Peak Design's Travel Tripod Is a Must-Have For Photographers on the Go The PD tripod alongside the RRS TFC-14 and Gitzo GT1545T. However, these features often conflict with each other! 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 been reading some reviews and so far you are the first one to mention using the tripod with a mirrorless camera. If needed, the stiffness of each lever can be fine-tuned with the included hex wrench. Print Email. Peak Design CF Tripod vs. Gitzo CF (12/27/2019) by Chuck Simet There will be other larger and heavier tripods that offer a more stable platform. Comparing Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod vs Gitzo . 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 Youre getting a lot of clever design for your money here, and there are fewer competitive products. 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. The springs can easily pop out during disassembly and it becomes a challenge to first find the springs and then how to put it back together. On top of the head is a bubble level to help you get a nice level horizon. The whole thing is either locked or unlocked. Due to this media attention, more photographers than ever are aware of this tripod and I have received vastly more questions about it than any other tripod or piece of support equipment. A bigger tripod is more likely to look right and it will naturally be more stable in windy conditions. Itll be interested to see if they expand the range to larger tripods. Its not insignificant weight. 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. Thank you for your very detailed review! As you may or may not know, Tito Ferradans is a tireless lens enthusiast and the author of the Anamorphic Cookbook Course on MZed. Peak Design Travel Tripod Gitzo 1545T Sirui N-1204SK Down below you can vote also your favorite amongst these tripods. Excellently, Id say. Avoiding the weight of a ball head is an important part of the package, as is the low profile of the PD head. I have chosen a very lightweight head in the form of the Acratech GXP, and this gives me full-sized ball head controls and a 50lb load limit. Joby Gorillapod or Ulanzi Camera Stand? If you want to save money, you can get the aluminum alloy version for $380. Unfortunately not. The standard head works with arca swiss plates out of the box. I know some people hate on it for having 5 leg segments but I honestly don't mind. Both tripods are 39.1 cm (15.4 inches) when collapsed. The strength of the ball head is impressive. Discover a wide range of DSLRs, Mirrorless Cameras, Camera Lenses and Photographic Equipment with Ireland's Oldest Camera Store. If you want to keep the setup as light as possible, theres no better way to do it. Peak Design Travel Tripod Review: You Won't Want to Leave It - Gizmodo How does the Peak Design Travel Tripod perform in this regard? Great piece, love your honest reviews. I'm sure this post doesn't break much new ground but most of the negativity I've seen has been towards the legs and price and not a lot of talk about the ball head. The cheaper of the pair uses aluminum alloy for the legs, while the tripod Im reviewing today is made of carbon fiber. You pull the 7/8" knob out and twist. Thanks for adding your comments, Tim. Available online and in-store in the heart of Limerick City. Sure, our own Travel Tripod is pretty sweet and works with all Peak Design accessories, but we also designed the plates that come with our clips and straps to be compatible with 3rd party tripods - whichever one you may own. 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. But I find it way too expensive for what it is. In this review, we will discuss all the features and performance of the Travel Tripod, as well as comparing the carbon version with the aluminium version, and examining all the available accessories. Need some help with selecting a tripod. With the price of the carbon version way up at $599.95, I would class that value as good, but not excellent. The latching mechanism for the quick release is fine. I found this useful for some behind-the-scenes shots on my phone in the field. Lets dive in! 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. Yes portability is top of my criteria - no tripod is good if I have to think twice before packing with me. So this just comes down to what I was saying earlier: Travel Tripods always have compromises. In that sense, I think it does surprisingly well even with decidedly-not-travel setups like the one above. My guess is that Peak Design would strongly recommend not disassembling the head and it provides no drawings of the heads inner mechanism. Peak Design Travel 60" Tripod Aluminum TT-CB-5-150-AL-1 - Best Buy Fotopro is a Chinese tripod company that makes some very high-end equipment. When you've adjusted the angle of the ball head you have to spin a wheel along its horizontal surface to lock it in place. Peak Design again comes close with its travel tripod and while it is smaller and has a unique. 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.). They have taken the PD design and have improved upon it in every way, plus its lighter. Although the idea that I paid $600 is also a motivator for me to get some use from the thing. 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. No items to compare. Add at least two items to compare 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. Again, there is no magic here. One way to get around this is to use a 3rd party ball head, and the various options for this will be discussed below in another section. He reached a total of 5,258 backers who put in $364,698. In the past, I often wondered whether or not I should take my tripod into the field with me. Theres also a small lever that locks the jaws of the head to prevent accidental release of your camera. I was looking at tripods recently and to me neither the Peak Design or Gitzo Traveler Series 2 really competes with each other. For long exposures, I recommend keeping the center column retracted. Starting from a clean sheet of paper instead of being influenced by iterated designs from a current product lineup has catapulted Peak Design into the upper echelons of the tripod market. I learned to live with it and never really missed it. Peak Design Tripod Vs Gitzo Traveller. I was under the impression that the Peak Design is the most compact on the market (with the head attached). Its light, small enough to fit into the side pocket of my bag. Im glad it helped. Weve looked at the Universal Head Adapter as a way to use a 3rd party head on this tripod, but there is another option. It will give you sharper images, but youll have to deal with constantly bending down to use the camera. If your budget can stretch to it, I think the carbon version is worth the extra money for the weight savings. 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. Compare Manfrotto Befree Advanced Travel Aluminum Tripod with 494 Ball For many thats a very high driving factor. The package includes the tripod, a handy neoprene soft case, a hex wrench, and a bushing removal tool for maintenance. The tripod head itself works in the opposite way of most conventional ball heads. The price of the carbon fiber model tested is currently $650 at B&H, at the time Im publishing this review. 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. I was considering this until I came across Heipi. Using a hex wrench, the original head is first removed and then replaced with the adapter. 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?. Unfortunately? 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. Carbon Travel Tripod: $599.95 Peak Design Travel Tripod Versus Manfrotto Befree: Which Is Better? If you dont really care too much about those two criteria, this is the wrong tripod for you. They do look like VFM compared to the more expensive brands. 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. But keep in mind that the Peak Design tripod is intended primarily as a travel model. Radically faster to setup and takedown, our tripod features ergonomic adjustment points, built-in mobile compatibility, and . This is an excellent article for those traveling with large, heavy bodies and lenses. 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. Thanks, yea was leaning more on 2545T. 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. There is nothing magic about this tripod in that regard. It's $600. Finally, if the original head does not suit you, any other head can be substituted. Two tripods of the same design made from different materials provide an interesting comparison. The downside to the low-profile head design is that it doesnt have an independent panning base. TBF I watch mostly landscape photography youtubers, and I haven't seen a single one even try the PD tripod, even for travel purposes. Expert news, reviews and videos of the latest digital cameras, lenses, accessories, and phones. The Ultimate Peak Design Travel Tripod Review! Press J to jump to the feed. Or, if you are willing to rely on natural height assistance from rocks or fallen trees when you need extra height. Most unique feature is 3 legged center column that can act as its own tripod. Hey Everyone! Thats one dollar per gram you save! Still, the comfort zone of this tripod are wider-angle to medium telephoto lenses. With the stopper screws in place (shown in the photo below) only the supplies Peak Design tripod plate will work. Ive noticed no wibble during long exposures, even when its been noticeably windy, although those shots are usually at quite short focal lengths. 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. A whopping 27,169 backers raised a record amount of $12,143,435. It comes with a nice bag that is only barely large enough to fit the tripod with some wrangling. As for now I cant see any reason to buy another tripod. And you can attach Peak Design anchors to use the mount with Peak Design straps . In many situations, a panning base is not 100% necessary, but it is nice to have when you want to make small compositional adjustments in landscape shots. I may replace the ball head with something different, which obviously defeats the purpose of such a tiny tripod but hopefully it'll be easy to remove and reinstall. The gimbal in question is the Fotopro E-6H. Home Gear Reviews The Ultimate Peak Design Travel Tripod Review! it clearly provides a lighter tripod that is shorter when collapsed. Unlike the Universal Head Adapter, its unlikely to be a configuration that you use all the time. DPReviewTV Travel Tripod Comparison: Peak Design, Sirui, Manfrotto and 173.212.197.150 I have both tripods. The opening of the legs is similar as you can in one motion, open the cam locks, extend out the single leg, and lock. Lab Test. 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. The flip locks are made entirely of metal for increased durability - a feature you'll rarely find on other tripods - and open and close smoothly, without any 'snapping' in the motion. And there could very well be a case one day when I want to do such a thing myself. Best MINI Tripod Confirmed! (I Tested Them ALL) - VidoEmo - Emotional 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 I tend to concur with your review. Panoramic photographers will appreciate the unique click stops that can be engaged on the panning base to allow for easily repeatable panning positions, and filmmakers will appreciate the included panning arm that lets you create silky smooth pan and tilt movements that are far cleaner than you get with low-end video fluid heads. Lastly, we averaged out all of the reviews scores that we could find on these two products and compared them to other Tripods on the market. You have to measure the stability of the tripod to get a sense of the weight rating. I tend to think of a tripod as a necessary evil. Peak Design Travel Tripod Review - Comparison with Other Tripods What is the right tripod for me? Benro, Peak Design, Gitzo. - reddit A good tripod can be an essential tool for the traveling photographer, but when you're on the go size matters. But at that weight, youre sacrificing a lot of stability. Comparing Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod vs Gitzo . Sort: Clear All. Ive had several claims with PD products and it was always really fast to get a free replacement! But once you retract the two thinnest sections, the tripod is immediately rock-solid even with a telephoto. Even this Peak Design tripod. Gimbal heads are incredibly useful for wildlife photography with longer lenses and panoramic photography. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. It's a lot of money. So, although Im reviewing the carbon fiber version today, much of what I say about the Peak Design Travel Tripod applies to both variations. Any recommendation on the ball head? Das neue kleine und leichte Stativ von Peak Design ist leicht und kompakt. Cheung compares the carbon fiber versions of. Of course, if you already use one of these on your camera, you can quickly disconnect that and use it on the tripod, too. With this kit and the centre column removed, the carbon tripod weighs just 601g. In terms of price and specifications, the Travel Tripod by Peak Design is most similar to the Gitzo Series 2 Traveler (for $649). The LH40 will easily hold your gear. It is the TFC version that presents the best competition to the PD travel tripod. This makes a taller and heavier setup, but it has the benefit of being faster to swap between using the built-in head and using a 3-rd party ball head that has additional panning features and more ergonomic controls. If you think you can get by with the height reduction, this is another cool upgrade for your tripod. Most people would consider being a standard feature on anything but the absolute cheapest of tripod heads. Shop By Brand. Compare Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod vs Gitzo GT1545T Series 1 Traveler Carbon Fiber Tripod with Center Ball Head vs Peak Design Essentials Trifecta Kit . You can't rely on manufacturers weight ratings at all. Several table-top tripods. 10: Hands-on with the new Peak Design Travel Tripod - DPReview Libor works as a biology teacher, guide, photographer and photography course lecturer. Peak Design Travel Tripod - Review 2020 - PCMag Australia The Travel Tripod includes a phone adapter that can be used on the ball head to hold your phone. With long exposures, telephoto lenses, and windy conditions, youll want to collapse some parts of the tripod. For people with very lightweight mirrorless camera setups, its possible for this to be your only tripod. Mine is a cheap carbon travel tripod from K&F. I can pretty much guarantee that it is stiffer than the 5-section Sirui A1205 (and while the Sirui collapses 20 mm shorter, it is wider when collapsed than the PD). 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). The difference in the size of the legs is already apparent. Its not just Gitzo thats worth considering. Using Peak Design Plates in 3rd Party Tripods They say the best camera is the one you have with you. A mistake that is, unless the primary reason for downsizing is to get something much smaller and lighter at the expense of some stability. The first thing I would want to do is replace the expensive PD clamp system with a proper Acra Swiss compatible one. It might not be that bad if the knob was bigger or had a flat part that you could put pressure on it to tighten it down, but you adjust it as if you were setting the time on an analog watch. So with that in mind, would you say Gitzo is better option (keeping money aside)? Compare Benro MeFoto GlobeTrotter Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod Kit Black Dont know yet but so far holds up very well. Sort: Clear All Print Email Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod You Pay: $649.95 (1029) Add to Cart Add to Wish List Gitzo GT1545T Series 1 Traveler Carbon Fiber Tripod with Center Ball Head Price: $679.00 Instant Savings -$130.00 You Pay: $549.00 (33) Add to Cart Add to Wish List In the future, you can always look to add the flat base and a 3rd party ball head when it makes financial sense. 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 spike feet are lighter than the rubber bushes by a few grams, but are incredibly tough and bite without slippage into ice and on rock: the points are quite clever, exposed when the legs are extended at an angle but not so sharp as to snag on fabric. Sample Images: This is something else you need to factor into the purchase of a travel tripod. Ulanzi Travel Tripod Tested (Compared to Peak Design) 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. Add at least two items to compare. In fact, I think it was less than 2 days before the starting time question hit my in-box. When you consider purchasing a travel tripod of any type, this lower maximum height is another thing that needs consideration. Small size, sufficient height, good vibration absorption, high durability, easy handling, and light weight. So often I'd look at my old tripod and just be "ugh" and I'd leave it home. Honest Pros and Cons of the Peak Design Tripod - Shotkit Comparing Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod vs Benro . This gimbal really is a jack of all trades. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. To determine your tripod's compatibility, read on: 1. Have not seen or touched the peak tripod. And even your own tripod head. Back to Product List . Wie schneidet es aber gegenber einem vom uns sehr viel gebrauchten. /r/photography is a place to politely discuss the tools, technique and culture of photography. If you like our content, you can subscribe to our newsletter to receive weekly email updates using the link below. I doubt that many people will buy this tripod for the sole purpose of using it with a phone, but Youtube creators will likely find it handy for behind-the-scenes shots, b-roll and time-lapses. Again, an absolutely astounding value. I personally use an Acratech GXP on mine in this way. 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. Again, it isn't the easiest to lock down. I dont expect anyone to be feeling buyers remorse with these tripods, and I do expect Peak Design to make some fans of their products for life. Thanks Chuck. Add at least two items to compare. Peak Design Travel Tripod Review (Worth The Price 2023?) Having said that, the PD is nowhere near as stable as my Gitzo, but that is to be expected for a travel tripod compared to a full tripod setup. For fast deployment, the five-section aluminum leg cams can be released at the same time. I have larger tripods in my closet but I do keep coming back to this one when Im packing my bag and feeling it getting heavier and heavier. These will snap into the ground like the spikes of an ice pick, potentially increasing the tripods stability. They share a maximum height of 152 cm (60 inches) when the center column is raised, and 130 cm (51 inches) when its not. Peak Design Tripod Review - 5 Important Things to Know! - The World Pursuit Once you decide to purchase the Travel Tripod, the inevitable next question is carbon or aluminum?. 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 Peak Design Travel Tripod is available in two versions, and then there are further options to adapt the tripod by adding accessories or removing unnecessary parts. If youre looking for a travel tripod, youd be mad not to have this one on your shortlist. Never in history has a tripod received as much online press attention as the Peak Design Travel Tripod. Compare Benro MeFoto GlobeTrotter Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod Kit Black vs Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod vs Gitzo GT2545T Series 2 Traveler Carbon Fiber . Print Email. Lots of different photographers with lots of different styles and lots of different needs all saying that this one tripod is the best ever? Used with my long lenses (300 f/2.8, 200-600, etc) with no issues. The best travel tripod in 2023 | Digital Camera World Tripod Clearance Sale Page 2 - Georges Cameras Thats what Im testing today. Tripod: PeakDesign vs Gitzo Traveler Series 2 - FM Forums It costs $40 and is compatible with the centre column. Much like the multitool, Peak Design has also gone to great lengths to make a good tripod bag. 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. Photographers looking for a lightweight, high-quality tripod will want to consider the extensive range from the Italian brand Gitzo. How we tested. Controls for the head are simple. Im really enjoying mine. The PD is super small when collapsed, but a bit flimsier as a trade off and the Gitzo is a lot longer collapsed, but of course will be stronger. There's just not that much to them to be worth a fortune. 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. Quick, easy, and frustration-free claims. The hex heads are the same sizes as the new tool. The Peak Design Travel Tripod raised an incredible $12million on Kickstarter when it was launched. There is only ONE tripod that collapses to truly "tiny", weighs less than 3 lbs (1.3kg), and yet is still decently tall when fully extended. Several times I've noticed my camera (a Fuji XT-2 with the 18-55 lens) slowly slipping down. TTArtisan 50mm f/1.2 Lens for Canon RF - imastudent.com document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This website may contain affiliate links. Peak Design Camera Straps; Canon Battery Grips; Nikon Battery Glips; . To me that means that I will be more inclined to use it. When everything is locked down tight the tripod is very stable. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. (FYI) Have only seen it online and didn't like the design. At $40 they are quite expensive, as as far as spiked tripod feet go, they are fairly mediocre. The PD is one of the stiffest tripods for its size. Im not a robot, there will always be some typos . since when having choices is an unfortunate thing? I'm surprised I don't see more people talk about it, or maybe there's something about the company I don't know. My Peak Design Travel Tripod experience : photography Something similar can be said of most of the other higher-end carbon fiber companies out there today, like FLM, RRS, and many others. For more info check our privacy policy. But again, that's just me. As always, we appreciate it when you use the links on this page to make your purchases. I got a Sirui with a compact ball head. I like Libors suggestion about using a different ball head to replace the Peak Design tripod head in dusty or sandy environments.