Customer Reviews

Velbon DF-60 Dual Function Light Weight Tripod

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Like the other reviewer - I checked out tripods at a camera store. Hadn't heard of Velbon, but a quick Internet search showed them to be a recognized name in tripods. I needed a tripod for my Nikon D50 (especially with the 70-300mm zoom lens), and perhaps a video camera, and the DF-60 fit the bill - lightweight, quick to set up, leveling bubble, detachable baseplate, etc. Sure, it's pretty much all plastic, but if you take care of your equipment - shouldn't make that much difference for non-professional use. It's stable enough with the built-in leg brace spreader. The price at the camera store was almost $70 - Amazon beat them by a mile. Received it in a few days. So far - everything I though it would be. Highly recommended if you need a lighweight tripod. Now I need to get a bag so I can sling it over my shoulder.

Really worth the money. I was kinda iffy about ordering this sight unseen and I had never heard of the company...as I really wanted a sturdy tripod but didn't want to spend over $75. I can say this is an excellent tripod and based on this product I would say that if all their products are of the same quality then I would try other of their products and have recommended them to friends.

I like to do a lot of night shooting with my digital camera (Fuji Finepix S6000fd which is a great little camera). This winter the little spikes at the ends of the legs really helped stabilized the tripod in the ice. I was also comfortable walking away from the camera and knowing it would not fall over in the wind. The only way the camera was falling over is if someone bumped into the tripod. I also really like the quick release feature of the tripod to capture pictures quickly away from the tripod.

My only two reasons for not giving it 5 stars are 1) it didn't come with a case which would have been nice and 2) I am a little concerned about the screws getting stripped in the panning handle, but so far my fears have been unfounded. All things considered I was really happy with my new tripod.

Like some of the other reviewers, I was a little skeptical about this tripod. Not only because I haven't heard of this brand before but for the price.. I didn't think I could find such a nice tripod at this price range. I'm not a professional but you don't need to be one to recognize when something looks cheap and flimsy. Something this tripod certainly is not.

Build quality is just excellent. Controls feel smooth and precise. It tilts so you can take portraits. I even like its weight: Light enough to carry it around without too much trouble and heavy enough to ensure stability (which is needed considering no one wants to put his SLR camera with a 1000+ dollar lens on a unstable tripod). As one user said, the little spikes at the end of the legs add to stability when needed on some terrains.

Size is excellent too: when folded you get a small tripod for all purposes and when fully extended, the camera visor is a couple of centimeters over my eyes (I'm 5'8") so in other words, unless you want something so small you can put onto a desk or table (which makes it unsuitable for an SLR), or something bigger tan a crane (joke), this is the right tripod for virtually every kind of situation.

It works with any kind of camera since the screw is standard but I find little sense in buying a tripod this size to be used it with a pocket-sized camera (although you could use with it if you want anyway). But whether you got a compact camera like sony H-series (2,5,7 or 9) or canon's S3/5 IS, or a SLR, this is a very good investment. I've had lots of fun with it using my remote. Now I can be into my own pictures too :)

I do have to agree with the dissenting reviewer, this should not be labeled a 'light weight' tripod. I have a Zeikos tripod slightly shorter (and much lighter) that handles my small digital camera and camcorder fine, but when the tripod is lighter than the camera, it is a recipe for disaster. This was the case with my Nikon D90 DSLR with 75-300 telephoto lens, I needed a more sturdy and stable tripod to hold the camera without tip-toeing around it to set up my shot. The Velbon DF-60 tripod does just the trick at a very reasonable price.

Another reviewer mentioned that he had to rotate the tripod around to get the head level. I experimented with this on a level surface and found this to be a potential issue. Using a small torpedo level, I checked the nice, built-in bubble on the tripod, set legs so that was centered, and then, panning the head around, found it was tilted slightly to the right, in the leg configuration I would use to normally set it up. I checked the pan/tilt assembly (used to swing camera 90 degrees for portrait shots) to make sure it was clean, but it 'wants' to come down another degree or so. For outdoor/landscape/general shooting, this should not pose a noticeable problem. Doing studio work, portraits, seascapes, etc., I find that if I swing the legs around so the "Velbon" label on the legs is between my knees, the head is level, left-to-right.

People should also check the nifty leveling screws at the bottom of the tripod legs, the three of them should be consistent so the base will be level on a level floor. I find the feature of exposing the spikes for outdoor/icy work to be real nice, I've used it already.

It would have been nice if this came with a case, but the Amazon recommended (at bottom of product page) nylon case that I purchased at the same time is just the right size and very good for the price: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002E1TYK/ref=oss_product - it comes with a shoulder strap.

Also, I missed it in the product description - "featuring... quick release camera platform", in other words, the base plate for the quick-release that mounts to the camera. So, in error, I also bought a "Velbon QB-5W - Quick release plate" for a few dollars, and now have two, which might not be a bad thing. The QR plate is flat on the bottom and I've been leaving it semi-permanently attached to the base of the D90 DSLR for now. It clicks into the head of the tripod securely and I feel comfortable with it, though I do wish there was a positive lock, as mentioned previously.

So, now I've got the light-weight Zeikos for hiking and checking with the luggage when traveling, and now this fine Velbon DF-60 for studio-quality work, as well as being light enough to pack around if a lot of tripod shooting is anticipated.

Now it's home is near the kitchen patio door, where I can quickly bring it out on the deck and snap the camera on for long-exposure sunset and telephoto shots here in Colorado Springs.

In short, for the price paid, this tripod is heavy and sturdy enough to do studio-quality work, and light enough that it travels well while handling relatively heavy DSLR/telephoto setups. Thanks for reading, Lorin Boyack

I have a D90 with a 70-300mm and this tripod handles it with no problem. For the price, this is an awesome tripod.

Although I've only had it for a day and took it out for a spin last night, I'm satisfied with this unit. As others have mentioned, it has just the right balance of weight vs. stability. I'm confident that it can withstand fairly adverse terrain and conditions. Even though it does have various plastic parts scattered throughout, it feels solidly built, and for $50 you really cannot ask for a better tripod.

The fully extended height is more than plentiful for a majority of applications and, most importantly, the head action is smooth on all axes. It holds my XSi with a Tamron 75-300mm WITH EASE. If you are to use it for D/SLR shooting this is definitely the way to go... cannot comment on how well it holds up for heavier video units.

This is my first tripod, and it seems to be a good one for the money. Very flexible in terms of setup and it is plenty sturdy. The balancing screws on the feet are nice. Easy to set up and easy to carry.

I wanted a sturdier tripod than the dinky $10 one I have. I definitely wouldn't take my chances with my DSLR on that cheap thing. This one definitely fit the bill and seemed like the best fit for my needs and budget based on reviews. It's not too pricey and it seems very sturdy for what you get. There are some plastic parts, but I suppose that is expected for the price. For my purpose as a beginning photographer, it works great. I also like that it's black as opposed to gray, but that's my personal preference.

I mainly use it for macro photography with my Canon Rebel XTI and Canon 100mm macro lens. I wouldn't be able to get tack-sharp pictures without it in low-light situations.

I highly recommend this tripod for someone who is on a tight budget and wants something sturdier than some of the lower-cost tripods. It fits my needs nicely.

This thing is very steady, however there is one thing I don't like about is that the level trigger thing in the middle is very annoying. When I roll it to the high level it cannot handle heavy camera to hold on to it. I wish there is a lock button to hold it.

Calling this tripod light weight is like calling a PC portable. I purchased this tripod exclusively for use at my daughter's school functions, dance recitals, etc. Although the quality appears to be excellent for the price, I returned it immediately after removing it from the box as I had no intention of lugging around something that is trying to pass itself off as a light weight tripod. I was able to purchase a Sunpack QSX 2001 locally with virtually identical specs weighting about one - third the weight of the Velbon and same build quality.