Slik SPRINT PRO Travel Tripod with Ball Head

by Slik

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 19.5 x 3.5 x 3.5 inches ; 2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00009R6QP
• Item model number: 611-840
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #65 in Electronics > Camera & Photo > Tripods & Monopods > Tripod Legs
• Date first available at Amazon.com: April 18, 2005

Product Description

Slik designers carefully examined the trends in compact digital cameras and the needs of those owners. Then they created a new tripod from the ground up. The Slik Sprint Pro has the features that are required of a full-sized tripod. A maximum height of 64 inches reaches eye level, yet the Sprint Pro folds to an impressively compact 18.9 inches and weighs in at just 31.4 ounces (a fraction less than 2 pounds) for easy travel.

The emphasis with the Sprint Pro is on ease of use. Any tripod should be easy to use, so that more time is spent concentrating on the subject and enjoying photography, than stressing about the equipment. This tripod makes setting up simple and secure with fast, easy to use Slik speed-release leg locks, gearless center column for quick height adjustments, and 3 position adjustable angle legs for easy set-up on uneven ground or steps.

The adjustable leg angles can also be used to lower the tripod. When used with the built-in short center column (the included center column unscrews into two pieces), the camera is just 6.4 inches off the ground for extremely low-angle or macro photography out in the field. Another way to get the camera low is to reverse the center column which could be used for macro photography or copy work.

Slik even designed a new head for the Sprint series. This ball head features a precision-milled aluminum ball for smooth reliable camera movements. This head can easily handle a camera up to 4.5 pounds in weight.

The Slik Sprint Pro is available in either Silver or Gun Metal Black.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best travel tripod for under $100, December 22, 2005

By 

WhoKeeps "MovingMyCheese?" (Here, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Slik SPRINT PRO Travel Tripod with Ball Head (Electronics)

- very wonderfully lightweight

- fits nicely in carry-on bag

- I compared this with the Velbon ultra series and to me the Slik Sprint Pro is much much better. To me the tripod is easier to set up than the Ultra, and feels much more solid. (I have read in various posts that the legs of the Velbon ultra variants are prone to breakage as well, and my impression of them from trying them in-store did not inspire confidence.)

- Adjustable to low shooting position, detachable split center column works quite nicely.

- The supplied ballhead is really pretty good, but it is interchageable if you want to use something else. I passed on a head with QR because any QR plate would cover my P&S battery hatch anyway.

- The gun metal gray looks quite spiffy, actually.

- I called several shops in my metro area and could not find anyone who carried it; I was not happy with the Velbon ultra's so I decided to order the Slik Sprint Pro sight unseen (B&H). Very happy with the choice.

- The Velbon ultra's have gotten a big boost from that Popular Photography write-up a while back, but in my opinion they are way overrated.

- Slik Sprint Pro -- best travel tripod under $100 (under 2 pounds, fits in carry-on, deploys to standing eye-level).

- weakness -- I'm using the Slik Sprint Pro with a Canon PowerShot -- it is great with a digital P&S. I think it would work OK with a small dslr and lens (say a Rebel XT and 17-85) but definitely not for anything larger -- but then that's not the mission for a travel tripod (as defined here) anyway.

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars solid and light, January 3, 2007

By 

I. Wan (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Slik SPRINT PRO Travel Tripod with Ball Head (Electronics)

Don't expect this to be the best tripod ever, but it's still an excellent tripod.

It's pretty well built and looks pretty nice. It's light. I can carry this with my camera bag without problems.
I'm 6 feet tall and when extended all the way, I can almost use it at eye level.

I've used this with my Canon Xti, but also with my point and shoot SD630 as well as my Panasonic video camera. I leave it on my living room where I shoot most of my kid's pictures. I can quickly and easily setup any of my cameras.

My heaviest lenses is the Canon 75-300 IS and this tripod handles it quite fine.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Slick Little Tripod!, January 3, 2007

By 

J. S. Haugdahl "photonut001" (Eagan, MN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Slik SPRINT PRO Travel Tripod with Ball Head (Electronics)

What I like about this tripod is that it's easy to travel with - compact and lightweight yet sturdy and at an affordable price point. It's not as sturdy as a high-end Giottos or Manfrotto, but far better than the cheap lightweight aluminum models out there. The ball head is not large, but sufficient to lock down a DSLR with the kit lens or moderate telephoto. I discovered that it cannot lock down DSLR with a larger, heavier telephoto (such as Nikon 80-200mm f2.8), but with your hands assisting while composing a shot, it definitely helps to steady things. Again, sturdy for the size, nice finish, even allows you to lock the legs out wide for a low shot - overall an excellent price ratio/feature tradeoff.