DPReview TV: Travel tripod shootout!

After using Gitzos (series 2-5) for a few decades I have recently tried Leofoto's LS series. Leofoto did away with the center column completely on the LS, which means they fold quite compactly. Torsional rigidity is quite impressive, to the point that often the pano plate of the head becomes the real problem. At 1.34 kgs without head, the LS-324 (32mm legs, 4-section, 3-series in Gitzo lingo) seems just right. It fits in a carry-on with head removed, which is good enough for my travel needs.

I would have included Feisol Travel or Tournament tripod in the comparison. And why not use Peak, Gitzo, Manfrotto and Sirui to refer to the tested items. So annoying.

I just bought a Magnus TR-13 Travel Tripod for all of $70 from B&H. I am only an occasional tripod user but I greatly appreciate the flexibility of this tripod's construction and functionality. The ball head negates all the problems that I have had in the past trying to make my cameras level on uneven surfaces. I use it primarily with my D750 and a front-heavy 24-120 lens. Why would I (or most mortal photographers) want to spend $4-500 on any of the 4 tripods that were reviewed in the video when the TR-13 does everything that they do?

Personally I hate a video for this kind of thing. I'm usually not in a position to impose on others by playing a video so I end up missing some items of interest.

Great video, guys! You made a boring topic slightly less boring (and less technical).
Now let's see you review ball heads. ;)

The vibration test was ridiculous. A long exposure - ie at least 10 seconds and preferably more with a 70-200 on the camera with some wind would be ideal. You may not use the pod like that while travelling but it will tell you heaps about the its rigidity and resilience.

Review was decent but the nicknames were dumb

Kind of disappointed the Novoflex Triopod with the 4-section carbon legs wasn't also included in this test. Combined with their "center column" I personally find it very innovative and stable. Was this omission just a matter of not having a well defined kit option?

I don't get why decent travel tripods are so freaking expensive. The tripod has been in use for literally 200 years, this isn't ground breaking technology.

"I want to be a youtuber but not a camera one, because cameras are boring." "I want to work at Chilli's." BWAHAHAHAHA Chris your kids are awesome!

Can we get a summary with the rankings without forcing people to watch a video? I think that would be appreciated by many.

don´t forget the good old monopod - extremely lightweight & frequently suffices

Annoying presentation with silly "nicknames" for the four tripods. Glad to see the Peak included, as this one has been buzzing around on crowdfunding sites for a while. Meanwhile, very happy with my Befree GT: fits easily in my travel bags, holds the camera steady - job done.

Brian

I use a Sirui T-2205X (discontinued now) for my backpacking, but only set it up when I make camp. The rest of the hike, I am either hand holding my Sony A7ii or using my modified hiking pole which I attached the same tripod head as my tripod, and using it as a mono pod.

"If you enjoy this type of video, please let us know."
Yes, this kind offer comparison is useful. Thanks!

To all who think a center column is not useful on a travel/hiking tripod: how do you fine-tune the height? by changing the length of all three legs every time?

I use the center column all the time on my main tripod (concert videos... high stage, I often can't choose the spot from which to record, heads of the audience etc.), but I wouldn't mind a shorter one even on a hiking tripod.

Interesting findings, I wasn't fan of the TV format of the reviews at first, but I like it now. Nice work!

I would like to present anoter way of testing tripod stability though. Have a camera on a tripod with a long lens pointing at a notebook screen. On a screen should be a video of bright dots that are moving in a straight lines. You will easily see any vibrations during a longer exposure.

Here is my article with the resulting long exposure shots using various vibrations (sorry, not available in English, but the pictures still work):
https://www.pastel.cz/en/2017/01/jak-spravne-pouzivat-stativ/

And here is the bright dots video I used:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EIpRDghwDg

Chris,
nice review, not sure I'm ready to downsize. mostly I shoot birds, so i'm stuck with bigger heavier tripods to handle the long glass. that said, I would just like to suggest my stability test for tripods, since its really easy, and it works. just put your longest lens on the tripod, turn on live view, and zoom in both optically and digitally as far as you can, and then tap the camera. watch how long it takes to damp out. i usually do it several times to see how long it takes. put on my 600, and its a damning test to be sure. i don't wait until all the vibrations stop; that would take a lot longer since they all continue to vibrate less and less for a long time. there will however be a point at which the larger vibrations disappear as the carbon fiber does its thing. its a pretty easy and interesting thing to watch, ... for geeks like me anyway! LOL

I watched the first 2 minutes then tuned out.

1) misspelling the brand of one of the four tripods. What else is being overlooked/misstated?

2) the opening with the kids was 30 seconds of wasted time.

3) the nicknames were pointless. They introduced more information to your viewers when there is no benefit for them.

4) why is there an obsession with a camera at eye level? Don't we want the camera's height to be dictated by the scene/desired image? I get that some people have disabilities and a tripod is just a platform to hold the camera. If you are shooting action you want the camera at a comfortable height but you are likely using a monopod. Just think how boring photography would be if all photographs were taken w/ the camera 5'4" off the ground.

Chris, if you need help writing your next video let me know. .

I use a Sirui T-025X was the shortest & lightest on BH website. It's great.

Tony Northrup recently found on a trip that switching the Peak Design tripod from horizontal camera position to vertical camera position was a pain.
Switching horizontal camera position to vertical camera position was missing from this test. On a Slik tripod I just loosen the camera plate - since it is an L and is hinged on the side. With RRS, Acratech I just drop the ball head into a slot, or the collar is set at a 45 degree angle.

There is rarely ever a good reason to raise the center column on a tripod.

Second tip for newbies: try not to extend the last part of the tripod legs (the smallest part towards the feet) especially if you have a 4, 5 or 6 section tripod. On 3-section tripods (such as the heavy duty ones with thick legs) those are fine to extend all the way out, but not on a travel one (as i've found in some cases).
(I use two tripods: one travel one for if I'm backpacking; and a heavy duty one (3 section) if I know I"m going to be doing landscapes at places like Death Valley where there can be a decent amount of wind).

Thom Hogan has some good articles on how to pick out a good tripod, but keep in mind, as he puts it, if you're serious about your photography, you will end up spending $1000 one way or another for a good tripod. If you have the money, might as well invest it on a good tripod and have less headaches later on.

Raising the center column should be a non-starter unless there is some purpose for a tripod besides keeping the camera steady. Surprising how little things have changed. Chinese offer great value, Manfrotto uses plastic and Gitzo is lightest. My only regret with the Gitzos is the worry about theft.

I like these guys and I like their videos. Still not sure which tripod to get. I do think Chris should stop eating at Chilis, though.

Well, a few weeks ago I bought my new Gitzo 2545 Traveller with a Novoflex Classic 2 ballhead and I'm totally happy with it. Not mentioned in the shootout but strongly recommended.

Like Chris I prefer to use twist locks as well but for cleaning I find them much worse than clamp locks, it takes a lot longer to properly clean a twist lock thanks to the threads and they're prone to damage if grit isn't cleaned out.

Correct me if I'm wrong but the PD requires the centre column to be extended to use the inbuilt ballhead doesn't it? If that's correct then it doesn't make much sense to compare the PD with the centre column fully lowered to other tripods which have the full range of movement when lowered.

To do a proper review of travel tripods, one need to travel with tripods (backpacking on airplanes, trains, buses). Not only going from A to B by car with the camera / tripods at the back and having to walk a few feet away to record a video review in an outdoor setting for a commercial website.

Worth noting that 3 of those brands will usually have several other models that'll easily shift priorities and competitive advantages to taste, I dunno Manfrotto & Gitzo's lineup very well but Sirui actually has a whole separate line of travel tripods with model numbers starting with a T (rather than N)...

The T-1204KS looks like it might've been a better fit for this roundup, coming in under 15" folded... Though it ends up making an even bigger sacrifice than the PD in max height w/center column down. I went for the T-1205X myself, possibly less stable being a 5 section but it still gets to 44" w/center column down and weighs <2lbs (just about 2lbs with the head I have on it); perfect for my lightweight M4/3 gear.

I would've liked to see you measure folded diameter since that's something PD has made a big deal about and frustratingly almost no manufacturer ever seems to spec that. Finding a head that keeps that down also be tricky.

Considering the upfront disclosure that this was meant to be a practical yet unscientific test, I like the contents and the results! It is actually the first time I am liking a test done on DPR TV, and it is likely because I expected the subjective take of the reviewer from the get go. That said, I think Peak Design's first attempt at a serious, travel tripod is very decent. I don't think I will end up buying it, simply because my current tripods are serving their purposes just fine.

Chris, Chris, Chris...you didn't view the Kickstarter video. Collapsed to open in 9.4 seconds. Add 2 seconds for center column extension.

The trick is to unlock and extend all of the legs at once, then lock all of the legs at once, then spread the legs. Something that you can't do with twist locks, but can with flip locks.

And no, cool as PDTT is, I already have a tripod I hardly use.

The vibration test is laughable. Taping on a vibrator and determining the image sharpness is not science. What was the frequency of the vibrator? Is the frequency something that we would experience in real life from wind? What if the frequency is different, would it affect the images taken from the tripod? What is the harmonic frequencies of the tripod? These guys should stick something they actually know something about.

Real testing involves people who know what they are doing. The center column web site does just that.
https://thecentercolumn.com

The flip leg vs twist lock argument is quite valid.
Twist locks are awful if you suffer from finger/wrist ailments, including arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome.

And if you use twist locks, you increase your risk of those ailments.

I prefer flip-locks because I value my health. Having gear that won't leave me disabled is important to me.

The only tripod I can consider always carrying with me by weight and size is the Gorillapod, it is more versatile than it seems. For everything else I have a normal Vanguard tripod, not too big, but very little comes out of the trunk of the car because I like to walk through the forest and 80% of the times I need a tripod I find a rock or a branch on which to put the Gorilla