Tripod Reviews

turned out to be a great buy for me. its very steady and te bubble level is very helpful. didn't think much of the carrying handle initially, but that turned out to be really very helpful for carrying around. extremely light also.

I really like this tripod for two reasons.

1) Velbon quality. Velbon makes great tripods. Yes, you could spend thousands for a pro tripod, but you dont have to!

2) Height. I have a large tripod (Velbon model ordered from Amazon) that I use for portrait shots, etc. However, for macro owrk and other shots that require close quarter and/or low to ground access, this is excellent.

It also works with both cameras and camcorders, which is very handy. The 3-way pan head is critical in a tripod, and of course it has a quick release like all Velbon tripods.

If you are an amateur photographer, you can probably do without this tripod, but for a pro - this is great. Comparable tripods by Bogen, Manfrotto are ALOT more, and not worth it. This one has it all. Very sturdy legs, great pan head, leveler. Highly recommend, especially if you have a D1, F5, or any 'serious' camera.

I bought this tripod locally (needed right away). It is all metal and very stable. The champagne finish is beautiful.

VERY SMOOTH compared to the cheaper Velbon models - I say go for it.

Amazon is thirti dollars less than I paid - good price.

I bought the tripod and I found it great. I can use it with my camera and camcorder. Without much effort. It's easy to use, compact and not very heavy to carry.

Great value for money

For the price this is a great little tripod. Seems to be well built and holds my Canon S330 camera securely once adjusted.

Heavy cameras such as the metal body Canon power shot series with off center tripod mounts require some playing around with the tripod head adjustments so that the camera and tripod assembly doesn't tip over.

Still, for under ten dollars this little tripod does the trick.

Ordered 2 Mini-Tripods.Great product. Excellent and very quick delivery. Highly recommend.

This tripod works really well. I bought this tripod for a Canon Powershot S400. I wanted something small yet sturdy. As others have said this tripod is very small; easily pocketable. This mini pod, when folded, is about 4" x 1" x .5" (nice and flat); it fits perfect inside the Lowepro MX 25 camera bag (similar to D-Res 25 bag) I bought to fit all the accessories (extra battery, extra CF card, battery charger, cables and of course the S400). The tripod has telescoping legs that come out another 2 inches or so...which are key for those shots I want to mount the camera rotated at 90 degrees (I extend just two of the legs so that the tripod doesn't tip over from the weight of the camera; curse Canon for that tripod mount off center of the camera!) I bought it from jpptechnologies with no problems; bought on Tuesday, shipped on Wednesday, received on Monday (NY to CA in 4 days).

The Meade ETX telescopes specialize in their portability. When you add a tripod to the set, it becomes harder to take the telescope to more remote areas. I have recently taken my ETX 125EC with this tripod to Lake Lila in the Adirondacks. We were camping in a tent in a place that had to be canoed to, so we set out on a Wednesday with all of our tents and food and gear for a week but we were unable to fit the telescope and tripod, so we left those at the car. We had to make a special trip a few days later to pick them up. It would have been really nice to be able to take the telescope with us on the first trip. We ended up missing two beautiful nights that would have provided for excellent observing because of the bulkiness of the tripod. There is another instance when I was winter camping in the Adirondacks near Little Tupper Lake, and again we had to leave the telescope and tripod at the car because of the bulkiness. We were traveling to a lean-to on skis and there was no way that we could have taken the tripod and telescope along with our luggage. We ended up not using the telescope all together on that trip because of the inaccessibility. There is no carrying case for it and so the only way to transport it safely is in its outrageously oversized shipping box, filled with a Styrofoam shell. Also, There have been many car trips in which this box has taken up way too much space in the trunk.
The tripod itself is a necessity though. It would be impossible to get any good observations without it. It has a handy balancing bubble to make sure that it is level, and an 'N' on one of the legs to remind you which way is north (as an amateur astronomer, finding this out through the stars should not be too difficult though), and it is sturdy. The legs are easy to extract, contract and adjust. It is the most sensible tripod to buy with any ETX telescope because the other options are way too heavy and even more bulky, not mention more expensive. There is the table tripod, which is much, much smaller and lighter, but it is way too ineffective. It is unable to be adjusted so the telescope must be placed on a desk or a steady surface. The only beneficial use of that tripod would be if the telescope were a decoration in an office or something and it needed to be tilted a bit.
A tripod is needed in order to get any serious use out of any ETX telescope and this tripod is the best one that Meade offers, be forewarned that it limits the portability of the telescope though.

I've used the Meade 07021 Deluxe Field Tripod #883 with my ETX-90EC for over a year now and generally it has performed okay. The tripod itself is made of a light aluminium material for the legs, so while this reduces weight for portability it seems a little light on solidity. The locking screws which hold the extendable legs in place also seem a little flimsly. Having said that however, I took notice of reviews prior to purchasing the tripod and never overtighten them and accordingly they have worked okay. Suprisingly, it doesn't take much tightening of the screws to secure the legs. I often expect the legs to slip down but they stay in place during extended viewing sessions. The actual mounting plate and associated adjustment knobs all work fine and are manufactured to an acceptable standard. The tripod has a three prong metal bracket which sits in the middle of the legs when the tripod is in position and which folds up with the tripod when stored. This bracket is quite flimsy but has not failed yet. There is a centre tray which is screwed to the centre of the bracket to give the tripod more stability and holds eyepieces etc. This is manufactured okay. Overall, I think the tripod could have been made sturdier and from better materials in some areas. However, I have taken extra care with it, so I really can't complain as mine is still in good condition. I also think the tripod is somewhat overpriced, so look out for specials on it. In summary it's an okay tripod if you look after it and get it at the right price.

Due to some shipping problem of late, this tripod arrived about 3 weeks after my Meade ETX 125 and other accessories. The 'scope is useable without the tripod, but it is not comfortable and you are at the mercy of the steadiness and level of whatever you set it on.

This tripod makes polar alignment very easy and there are fine-tuning knobs to dial it in after coarse setting. It is very steady, easily adjustable, clearly labeled and has a bubble level as well. The instructions in the ETX 125 and the tripod says there is no need for precise adjustment and not to let making a precise adjustment take away from the enjoyment of the 'scope. Even though either the stock electronic controller and the AutoStar accessory controller can work satisfactorily with only coarse leveling and north aligning, BOTH CONTROLLERS are closer to the mark if the tripod is precisely aligned.

This tripod has everything to set a quick, stable and precisely aligned base for the ETX scopes. One word of warning... If you have the heavier ETX 125 and are polar aligning in a latitude below 45 degrees (my estimate!), there is a lot of weight on the north leg. I find the north leg can noticeably sink in soft lawns after alignment that may affect the GO TO alignment!

I didn't expect this tripod to be so tiny. I read the information on it but imagined something else. It is MINI. It's great for taking stable images on a table for something like ebay, for example, or for using in the house for timed shots. However, I have to get another one for outdoor shots. I'd give it a 5 if I hadn't expected it to raise up higher than it does.

I ordered the ST-10T and received the -10K which isn't even listed on Sima's web page. The difference seems to be the addition of a small ball head that greatly improves an already nice unit. Addition of quick release base and carrying strap also noted. Fits nicely into back pocket or small camera bag.

This tripod is well made for the price, and very convenient for small cameras. I found that it may have some difficulty holding a camera with an off center tripod socket like that found on the Canon Digital ELPH 500 camera. But, this is only an issue when the ELPH is orientated in the vertical position and tripod legs fully retracted. Other then that it's worth every penny.

I have been looking at this camera for the past few days and then today I look and the price went up $17, that's lame.

I've used Canon SLR cameras for the last 21 years and have never had any problems with any of them (a F-1, AE-1, EOS 5). I've been using this camera for the last 3 months and have been very pleased with it.

This camera's initial appeal is the compact, light weight design. However, this camera offers much, much more!

This camera has most of the features and manual setting possibilities found in professional level cameras along with idiot-proof automatic settings that make it as easy to use as a point-and-shoot...

Because you can mount any of the countless quality EOS lenses to this camera, the possibilities of crafting quality pictures is endless. The 28-90 lens that comes with this camera is a good place to start, but don't limit yourself to just this one choice. Canon has been making EOS cameras for the last 16 years and has been a market leader all that time. There's lots of great new and used lenses available.

Another definite plus to this camera is the awesome ergonomics. Unlike most SLR's, you can easily operate this one (including setting all manual and automatic settings) with just your right hand. I've never used a camera that I've been able to do this in a natural, comfortable and secure manner.

I've used Canon SLR cameras for the last 21 years and have never had any problems with any of them (a F-1, AE-1, EOS 5). I've been using this camera for the last 3 months and have been very pleased with it.

This camera's initial appeal is the compact, light weight design. However, this camera offers much, much more!

This camera has most of the features and manual setting possibilities found in professional level cameras along with idiot-proof automatic settings that make it as easy to use as a point-and-shoot...

Because you can mount any of the countless quality EOS lenses to this camera, the possibilities of crafting quality pictures is endless. The 28-90 lens that usually comes with this camera is an o.k. place to start, but I would recommend getting the Sigma 28-200 Compact Hyperzoom Lens instead---lightweight, good focal range, better construction than the comsumer grade lenses that are usually packaged with this camera. Canon has been making EOS cameras for the last 16 years and has been a market leader all that time. There's lots of great new and used lenses available.

Another definite plus to this camera is the awesome ergonomics. Unlike most SLR's, you can easily operate this one (including setting all manual and automatic settings) with just your right hand. I've never used a camera that I've been able to do this in a natural, comfortable and secure manner.

I have this tripod for just 3 months. I have used about 3 times. The head has come apart from the center post. It appears the head screwed into the center post and the grooves have stripped. It is going to cost me shipping plus an additional $3.50 to send it back for repair or replacement.

Additionally, the tripod is steady if you use the hook at the bottom to hang your camera or gadget bag but make sure you tighten down the screw that holds the center post or it will wobble on you.

I realize it's an inexpensive (cheap) tripod but just because it doesn't cost much doesn't mean it has to be made poorly. Buy it at your own risk.

Not super fancy, but has all the basics, no tax and free shipping make it a real value

As one person noted, there is not much you can say about a tripod. This Vivitar is light, easy to handle and carry. Great for the hobbyist. It has a nice tight fluid motion, feels stable, and the quick release allows for switching from camcorder to digital or 35mm camera on demand. Vivitar managed to get a lot out of a light weight tripod on this one. It should work for any amature and some serious filming. No, it is not the professional model, but it certainly will work great for anything short of professional requirements.