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Posts Tagged ‘aluminum’

Overview of the Vanguard VEO 235AB Aluminum Travel Tripod

16 Feb

If you’re constantly on the go like me, carrying a tripod is always an exercise in endurance and determination. As primarily a wilderness and adventure shooter, I’m constantly working from a backpack where space and weight come at a premium. Lately, I’ve been looking for ways to carry less weight but certainly not at the cost of sacrificing the quality of my gear, and not spending a small fortune in the process.

When it came time to downsize my tripod, my research pointed me to this – the Vanguard VEO 235AB Aluminum Travel Tripod with TBH-50 Ball Head. It looked great on paper, small, light, and more than capable of supporting my mirrorless (Sony A7R) camera setup. Being a long-time user of more robust tripods, I was skeptical when the Vanguard arrived due to its conspicuously small size.

Vanguard VEO 235AB tripod

Here are the specifics of the Vanguard 235AB Tripod:

Vanguard VEO 235AB tripod specs

First Impressions

Right out of the box the tripod was delightfully attractive. The look of the entire contraption was clean and professional. The color is a nice matte black with blaze orange accents. Simply put, the tripod has great visual appeal if that is important to you. Also included was a fairly nice storage and travel bag, which was of surprisingly good quality as well.

Vanguard VEO 235AB wide

Load capacity and sturdiness

The Vanguard is capable of supporting just over 13 pounds (13.3 or 6kg). All the flip locks clamp smoothly, and lock firmly into place to secure the leg sections.

Vanguard VEO 235AB folded

Vanguard VEO 235AB clamps

Ball head

The ball head included with the tripod looks small but locks in place extremely securely. The base plate incorporates a safety pin so that even if the clamp loosens the camera will not slide off the tripod laterally.

Vanguard VEO 235AB ballhead

Vanguard VEO 235AB ballhead 2

Maximum and minimum height

The overall height with the center column extended is nearly 57 inches (145 cm), which works great for the majority of scenes with minimal stooping over, even at my 6’4” height. Also, the ball head features a bullseye-style bubble level for aid with levelling the camera.

The folks at Vanguard have even included an additional “low angle” angle adapter which allows you to achieve very low perspective shots close to the ground. It should also be noted that the included ball head can be replaced with another of your own choosing if you see fit.

Vanguard VEO 235AB 2

The tripod folds down small enough to fit into carry-on luggage and the weight makes it feel extremely portable. Even without practice the set up time for the Vanguard VEO 235AB is lightning fast. The center column swings up into position and is variable in height. This is an interesting design concept which helps make the entire package very compact while maintaining ease of set up.

Vanguard VEO 235AB base

The legs

The legs of the tripod itself are able to be positioned at independent angles depending on the situation by depressing the lock buttons for each leg.

Vanguard VEo 235AB 3

When locked, the legs feel extremely sturdy. One of the three legs is equipped with a rubber wrap to aid gripping during wet or exceedingly cold conditions. To top it off, the rubber feet of the tripod retract to reveal traction spikes should you really find yourself shooting in difficult terrain.

Vanguard VEO 235AB feet

Some final thoughts

So far I haven’t found any situation where the tripod would not suffice for a multitude of uses. Outdoor photographers will love its compact size for hiking, and photographers on the go will dig its stashability.

The 235AB appears to be a fantastic little workhorse that strikes a keen balance between strength, style, and portability. I’m excited to put it to work out in the field and judging by the first impressions it shouldn’t disappoint.

At under $ 150 USD the Vanguard VEO 235AB is one of the better bargains to be had in the lightweight tripod market. Users of smaller DSLRs or mirrorless camera systems should strongly consider the Vanguard VEO 235AB as an option when searching for a sturdy option for a versatile, lightweight travel tripod.

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The post Overview of the Vanguard VEO 235AB Aluminum Travel Tripod by Adam Welch appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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Sirui T-004X Aluminum Tripod Review

07 Sep

Tripods may not be the most exciting of gadgets in the photographer’s arsenal, but they are one of the more important. While the new Sirui T-004x tripod doesn’t exactly revolutionize the industry, if you are a travel or hiking enthusiast, you might want to give it a look.

SiruiTripodReview

Introduction – The Basics

The Sirui T-004x is one of the best light-weight aluminum tripods I’ve had the opportunity to test. When I first opened the package I questioned whether this little tripod would hold a point a shoot steady, let alone my Nikon D7000. But, after a couple solid days of testing, I can safely say that Sirui has a great combination of strength and portability in their T-004x offering.

In my testing the Sirui was able to hold the D7000, paired with either the Nikon 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6 or the Tokina 11-16 f/2.8 wide angle lens without a problem. Unfortunately, I didn’t have anything larger to try, but T-004x is rated at 13.2 lbs (5.9 kg) which should be enough for most midsize DSLRs and smaller.

The Good

The standout feature of the Sirui T-004x has got to be its weight and folded size – this thing is tiny! When fully folded it becomes super portable at 15.7 inches (39.9 cm) long and weighs in at just 2.0 lbs. (0.9 kg).

SiruiTripodReview2

It comes with all the basics that you’d expect of today’s tripods. The four section legs can adjust to three different angles, independently of one another for photographing on tough terrain. The twist locks on each section are quick and easy to use – they also held tight throughout my testing. There’s a reversible center column so that you can set up for close macro photographs. Sirui also includes a shorter center column, which allows you to get even closer to the ground, should you want to take a super low camera angle perspective.

The Basic Specs

  • Load Capacity: 13.2 lbs (5.99 kg)
  • Max Height: 58″ (147.32 cm)
  • Min Height: 4.9″ (12.45 cm)
  • Folded Length: 15.7″ (39.88 cm)
  • Weight: 3.7 lbs (1.68 kg)
  • Leg Sections: 4

The Not so Good

When reviewing this tripod within the mindset of what it is supposed to be (a light weight travel tripod) it’s hard to find a lot of bad.

I will say that I am not a huge fan of the ball head that came with the Sirui as the twist knobs are a bit slow compared to the flip lever action I’m used to on my Manfrotto. This was especially noticeable with the quick release plate where it requires a few good twists of the release knob to remove the camera from the tripod. Of course, these are minor inconveniences, and if it bothers you enough you could replace the head with something more suited to your liking.

SiruiTripodReview1

Due to the compromises that had to be made in order to make this as light and as portable as possible, the overall ruggedness of the tripod is questionable. Now, I didn’t put it through anything too serious in my testing, but I’d imagine that a tumble down a rocky hill, or dropping it a off a ledge might result in some damage. Being as light as it is I’d also expect it to be quite susceptible to wind – though there is a bag hook on the center column that you could use for added weight if needed.

So Who’s the Sirui T-004x for?

The ideal photographer for the Sirui T-004x would be someone who needs a lightweight travel tripod. Whether you’re a frequent flyer, or a frequent hiker, the Sirui would be a good option for you. If you’re looking for something to take a bit of abuse, or will be using it during weddings, portrait sessions, or other situations where a bit more stability and heft are required this probably isn’t want you’re looking for.

What tripod do you currently use? Leave a comment below!

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The post Sirui T-004X Aluminum Tripod Review by John Davenport appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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Travel tripods: Comparing 5 aluminum kits

20 Jul

What makes a compact tripod a good traveling companion? We’ve collected 5 aluminum ‘travel’ tripod and head combinations that are compact, but are also comfortably tall and hold up a reasonable amount of gear. In this roundup we cover their features, functions and finish quality, and we put them to work in the studio and in the field. Read more

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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