61"/154cm Carbon Fiber Tripod with 360 Degree Ball Head - C225C0 + BH-25 (BA225)

SKU: KF09.077V2

  • 155.99
Overall Rating 4.9   193
Reviews
4
Nearly perfect but a few oversights that make it fall short.
I've used tripods for over 40 years. I probably have a dozen right now, from travel versions to heavy duty, carbon fiber and aluminum. So why do I think this is nearly perfect - but falls short?**The good points: Really compact and light weight. This will fit inside any luggage, most packs, etc. It can also hang from most sleeping bag straps on packs if you're off on a long hike.Expands to almost 6 feet - but at max extension it's not very stable. Four feet is about the realistic max for a DSLR with 70-200mm lens. For a compact or lighter (mirrorless) camera it's OK.Arca-Swiss style mount plate.The thing just keeps on expanding. And expanding. But wait - there's more. Even the center column expands.Really nice and compact carrying/storage bag.You can't invert the tripod and use it upside-down - but you can remove the center column and reverse it, so it's the same thing.Two leg positions (see photos.)**The mediocre: Well, two leg positions. Many have three or four. These really come in handy in more difficult situations - around and on bounders, stairs, etc.The weight hook unthreads easily. You'll want to use some thread-lock.The feet are not removable, can't be replaced and there's no dirt-spikes.**Negatives: The ball head can not be locked in place so spins off too easily. If you look at almost any other tripod or monopod, there are set-screws in the head mounting plate. These thread upwards against the hear and prevent it from spinning off. None here. So the head can spin off if you're not careful, You'll need to use thread-lock to play it safe.The center column has a nice hook for hanging a weight from. Again, on many tripods this unthreads and there's a standard 3/8-24 thread there so you can mount the tripod head upside down. No 3/8-24 thread. It's much larger.The 3/8-24 thread on the top is locked in place. This is removable on most tripods and monopods and can be flipped over for a 1/4-20 thread. Not here.Flex. Look at the photo of just the leg. There's a few inches of splay/bending with just 7 lbs of weight on the tripod. This can be avoided by not extending the tripod all the way.**Summary: It's still a really nice travel tripod that could be improved. You need to lock the head mounting thread or it will spin off. VERY light weight. If you travel, fly, hike, etc. this is a nice choice. FYI, the hex key is a 5/32 nds.
06/09/2021