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Tripods -- Cheap and Compact
Just got a Vivitar VPT-10. It shrinks down to 14.5 inches (small enough to fit in my
knap-sack), 4 sections, and extends up to 47 inches (just under 4 feet) with the
centre column fully extended (11 inches). I already have a Manfrotto 190QCB, it's
just too big and heavy to take with me when I travel. Comparing Vivitar's VPT-10
with Slik Compact, I found the VPT-10 to be a better tripod. Both are about the
same size and weight but the VPT-10 has quick release leg locks and tubular leg
sections with small grooves running down opposite sides to prevent the sections
from twisting. The things that I don't like is that it doesn't come with a quick
release head and the leg locks are plastic (some of the joints looked rather flimsy)
but what do you expect for $18 US.
-- John William, April 20, 2000
I purchased a Slik Compact-XL tripod in mid-2000 as a result of this article. On
inspection, I found that the pan head can be removed from my tripod. Furthermore,
I discovered that the aluminum top piece that the pan head clamps to is hollow; it
has a central bore for most of its length; the central bore has a diameter of 0.20
inches, just right for tapping with 0.25"-20 threads. I clamped the aluminum top
piece to a vise with soft jaws, center punched the top of the aluminum piece, and
used a drill with a #7 bit (about 13/64") to drill a short distance (about 1/16") to
expose the central bore. I tapped the bore with 1/4"-20 threads and screwed in a 1"
long headless bolt, with top slotted for screwdriver blade, about 3/4" into the
aluminum top piece (bolt purchased at a hardware store). A Bogen 3009 ball head
(with a 3/8"-16 to 1/4"-20 thread adaptor purchased at a well-equiped photography
equipment store) fits on top of the tripod nicely now. What's more, the pan head
can still be installed, when needed, in leu of the ball head.
-- Karl Amo, September 3, 2000
I have one thing to say: Slik U-212 Deluxe.
Okay, maybe a bit more. Next to a Benbo or maybe a Cullman it's the funkiest
lightweight tripod design around. But it flat works.
It uses lots of plastic in the head and leg locking levers and in five years of use not
a thing has broken. It feels like nylon or similarly tough stuff.
The legs offer almost infinitely variable adjustments - you're not limited to preset
clickstops as with the Bogen/Manfrottos. The flip-out levers are easy to operate
with gloves or frozen hands. And they're secure.
http://www.photo.net/equipment/tripods/cheap (11 of 15)7/3/2005 2:21:28 AM