Thats one dollar per gram you save! Comparing Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod vs Gitzo . I'm way more likely to take this with me when I go out shooting. Hey Everyone! You can choose to still use the centre column, or it can be removed. Lab Test. since when having choices is an unfortunate thing? The hex heads are the same sizes as the new tool. Used with my long lenses (300 f/2.8, 200-600, etc) with no issues. 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. I dont know if this is an unpopular opinion or not, but the way Peak Design got all these YouTubers to whore themselves out for this tripod really rubbed me the wrong way. Compare Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod vs Benro TMA38CL Long Series 3 Mach3 Carbon Fiber Tripod vs Gitzo GIGT1545T Traveler Series 1 Carbon Fiber Tripod vs FEISOL CT-3442 Tournament Rapid . The action you just performed triggered the security solution. 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. Performance & security by Cloudflare. These tripods weigh more than my camera body. I hate having to bend over to compose and focus. 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. Thats a weight saving of 307g for the price increase of $250. Required fields are marked*. The tripod clearly takes design cues from the Peak Design Travel Tripod and the RRS Ascend-14 tripod, but it hits a much lower price point than either of these options. 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. 1K, 3K, & MT-11- Review . Love the multi-tool if only all manufacturers would use the same size we could all carry just one, or maybe two hex keys and this is the way to do it. Larger 2 or 3-series tripods are more stable than any travel tripod. The tripod is fitted with rubber feet as standard. Again, it isn't the easiest to lock down. Its the trigger point for the compromises. Just keep in mind that a fully extended column will harm the stability of a tripod. 0 Comment. It's a lot of money. I learned to live with it and never really missed it. They do look like VFM compared to the more expensive brands. And you can attach Peak Design anchors to use the mount with Peak Design straps . Need some help with selecting a tripod. I travel up to 6 months each year. PL provides various digital photography news, reviews, articles, tips, tutorials and guides to photographers of all levels, By Libor Vaicenbacher 22 CommentsLast Updated On February 20, 2023. Photographers looking for a lightweight, high-quality tripod will want to consider the extensive range from the Italian brand Gitzo. Thank you for your very detailed review! I honestly like it better than the way I had to mount my camera before (ie: sliding the quick release into the head and tightening down on a lever.). What does that include? They say the best camera is the one you have with you. How we tested. I am amazed there was $12M of total business out there for new travel tripods thats what 4000 pre-orders from increasingly rare animals (photographers who actually pack tripods, etc). 99% of the time it works just as well as or better than the massive Vanguard tripod I have with a much larger head which is double the weight. 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. I lost the hex wrench after a few weeks. This clever outside-the-box thinking has truly produced the most compact full-sized travel tripod I have ever seen. A universal adapter is provided for this purpose. The standard head works with arca swiss plates out of the box. In practical conditions I rarely have more than 1kg on the tripod so why was I worrying about it? So without further ado, let's give . Peak Design again comes close with its travel tripod and while it is smaller and has a unique. If your budget can stretch to it, I think the carbon version is worth the extra money for the weight savings. Peak Design was laser focused on making the most compact possible, fully featured tripod. A robustly built walkaround lens for daily use, this FUJIFILM X-mount lens is ideal for landscapes, cityscapes, portraits, street scenes, and more. If needed, the stiffness of each lever can be fine-tuned with the included hex wrench. Also compatible with smartphones. 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. If you need an extremely light, tabletop tripod for a particular shoot, an unusual feature of this tripod is the ability to remove the extendable leg sections entirely, and replace them with a set of tripod feet. Thanks for the detailed, honest review. My biggest complaint is the head. Radically faster to setup and takedown, our tripod features ergonomic adjustment points, built-in mobile compatibility, and . If not mistaken, I paid just over $200 for the tripod and "Demon" ball head, including an excellent case. Weve looked at the Universal Head Adapter as a way to use a 3rd party head on this tripod, but there is another option. Caveat: I mostly use it for landscape, nightscapes and cityscapes with relatively light mirrorless cameras and bodies. One other thing I should mention is value. Sample Images: The light weight is a blessing. But again, that's just me. After returning from the Arctic and sending the pre-production version back to Peak Design, I actually went on to purchase my own copy of the tripod. For many thats a very high driving factor. lighter than the 3-section Gitzo setup at 6.4 lbs. In that sense, I think it does surprisingly well even with decidedly-not-travel setups like the one above. By admin | 26/07/2022. With the stopper screws in place (shown in the photo below) only the supplies Peak Design tripod plate will work. , Thanks. Cover this product: 3-Year Protection $65.99 Learn more As always, we appreciate it when you use the links on this page to make your purchases. The interest in it was enormous. The main benefit to it is that it's light and packs up tiny. I have bought a more conventional head and a L bracket. I guess thats a little bit of a spoiler as to my feelings about the tripod, but theres still much to learn aside from my overall opinion. 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?. I have used the tripod until recently with my trusty gimbal head, as you can see below. 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. There are two tripods in the Peak Design portfolio, the only difference being the materials used. But I find it way too expensive for what it is. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Specifications Material: Carbon fiber, or aluminum alloy Extended height: 153cm Folded height: 39cm Weight: 1.27kg (carbon fiber)/1.56kg (aluminum) Feet: Pads (spikes optional extra) Leg sections: 5 Max load (legs, head): 9kg Today's Best Deals In terms of price and specifications, the Travel Tripod by Peak Design is most similar to the Gitzo Series 2 Traveler (for $649). The height with the conversion kit is as follows: Removal of the main leg sections results in a dramatic weight loss for the tripod. //]]>. Joby Gorillapod or Ulanzi Camera Stand? Any recommendation on the ball head? This gimbal really is a jack of all trades. But keep in mind that the Peak Design tripod is intended primarily as a travel model. but, if I understood correctly, you need to buy a Universal Head Adapter for that costing $30. With taxes in, the RRS tripod tops $1000 and that's a tough pill for a lot of people to swallow. Ground-level shots are quickly captured by simply reversing the center column. To me that means that I will be more inclined to use it. In fact, I find it generally more impressive than the overall stability of the legs, and Im confident you could comfortably lock a heaver-than-specified load as almost any angle. In the past, I often wondered whether or not I should take my tripod into the field with me. If you want to save money, you can get the aluminum alloy version for $380. So, just because Im very happy with the Peak Design travel tripod, doesnt mean its the only option out there. Its still possible to do a better job than your competitors at minimizing those sacrifices, but they will be there. I have this and it is so much work to lock/unlock separately all those hundred locks that i barely use it. Fwiw, among the ones you've listed, I'd be inclined to eliminate the Gitzo 1555 -- it has similar stiffness to the PD CF, but it's more expensive and doesn't get as compact -- and the Benro, given it's folded length. Nikon Z 9 N-RAW Lab Test (FW 3.00) - Rolling Shutter, Dynamic Range and Latitude. Gura Gear Kiboko City Commuter 18L The Perfect Camera Bag Found? I don't have a blog or a Youtube channel to make a review so I figured I'd just do it here. With the price of the carbon version way up at $599.95, I would class that value as good, but not excellent. Let's just get it out there. Im glad you are getting on well with the built-in head. 173.212.197.150 I have a few tripods on the shelf, but when you need something lightweight just in case this ticks the boxes nicely. Most people would consider being a standard feature on anything but the absolute cheapest of tripod heads. The latching mechanism for the quick release is fine. But before we dive into some initial impressions, here's the nitty gritty: the tripod will be available in aluminum for $350 and carbon fiber for $600 - both prices include a ball head - however you can score the tripod for much less by backing it on Kickstarter now. (1) MeFoto - was used for when I needed a little "travel" tripod. Im using the Ulanzi Zero Y carbon fiber. Thanks for the kind words. Keeping the centre column collapsed is always a good idea in anything but the calmest wind conditions with any travel tripod. The backpack strap mount is amazing. It is well made although the Gitzo still feels more substantial in the hand despite its reduced weight. Flaws but not dealbreakers. Its a very good tripod, but the light weight means it does lack some stability with heavy camera setups. Features Compatible with most digital cameras With a maximum weight capacity of 20 lbs., this tripod is ideal for mirrorless and compact DSLR cameras. In other words, for every gram of weight you save, you spend an extra 83cents! it clearly provides a lighter tripod that is shorter when collapsed. However, if you have sand in the head which interfere with its use, what are you supposed to do? 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. Putting a heavy head on a compact ultralight travel tripod would typically result in a setup that is far too top-heavy and unstable. Gitzo's Traveler series has even smaller models, the lightest of which has a weight of just 0.9kg, including the head. No items to compare. My guess is that Peak Design would strongly recommend not disassembling the head and it provides no drawings of the heads inner mechanism. It can hold its own against the much more expensive Gitzo Traveller and the RRS TFC-14/TVC-14. 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. Hi Libor, thanks for the review, an interesting read! Namely, if you want to take a panorama, for example, the tripod head cannot be moved only horizontally. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Shop By Brand. Avoiding the weight of a ball head is an important part of the package, as is the low profile of the PD head. I was referring to travel tripods. The stock head doesn't allow for. Comparison of expert ratings Highly Recommended Recommended Mentioned Not Mentioned PCmag If so, it would be interesting to hear what your other choices are and what you use most? My previous Cullmann tripod with the same kind of smart legs ended up in the bin because the legs wouldnt lock firmly after a decade of use. 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. Something similar can be said of most of the other higher-end carbon fiber companies out there today, like FLM, RRS, and many others. As an ornithologist, Libor has studied the avian diversity of the South American Andes. Gitzo has its diehard fans, and the Travel Tripod appears to stack. I have no info on that, but youd have to assume that they will at some point. 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. (just my 2 YMMV) Much prefer the gitzo with the above ball 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. But it is so light and small that I do not hesitate taking it on the most strenuous hikes. GK1555T-82TQD is a Traveler tripod/head kit comprising the 5-section GT1555T Tripod and the GH1382TQD Center Ball Head. (FYI) Have only seen it online and didn't like the design. At $449 its not a cheap piece of equipment, but it is easily one of the best tripod heads of any kind that I have ever tested for this site. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This website may contain affiliate links. Thanks, Noel. 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. I found this useful for some behind-the-scenes shots on my phone in the field. I tend to think of a tripod as a necessary evil. window.__mirage2 = {petok:"UUtxcX0A28JS6Grxm6.PIDJQ7dJ4JezLjiPedqPBFRs-86400-0"}; Home Gear Reviews The Ultimate Peak Design Travel Tripod Review! Any conscientious buyer will be comparing the specifications of various tripod options. A great waterproof tripod: Sirui W-1004K10 Tripod . Tubular legs take more space but allow for a screwing system that seems more durable. Both tripod and head are very good quality and cost less than the Peak Design. I love that you can latch and unlatch all of the legs at once really easily. Click to reveal Im not a robot, there will always be some typos . Comparing Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod vs Gitzo . The strength of the ball head is impressive. From a speed perspective, the Peak Design Travel Tripod blows the competition out of the water. The Feisol CT-3441S is three ounces heavier but 25% stiffer and ~$200 cheaper. In fact, I think it was less than 2 days before the starting time question hit my in-box. Look at the Feisol CT-3441T travel tripod. Thanks Andrew. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. I can't imagine it will be easy to adjust with gloved hands. If you want to keep the setup as light as possible, theres no better way to do it. To this day, Peak Design continues to use Kickstarter to raise funds for its product development. I recommend it over the Peak Design. Cheung compares the carbon fiber versions of. It costs $40 and is compatible with the centre column. Duffel Bags Shop All. It is relatively easy for sand to enter the inner mechanisms of the head. The tripod might be all great, but Its plate and the fact that you need a special tool to screw it on a camera is a no go for me. I like their heads, not sure about those legs though. Instead of the $1100 for the RRS TVC-34L and a carry case with Fiesol I spent. This is not to deny its usefulness. If you understand what you are buying, and when such a tripod makes sense to use, you are going to be very happy indeed with this purchase. I like Libors suggestion about using a different ball head to replace the Peak Design tripod head in dusty or sandy environments. Surprised you didnt mention it in the review. Fitter, younger photographers might not bat an eyelid at an extra 300g, but you certainly will feel that difference on a long day of hiking as you get older. To determine your tripod's compatibility, read on: 1. These are the questions you will have to ask yourself, and the answers will be personal. For me that's the selling point. But once you retract the two thinnest sections, the tripod is immediately rock-solid even with a telephoto.