Customer Reviews

Velbon VideoMate-607/F Heavy-Duty Tripod with Case

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I spent A LOT of time trying to find a reasonably priced tripod that had true fluid-head smooth panning and tilting. I have my own videography business, and had spent $100 on a tripod that was jerky when you tried to pan or tilt. This velbon cost $60 and is incredibly smooth for pan and tilt. The tripod is a little bit too light weight. i wish it was a bit sturdier. but other than that, excellent tripod for the price. To get a significantly better tripod, you'd have to pay at least $180.

update: 8.1.07

after having used this tripod for close to a year, it no longer performs well. the camera sits crooked on the head now and the tripod is useless.

For the price, this is a great tripod. I've used my previous velbon 587-C for 5 years straight, and found it light, easy to travel with, with a perfectly fluid head. Whoever wrote that it's jerky may not realize that there are individual tension settings for every component, so you can set the tension to be light & quick or rock-steady. I shoot with a canon GL1, mainly live events and bands, and I've found this to be a perfectly suited solution at an excellent price.

Though it is mostly plastic, the tripod is surprisingly sturdy and the fluid head movement is great. You can perform smooth pans and tilts in almost any direction without it being jerky. (Only problem is that because it's so light, the tripod will get knocked onto its side if you pan too fast. The best way to counter that is to keep one hand on the base of the tripod.) This is a great tripod if you want to make more sophisticated looking home movies as opposed to the "turn-it-on-and-leave-it-there" look of most videos.

I bought this tripod on a whim because I needed a fluid-head tripod for some shots I was getting of my college campus for a video project. It was 80 bucks from Samy's Camera, a much better price than most fluid-head tripods, and I was skeptical at first. But a few days and a dozen tapes later, I'm very impressed. The fluid movement is very smooth, and has allowed me to get some great-looking pan/tilt shots of my campus. The quick release is convenient, the built-in level has been very handy, and the overall construction is solid. I would definitely recommend this to any amateur filmmaker on a budget.

Tripod worked well and seemed sturdy. However, after six months (about 5 uses), an internal plastic part broke on a leg clamp. Now it is non-functional.

Off to the company website: After two layers of company's deep (Velbon, and HakubaUSA), I find a service page. Email using the provided link. Bounces: 'Mailbox Full'. Try to call: "We're sorry, we are unable to take your call.". Hmmmm. This one may be heading to the dumpster after just five uses.

I've owned a Velbon tripod before. Bought my first one in 1985 when I purchased my first Sony 8mm camcorder, and I've had it ever since! This one is of course more modern and lighter in weight. The handle for the head is nice and long, just what I was looking for. But, yes, here comes the but, I was disappointed in how much plastic is incorporated into the design. Because of the lighter weight, one sacrifices in sturdiness, and I know something I will need to remember when panning with my prosumer camera's mounted to the head. The quick release is an improvement, I like the larger size. Hey, didn't pay much, so couldn't expect too much, right?! Heavy-duty? No sir. Practical and worth the price? Yes.

I liked it, though the absense of the tilting action is a drawback. However, with certain movements of the camera on the head, the tilting action can be achieved. Ideal for a camcorder, however, I would say a bit heavy for the casual photographer like me.

I've been using a cheap $20 tripod with my Canon HV20 and was skeptical about upgrading to a better tripod. I noticed there were a few jerky movements in my videos but they still looked decent. However, I decided to try this tripod after watching a couple of really smooth videos on vimeo and the price for this one wasn't too high. After trying the product out I'm amazed. The difference is night and day. The movement is fluid and easy. I really like this tripod and recommend it for anyone who wants to get a smoother look to their footage.

My second tripod, I purchased this after buying my Canon Vixia HV-30 and realizing that It didnt have a LANC port, so I didnt need an expensive tripod with handle controls. The head on this is amazing, allowing for incredible pans. The head is extremely fluid with easy control levers. Its heavy enough to be sturdy, yet light enough to cary around no problem. It also comes with its own carrying case which is really convenient. The reasons I give it four stars: The head plate comes off easy, but when putting it back on the lever has come back and jammed into my fingers numerous times. One of the other main reasons I purchased this tripod was that I do a lot of night time photography, and this tripod allows for vertical shots. Having my heavier camera on there tilted all the way forward to do a vertical shot felt very unstable.
Other than that, all around great tripod.

The Velbon 607/F is a pretty nice tripod, especially for the money. I have been using it for a few months and really like it. The panning is smooth and the quick release platform is really nice.

Pros:
- smooth panning
- quick setup
- comes with a carrying bag
- lightweight

Cons:
- Since its lightweight you have to hold on to it when your panning sometimes because it jerks a little bit

Overall, its a great buy.