I dont say this as a negative of this particular tripod, its just a gentle reminder to everyone that you should think carefully about what you are giving up when you decide to opt for a tripod that was built with a focus on its small size and light weight in mind. It took me over one hour to find the popped out parts, remove the sand and then figure out how to reconstruct the assembly. Used with my long lenses (300 f/2.8, 200-600, etc) with no issues. Let's just get it out there. Live Chat Available +61 2 9299 0177. . Not only is it strong, smooth and stable, but it also has the unique ability to rotate the vertical gimbal arm forwards or backwards up to 180 degrees in 45-degree increments. It is rated for 2 pounds more, but is 5 inches shorter when extended. This is not a good place to simply share cool photos/videos or promote your own work and projects, but rather a place to discuss photography as an art and post things that would be of interest to other photographers. The tripod Im reviewing today appeared on Kickstarter in 2019, and of all the companys products so far, it has generated the most interest among the public. As for now I cant see any reason to buy another tripod. With the ballhead, the Sirui is a bit heavier (1,6kg) but this comes at a fraction of the price of the Peak Design tripod. Ive found the PD head better than suggested in the article: it holds my Nikon D850 with a battery pack and a long lens perfectly firmly and, slightly loosened, works reasonably well to pan. Print Email. For more info check our privacy policy. So, although Im reviewing the carbon fiber version today, much of what I say about the Peak Design Travel Tripod applies to both variations. This type of reverse ballhead is gaining traction not just from Peak Design, and while it is a fast and light solution, it does have some downsides. If youre looking for a travel tripod, youd be mad not to have this one on your shortlist. At $350, the aluminum Travel Tripod is slightly more expensive but also lighter than MeFoto's $220 GlobeTrotter Classic, but it's cheaper than Gitzo's $725 1.97-pounds Series 0 Traveler. We spent 4 years redesigning the tripod from the ground up, creating a travel tripod that packs down to the diameter of a water bottlewithout compromising height, stability, or features. The tripod is fitted with rubber feet as standard. Any conscientious buyer will be comparing the specifications of various tripod options. Keeping the centre column collapsed is always a good idea in anything but the calmest wind conditions with any travel tripod. GK1555T-82TQD is a Traveler tripod/head kit comprising the 5-section GT1555T Tripod and the GH1382TQD Center Ball Head. The gitzo gt1555t is about on par with the peak design- wider but shorter- I'd call it a draw overall although the gitzo head is superior in usability but overall dimensions are wider. Interestingly, hidden within the center column is a smartphone holder that you can pull out and clamp to the tripod head. Im not a robot, there will always be some typos . The Peak Design Travel Tripod works with many (but not all) 3rd party Arca-compatible tripod plates. No items to compare. Libor works as a biology teacher, guide, photographer and photography course lecturer. You can also remove just one of these stopper screws to allow you to slide the tripod plate in from the side. But if you cant stretch that far, the aluminum version is actually a better value. (1) MeFoto - was used for when I needed a little "travel" tripod. Press J to jump to the feed. The downside to the low-profile head design is that it doesnt have an independent panning base. Available online and in-store in the heart of Limerick City. In the West, we tend to associate the Chinese photo brands with cheaper, low-end photo gear, but Fotopro should not be thought of in this way. I like Libors suggestion about using a different ball head to replace the Peak Design tripod head in dusty or sandy environments. But I'd rather deal with some inconveniences than miss shots because I tried to hand hold because I left my other tripod at home. Sample Images: TourBox Elite Review Wireless Photo Editing Controller, 3 Legged Thing Bucky Travel Tripod Review, LIVE: Peak Design Donating Profits From Travel Tripod Sales to COVID-19 Relief, Best Accessories for the Peak Design Travel Tripod. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Shop By Brand. since when having choices is an unfortunate thing? All other specifications are the same. You can choose to still use the centre column, or it can be removed. This helps to keep the collapsed length of the tripod down, but it means that you have to extend the centre column about an inch before you can adjust the angle of the tripod head. Tel. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. For use when the situation dictates that an ultralight setup is the best tool for the day. He recently wrote a starter guide on how to pick up a vintage lens from the Soviet era, condensing almost a decade of hard-earned knowledge into an easily accessible resource. But it is so light and small that I do not hesitate taking it on the most strenuous hikes. The latching mechanism for the quick release is fine. Thanks for the detailed, honest review. It's an inch shorter folded but you get roughly 5" less in height when the column is fully extended. Thats not to say that the included head is totally useless, though. Comparing Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod vs Gitzo . In the past, I often wondered whether or not I should take my tripod into the field with me. I don't have a blog or a Youtube channel to make a review so I figured I'd just do it here. The hex heads are the same sizes as the new tool. With the stopper screws in place (shown in the photo below) only the supplies Peak Design tripod plate will work. Need some help with selecting a tripod. If you havent heard of it, you must have been hiding under a rock because this is easily the most famous tripod on the market. Once removed, new rubber feet are placed onto the tripod. Period. A robustly built walkaround lens for daily use, this FUJIFILM X-mount lens is ideal for landscapes, cityscapes, portraits, street scenes, and more. The platform diameter is 5.4cm (2.13), but you could use a head that is bigger than this if you needed to. The Peak Design Travel Tripod rethinks what a go-anywhere tripod looks like, eschewing the fold-up designs of competitors to more easily fit into your pack. These tripods weigh more than my camera body. Das neue kleine und leichte Stativ von Peak Design ist leicht und kompakt. Hes a lucky guy, John! I have larger tripods in my closet but I do keep coming back to this one when Im packing my bag and feeling it getting heavier and heavier. 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. /r/photography is a place to politely discuss the tools, technique and culture of photography. [CDATA[ Comparing Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod vs Gitzo . Unfortunately, other than smartphones, travel is dominated by small, light, often stabilized, crop sensor cameras. Professional photographer based in Yukon, Canada, and founder of Shutter Muse. Its a heck of a jump from $350 to $600, for a tripod that performs the same and looks almost identical to boot. When averaged out, it earned a rating of 9.0 out of 10, which is much better than the 7.6 review average of Tripods in general. Sirui is the most underrated brand. However, one needs to be very careful in protecting the tripod head from sand and other fine particles. Its doubtful you will find a head for less than 126g, so going this route does increase the overall weight of your setup. But keep in mind that the Peak Design tripod is intended primarily as a travel model. Im sure its a good marketing strategy and works well to drive sales but Im inclined to agree. Sachtler Peak Design WANDRD Shop All. This requires the purchase of a universal head adapter for $30. Two-leg angles allow for a standard tripod height or low ground level shot that provides more stability. 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. 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 . It is relatively easy for sand to enter the inner mechanisms of the head. I often try to use a tripod without extending the centre column as this always provides increased stability, therefore this requirement was a slight annoyance. The five sections and center column are travel features, not stability features. Peak Design's latest offering is one of the more expensive travel tripods I've seen, but it's well-built, compact, and as cleverly designed as you'd expect. I recommend using an L-bracket instead of a conventional plate, because otherwise, there are some restrictions on the range of movements once you flip the head vertically. However, the Peak Design tripod is clearly very good, extremely compact and much more likely to be within people's budgets. You know a tripod is 3 legs that folds up. On top of the head is a bubble level to help you get a nice level horizon. I bought a Sirui and it fell apart in 2 years. It looks like Peak handed out review tripods to Youtubers like crazy so right from the jump I'm inclined to not trust the reviews. To jump into a new segment of the market with such a unique design, and do it so successfully, is very impressive. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. I'm very happy with my Leofoto LS-324C and carry it everywhere. This Travel Tripod as a system is incredibly versatile. Using a hex wrench, the original head is first removed and then replaced with the adapter. Comparison of expert ratings Highly Recommended Recommended Mentioned Not Mentioned PCmag Sort: Clear All Print Email Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod You Pay: $649.95 (1029) Add to Cart Add to Wish List Gitzo GT1545T Series 1 Traveler Carbon Fiber Tripod with Center Ball Head Price: $679.00 Instant Savings -$130.00 You Pay: $549.00 (33) Add to Cart Add to Wish List If pano photos are your thing, youll want to pay attention to a following section that discusses options for adding 3rd party heads to this tripod. After some time, most of them have been collecting dust in a dark corner although I have been able to sell some of them. To this day, Peak Design continues to use Kickstarter to raise funds for its product development. Fotopro is a Chinese tripod company that makes some very high-end equipment. The TFC-14 performs wonderfully, but is significantly larger when folded than the PD tripod, doesn't have a center column, and is much more expensive. It has a max height that is similar to the Peak Design but without having to use a center column, it is carbon fiber and very stable. Of course, if you already use one of these on your camera, you can quickly disconnect that and use it on the tripod, too. 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. Putting a heavy head on a compact ultralight travel tripod would typically result in a setup that is far too top-heavy and unstable. If "fold" length is your primary factor neither Leofoto tripod suggested by sjms is going to beat the Peak or Gitzo. Using the Peak Design Travel Tripod After a couple of delays due to the coronavirus slowing shipping from China, the tripod arrived, beautifully packed in a cylinder, which contained a soft. The Peak Design Travel Tripod rethinks what a go-anywhere tripod looks like, eschewing the fold-up designs of competitors to more easily fit into your pack. (By the way, this is the same Prague Castle that I told you about in my recent Photography News, the largest coherent castle complex in the world.). Never in history has a tripod received as much online press attention as the Peak Design Travel Tripod. Peak Design was laser focused on making the most compact possible, fully featured tripod. I measured that it takes about 15 seconds to unfold the tripod completely. I dont expect anyone to be feeling buyers remorse with these tripods, and I do expect Peak Design to make some fans of their products for life. 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 . Duffel Bags. Every time I write about or even mention the word tripod in conversation to someone, the same question always follows: How does it compare to the Peak Design Travel Tripod?. The unique design of the Travel Tripod doesnt stop at the legs. (FYI) Have only seen it online and didn't like the design. Ein ideales Stativ fr Reisen und Wanderungen. As a companion to a good general purpose or systematic tripod, the peak design tripod is a great addition for when size matters but not a good choice as a sole . Its easy to get fixated on the maximum height of a tripod with its column extended 152.4 cm in this case. The Peak Design tripod is slimmer and more compact, or dense. Databases. The foldable phone holder is cleverly hidden inside the centre column, accessible by rotating and removing the centre columns bottom hook. Ive noticed no wibble during long exposures, even when its been noticeably windy, although those shots are usually at quite short focal lengths. Im really enjoying mine. If not mistaken, I paid just over $200 for the tripod and "Demon" ball head, including an excellent case. Lots of different photographers with lots of different styles and lots of different needs all saying that this one tripod is the best ever? My travel tripod is a Sirui N-2204. Some lightweight models can do more harm than good, but the Peak Design travel tripod definitely is worth carrying in my bag. The Spike Feet set for the Travel Tripod are designed for use on softer ground. Features Compatible with most digital cameras With a maximum weight capacity of 20 lbs., this tripod is ideal for mirrorless and compact DSLR cameras. I personally use an Acratech GXP on mine in this way. Sure, our own Travel Tripod is pretty sweet and works with all Peak Design accessories, but we also designed the plates that come with our clips and straps to be compatible with 3rd party tripods - whichever one you may own. PGYTech MantisPod vs Nebula (Best Vlogging Tripod Confirmed) Best iPhone Accessories for Video for Every Budget. For long exposures, I recommend keeping the center column retracted. The biggest load I personally put on the tripod was a Nikon Z9 with a Nikon 400mm f/2.8 G plus an Atomos Ninja recorder with mount. I guess you have more tripods, depending on what you are doing and restrictions due to weight & luggage etc? Namely, if you want to take a panorama, for example, the tripod head cannot be moved only horizontally. The stock head doesn't allow for. Even this Peak Design tripod. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Its these kinds of small details that set Peak Design apart from everyone else. So often I'd look at my old tripod and just be "ugh" and I'd leave it home. The Travel Tripod includes a phone adapter that can be used on the ball head to hold your phone. (just my 2 YMMV) Much prefer the gitzo with the above ball head. And it also lacks stability when you have forces applied to the legs from any angle other than directly downwards. You need universal head adapter to use other tripod heads (Libor shows that he used his gimbal with it). 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.