Velbon Ultra Maxi SF Tripod with Ball and Socket Head

by Velbon

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 13.2 x 3.5 x 3.5 inches ; 2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00020H3H6
• Item model number: ULTRA-MAXISF
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: April 23, 2004

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Ideal for photographers on the move, the Ultra Maxi SF is the lightest of Velbon's four Ultra models, with a weight of only 1.65 pounds and a folded length of only 12.87 inches. As a result, you can take this tripod virtually anywhere, including on train trips through Europe or hikes into the mountains. The tripod is distinguished by its unique "twist-lock" leg system, which requires only a quick twist and pull to extend the legs to the proper height, and another twist to lock them in place. Users will also appreciate the two-section center column and multi-angle legs, which let you take the Ultra Maxi SF all the way down to 6.2 inches for serious low-angle photography (the maximum height is 48 inches). And thanks to the sturdy PH-343 ball and socket head, it's easy to position the camera in a variety of angles. The Ultra Maxi SF, which offers a suggested load capacity of 6.6 pounds (enough for most 35mm and digital cameras), comes with a carrying case.

What's in the Box
Tripod, removable head, rubber feet, carrying case.

Product Description

Tripod with Ball Head and Twist Lock Legs with Grounder

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect Travel Tripod, July 30, 2007

By 

J. Beers "TechNut" (Washington, D.C.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Velbon Ultra Maxi SF Tripod with Ball and Socket Head (Electronics)

I'll admit I was skeptical of paying $120+ for such a tiny tripod, but my skepticism was unfounded. This tripod is great. I just returned from 10 days in Eastern Europe and the compact size and ultra-light weight of this tripod made it perfect for the killer stairs of the Prague Castle. The legs deploy and collapse with a simple twist and the unit feels very solid considering its light weight. I was shocked to see guys walking around with full-sized tripods, I can only imagine what a pain that was.

One recommendation: pick up the Velbon QRA-3 - Quick release adapter, as manually fastening the camera to the tripod for each use will get old quickly. I just ordered mine from B&H PhotoVideo (about $30 w/shipping). There are other quick-releases out there, but the velbon unit weighs just 2 oz and should compliment the tripod well.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a great tripod!, May 9, 2007

By 

jlow (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Velbon Ultra Maxi SF Tripod with Ball and Socket Head (Electronics)

I bought this tripod right before a 12 day trip to China. It was light and compact, but very sturdy and versatile. I took group pictures on the Great Wall (go to Mutianyu site outside Beijing-tram to get up to the wall, toboggan slide back to the tour bus-awesome!), night photos in Xian (Gold and Silver pagodas). Steady as a rock, quick to compact down, it held my Nikon dSLR and zoom lens without any fear of camera being too heavy. I've been looking for a ultracompact tripod for travelling and such and this is THE one!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ball and socket is lacking, but size, wieght and sturdiness are second to none, July 18, 2007

By 

Samir Jain (Raleigh, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Velbon Ultra Maxi SF Tripod with Ball and Socket Head (Electronics)

I'm fairly new to the world of photography and I needed a tripod that was relatively inexpensive. My other primary concern was that it's light and folds up small. I was planning on taking this tripod with me hiking and travelling so it needed to easily fit into my backpack and shouldn't add too much weight. After reading some reviews of the more inexpensive brands, I decided to spring for it and spend the money on this Velbon.

Sturdiness:
Very sturdy, even with extension arm. Wind really wasn't a problem at all and never did I feel like it was going to collapse under the weight of my dSLR.

Portability:
This is where this tripod really shines. Folded up, it's a little over 1 foot long. It fits across the bottom of my backpack with ease, takes up no space at all. It's also very light, I really don't notice a difference on my back when it's in the bag and when it's out of the bag.

Height:
To be honest, I wish it unfolded just a few inches taller. It comes up to about my chest (neck if the extension arm is extended). That can make composing hard shots sort of a pain on the back, but for it's folded size, it's a concession I'm glad to make

Ease of use:
The ultra maxi both shines and falters here. The twist lock motion of the legs took a few days to get used to, but once I got the hang of it, it was incredibly easy to use. Just 4 clicks when twisting one way unlocks, 4 clicks the other way locks. VERY nice, VERY simple (once you get used to it). The real setback of this tripod is the included head. First, the lack of quick release is a REAL hindrance. I found myself not using it sometimes because I didn't feel like screwing/unscrewing my camera onto it. I'm also always afraid I'm going to drop the camera during this process. Once I did get it screwed on, the ball and socket were hard to adjust. In essense, you can only adjust one tilt plane at a time (first, you have to adjust the forward/backward tilt, rotate the ball socket, then adjust the left/right tilt. This was sincere pain.


So in conclusion, I'm very happy with this purchase. I'll probably be replacing the head with a quick release version that's also easier to adjust, but all in all, I'm glad I spent the money (it was a little out of my budget).