SIRUI Lightweight Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod 52 Compact Camera Tripod with 360 Ball Head Kit Detachable Center Column

I am a plein air painter, and this tripod replaces a previous tripod I use with my lightweight pochade box for painting outdoors. For my purposes this product is simply outstanding. It is lightweight, and collapses to a length that easily fits into my daypack, and still allow me to carry my paints, pochade, panels, etc. in one compact kit. Years ago I would use a French easel and wind up carrying that heavy thing, along with a bag of other stuff into the field and I hated how cumbersome that approach was. This tripod is also quite sturdy, holding small pochade and panel holders quite stable. It's a little surprising, actually, given how small the tripod mount is... the footprint doesn't give one much confidence looking at it, but I've been quite happy using it with an Open Box M as well as a U.Go pochade. One caveat: I would not attempt to use large pochade boxes with this tripod. (Get a heavy medium or large format tripod instead, if that's your goal.) For painting 8 x 10 inches or smaller, this is ideal. Read more

I have several tripods but needed something for travel, that was lightweight, compact when folded but can handle my Mirrorless camera and zoom lenses. This has a mounting base that is stable for my camera, and removal from the tripod is easy. There is an ability to pan across a landscape, tilt and angle. A small level at the top is useful for uneven surfaces. A hook for additional stability is in the center of the tripod. The legs are carbon fiber and the feet have rubber contours for stability. The legs can be adjusted upright or be set up nearly horizontally. The legs fold up 180 degrees to facility storage. The action of controls are smooth. The release of the legs are by a control knob at each joint. In the compact/horizontal form, I was able to mount my Canon EF USM 200-400 mm lens without stability issues. I do not believe I’d try this in full extension given the size of the bottom legs. I only tested this tripod indoors. Though my purpose will be used for astrophotography, landscapes and buildings when traveling. It comes with a drawstring bag for storage/protection. Overall I am pleased with the size, design and functionality of the product. It allows me to have a tripod for travel in a nice compact package. Read more

Fully extended the lower half of the legs bow with any sway of a 3 lb+ device. (spotting scope in my case) The rotation at the base of the holder turns until tightened so the only free turn you actually have is the ball which makes it difficult to stay level for a panoramic view. (not good for pan filming of any kind) Additionally 2 of the legs had soft grip tubes around the top section, 1 of them was bare. Usually tripods will have 1 with that for a Mono-Detatch pole. I am 6'2" so if I had a straight sight to look through such as most cameras I would have to lean down uncomfortably to get a clear, straight view. (Obviously not an issue if you are under 6' tall) With the angled view of my spotting scope it was just barely the right height for me. The mounting plate is only perhaps 1/2 the size of others I've used and makes half the actual contact to the base of either my spotting scope or camera. It may hold well but it doesn't instill a sense of trust in the tripod. On the plus side the ratchet style opening of the legs seems to be almost magnetic.(not spring set) Slight pressure for locking or unlocking works well and when in locked position they audibly click at each of the locking positions. The unit collapses to a very slim, short package and is rather light weight for storage and travel purposes. The locking joints work well with soft rubber grips and the ends have grippy rubber tabs that are slightly convex at the tip for outdoor use. I am returning it today in favor of a NEEWER N55CR. More expensive (by $10) but better in all of the afore mentioned aspects and more. Overall it's a good tripod but not durable enough for my needs and the inability to spin freely would hinder it's use. If that doesn't bother you and your equipment is under 3 lbs. then it's a good buy for the price. Read more

absolutely love my SIRUI 52” Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod! It’s been a game-changer for traveling with my Sony A7CII. The lightweight carbon fiber design makes it super easy to carry around, and I never feel weighed down, even on long trips. What I appreciate most is how functional and sturdy it is despite its compact size. It feels solid and reliable, giving me the confidence to capture stable shots no matter where I am. Whether it’s landscapes or long exposures, this tripod handles it all beautifully. The quality is fantastic, and it’s become an essential part of my gear. If you’re into travel photography, I can’t recommend this tripod enough—it’s perfect! Read more

Let's be honest here. If you are purchasing this tripod the size is most likely very important to you as is the weight and maybe the price. This is not an expensive tripod and it was never designed to be. Generally, you get what you pay for. If you buy this do not expect Gitzo like performance. However, this tripod does the job, is very light weight, and very compact which is just what I wanted. It does the job, holds a fair amount of weight, steady. Yes, parts break, but parts are available at a reasonable cost. And if you have an ounce of common sense, you can fix it. Worth the money? Absolutely! Read more