Peak Design Travel Tripod (5 Section Aluminum Camera Tripod)

I have a tripod problem. Too many tripods in the stable over the years! Still in search of the perfect tripod. With low cost, low weight, compact for hiking, easy deployment, tall enough for near eye level work, and sturdy enough for a heavier setup. And more importantly, plate compatibility allowing easy transferability to alternate carry systems (strap clip, PD Capture).The Peak Designs team really did listen to photographers looking for a multi-purpose travel tripod. As a photographer who spends time hiking for picture taking opportunities, I have looked for the perfect travel tripod over the last decade. Surveying my current collection, including a Manfrotto MKC3-H01 travel tripod (now, MKCOMPACTACN-BK, with different proprietary hybrid head “joystick” grip ball head, and a different plate arrangement), a Velbon carbon fiber 630 with a Manfrotto 498 RC2 head, a Velbon DF-10ML (closely related to the EX Macro 3-section), and a small Neewer CK-30 compact tripod purchased for the Arca plate and ability for ground level macros.The PD aluminum tripod is not the lightest among them, and it is expensive --but it is one of the most thoughtful, compact, well-constructed, stable, and confidence inspiring tripods, with an advantage “in the field”.Features I like.Compact. In its carry state, a little taller than the size of a standard Nalgene water bottle.The legs, connection pieces, and clasps. I prefer the flip-out clasps for leg deployment over the screw types. For me, there is less fumbling around trying to find release and locking positions. The height is great, along with being able to position close to the ground.The ball head works well for me. The tightening mech on the ball works as expected, even with a Sony a7r-IV with a heavy Sony 200-600mm zoom. Positioning is easy and can be straight up or down. The Peak Design Capture clip uses the same Arca mount plate so you can easily go from carrying to tripod mount with no fumbling to change the mount plate. There is a locking mechanism that prevents accidental release of the plate.Tools attached to the tripod are a thoughtful addition. The carry bag is durable and apparently water proof.Things I don’t like.Price. Oh, the price is high for sure, even higher if you pick the lower weight carbon fiber version.Weight. It is not as light as my Manfrotto compact tripod, but not overly so. With anything like this, lower weight is always something I want.Is this tripod worth it? For those inclined to save money and look for a similar feature set, albeit not as complete? The Manfrotto travel tripod-- if you can find a head version that works for you (read through the comments on the different versions). IF Manfrotto had an Arca plate version, it would be a no brainer – significantly lower cost, lower weight, with just enough features, it would be a great choice.That said, I am keeping the Peak Designs tripod! For me, it is nearly perfect. If you can afford spending over $350 for a tripod, I do not think you would be disappointed.

I hated spending as much as I did on this tripod until I used it a few times. Its compact size is amazing, and it is surprisingly sturdy in windy conditions despite being lightweight aluminum. I have a couple of heavier tripods that don't do as well. The included iPhone holder folds up nicely into the center shaft, so is always there when I go looking for it. The standard feet do well on most surfaces although you can buy feet that will dig in nicely when extra stability is needed. I've used this with iPhone, decently large camera, and compact ham radio antenna, all flawless. It's easy and quick to set up and take down. If there is any criticism it might be that the pressboard case it comes in doesn't last long, but I keep it in with other gear, so not a problem. Highly recommended.

I needed a portable lightweight tripod for mobile work and leisure, and was originally looking at something about a quarter of the price. Found this and although it is not the very lightest out there, the functionality, and build quality make it the best thing I found. For most of my work needing a tripod I have a heavy commercial model from Bogen that I've used for almost 40 years, but portable and easy to carry it is not. This PD model is surprisingly sturdy. The legs are fast to deploy and the leg clamps are not only good, they are adjustable so they will not just become loose and useless in a few years. The shape alone is a big selling point as it folds to the outer diameter of a large water bottle. It is short enough to fit into any of my backpacks or shoulder bags. When I looked around at tripods it was tempting to spend $150 and be done and just suffer through whatever was not optimum, but extending the budget and buying this was the right decision.

This tripod is wonderfully designed. It's compact, yet "full" height, and very stable. Incredibly comfortable to use, both in terms of the manual setup and trusting it to hold your equipment.The lifetime warranty is outstanding. Submitting a warranty claim is easy through their website, and I received shipping notification for my replacement parts within a day or two, no questions asked. My additional request for extra stickers was also promptly accepted.Through a handful of emails, the company seems like a great one that genuinely cares about their customers and does what they can to produce a high quality product with sustainability in mind.The ball head has a little bit of a learning curve. The vertical angles are limited when tilted for portrait orientation (However, by remounting your camera 90° one way or the other, every angle can be achieved. Just not covneniently.). This of course can be worked around by an L-Bracket mounting attachment or full cage system.My main issue with this tripod is the weight. While about the size of a 1L Smart Water bottle, the nearly 3.5lb weight is quite cumbersome, and the 0.6lb reduction for the CF model doesn't seem like enough to justify the price (for me), as it still comes in at nearly 3lbs.My old $30 Sunpak, while not very compact, weighs less than 2lbs, has a smaller mounting surface more suitable for compact heads, and actually deploys and closes faster with only 3 leg sections.To be clear, I really like this tripod. I think Peak Design has produced a very well-designed, and very high quality product that is worth the premium price if you can afford it. But I think it's far more robust than most of us need it to be, and the subsequent weight renders it completely 'untravelable' for my uses.I would love to see them put out a "light duty" model similar to the Oben CTT-1000L or SmallRig's AP-02. Something in the $100-200 range that is only meant to support 8-12lbs instead of the 20lb capacity that is well overkill for most of us. Something that finds a balance between weight and compactness, possibly sacrificing some maximum height in the interest of maintaining a reasonable weight.