As knowledgeable journey photographer, I’ve used a variety of journey tripods through the years, together with fashions from Manfrotto and Vanguard.
Immediately, I’m going to be reviewing Peak Design’s journey tripod, which I’ve been utilizing within the subject for the previous a number of months to see the way it compares to different journey tripods.
I’ve really been a fan of Peak Design’s merchandise for a very long time. They make a variety of images equipment, and I significantly like their carry strap system which I’ve been utilizing for years on my cameras. In addition they have a variety of standard luggage.
My expertise to this point with their merchandise has been very optimistic, they’re effectively made and backed by a wonderful guarantee and help program. Let’s see if that high quality has prolonged to their journey tripod. I’ll share my ideas on utilizing one among their journey tripods for the primary time.
Peak Design Journey Tripod Evaluation
Peak Design launched their journey tripod (by way of Kickstarter) in 2019, with basic availability coming in 2020. This was their first and is at present solely tripod.
It’s now been in the marketplace for a while, and I assumed it was about time I gave it check and evaluation. Let’s begin with the specs.
Peak Design Journey Tripod Specs
There are two variants of the Peak Design journey tripod in the marketplace for the time being, an aluminum mannequin and a carbon fiber mannequin.
The one distinction between the 2 is the fabric in use, which impacts the burden (and worth!). All the opposite specs are the identical. Right here’s a fast overview of the primary specs.
- Load capability – 20lbs (9.1kg)
- Max top heart column raised – 60″ (152.2cm)
- Max top heart column down – 51.25″ (130.2cm)
- Weight aluminum mannequin 3.44lbs (1.56kg)
- Weight carbon fiber mannequin 2.81lbs (1.29kg)
- Packed top: 15.4″ (39.1cm)
- Packed diameter 3.125″ (39.1cm)
The retail worth of the aluminum mannequin is $379.95, and the carbon fiber mannequin is $599.95. You evaluate the newest costs and purchase it direct from Peak Design right here, on Amazon right here, and from B&H Picture right here.
This tripod actually matches what we search for in a journey tripod, which is a mix of portability and load capability.
In addition to the uncooked numbers, there are a couple of further options of the Peak Design journey tripod I needed to focus on.
First, the tripod is designed from the bottom as much as be tremendous moveable. The primary manner that is achieved is with the pinnacle design, which could be very compact. The ball head mainly matches flush into the tripod when packed away and takes up barely any area.
The flip locks, triangular leg design, and small heart column additionally all contribute to permitting this tripod to fold down actually small.
I’ve used a variety of journey tripods through the years, and this one is unquestionably among the best designs I’ve used by way of the way it packs away to take up a minimal quantity of area.
The ball head can also be fairly sensible. There’s an built-in bubble degree to make sure your digital camera is flat, and the flip lock design makes attaching and eradicating your digital camera very straightforward. You can too lock your digital camera into place with the flip of a toggle, which supplies nice peace of thoughts.
One other neat function is the combination of a cellphone head mount. This lives inside the middle column, and has a quick-release mechanism for straightforward set up.
It then attaches on to the tripod mounting plate and means that you can use your tripod along with your smartphone. This could work with just about any smartphone in the marketplace in the present day.
It’s a pleasant worth add and can also be effectively designed and durable.
One very last thing I needed to focus on is the carrying case. That is typically an afterthought with tripods, when you even get one in any respect.
Nicely, Peak Design is thought for his or her luggage and their tripod case is beautiful. It seems to be nice, the tripod matches inside securely, and it’s each padded and weatherproof. It’s lacking a strap, however there are add-ons to make it appropriate with the Peak Design carry system.
Okay, so these are the primary options. What is that this tripod like to really use in the actual world? Let’s discover out.
Peak Design Journey Tripod – Ideas on Actual World Use
I favor to do a evaluation primarily based on actual world expertise, so I traveled with the Peak Design journey tripod as my primary tripod for a number of months to see the way it carried out within the subject.
As it is a journey tripod, I anticipate it to be one thing I can carry with me when mountain climbing, so I took it with me on a variety of hikes up numerous Welsh mountains in addition to different barely much less strenuous strolls. It has additionally been on extra leisurely journeys within the UK, France, and the USA.
After I’m testing a journey tripod, there are some things I’m desirous about. First, it must be light-weight, as a result of nobody needs to hold greater than they should.
This tripod undoubtedly meets that requirement, even the aluminum model is mild sufficient that I don’t should suppose twice about including it to my gear for a visit.
The subsequent factor I search for is how straightforward the tripod is to arrange and put away. After I’m mountain climbing, I don’t need to have to spend so much of time placing a tripod up and down at any time when I see a chance for a shot.
The Peak Design journey tripod undoubtedly works in that regard as effectively. I’m usually not an enormous fan of flip-lock legs as they will catch on my digital camera bag when establishing and placing away.
Nonetheless, on this case they’re effectively designed in order that doesn’t occur, they usually make arrange and put down a breeze.
The best way the digital camera attaches to the pinnacle additionally works effectively. That is one thing that different tripods don’t all the time do as effectively at, particularly when utilizing the Peak Design carry system which has the carry strap hooked up to the tripod plate.
The Peak Design carry strap hooks on the digital camera base plate can generally get in the best way of straightforward attachment to the tripod head. Clearly, this being a Peak Design tripod, that situation has been thought by way of, and the digital camera simply attaches to the tripod head even with the strap nonetheless hooked up.
There’s additionally a helpful locking mechanism on the tripod head that makes it straightforward to make sure the digital camera is correctly hooked up to the tripod head.
After all, any tripod is just value its salt if it really offers a steady platform for taking pictures from.
I’ve used it with a full-frame mirrorless digital camera paired with a heavy 100-400mm lens, and it carried out very effectively. I additionally used it with my extra regular panorama wide-angle lens, and even with the smartphone adaptor.
Throughout, this tripod carried out very effectively and let me get the photographs I needed, even the lengthy publicity photographs the place the tiniest motion can damage every part.
The ultimate factor I would like in a journey tripod, or any tripod for that matter, is ease of operation.
Now this one was a little bit of a studying curve for me. The design of the Peak Design tripod head is that it slots down into the legs. Nonetheless, you need to partially lengthen the central column (round an inch), to get full motion.
Earlier than I bought used to the tripod, I’d attempt to transfer the pinnacle to the place I needed, however not have the ability to as a result of the pinnacle solely has full freedom of motion as soon as the central column has been partially prolonged.
Extending the central column isn’t onerous, however it’s an extra step to recollect to do.
As soon as the pinnacle is prolonged, adjusting the pinnacle is simple. It’s a ball-style design, and to regulate the angle of the pinnacle you loosen the management ring, transfer the tripod head to the angle you need, after which tighten the management ring.
That is all very straightforward and intuitive when you get used to it. That is actually vital, particularly when you plan on doing any astrophotography or Northern Lights images, as you may must function the tripod in very darkish situations the place you might be working by really feel.
So that’s a variety of optimistic issues. Are there are points I encountered? Nicely, sure.
The primary draw back I found, which is the primary damaging of this tripod, is an absence of separate pan and tilt controls.
Whenever you loosen the management ring to regulate the pinnacle, you possibly can transfer the digital camera up, down, left, and proper. Nonetheless, you possibly can’t pan or tilt individually.
So, for instance, when you’ve got your shot framed virtually completely, however need to shift the view a couple of levels to the left, you need to watch out to not tilt the digital camera up or down on the identical time.
This additionally makes duties like taking pictures panoramas much more difficult. Many tripod heads, together with many ball heads, supply separate pan and tilt controls, so you possibly can pan independently of the lean management.
Now, truthfully, whether or not or not it is a huge deal will rely loads on the pictures you prefer to take. In case you take a variety of panoramas, then it will doubtless be an even bigger situation.
The excellent news is that the management ring additionally controls the friction, that means you possibly can loosen it solely a bit after which simply watch out as you progress the digital camera, with friction in your facet to stop undesirable actions on the flawed axis.
Nonetheless, with a heavy digital camera setup it may be difficult to solely transfer in a single course.
The opposite factor to remember is that over time the flip locks on the tripod leg sections can turn into unfastened, that means that the legs don’t keep prolonged. That is simply an general situation with all flip lock legs on tripods I’ve used.
This could occur with any tripod, however Peak Design have thought forward and included each a software to regulate the leg flip lock tightness, in addition to a helpful clip which lets you connect the adjustment software to a tripod leg.
You simply need to keep in mind to convey this with you whenever you journey, in case a leg wants tightening up whenever you’re within the subject.
Lastly, while the addition of the bubble degree is appreciated, the sunshine colour and manner it’s positioned implies that my digital camera covers most of it up, making it troublesome to see and never very helpful as soon as my digital camera is about up.
Actually, most cameras and smartphones today have a built-in degree function anyway, so I hardly ever use the bubble degree on a tripod, however I needed to say it in case it was vital to you.
Total, I undoubtedly loved utilizing this tripod within the subject, and it has earned a spot in my images bag for certain.
Peak Design Journey Tripod Execs and Cons
Having coated my expertise utilizing the Peak Design journey tripod within the subject I needed to share a fast rundown of what I felt to be the primary execs and cons of this tripod from a journey images perspective.
Execs
- Light-weight, even the aluminum model
- Folds down very small
- Works effectively with the Peak Design clip system
- Very nice tripod bag
- Can convert to tabletop tripod
- Constructed-in smartphone holder
- Lifetime guarantee
Cons
- Costly, particularly for carbon fiber mannequin
- No straightforward panning management
- Some constraint on portrait orientation shot
Total,l I undoubtedly suppose it’s journey tripod. The primary draw back is the associated fee is fairly excessive, particularly if you’re contemplating the carbon fiber mannequin, which prices much more however solely gives a modest lower in weight.
I feel most individuals could be pleased with the aluminum mannequin because the options are the identical.
Peak Design Journey Tripod Options
Whenever you begin researching tripods, you’ll rapidly be taught that there are an incredible many tripods in the marketplace, and truthfully, it may be onerous to inform them aside.
The primary selections will come right down to how a lot you need to spend and the way vital specs like most load capability, most top, minimal top, folded top and so forth. are to you.
Most tripods mess around with these specs, so you must have the ability to discover the proper tripod for you. I needed to focus on a couple of choices to contemplate, and you’ll see extra choices in our information to the greatest journey tripods.
Gitzo Traveler Collection
Any comparability of tripods, particularly high-end tripods, goes to incorporate point out of Gitzo. These are usually considered among the greatest tripods in the marketplace, though they have an inclination to return with a reasonably eye-watering price ticket.
Nonetheless, the Peak Design carbon fiber tripod isn’t precisely a price range mannequin, so I really feel it’s honest to check it towards a tripod of this caliber.
There are fairly a couple of tripods within the Gitzo Traveler sequence. I’d say essentially the most comparable mannequin could be the Gitzo Traveler, sequence 1, 5 part tripod.
This carbon fiber tripod has a most top of 58.46″, a folded measurement of 13.98″, a weight of three.13lbs and a max load capability of 22lbs. It has a retail worth of $719.99.
So in comparison with the Peak Design carbon fiber mannequin, the Gitzo has a barely smaller folded top, weighs barely extra, and has a barely decrease most top.
Vanguard VEO 3 GO 235CB or 265HCB
A fast word, I’m a Vanguard Ambassador and have been since 2014, and I’ve used a variety of their gear through the years, a lot of which I’ve additionally reviewed.
I feel their merchandise supply loads, and I’ve been very pleased with their gear in use all over the world.
The 2 primary tripods I feel they at present produce which you may take into account as an alternative of the Peak Design Journey Tripod could be from the Vanguard VEO 3 Go vary, and particularly the 235CB or 265HCB fashions.
These are each carbon fiber tripods, however with a retail worth round half that of the carbon fiber Peak Design Journey Tripod mannequin.
The 235CB is the smaller tripod, with a most measurement of 53.5″, a folded measurement of 13″, a weight of two.3lbs, and a max load capability of 8.8lbs. It has a retail worth of $269.99.
The carbon fiber variant of the Peak Design tripod has a a lot larger load score and the next most top, but additionally weighs extra and doesn’t fold up as small. It’s additionally greater than twice as costly. One to contemplate when you’ve got a smaller setup that gained’t problem the utmost load score.
The 265HCB is the taller tripod, with a most measurement of 65.5″, a folded measurement of 16.1″, a weight of three.1lbs and a max load capability of 22lbs. It has a retail worth of $339.99.
The carbon fiber variant of the Peak Design tripod has the same load score and a decrease most top, however weighs much less and folds up a bit smaller. It’s almost twice as costly.
Each Vanguard tripods additionally convert to monopods and include a smartphone adaptor and Bluetooth distant shutter set off. They’re additionally obtainable in aluminum, at a cheaper price level and the next weight.
The aluminum VEO 3 Go 235AB retails for $219.99, and the aluminum VEO 3 Go 265HAB retails for $269.99. Usually the best manner to save cash on a journey tripod is to decide on an aluminum mannequin over a carbon fiber one.
In case you’re on this product, or any of the opposite Vanguard merchandise, it can save you cash utilizing our unique Vanguard low cost code. This will provide you with 20% off every part within the Vanguard retailer.
Simply use the code FindingTheUniverse on your low cost! This Vanguard low cost code works within the Vanguard USA, UK, Australia, Spain, and Germany shops.
Do you have to Purchase the Peak Design Journey Tripod?
Actually, solely you possibly can reply this query! Nonetheless, having used it for a variety of months I can undoubtedly say that it’s a well-made tripod. It really works very effectively and has sufficient intelligent design options to make it stand out in a really crowded market.
Whenever you add up all of the little further issues like the great bag, smartphone holder, and compatibility with different Peak Design merchandise, it finally ends up as a very well-rounded product.
After all, there are numerous different tripods in the marketplace at different worth factors, however I don’t suppose you can be disenchanted when you determine to go for it.
You should buy it direct from Peak Design right here, on Amazon right here, and from B&H Picture right here.
Additional Studying
That’s it for my evaluation of the Peak Design journey tripod – I hope you discovered it useful. Earlier than you go, I needed to share a few of our different content material which we predict you’ll discover helpful.
- Our evaluation of the Vanguard VEO 2 265CB tripod after three years of normal use.
- A evaluation of the Vanguard VEO 2Go 265HCBM, the VEO 3+ 263AB and the VEO 3T+ 264CB.
- We now have a information to why you want a tripod, a information to selecting a journey tripod, and a round-up of our favorite journey tripods
- We now have a information to methods to use a compact digital camera, methods to use a DSLR digital camera, and methods to use a mirrorless digital camera. We even have a information to how a DSLR works
- Realizing methods to compose an incredible picture is a key images talent. See our information to composition in images for many tips about this topic
- We now have a information to what depth of subject is and whenever you would need to use it.
- We’re huge followers of getting essentially the most out of your digital picture recordsdata, and do to that you will want to shoot in RAW. See our information to RAW in images to know what RAW is, and why you must swap to RAW as quickly as you possibly can in case your digital camera helps it.
- You’re going to wish one thing to run your picture enhancing software program on. See our information to the perfect laptops for picture enhancing for some tips about what to search for.
- In case you’re on the lookout for extra recommendation on particular suggestions for various situations, we additionally have you ever coated. See our information to Northern Lights images, lengthy publicity images, fireworks images, suggestions for taking pictures of stars, and chilly climate images.
- In case you’re on the lookout for an incredible present for a images loving buddy or member of the family (or your self!), check out our images present information,
- In case you’re out there for a brand new digital camera, we’ve got an in depth information to the greatest journey cameras, in addition to particular guides for the greatest cameras for mountain climbing and backpacking, the greatest compact digital camera, greatest mirrorless digital camera and greatest DSLR digital camera. We even have a information to the greatest digital camera lenses.
- In order for you a digital camera or lens, however the costs are a bit excessive, see our information to the place to purchase used cameras and digital camera gear for some price range financial savings choices.
Trying to Enhance Your Pictures?
In case you discovered this put up useful, and also you need to enhance your images general, you may need to try my on-line journey images course.
Since launching the course in 2016, I’ve already helped over 2,000 college students learn to take higher pictures. The course covers just about every part it is advisable to know, from the fundamentals of how a digital camera works, by way of to composition, mild, and picture enhancing.
It additionally covers extra superior subjects, together with astrophotography, lengthy publicity images, flash images, and HDR images.
You get suggestions from me as you progress, entry to webinars, interviews and movies, in addition to unique membership of a Fb group the place you may get suggestions in your work and participate in common challenges.
It’s obtainable for an incredible one-off worth for lifetime entry, and I feel you must test it out. Which you are able to do by clicking right here.
Word: We had been despatched this product at no cost to see how we preferred it. I selected to write down this evaluation primarily based alone private opinion of the tripod after utilizing it for some time. All opinions are our personal.
