You pull the 7/8" knob out and twist. Comparison of expert ratings Highly Recommended Recommended Mentioned Not Mentioned PCmag Another way to think of it is, for a 270 g savings in weight, you pay $270 extra. Professional photographer based in Yukon, Canada, and founder of Shutter Muse. I was looking at tripods recently and to me neither the Peak Design or Gitzo Traveler Series 2 really competes with each other. So, to sum it up, theres a good reason why this is the very travel tripod I spent my own hard-earned money on. While the price of the aluminium tripod is more palatable, if low weight is especially important, bite the bullet and go for the carbon fibre tripod which is 290g lighter. In his latest video, Lok Cheung goes over some of the major differences between the Peak Design Travel Tripod and the Manfrotto Befree tripod. Thanks Andrew. Never in history has a tripod received as much online press attention as the Peak Design Travel Tripod. January 31 st, 2023 84. [CDATA[ Thanks Dan great review, purchased for my son, keep up the great work. In fact, I think it was less than 2 days before the starting time question hit my in-box. I commented on that pre-production version at the time, but today Im gathering even more information together to create the ultimate resource for people to learn about this tripod. Portability or sturdiness? This means you save 126g by removing the ball head, but of course, you then need to find a ball head of your own to install. 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. Let me know in the comments if you have any questions about this tripod, and Ill do my best to answer! (FYI) Have only seen it online and didn't like the design. 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. To me, this shows that there was a high demand for a proper travel tripod among photographers. Great piece, love your honest reviews. I bought a Sirui and it fell apart in 2 years. Unfortunately, this drawback is common with travel tripods. I have a few tripods on the shelf, but when you need something lightweight just in case this ticks the boxes nicely. Most of them tend to use one of the smaller versions of Benro carbon fiber tripods when they're having to hike longer distances or they bite the bullet and take their big tripods with them. I have bought a more conventional head and a L bracket. But before you rush out to buy one, I must once again underline my earlier point about the general nature of travel tripods. The Anchor System allows a strap to be quickly disconnected, so you can swap it from the tripod to the tripod bag in a few seconds if need be. For this tripod to be the right tripod for you, you must be looking for a tripod that prioritizes lightweight and compact collapsed size. Several table-top tripods. Its doubtful you will find a head for less than 126g, so going this route does increase the overall weight of your setup. Gitzo Tripods; Vanguard Tripods; 3 Legged Thing Tripods; Joby Tripods; Calumet Tripods; Sachtler Tripods; Velbon Tripods; . The latching mechanism for the quick release is fine. Then theres the matter of shooting vertical photos. Gura Gear Kiboko City Commuter 18L The Perfect Camera Bag Found? As for now I cant see any reason to buy another tripod. What moves is the rest of the head, to which you mount the camera. It is rated for 2 pounds more, but is 5 inches shorter when extended. but, if I understood correctly, you need to buy a Universal Head Adapter for that costing $30. Both things that require that perfectly level starting point. In other words, for every gram of weight you save, you spend an extra 83cents! To determine your tripod's compatibility, read on: 1. 173.212.197.150 Both the case for the Travel Tripod and the tripod itself has connection points for the Peak Design Anchor System. 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. Gitzo has its diehard fans, and the Travel Tripod appears to stack. 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. In the future, you can always look to add the flat base and a 3rd party ball head when it makes financial sense. Duffel Bags Shop All. The Feisol CT-3441S is three ounces heavier but 25% stiffer and ~$200 cheaper. For those with larger mirrorless setups that use heavier lenses, and DSLR users, you are probably going to want this tripod as a second tripod. 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. The five sections and center column are travel features, not stability features. Thanks, yea was leaning more on 2545T. Again, there is no magic here. As such, the actual weight of the tripod isnt going to be that clear from the single specified weight on the PD website. All travel tripods make sacrifices in stability in order to achieve their compact folded size and light weight. To this day, Peak Design continues to use Kickstarter to raise funds for its product development. Much better and stable than expected, its only significant downside being that it does not go very high. Thanks for the detailed, honest review. Instead of the $1100 for the RRS TVC-34L and a carry case with Fiesol I spent. 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. There has been a renaissance in this part of the photography world, and lots of reputable companies make great carbon fiber travel tripods today. I have some of their stuff and theres lots of other products of theirs I would want to buy if I had the money, but this tripod has never been one of them and I dont understand everyone wetting their pants over it. The Travel Tripod includes a phone adapter that can be used on the ball head to hold your phone. All other specifications are the same. Once you decide to purchase the Travel Tripod, the inevitable next question is carbon or aluminum?. The tripod head itself works in the opposite way of most conventional ball heads. Heroclip - The Handy Tripod and Camera Bag Accessory, Quick Review: 3 Legged Thing Vanz Tabletop Tripod Conversion Kit, Best Camera Protection in A Regular Backpack, Travel Tripod Aluminum Standard as-shipped configuration [Includes centre column, head, phone holder], Travel Tripod Carbon Standard as-shipped configuration -[Includes centre column, head, phone holder], Travel Tripod Aluminum [Ball head swapped for Universal Head Adapter], Travel Tripod Carbon [Ball head swapped for Universal Head Adapter], Travel Tripod Aluminum centre column removed, Travel Tripod Carbon centre column removed, Travel Tripod Aluminum centre column removed + ball head swapped to Universal Head Adapter, Travel Tripod Carbon centre column removed + ball head swapped to Universal Head Adapter, Travel Tripod Aluminum Ultralight Conversion Kit installed No centre column, Travel Tripod Carbon Ultralight Conversion Kit installed No centre column, Travel Tripod Aluminum Ultralight Conversion Kit installed No centre column Ball head swapped for Universal Head Adapter, Travel Tripod Carbon Ultralight Conversion Kit installed No centre column Ball head swapped for Universal Head Adapter, Travel Tripod Case (comes included with tripod), Tripod tool + clip (comes included with tripod), Universal Head Adapter (optional accessory), Phone Holder + Hook (comes included with tripod), Included ball head (standard included tripod part), Centre Column (standard included tripod part), Individual leg weight (removed when Ultralight Conversion Kit Installed, Max height (center column raised): 152.4 cm (60), Max height (center column down): 130.2 cm (51.25), Tabletop Mode (center column raised): 57.2 cm (22.5), Tabletop Mode (center column down): 35.9 cm (13.125), Max height (center column down): 36.3cm (14.29), Max height (center column up): 58.1cm (22.87). 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. And you can attach Peak Design anchors to use the mount with Peak Design straps . Tubular legs take more space but allow for a screwing system that seems more durable. Like many others, I have bought too many tripods. Several reviewers agree with you that it is a much better value and is more stable. In order to minimize the folded size of the tripod, it features 5 telescoping leg sections that have a unique cross-sectional shape. Sine the tripod head is compatible with Arca-Swiss style plates, its pretty easy to find a good L-bracket. Peak Design Travel Tripod Gitzo 1545T Sirui N-1204SK Down below you can vote also your favorite amongst these tripods. The Ultralight Conversion Kit costs $40 and converts your Peak Design Travel Tripod into a tabletop tripod. The first thing I would want to do is replace the expensive PD clamp system with a proper Acra Swiss compatible one. I travel up to 6 months each year. Are you serious? My biggest complaint is the 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. As always, we appreciate it when you use the links on this page to make your purchases. These are probably the most versatile choice. The aluminum alloy model weighs 1.56 kg (3.44 lbs), while thecarbon fiber version weighs 1.29 kg (2.81 lbs). But I find it way too expensive for what it is. To jump into a new segment of the market with such a unique design, and do it so successfully, is very impressive. I bought the Peak Design tripod (carbon fiber) after a few enthusiastic reviews when it was really new on the market. It's a lot of money. Again, an absolutely astounding value. Two tripods of the same design made from different materials provide an interesting comparison. Excellently, Id say. Controls for the head are simple. In this effort they have been spectacularly successful, but they cannot operate outside the laws of physics. A robustly built walkaround lens for daily use, this FUJIFILM X-mount lens is ideal for landscapes, cityscapes, portraits, street scenes, and more. The height with the conversion kit is as follows: Removal of the main leg sections results in a dramatic weight loss for the tripod. $12million in Kickstarter funds is an insane amount of money for anything to earn, let alone a relatively high-end product from a (sadly) declining photography market. Peak Design Shop All. Surprised you didnt mention it in the review. (1) MeFoto - was used for when I needed a little "travel" tripod. When I really need to travel light, I use the ball head that comes with the tripod. It is designed to screw onto a camera. However, if you often shoot on surfaces like slippery ice, loose dirt, or gravel, replacing the rubber feet with metal spikes is worth considering. 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. I found it to be free from any stability issues. They do look like VFM compared to the more expensive brands. Have not seen or touched the peak tripod. If not, let me know! After some time, most of them have been collecting dust in a dark corner although I have been able to sell some of them. You can also remove just one of these stopper screws to allow you to slide the tripod plate in from the side. Im not a robot, there will always be some typos . 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 Another benefit is that the tripods built-in head than acts as a leveling head, enabling you to quickly set up a perfectly flat base for the second head for panoramic photography or filmmaking. Photographers looking for a lightweight, high-quality tripod will want to consider the extensive range from the Italian brand Gitzo. I have been reading some reviews and so far you are the first one to mention using the tripod with a mirrorless camera. This gimbal really is a jack of all trades. When you consider purchasing a travel tripod of any type, this lower maximum height is another thing that needs consideration. I tend to think of a tripod as a necessary evil. I recommend it over the Peak Design. Your own goals need to line up with the tripod designers goals for this to be the right purchase for you. If you need a tripod that takes up as little space as possible then Peak Design has an extremely compelling product. Thankfully, the Peak Design Tripod, despite being one of the tiniest tripods I've ever used, it's also surprisingly tall. I was referring to travel tripods. This is a travel tripod, and as such, the designers focussed on making it small and lightweight. 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. So this just comes down to what I was saying earlier: Travel Tripods always have compromises. By submitting a comment this form also collects your name, email and IP address so that we can prevent spam. As such, the actual weight of the tripod isn't going to be that clear from the single specified weight on the PD website. This is a great tripod, but I really want to make sure that people buy the right tripod for their needs! Any ball head that you place on it, can be held in securely by a trio of set screws that come up from beneath the head. 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 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. Owners of the carbon version can rest safe in the knowledge that they bought the best of the best (at least from Peak Design), whereas aluminum owners can sleep safely knowing they probably got the better deal and spent their money very wisely. But again, that's just me. PGYTech MantisPod vs Nebula (Best Vlogging Tripod Confirmed) Best iPhone Accessories for Video for Every Budget. Joby Gorillapod or Ulanzi Camera Stand? The difference in the size of the legs is already apparent. Our pick: Vanguard Alta Pro 2+ 263AB100. No items to compare. He fell in love with this part of the world and since then he likes to return there with his camera to popularize its nature with his photographs, talks and articles. For the photo below, at 35mm, I shot a 240-second long exposure in a moderate breeze, and I didnt get any observable blur. It's $600. Need some help with selecting a tripod. Peak Design has taken this one step further and created a bespoke mini multitool that can be stored in your bag or attached to the leg of the tripod in a removable plastic sheath. RED V-RAPTOR 8K VV Lab Test: Rolling Shutter, Dynamic Range and Latitude - plus Video! DPReview TV: Travel Tripod Shootout (Manfrotto, Peak Design, Gitzo and Sirui) Ulanzi MT-34 at 1690| Unboxing Ulanzi 3 in 1 MT-34 Extendable Stick| Ulanzi Best Tripod. Im glad it helped. This clever outside-the-box thinking has truly produced the most compact full-sized travel tripod I have ever seen. Used with my long lenses (300 f/2.8, 200-600, etc) with no issues. So with that in mind, would you say Gitzo is better option (keeping money aside)? There are far better alternatives out there. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Although the idea that I paid $600 is also a motivator for me to get some use from the thing. Minor height adjustments using the center column are useful for composition and shooting over objects like fences. There is nothing magic about this tripod in that regard. Ive noticed no wibble during long exposures, even when its been noticeably windy, although those shots are usually at quite short focal lengths. Yes, there are some that collapse a little shorter in length, but they also have a shorter maximum height. These will snap into the ground like the spikes of an ice pick, potentially increasing the tripods stability. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Ein ideales Stativ fr Reisen und Wanderungen. The interest in it was enormous. Required fields are marked*. The light weight is a blessing. It can hold its own against the much more expensive Gitzo Traveller and the RRS TFC-14/TVC-14. Classic 3 sections vs 4 section tripod, so if those are the two you narrowed it down to, you just have to determine what is more important. The tripod is obviously lightweight and portable, but that would be useless if it had issues supporting a camera. Disclaimer: The tripod was provided at no cost for this review. His passion is birds. 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. After going through a similar exercise recently I settled on the Leofoto LS-284C with a Sirui K-10x ballhead and couldn't be happier. On this tripod, the center column is not the usual circular shape. Unfortunately, other than smartphones, travel is dominated by small, light, often stabilized, crop sensor cameras. For tripods, it's hard to beat Gitzo for the quality and repairability at this price. The E-6H gimbal is absolutely tiny compared to every other gimbal on the market, yet it is rock solid and has by far the smoothest pan and tilt motions of any gimbal I have ever tested. 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. I know some people hate on it for having 5 leg segments but I honestly don't mind. (just my 2 YMMV) Much prefer the gitzo with the above ball head. GK1555T-82TQD is a Traveler tripod/head kit comprising the 5-section GT1555T Tripod and the GH1382TQD Center Ball Head. If you like our content, you can subscribe to our newsletter to receive weekly email updates using the link below. However, these features often conflict with each other! Using a hex wrench, the original head is first removed and then replaced with the adapter. Legs. They say the best camera is the one you have with you. Typically this comes in the form of heavy winds. Im sure that little touches like this, and the phone holder, are the sorts of things that put customers at ease with the cost of their relatively expensive purchases. Additional Ways to Use a 3rd Party Ball Head, The Perfect Gimbal Head for the Peak Design Tripod, in-depth guide to the best gimbals on the market, Peak Design Aluminum Travel Tripod Tripod. The Gitzo tripod I have used so far did not have a center column. Print Email. With long exposures, telephoto lenses, and windy conditions, youll want to collapse some parts of the tripod. As someone who is 74 tall (188cm), it's not quite tall enough for me to put my eye to the viewfinder. Portrait-length prime is designed for APS-C-format Canon RF-mount mirrorless cameras and offers a 75mm equivalent focal length. However, if you have sand in the head which interfere with its use, what are you supposed to do? Additionally the ball head on either the LS-284C (LH-30) or LS-324C (LH-40), are far more versatile than the one on the Peak Design. If you need a travel tripod, it comes highly recommended. Your IP: The PD tripod alongside the RRS TFC-14 and Gitzo GT1545T. The stock head doesn't allow for. Back to Product List . Gitzos Traveler series has even smaller models,the lightest of whichhas a weight of just 0.9kg, including the head. 0 Comment. You can't rely on manufacturers weight ratings at all. Much like the multitool, Peak Design has also gone to great lengths to make a good tripod bag. Compare Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod vs Gitzo GT4553S Systematic Series 4 Carbon Fiber Tripod Standard . Yeah its a crazy number isnt it! Your email address will not be published or shared. My Oben has a clip on the legs, but I always worry itll come off and I wont notice the keys should go in the center column like the phone adapter. When Ulanzi offered a tripod for testing, I was keen to see how it fared. The Peak Design will fit and leave plenty of room for whatever crap I need to pack. This requires the purchase of a universal head adapter for $30. This means you can shoot straight up into the night sky, straight down for macro work, or simply fold it downwards to make your tripod more compact for travel. Ground-level shots are quickly captured by simply reversing the center column. I wouldnt go for a tripod thats much lighter than this one from Peak Design, at the given height. 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. Comparing Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod vs Benro . This system is a feature of all their camera straps and means that can of them can be paired easily with this tripod. The cheaper of the pair uses aluminum alloy for the legs, while the tripod Im reviewing today is made of carbon fiber. His editorial work has been featured in publications all over the world, and his commercial clients include brands such as Nike, Apple, Adobe and Red Bull. Weve looked at the Universal Head Adapter as a way to use a 3rd party head on this tripod, but there is another option. Please To be clear, Im not a PD hater. I'm way more likely to take this with me when I go out shooting. Avoiding the weight of a ball head is an important part of the package, as is the low profile of the PD head. Get answers to your questions in our photography forums. And there could very well be a case one day when I want to do such a thing myself. Offering a sleek and retro design, the 35mm f/0.95 Lens from TTArtisan is an ultra-fast normal-length prime for APS-C-format cameras. You can buy tripods that are objectively better for less. Its a heck of a jump from $350 to $600, for a tripod that performs the same and looks almost identical to boot. I also really can't stand it when companies do that sort of thing. A good tripod can be an essential tool for the traveling photographer, but when you're on the go size matters. To me that means that I will be more inclined to use it. So, do you save 300+ grams of weight on your total carrying load, or, does carrying the carbon version of the tripod allow you the capacity to carry an extra lens in your bag that you might otherwise have left at home? The conversion process is relatively simple and involves the removal of the telescoping leg sections using an included tool. Sort: Clear All. Boasting impressive specs, the tripod height adjusts from 5.5 to 60", folds down to only 15.5", holds up to 20 lb, and is constructed from carbon fiber. The LH40 will easily hold your gear. Where this tripod really wins is the collapsed circumference. its one more thing to have to do when setting up the tripod, and it somewhat negates the speed benefits of the fancy fast opening leg locks. If you want to keep the setup as light as possible, theres no better way to do it. This Travel Tripod as a system is incredibly versatile. One other thing I should mention is value. I wasn't talking about systemic tripods, though. You can choose to still use the centre column, or it can be removed. The other downside to this design is that the head is designed to nest into the top of the tripod legs when fully collapsed. However, the Peak Design tripod is clearly very good, extremely compact and much more likely to be within people's budgets. For $200 you get a tripod that folds shorter and is lighter. For this head, Peak Design concentrated on making something that would be extremely light and low-profile when the tripod is collapsed. Instead of just reducing the folded length as many travel tripods do, Peak Design has dramatically reduced the overall folded volume. //]]>. I have no info on that, but youd have to assume that they will at some point. Just keep in mind that a fully extended column will harm the stability of a tripod. Most people would consider being a standard feature on anything but the absolute cheapest of tripod heads. Let's just get it out there. This can come in handy if, for example, you were shooting with the tripod submerged in muddy water or the sea. 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 Peak Design Travel Tripod (Carbon Fiber) Check Price 9 Vanguard Alta Pro 2+ 263CB 100 Check Price 10 Gitzo GT5563GS Check Price (Image credit: Luk Vatko on Unsplash) The best carbon fiber tripods are some of the best tripods that photographers can buy.