National Geographic Travel Photo Tripod Kit with Monopod, Carbon Fibre, 5-Section Legs, Twist Locks, Load up 8 kg, Carrying Bag, Ball Head, Quick Release, NGTR004TCF [Amazon Exclusive]

I wanted a tripod I could easily carry around with me for little videos I'm doing. So it had to be light. But being an experienced photographer whose used a lot of high-end equipment, I didn't want anything flimsy, and was more interested in features that made sense, rather than ones which were mere gimmicky selling points. I worked my list down to the choice between this one and a Manfrotto one which was about £20 more expensive. Almost all of my tripods /monopods have been Manfrotto so that's where my brand allegiance would naturally lie. However, the one feature that this NG tripod has which the Manfrotto I was considering did not have, is the ability to position each of the legs at different angles. That's a very useful feature for uneven surfaces and tight corners. You can do things like have two legs angled down to the floor, and a third at a horizontal angle against a wall. Or if you're on a rocky surface or a hill it can be very useful to set the leg angles independently.This NG tripod (I have the 4-section version with the tab locks) is surprisingly solid and has many useful features. For a start, it's got a ball and socket head, which I personally prefer to the kind with two levers. It's more compact for one, but it's also quicker to set. When set, the ball and socket joint is rock solid. (I would suggest resisting the temptation to over-tighten this mechanism.) The head is solid metal, including the release plate. There are two very small but high-quality spirit levels: one for horizontal, one for vertical. This is a useful feature and actually can help in getting a better composition, especially with respect to indoor and architectural photography.The legs are metal, as is the central column. The only parts that are plastic are the release tabs, and the socket lock tab and release plate knob on the head. The legs can be set to three lock positions, and they can also be inverted to a full vertical position - in fact this was how it arrived.Other useful features are the hook on the bottom of the central column - if you hang your camera bag or another weight off this it improves stability. This hook is removable and you can move the head from the top to the underside of the tripod. This is excellent for macro photography. Similarly, one of the legs unscrews and you can attach the head to it and use it as a monopod - that's a feature I've never seen before and it's a great little idea.I paid £50 for it in October 2022 and I'm really impressed by how solid it is, how it has a lot of features for the price, and I really like the solid metal ball and socket head. The only criticism I'd make is that the tabs for setting the leg angle are not metal, but a very solid plastic. I guess I'm spoilt by my Manfrotto with the more rigid construction - then again, it weighs a ton. This one is very light and very, very solid. Also, a quick release mount would have been nice for the head, but at this price I doubt it would have been as robust as the no-nonsense screw-release version here.For the price, I'm delighted with the intelligent design and solid construction of this tripod.

I ride a motorcycle so I have been looking for a tripod that would fit in my camera bag while I am riding but is also light so it does not weigh me down. This tripod was much cheaper than the other carbon fibre travel tripods but I thought I would take a chance and I am very glad I did. It seems to be made by the same company behind the Manfrotto brand and seems to be very well designed and made. I use a Sony A7ii with a battery grip and a long 300mm lens and it holds its position very well compared to my older tripod that would struggle to stay straight with the lens fully extended. For its small size and weight so far I have found the stability to be fine with the additional security of the weight hook at the bottom if the wind picks up (which I have not had to use yet). I love the fact that it can be converted in to a monopod as I have been wanting one of those for a while and now I don't need to buy one separately. I would highly recommend this tripod and at this price I think it is a bargain.

This tripod provides a good, sturdy base for any photography task. Its small size when folded makes it very easy to take with you anywhere and you'll barely even notice its weight when strapped to your camera bag. It has an excellent height range and the pan and tilt head allows good fluid movement, with a very capable lock that easily supports my Canon 5D and lenses.The addition of a hook to hang a weight from (usually my camera bag) provided the tripod with the mass needed to give a stable platform for long exposures, even in windy conditions. I've used the tripod for landscapes and astrophotography, with very little movement and helping to create crisp, sharp images.The small size when folded and being very light means that it will easily fit into a suitcase should you wish to take it on holiday with you.The legs are easy to extend and the locks are strong enough to ensure that the legs dont move when in use. Folding away is a simple matter of releasing the locks and folding the legs against the centre column. The ability to convert to a monopod is useful if needed, but I haven't use it as one yet. Being carbon also means that it doesn't sufffer from becoming too cold to handle when the weather turns wintery.The carry bag is waterproofed and will protect the tripod if strapped to the exterior of your camera bag, though also provides a carrying strap if you just need to carry it over your shoulder.All in all, a good piece of kit at a reasonable price for the keen amateur on a budget.

Great quality item. just what i needed thanks ***** service very sturdy item, highly recommend .

I am very impressed with this little tripod. It is high enough for me to use at eye level (5 feet 9) and I find it sturdy enough for a Nikon z6 with lens.Packs down very small and is at least as well built as a much more expensive Manfrotto carbon tripod I also own.Outstanding features: twist locks, reverse folding legs make it very compact, bag hook for stability, detachable monopod, legs that lock at three angles, arca Swiss style camera plate. It is light too.The ball head seems is just about sufficient but not super high quality. For the price this is forgivable.Really pleased.

I bought this about a year ago. Since then I've taken it to the top of mountains and it's been worth every penny of the hugely discounted price I bought it for.The frame is solid, and made up in majority of real carbon fiber. It's light and strong and very fully featured. Has 2 spirit levels that make leveling easy.By nature of being made of carbon if you do put enough force on it to break it (which would be difficult) it will splinter to the point of being irreparable.

Not sturdy ended up buying another tripod after trying to use it uncessfully. Poor in my mind.