Customer Reviews

Slik Sprint Pro II Tripod in Gun Metal With Quick Release Ball Head & Case

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

------EDIT BEGIN
All, please note that it looks like this tripod has gone through a design change since my posting this review in 2009. The new version appears to no longer have a level, plus other potential changes (I don't have the new version so I can't comment on the newer one)
Please keep all of of this in mind when reading my review below. tnx
------EDIT END

I ordered this tripod to replace one from a manufacturer that rhymes with Hogan :-) Figure it out. LOL.

Pros:
--Weighs in at 2 lbs 4 oz.
--Extends to 67" from ground to platen.
--19 inches collapsed, so it can fit in a backpack (with a few inches sticking out)
--Padded booties on the upper most segment... a joy for walking around with the tri in your hand.
--3 Lockable leg positions. Narrow, wide, and super wide for getting the tripod near the ground.
--*invertable stem*! Just unscrew the stem in the middle, pull it out, invert, screw back... and HELLO... you have a tripod for doing close-up macro shots!
--Separable stem- can unscrew lower portion and leave it off... so you can collapse the tripod down near the ground.
--3 leg segments. While it limits how short it'll be once it is collapsed, you can extend/retract fewer segments faster (i.e., 9 clips vs. 12 for a 4 segment design)
--Head can adjust pitch by about 300 degrees, roll/tilt by about 90 degrees, and 360 yaw**(with caveats, see cons)
--Ability to hold a Canon T1i *with* a 200mm lens fully extended without droop.
--Has liquid-level.
--Hackable: most parts on it have obvious ways of removing/dis-assembly using screws or threads rather than being punched or welded in place. If you're creative you may be able to do some interesting things with this feature. In my case, I unscrewed and drilled the plastic cap at the bottom of the stem, installed a J-hook, and pow! I can now hang my camera bag from it. My other tripod is well constructed, but quite a few of its components look like they've been welded or heavy-pressed in place... so no dis-assembly and therefore diminished mod-ability.

Cons:
--Yaw is the most odd part of the design. There is a 1mm hex screw that locks yaw in place. If you loosen this, you can have "free-er" yaw, but on mine, its still very tight even with the hex bolt removed. If you adjust the yaw clockwise while holding the stem, its fine, if you adjust yaw counterclockwise the head unscrews (unless you torque it down really tight which I don't want to do).
-Platen lock mechanism: There is a plastic pin in there thats designed to assist in mounting the cam. It'll hold the latch open until the platen is dropped in. Mine is already wearing and has failed. Not a big deal... I just hold the latch open before I mate the platen into the head, but I think the design for this can stand to improve... at a minimum change the plastic pin to an aluminum one.


Summary:
If this was a $200+ tripod, I'd give it 4 stars given the cons. For a sub-$100 tripod, it easily earns 5 stars. You want a portable, sturdy tripod, here it is.

Totally agree with Persepolis' review, so I'll add just a few extra comments.

Pros:
-Aluminum construction. This means solid, jitter-free construction versus overpriced, plastic-construction tripods from Best Buy. I just shake my head at the Best Buy tripods.
-Amazingly portable due to its low mass and collapsible, 3-section leg design.

Cons:
-The lowest leg sections are thin and small (diameter-wise). Great for reducing weight, but bad for stability. I recommend extending the smallest section last.
-A little unstable when fully extended. I'm 6'2", and to get the tripod to a comfortable height requires full leg extension and almost full extension of the stem. While vibration dampening is still good, the tripod has a tendency to twist about the center axis. So I rarely use it fully extended. I just extend the legs, leave the stem almost the entire way down, and squat to the viewfinder. :-/
-No pan. I know it's a ball head, and Slik doesn't claim it can pan. But it would be great to have pan as well since I love to shoot multiple-image panoramics. The ball head either allows several degrees of freedom (untightened) or none at all (tightened).

With much deliberation between this tripod and the one with the three way tilt head I chose the ball head for one main reason, it is more compact and streamlined when carrying it. This little tripod is awesome and I have put it through the ringer with my D300. There is one little issue that could make this product so much better. The surface area for the mount is tiny, very tiny and the friction between the screw mount and the camera loosens way before the ball head. The three way head has a larger mount and not sure if it would present the same problems. Shooting horizontal I had no problems of the head moving, even with my 70-300mm FULLY extended! vertical was a different story and that was because of the rotational force on the mount. The screw just loosened. I guess I could have flipped the camera to the other side so instead of loosening it would tighten but that would put the shutter under the camera and it is very un-natural. With my smaller lenses this wasn't much of a problem. So for small lenses and a medium to light camera body this tripod is amazing, for larger cameras and lenses the horizontal orientation works best.

Pros: Light, small, sturdy, well built, extends to almost 6 feet, lowers to under 8 inches
Cons: Small mount plate causes camera droop on vertical shots.
Best for: Home, Hiking, Backpacking, Car - overall travel tripod
Would not recommend for: Studio

I needed a tripod for a class I was taking. The instructors highly recommend the use of tripods. I needed something better than the 50.00 one I had bought in the past. So I thought this one sounded ideal. Yes, it is lightweight. However, I like to use my 55-200mm zoom on my Nikon D3000 DSLR, and when my camera is mounted on the tripod and the shutter releases, the action of the shutter releasing actually makes the tripod (& my camera- negating the use of a tripod) move! And this camera has no mirror lock-up feature so I don't have the benefit of that, even. If I'm looking through the viewfinder when the shutter opens & closes, I can even see the camera move. Wow. It may be OK for a DSLR with a regular lens, but I typically use this zoom and it's no good for that.
Also, if it's windy out, I'm pretty sure I see the tripod sway in the breeze.
So now I'm about to buy a more expensive tripod, and I want one that's good and solid this time! Otherwise what's the point of using a tripod, anyway?

I have mixed feelings about this tripod. It is light enough to not be a bother to take on hikes or on a vacation. It appears to be well constructed. However, the ball head that comes with this tripod is another matter. It's extremely flimsy, and I would not trust it with anything heavier than my 7 oz. point-and-shoot Canon 720 IS. My Panasonic G2 weighs about a pound and a half, and the ball head does not securely support it, especially in portrait mode. The contact between the camera and the ball head is just over one square inch. I bought a more sturdy head for the tripod, and although it's quite a bit heavier than the original ball head, the 3.5 square inch contact between this new head and the camera body provides a much more secure grip.

I really researched tripods. But could not afford some of the nicer ones. Well believe me this tripod does not disappoint me and is sturdy enough for my D5000. I played with it this a.m. and no complaints. It is light and I look forward to using it on some of my hikes!

This is an amazing buy! For under $100 you get a versatile tripod that will work for general use as well as macro. Its lightweight and also comes with a cool case that makes it easy to take around. I've only had it for a few days, but am quite pleased with it and am looking forward to getting some great shots with this gem! If you're on a tight budget but want a good, quality tripod, your search is over!

I needed a tripod for my DMC-GH1 camera for my trip to Russia in May this year. After searching the horizon on Internet for a suitable device, I arrived at this model in the strict terms of portability (weight and folded size) and functionality (near ground and 60"+ fully extended shots). Coupled with a third-party ball head (Vanguard SBH-50), I got myself a superbly portable and functional device. With the latest trend in the new Four Thirds cameras, this device will be the best choice among devices now available in the market, including ones made with fibers. With its capacity of up to a load of 2 Kg, there is ample room to deal with even heavier lenses when they become available (mine is a 14-140mm zoom lens).

This is actually the first tripod I own, except an old chucky antique in the garage. I was looking for a light weight and durable tripod under $100 for my Canon EOS Rebel T2i 18 MP CMOS APS-C Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD and EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens, and after reading several reviews and internet searching, I finally chose this one. It works great for portraits and even occational tele-shot. It has solid construction and is very easy to release and fold. I think it is ideal for traveling with its size and weight.

The only concern I have is the ball head, which is cheap. When I am using the Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras, there is alway some tiny shift after I screw the ball head tight, which annoyed me several times when focusing. Also you can't span with the ball head tight. Although I don't use level much, it's still a pity that the tripod does not have it, considering even some cheaper ones have.

You will not be disappointed with this product. I live on lake Camanche in California and I use it with my Barsak Scope to check out birds, boats and critters. It is stable and adjusts up or down easily. I was pleasently suprised.