Camera Labs

I have been searching for a good sturdy tripod for outdoor use. As I
came across this product, I was a bit skeptical because of it's amazingly
low price for what the description said it had to offer. Don't let the
price and looks fool you, this product is amazing!
It's about $39.99(USD) or $43.15(Australia Dollars).

Pros:
-Good sturdy feel
-Very expandable and versatile
-Comes with neoprene hand grips on the legs(not pictured)
-Clip locks for the leg sections makes me feel more comfortable when
locking them over twist locks(but that's based on my preferences).
-Very portable! I'm so surprised at how light this tripod is, but even
with all of the sections extended out, it doesn't move much or feel like
it'll tip over or any of that matter.
-Very light and strong! It weighs as much as my old tripod but can
support double the weight of my old tripod at 6.6 pounds(or 3kg)!
-Looks amazing! Has an expensive professional look to it without the
expensive professional price!
-Center column is long but can covert into a short column.
-Good height! Minimum height is about 14inches(355.6 millimeters) with legs pulled out all the way and about 60inches(1.5meters) with legs in normal stance with center column extended and legs extended.

Cons:
-Not really a con, but the base on the head pictured on the website is
different from the one I received, mine is a small disc about the size
of a poker chip with and is rubberized. The one pictured looks to be a
lot bigger and looks to be made of the cork-type material rather than
rubber.
-The feet on the tripod cannot pivot, they are just rubber cups place
on the ends of the legs to prevent from slipping.
-My tripod came with a few scratches that are noticeable but won't
affect the tripod's performance.
-When using the tripod with all the sections extended out, the legs
tend to bend and wobble just a tiny bit, but not enough to be that
noticeable.
-No removable clip! Not really a con, but sure is an annoyance if you're having to constantly switch between cameras!
-The rubber portions on the base of my head are starting to flake off a bit.
-The box my tripod was sent in was the wrong box but from the same brand. The box top read 4-Section All-way pan-head tripod when mine was a 3-Section ballhead tripod.
-NO documentation included with the tripod whatsoever! All that was in the box was the tripod inside the included carrying case which was placed in a plastic bag.
-The box doesn't display any information about the company who sells it, it only has the company name on all four sides, and a box top including the product number and product name.

WARNING:
This tripod isn't designed for higher end DSLRs for it is a compact tripod designed mainly for the use of entry-level, lightweight DSLRs or P&S Cameras.

For my images of this product:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandonissouth/sets/72157604436709303/

Product page on B&H Photo:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/455876-REG/Impact_1018A_1018_3_Section_Tripod_with.html

I'm not really sure if the Company has a website, because I haven't come up with any yet.[/url]

Hi BrandonV,

Thanks for a great review. Tripods may not be sexy but for some work they are indispensable so it's good to hear that you don't have to spend a fortune to get one.

Bob.

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OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

Aw shucks

Great review BrandonV, looks like a good tripod. DIY too, the final product is always more satisfying that way for me.

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Graham
Flickr

Same here, friend!

Cheers!

hah! so that was YOU reviewing it. i was reading your review on the forum and thought to myself "this sounds sooo familiar." its cause i was reading your review about a week ago in the BH page.

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E-3!
12-60 2.8-4.0
12-60 2.8-40 [Also going]
40-150 3.5-4.5
70-300 4.0-5.6
Fl-48

I'm surprised you spotted my lack of laziness! Hah, cheers friend! I guess I was too lazy to write a another review so I copied my previous review and tweaked it a bit.

oh yes, i was worried about the "wobbling" you mentioned, how much wobbling is it? is there anyway you can post a video or anything?

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E-3!
12-60 2.8-4.0
12-60 2.8-40 [Also going]
40-150 3.5-4.5
70-300 4.0-5.6
Fl-48

As far as wobbling goes, it's not very bad, but it is noticeable.

This tripod sounds pretty nice 3kg not so heavy 1kg and cheap


i m a bit concearned about the stability tho, as you stated that it wabbels...how do you test this in practice and if it was possible to show us?

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I'm not really sure it's possible to show this, you honestly just have to try it for yourself. The wobble as I said, isn't really of great concern. The legs just tend to bend a tiny bit when you extend them all the way. And since it's a lightweight tripod, it doesn't really "hug" the floor, so basically what I'm trying to say is if you were to tap it with a certain amount of force, maybe like ram your arm into it sort of hard, it would tip but not fall over. I guess if I have time I'll post a video about this.

Cheers!

what setup did you have on it? and whats the heaviest you've put on? my only concern is if I put on a heavier telezoom like a 70-300 on it, especially considering my 510 is very light, the balance would be all screwy and if i nudged it, it may fall forward right onto the lens.

now this is just paranoia of mine, you say its only wobbly if the legs are extended all the way?

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E-3!
12-60 2.8-4.0
12-60 2.8-40 [Also going]
40-150 3.5-4.5
70-300 4.0-5.6
Fl-48

I actually have a Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III, and it's a pretty heavy lens. Usually my set up is a lighter lens than that, but on occasion when I do use that lens, there is a slight wobble when operating the camera. Also when positioning the camera in portrait position, the camera slowly creeps because the screw on the clip doesn't exactly stay tightly screwed on. But that's just the included head, it's always replaceable. The tripod itself is pretty sturdy.

yea ill probably get it, its only 40 bucks. i spend more than that on gas every week

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E-3!
12-60 2.8-4.0
12-60 2.8-40 [Also going]
40-150 3.5-4.5
70-300 4.0-5.6
Fl-48

I second that!