Customer Reviews

Davis & Sanford VOYAGER3H Voyager Tripod with 3 Way Pan and Tilt Head

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Pros:
Not too expensive
Fairly sturdy
Highly adjustable legs
Bubble level
Quick release lever and lock
Removable hook

Cons:
Legs are stiff
Head could be smoother
The head screw will loosen if you turn the head to the left because the left/right movement of the head is stiffer than the head/tripod screw attachment. Be careful or you'll screw the head right off!
Compass is a bit of joke. Doesn't work well, but it's tiny so I don't expect it too.
Takes a long time to unscrew the vertical stem
The bag it came with was all moldy, but otherwise, it's a decent bag

This is much better than the cheap tripods, but is not the quality of more expensive ones. It's nice and moderate and a good value if you're looking for something in between.

My tripod broke and because of the money I have in my camera I wanted to invest in a better one. To my surprise this one was the worse investment I have every made. I had used it three times when the head/base stripped the screw holding it to the legs. I caught it before it hit the floor with my camera on it. I returned it to Amazon and to date have not heard from them nor have I received a refund. Do not buy this flawed tripod.

I have seen travel tripods before but the Vista Voyager (Tiffen) provides a very cool combination of size, features, ingenuity, and price. It's a lightweight aluminum grounder tripod (minimum height 11") featuring a three-way adjustable pan-and-tilt FZ10 head; four-section, three-position, snap-lock legs; and bubble levels on the head and yoke. It's even got a directional compass set into the tripod base! It has an easy to use quick lift two-section centerpost so I can take pictures close to the ground or high up with wing lock control for rapid adjustment and locking. I like the bottom centerpost hook to hang my accessories . It even comes with a good quality padded carrying bag. My Nikon D90 works well with this package. I am really happy with the quality and finish of this tripod.

I use this tripod for a Nikon D700 with sports lenses (large lenses). It has the capacity to hold the weight and is stable. The locking ring for the main column could be better. It tightens, but I'd like to see a more positive feel to it. The legs extend easily and quickly. However, with this said, I only use this set up when I'm not moving around a lot and not in crowded conditions. For these situtations, I use a monopod with a high weight capacity head attached.

It has a bubble level, but haven't needed it. I have not had the issues with the head coming off. Just be careful on what you are turning and which direction you are turning it. Like anything else, get to know it before you are out in a field, at night using it for the first time.

Added benefit is a quick release plate. I keep quick release adapters on my big lenses so this makes changing things quick and easy.

Note, this is not a rugged tripod. If you need something that will survive a fall, etc... look elsewhere (reread comment on monopod above). This is a carry-to-the-game sidelines tripod or a take-a-picture-of-the-night-sky tripod. If you buy this tripod with these expectations, you will be okay.

I received the tripod with some damage and Amazon.com's customer service fixed the issue within seconds or minutes.
As for the tripod; for the price it's hard to go wrong. I read some bad reviews, but my sister has a different tripod model from this company and it worked great so I went ahead and ordered this one.
I highly recommend you unscrew/remove the tripod head and make sure the bolt under there is snug against the base, then screw the head back onto the tripod with the tension screw for left to right movement tightened all the way so you can snug the head down onto the tripod base. This corrects the only issue I had, which was the head unscrewing as you panned to the left. Now it is a perfect setup! So be aware that you might have to make some minor adjustments to get this tripod setup properly.

I had to return mine. The quick release lever broke within the first few minutes of use. I'm sure Tiffen could have sent me a replacement, but Amazon has such a fantastic return policy that I just returned it. The break should just be an anomaly, but it was a cast metal part (it broke on the underside, the part that holds the head of the bolt keeping it in place). So I ordered a Cullmann Magnesit 519 instead, which arrived today. I am very happy with this one so far. Another issue with the Davis & Sanford Voyager is that the QR plate on the pan head is too large for a narrow-bodied interchangeable lens camera (such as the Panasonic GF1, GF2, GF3, G3, Olympus EP-1/2/3, Sony NEX(?)). The problem is that some of the lenses extend below the body of the camera so if you have a large QR plate, the lens won't fit. Aside from the broken part, it seemed to work well for the very short time I had it. The bag did smell strongly of oil as others have mentioned. The tripod did seem very stable, at least for m4/3 or similar size/weight cameras.

I recently purchased the Vanguard PH-22 Panhead and changed it for this:

The FZ10 has the following benefits. I am using this only as a Video head for the purposes of this review, mounting the great Sanyo FH1 camcorder:

Smoother tilt, I was able to find a happy medium position where it held enough without locking up.
It also remained more consistent, with consistent force required to get it started on a movement.

A separate pan lock/drag control, very useful (the PH-22 has a combined pan/tilt lock)

Also of note:

The VOYAGER Tripod legs have the ability to mount both 1/4" and 3/8" inch heads with it's double ended threaded insert.

The PH-22 does have far superior tactile feel (that silky matt/smooth feel) to the handles compared to the regular plastic feel of the FZ10.
It's also 1/2" shorter if that matter to you.


On a side note, I wish all these heads were setup with the tilt at the top nearer the lens center. For my money I would prefer the horizon adjust bellow the tilt.

I have used a Davis & Sanford Magnum Tripod for the past 8 years, rugged and sturdy. Since I use a tripod in just about every shot I had received great value out of it and I mean I abused it! In short, for my replacement naturally I wanted another Davis & Sanford tripod...although one slightly shorter and not as heavy.

The D&S Voyager3H with tilt and pan fits the criteria! 2 pounds lighter and 7 inches shorter. So far it has been great. Although, I had to expect some change. It's maximum height is 58", not 67" as before, but to get the 21" length @ 4lbs versus the older one 28", 6lbs I had to concede something. Price purchase: the new tripod was $69, the previous was $180. So with its light weight, compact design, 3-way tilt/pan head, bubble level(s) and a carry case I'm very pleased. It's study also, although not as sturdy as the heavy one. Can't complain yet, for it hasn't screwed me up yet, just something that I can slightly notice compared to the old.

CNB

Tripod seems to be of very good quality. Very light and compact. Pan Head assembly is very good and very smooth. Maybe a bit tight, but very smooth and even. Legs are rigid and straight. Quick releases seem to work well, but they are plastic and have no means for adjustment of tightness as they are used over time. Overall I am very pleased.

I've been looking for a semi-pro tripod without having to spend an arm and a leg.... Purchasing the Davis & Sanford Vista Voyager3H Tripod with the FZ10 Head by Tiffen was the best decision made after a long grueling search for the perfect tripod..... Not only the product was packaged securely, the tripod itself was built very well. As an added bonus Vista Voyager was priced reasonably and is able to handle 10lbs of total weight, which eliminated the issue with stability. The Vista Voyager3H is perfect for my Canon EOS 50D with an attached battery grip and 70-300mm telephoto lens. The quality of this product puts my mind at ease that my investment will not topple-over!!! For hobbyist who is in search for a semi-pro and light weight travel tripod. The Vista Voyager3H Tripod is a perfect choice......