) when the center column is raised, and 130 cm (51 inches) when its not. As you can see in the photos, the size of the Fotopro E-6H gimbal is a perfect match for the Peak Design Travel Tripod when you have the Universal Head Adapter in place. It really just comes down to weight, and whether you want to carry that extra 307g on your hikes and travels. It would be a mistake for most people to downsize from a larger 2-series or 3-series tripod to this one because you will find that it is less stable. The price of the carbon fiber model tested is currently $650 at B&H, at the time Im publishing this review. The PD is one of the stiffest tripods for its size. I'm sure this post doesn't break much new ground but most of the negativity I've seen has been towards the legs and price and not a lot of talk about the ball head. It took me over one hour to find the popped out parts, remove the sand and then figure out how to reconstruct the assembly. Sort: Clear All. An alarming number of people have asked me whether this tripod can replace all their tripods, or replace things like a 3-series Gitzo tripod, and of course there the answer is no. Like many others, I have bought too many tripods. Something similar can be said of most of the other higher-end carbon fiber companies out there today, like FLM, RRS, and many others. I don't have a blog or a Youtube channel to make a review so I figured I'd just do it here. In many situations, a panning base is not 100% necessary, but it is nice to have when you want to make small compositional adjustments in landscape shots. Weve looked at the Universal Head Adapter as a way to use a 3rd party head on this tripod, but there is another option. Hoping to receive my Heipi in a couple weeks or so (Bought on Kickstarter.). A whopping 27,169 backers raised a record amount of $12,143,435. I can almost wrap my fingers around the entire tripod, and such a small packed volume makes it a breeze to pack on the side of a camera bag or often inside a camera bag because its simply that small. People want a piece of the hype, and they want what is frankly one of the coolest looking piece of photo gear on the market. Lab Test. They cost $380 and $650 respectively. But it is so light and small that I do not hesitate taking it on the most strenuous hikes. Nikon Z 9 N-RAW Lab Test (FW 3.00) - Rolling Shutter, Dynamic Range and Latitude. Have a look at Robus. I replaced my RRS TVC-34L with the Feisol CT-3472 which tripled my options for usage. Compare Manfrotto Befree Advanced Travel Aluminum Tripod with 494 Ball Head Lever Locks, Black vs Peak Design Aluminum Travel Tripod vs Oben AT-3565 Aluminum Travel Tripod and BZ-217T Triple-Action Ball Head vs Gitzo GT1545T Series 1 Traveler Carbon Fiber Tripod with Center Ball Head You pull the 7/8" knob out and twist. Yes, there are some that collapse a little shorter in length, but they also have a shorter maximum height. since when having choices is an unfortunate thing? Putting a heavy head on a compact ultralight travel tripod would typically result in a setup that is far too top-heavy and unstable. It's the shortest and thinnest with center column down, the Peak Design falls behind the others, whereas the others are more or less on similar hight Included with the tripod is a built-in ball head that doesnt look like most head on the market. So, to sum it up, theres a good reason why this is the very travel tripod I spent my own hard-earned money on. The Gitzo is 35% stiffer and benefits from a standard ball head. Despite having bigger legs, the Peak Design Tripod has a circumference of 27cm, against 34cm for the Sirui. For $200 you get a tripod that folds shorter and is lighter. You can see more of Libor's work on his Instagram page. They have free shipping to many places and their customer service team are always on hand to help if you have any problems. As always, we appreciate it when you use the links on this page to make your purchases. Tripods & Monopods Complete Tripods Add to your order Coverage for accidental damage including drops, spills, and broken parts, as well as breakdowns (plans vary) 24/7 support when you need it. In his latest video, Lok Cheung goes over some of the major differences between the Peak Design Travel Tripod and the Manfrotto Befree tripod. The tripod is fitted with rubber feet as standard. Sample Images: While they do have a broad product range that includes cheaper tripods, their top-of-the-range Fotopro Eagle tripods and gimbals are easily Gitzo and Really Right Stuff levels of quality, stability and price. The large and heavy Manfroto now stays at home for still life/product photography. The ball with a diameter of 3cm is firmly connected to the column. Hey Everyone! Best for use with multiple cameras: Vanguard VEO 3T+ 234AB. Several times I've noticed my camera (a Fuji XT-2 with the 18-55 lens) slowly slipping down. Peak Design Travel Tripod Gitzo 1545T Sirui N-1204SK Down below you can vote also your favorite amongst these tripods. It's an inch shorter folded but you get roughly 5" less in height when the column is fully extended. Peak Design makes two versions of its Travel Tripod, one with aluminium alloy legs and one with carbon fibre legs. Get answers to your questions in our photography forums. All of which phones are highly capable of capturing these days. Click to reveal I have an older PD tool that I prefer: one-piece, and suitable for a key-ring. This Tilta Full Camera Cage for Kinefinity MAVO Edge 6K offers enhanced protection for the Kinefinity MAVO Edge 6K/8K and expands options for mounting various camera accessories. Traveler Tripods, with the 180 Degree leg folding system pioneered by Gitzo, makes more efficient use of folded space by accommodating the center column and head in between the folded tripod legs. There's just not that much to them to be worth a fortune. I can pretty much guarantee that it is stiffer than the 5-section Sirui A1205 (and while the Sirui collapses 20 mm shorter, it is wider when collapsed than the PD). Disclaimer: The tripod was provided at no cost for this review. This Peak Design travel tripod is made of weather-resistant and impact-resistant materials for durability. There are far better alternatives out there. The standard head works with arca swiss plates out of the box. Even some typos are fine for me. Gitzo Tripod Legs (28) GNARBOX (9) GNARBOX Backup Devices (5) GNARBOX Hard Drives & Storage Devices (5) GNARBOX Memory Card Readers (3) Goal Zero (21) GODOX (355 . Unfortunately? The Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod was liked best by camerajabber.com, which gave it a score of 10, while the Gitzo Mini Traveler got its highest, 8, score from camerajabber.com. I thought the small ball head would be more likely to slip but you know you have to put a ridiculous amount of weight on it for that to happen and even then, only if it's at a wonky angle. If youre looking for a travel tripod, youd be mad not to have this one on your shortlist. In practical conditions I rarely have more than 1kg on the tripod so why was I worrying about it? https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1432473-REG/leofoto_ls_284c_lh_30_kit_ls_284c_lh_30_ranger_series_tripod.html/?msclkid=f27cc65bc86f1bf374eea6c95293abd7, https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1432474-REG/leofoto_ls_324c_lh_40_kit_ls_324c_ranger_series_tripod.html, Leofoto Portage Kit LS-324C+LH-40+32LS Tripod Carbon Fiber CF 4 Section & 40mm Low Profile Ball Head & Modular Strap, https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/848826-REG/FEISOL_CT_3441T_RAPID_CARBON_TRIPOD_TRAVEL_4_SECTION_TALL.html, https://thecentercolumn.com/rankings/systematic-tripod-rankings/, https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1328229-REG/gitzo_gk2545t_82qdus_traveler_tripod_kit_gt2545t.html. window.__mirage2 = {petok:"UUtxcX0A28JS6Grxm6.PIDJQ7dJ4JezLjiPedqPBFRs-86400-0"}; Keeping the centre column collapsed is always a good idea in anything but the calmest wind conditions with any travel tripod. Also, with the provided tripod bag being such a tight squeeze, if you dont collapse the column down after using it, re-seating the head into the top of the legs, you wont actually be able to fit the tripod into the bag. Despite its odd looks, this is a very capable head. Please To be clear, Im not a PD hater. For a long time I simply ruled out using a gimbal with a small tripod, but then I came across a new gimbal while I was researching updates for my in-depth guide to the best gimbals on the market. Thankfully, the Peak Design Tripod, despite being one of the tiniest tripods I've ever used, it's also surprisingly tall. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. The light weight is a blessing. As such, the actual weight of the tripod isn't going to be that clear from the single specified weight on the PD website. Comparison of expert ratings Highly Recommended Recommended Mentioned Not Mentioned PCmag Just by way of example, my beloved Sony 20mm f/1.8 G lens weighs 370g, and there are lots of other small lenses out there that have weights in that range. However, a standard ball head will give you the benefits of a proper 90-degree drop notch for portrait shooting, as well as a panning base foe panoramic photography. Much like the multitool, Peak Design has also gone to great lengths to make a good tripod bag. Or, if you are willing to rely on natural height assistance from rocks or fallen trees when you need extra height. This setup is light and easy to carry while hiking and is very stable with my D750 and either 24-70 f/2.8 or 70-200 f/4. It is rated for 2 pounds more, but is 5 inches shorter when extended. That said, anything larger than this might not be the ideal pairing because its likely a large and heavy head that would make the tripod top-heavy. So, just because Im very happy with the Peak Design travel tripod, doesnt mean its the only option out there. The capacity of both versions of the tripod is the same, and as far as I can tell from my own testing, there is really no measurable difference in the stability that is provided by both options. Thanks, Noel. When designing the quick release mechanism on our Travel Tripod, a top criteria was to make sure it functioned well with all the plates that Peak Design has made over the years. As you can see above, the tripod legs are made up of five sections that are tightened using four quick-release levers. To determine your tripod's compatibility, read on: 1. In other words, for every gram of weight you save, you spend an extra 83cents! As an ornithologist, Libor has studied the avian diversity of the South American Andes. I tend to think of a tripod as a necessary evil. A robustly built walkaround lens for daily use, this FUJIFILM X-mount lens is ideal for landscapes, cityscapes, portraits, street scenes, and more. Also compatible with smartphones. The legs are nice. Here, too, would be a good place for them to put some sort of leverage point to let you tighten the ring more securely. But again, that's just me. It is an interesting design and is very compact. Home Gear Reviews The Ultimate Peak Design Travel Tripod Review! It might not be that bad if the knob was bigger or had a flat part that you could put pressure on it to tighten it down, but you adjust it as if you were setting the time on an analog watch. I guess thats a little bit of a spoiler as to my feelings about the tripod, but theres still much to learn aside from my overall opinion. Discover a wide range of DSLRs, Mirrorless Cameras, Camera Lenses and Photographic Equipment with Ireland's Oldest Camera Store. Peak Design Travel Tripod Orders You can place an order on the Peak Design website. Namely, if you want to take a panorama, for example, the tripod head cannot be moved only horizontally. For long exposures, I recommend keeping the center column retracted. January 31 st, 2023 84. Carbon Travel Tripod: $599.95 I measured that it takes about 15 seconds to unfold the tripod completely. Its not just Gitzo thats worth considering. Compared to aluminum, the main advantages of carbon fiber are the high strength at a low weight, and the good vibration absorption. The carbon version costs $599.95 and weighs 1307g in the standard configuration. If needed, the stiffness of each lever can be fine-tuned with the included hex wrench. Due to the cleverly compact design, even that version is actually lighter than the carbon travel tripods from some other brands, so it is by no means a heavyweight. I was worried the k-10x wouldn't be strong enough for my setup but it adjusts as smooth as butter and locks down rock solid.