Vanguard Alta Pro 263AP Aluminum Tripod with PH-32 Panhead for Sony, Nikon, Canon DSLR Cameras Black

Oh boy... this tripod is excellent. So worth the money. Stable, with a sandbag hook on the bottom of the main rod for extra stability if need be. Strong legs. Many easy to adjust options. I didn't think I'd need both adjustable arms, but it's wonderful. The quick release plate is a little small, but very easy to remove and snaps back when put it back. So cool. For a low budget tripod, this one (and this company in general, I would say) is top notch. The 45 degree angle option is fantastic and a contributing factor as to why I got it. Once adjusted, which is very easy to do, it is super stable and smooth. The panning is also very smooth and there are many panning options. I'm going to get a motorized panning mount because I like y pans to be super slow, but this one is very smooth and has very nice, soft resistance for medium slow panning. If you're in the market, don't hesitate. You won't be disappointed. Thanks Vanguard, and Amazon for the great deal!

I have had a difficult time finding a good, medium priced video tripod, but that problem ended after receiving this one. This is definitely not the highest end brand of tripod I tried, but it really surprised me about how superior it was to these higher end brands. Vanguard didn't just simply copy the features of some higher brand like most lesser brands do -- they actually have really nice, original features that simply aren't found elsewhere. Pros: - The Instant Swivel Stop-n-Lock (ISSL) System is NICE and very well implemented. - Hexagonal center column really keeps the center post steady regardless of if it's raised or not. - All three legs are padded (you'd be surprised how many higher brands aren't) - The pan head is very fluid/smooth and bubble levels are everywhere. - Yes, you have to remove the adjustment handles to put the tripod in its case, but it comes with a great little tool clip that allows you to attach the handles together and then clip them to the side of the tripod so the handles aren't just floating around loose in the bag. Nice touch! - The video/still panning dial/lock is also a very nice feature, allowing you to really lock down the vertical tilt while still being able to smoothly pan horizontally when shooting video. This virtually eliminates the problem of nose droop from the weight of the camera lens, which was a problem with ALL of the other tripods I tried. And then when you need to you can just flip the knob and be able to lock down both pan and tilt securely (like for still photography). - The quick-release plate is hand-tightened (requires no tools) and the entire tripod head is easily removable. Cons: Honestly, I knew about all these when I bought the tripod, so rather than cons these are more my preferences - I wish it was carbon fiber. The carbon fiber version is over 2x the price of the aluminum one, which is overpriced in my opinion, as I didn't pay much more than Vanguard aluminum model for my Sunpak carbon fiber tripod legs. - I don't really care for lever lock legs and prefer twist lock legs instead. - I wish the legs were in four shorter sections instead of three longer ones so the stowed size of the tripod would be smaller. - I prefer the storage bag to have a zipper rather than drawstring, but at least it came with a bag. Some of the higher brands I tried did not include a bag! Overall, great tripod! I use it to shoot my sons' high school band/orchestra concerts, using two different cameras and tripods. This is now my pan/zoom tripod, whereas my other video tripod has been "demoted" to stationary camera function. Again, all of the cons listed above are mostly just preferences of mine rather than problems with this particular tripod. Even if you have the money to buy a higher end, "better" brand tripod, I would definitely recommend giving this one a try first. It might surprise you -- it definitely did me!

While the company/store was no help; I did have better luck with the manufacturer, Vanguard. After sending them photos of the problem, they sent me replacement parts. It has now worked as intended for over a year. Kudos to Vanguard. ----- Defective -- doesn't work the second time out of the box. This was supposed to be an upgrade to my $30 tripod that I have used without problems for years. I tried it out shortly after it arrived and it looked like it was going to be everything I wanted -- sturdier, more features, and better for my larger camera and zoom lens. It has been in the box waiting for time off from work. Finally, that happened this week. The second time that I went to use it -- one of the pistol grips does not lock in place which makes it useless. And the company that shipped it states that it is too late to return it - by 10 days. The tripod is fine but the PH-32 head is junk at this point and to replace it costs $99. Very disappointing. I do NOT recommend this product to anyone.

At least, almost perfect. Build quality is really, really good for a photo tripod at this price. Super versatile, it can help with a lot of awkward set ups. I bought with the two handled pan head, which makes it a little awkward to fit in the provided carry bag - one has to unscrew the handles complete and then you have store them separate from the stand itself. I wish they machined some location within the stand assembly to which the handles could be firmly attached for carry. I expect to have this tripod for a long time. I give it 4.8 stars given the price point.

Vanguard Alta Pro 263AP Aluminum Tripod Kit works as stated in description and then some. Had a loose clamp on one leg but, a half turn w/the included wrench and bang, fixed. I could hang myself on that thing now. Love its versatility. Bought it to use as a copy stand but got a lot more than I bargained for. Have a huge number of large photos to copy that are too big for my scanner. Plus I copy the originals while they're in their frames for reference. I want to put them back the way my mom had them before she died. Some frames are huge, 2' X 4', w/ multiple photos in each. Some are stuck to the glass, mold, etc. Once set up, leveled, etc. the tripod is rock solid. My only caveat is the bag. I wish it were zippered like some of the others are. It would make it easier to get in and out of. My last tripod, a Vivitar, olnly lasted 50 yrs. before it wore out. Hope this one does as well. With its three levels, radial post, height, smooth panning head, and included tools for maintenance this should be an outstanding tripod that will last me for years.

When I picked up the package I thought someone sent me a box of bricks. For a tripod this things is heavy. It is sturdy and well built. It is not a light weight travel tripod. This one is built to work.... the Binford tripod. It is not really heavy, but compared to other tripods, this is a heavy weight. It is tall. I am 5-8 and when I put my camera on top I can look through the eye piece, and the screen, but I can hardly see the top of the camera with all the settings. I could adjust the legs down but I think I would have to mark them first. It has 3 access adjustment. Very important. And the 3 levels. Great. A hard to find feature. This is my favorite. Much better and easier to control than the ball head model. Any cons? The control rods are screw in and once attacked, do not fit in the case. Maybe a quick release control handle would help. The levels are easy to view and accurate. This is a precision tripod... if ever there was one. Well worth the money. I use it for real estate photography.

Very impressed with the tri-pod. It is very light weight, easy to use and pans and tilts like butter! I love all the different bubble levels on the head and base to help ensure a perfect shot. This tri-pod is a great value for the money. Easy to transport, not clunky, appreciated the travel bag with strap.

This tripod is sturdy and the expanded height was great for photographing solar eclipse. Plus, not too heavy.

excellent product. You can buy with confidence.

Amazing Tripod for such a wonderful price. Only drawback is it's bit heavy (about 2.6 KG) for those who carry it often.

Excelente tripe justo lo que andaba buscando ligero practico y todo terreno con su ajuste de las patas y es mas alto de lo que esperaba muy fácil de manejar

Great tripod! it's not for the traveler or someone who wants to carry it around all the time, it's heavy but only really heavy in comparison to a cheap tripod. I needed something sturdy for some long exposure/ time lapse stuff, plus with a 5D + battery pack + lens on top of it. It compacts to a decent size but the pan head sticks out so it would be awkward to pack between stuff in a bag, you would probably want to remove the head for any serious traveling, but I again this tripod isn't exactly for a traveling photographer. The big perk for me was its maximum height, i'm 6'2 and always breaking my back to set up the shot, now its at a much better height and still sturdy. One thing I didn't notice prior to purchase was that there is a hook at the bottom of the middle stem, for putting a weight bag to hold it down and make it even more sturdy, this was a huge bonus and I feel they didn't really mention that. When i'm doing a timelapse of the night sky for example, I want to be able to leave the camera for a few hours and not have to worry about it, so to weigh it down with a sandbag is a huge bonus.

Absolutely brilliant tripod; would not be able to get the jewellery shots I need without the boom. Best bit of camera accessory I've bought in ages