Customer Reviews

Slik SPRINT PRO Travel Tripod with Ball Head

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

- 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.

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.

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.

For its size and weight, this is a nice little tripod. Great for backpacking. The included ball head is much easier to set than multi-axis style heads but you have to make sure it is securely tightened before you let go. I've got a bigger Slik tripod that is taller and sturdier for use at home, but this one is great for hikes.
Slik (as well as Manfrotto, Bogen and Gitzo) is a true photographer quality tripod. It's in a completely different league than Velbon.

The newest addition to my ever growing photo equipment collection. I needed a very compact full featured lightweight tripod that would set up quick, have a 60" max height or better, stiff enough ballhead so that it could handle a mid sized DSLR and a decent sized lens without creep, stiff enough legs to hold still in breezes, be able to pan, and to get down low to the ground without a bunch of hassle, for less than 100.00.

I thought I was asking way too much, but.. the Slik Sprint delivered all that for me and at less cost! It even comes with hidden spike feet (for snow etc..) that come out when you screw the rubber ones in, now thats handy! It even makes for a great around the house tripod being easy to set up and very compact.

One heck of a deal as long as you don't expect too much out of it.

-Carl

www.carlgarrardphotography.com

I use a Leica D-Lux 3, and wanted a tripod that complimented this camera. I debated whether to get a higher end Gitzo that could accommodate a DSLR if I ever got back into lugging the heavy stuff around again(which I did when I was younger, and shot film). When I found this tripod at B&H I really was happy. It has all the features I wanted, and the price was great. It is fast and easy to set up,and I actually take it with me, which I probably wouldn't do with a heavier unit. For my small camera this is an excellent tripod. The Leica is really beyond a point and shoot,and a tripod brings out the full quality of the camera. (By the way, for those new to tripods,you use the self timer or a cable release to take the photo in order to avoid camera movement. For a good discussion of tripods, Ballheads, etc. I suggest the Really Right Stuff website).

This tripod is very lightweight and compact. I took it to Europe and put it inside my backpack when I was out sightseeing. It is easy to give the ball head a snug twist and lock it down very tight. But what I like most about this tripod is its versatility. The legs will lock into three different angles providing maximum height or maximum stability and minimum height as needed. Plus most of the center post can be unscrewed to get the camera low to the ground and the center post can be inverted so the camera hangs down between the tripod legs for shots very low to the ground.

It is a very sturdy tripod for its weight and size, although it is certainly not as steady as a ten pound studio behemoth. But for a lightweight, compact and versatile tripod you can throw in your backpack and walk around with all day, this is a great tripod.

Weaknesses:
- When putting a digital SLR in portrait orientation, the camera body can bump into the tripod leg or the center post height adjustment knob, preventing the camera from sitting straight. This can be remedied by simply rotating the ball head to a location between the tripod legs, but when making adjustments left and right after you've got it set up, the tripod legs tend to get in the way.
- The ball head provides no resistance at all when the lever is loosened. If you let go of your camera it will abruptly swing down and possibly bump the lens barrel on the tripod leg. This isn't such a problem once you get used to it.

This tripod is great for those long hikes or packback trips. Its light weight and extends to eye level or down to ground level. Not good in the vertical position, it couldn't support my Nikon D80 with 17-55mm 2.8 lens. Just stick to horizontal position. Can't beat the price.

A perfect blend of sturdy and light. I am very pleased with this tripod for my canon rebel XT. This product is well made and should last a long time. I purchased a bogen quick release head for it that is also sweet.

I have a Bogen-Manfrotto tripod and it is built like a tank ...but it also *weighs* as much as a tank and it's sized like one too. I travel for a living (and take pictures for fun) so I needed a very portable (as in it fits in a backpack/carry-on bag) best-bang-for-the-buck small tripod and the Sprint Pro fit the bill perfectly.

It's a neat little tripod, beautifully simplistic yet surprisingly stable and versatile; this is not a cheap piece of junk. And while it doesn't compare to the rock-solid stance of my Bogen it does a quite credible job if you respect its limitations ...I have been able to take shots I wouldn't have had I not brought this little tripod with me ...and in the end that's what really counts. The ball head is functional and quite capable of handling my Nikon D40 and factory 15-55mm lens. If you want to up the "cool factor" (or change to a quick disconnect style of ball head) the factory head can be removed but, so far, I've found no reason to swap it out.

As a secondary/travel tripod the Sprint Pro is hard to beat ...it's a Slik little tripod....