The Canon Magazine 101
TA B L E TO P TRIPODS
£74/$90 http://www.sirui.com^ £40/$25 http://www.velbon.biz^
£190/$200 http://www.gitzo.com^ £189/$180 joby.com^
SIRUI’S entry stands out
thanks to its almost entirely metal
construction. Load capacity is
4kg, and we found the 3K-35T
supports a full-frame DSLR and
24-70mm lens. This sturdiness
does have an impact on weight
though, as the 3K-35T tips the
scales at 430g – heavier than
the 260g Pixi Evo.
The legs fold out from their
resting position alongside the
centre column, and a quick twist
of the central ‘spider’ locks them
in their outstretched position. The
two-section centre column can
then adjust your shooting height
from 25.5cm up to 34cm, or you
can remove the column and
mount the head directly to the
legs for a lower stance, though
this is a bit of a faff that requires
the use of an allen key.
The support is topped off by a
good-sized, precisely-machinedaluminium ball head. It features
separate pan adjustment, though
this is of limited use as there isn’t
a dedicated knob to adjust the
pan base independently.AS TABLETOP tripods go,
the EX-Macro is somewhat
bloated, measuring 28cm long
and requiring a 9cm-diameter
slot in your kit bag. It’s also on the
heavier side at 560g, but the
EX-Macro is closer to a full-size
tripod in design than a typical
tabletop tripod. The legs have
three sections and lock using
conventional lever clamps, while
the centre column has 6cm of
height adjustment. Maximum
shooting height is a very versatile
56cm, and the legs can support
up to 2.5kg of payload, although
Velbon recommends 1.5kg as a
safer bet.
It’s a surprisingly conservative
load rating given the tripod’s
substantial size, but the problem
is the plastic construction. As a
result, the three-way pan and tilt
head feels very cheap, and the
tiny plastic quick release plate isespecially nasty, causing a
heavier DSLR to wobble more
than we’d like. It’s a pity given the
head’s separate pan and tilt
adjustment should be ideal for
delicate macro compositions.MINI TRIPODS can be short
on build quality, but Gitzo’s mini
marvel is an exception. It’s
constructed using the same
carbon eXact tubing tech as
full-size Gitzo legs and is topped
off by an equally well made
aluminium ball head. The ball
clamps securely using the locking
ring at the base of the head.
Gitzo rates the load capacity
at 3kg, and that’s very fair, as the
Mini Traveller feels rock solid,
even when the legs are spread
to their widest.
If you need to support more,
the legs have a colossal 25kg load
rating – remove the head using
the included Torx wrench, and
Gitzo provides an adaptor that
allows fitment of a beefier head.
Equally impressive is the
tripod and included head weigh a
combined 265g, which makesthis one of the lightest mini
tripods on the market.
The Mini Traveller is available
with two colour options: black, or
Gitzo’s signature ‘Noir Decor’
mottled gunmetal grey finish.locking knobs clamp the head
very well, and your accessories
mount to the GorillaPod arms
using standard ¼-inch 20
screw threads.YOU CAN get GorillaPods in
numerous sizes to suit cameras
from a GoPro up to a full-frame
DSLR, and all make great tabletop
tripods, but we went for the
flagship GorillaPod Rig to see
what the design is capable of.
The Rig is intended to hold
not just your camera, but with
those ‘arms’ on either side, you
can also add accessories like LED
lights, microphones, a small
external video monitor, or even a
phone (via an optional clamp).
The system works best for
shooting video close-ups, but it
can be effective for macro stills
when you position a light on
either side of your camera. This
can be anything up to a full-frame
DSLR, as the load rating is 5kg.
The Rig is bundled with a high
quality ball head that features
separate pan adjustment. GrippySirui 3T-35K Velbon EX-Macro
Gitzo Mini Traveller Joby GorillaPod Rig
VERDICT
PROS: Top build quality and load;
very compact when folded
CONS: Pricey; ball head doesn’t
tighten as securely as some
WE SAY: Not cheap for a small
tripod, but you get what you pay forVERDICT
PROS: Works well with small, light
cameras; bargain price
CONS: Bulky when folded; cheap
plastic head frustratingly wobbly
WE SAY: A great design, but
almost ruined by build cost-cuttingVERDICT
PROS: Sublime build and material
quality; immensely rigid
CONS: Max shooting height only
17cm; hugely expensive
WE SAY: Small but beautifully
formed, if you can justify the outlayVERDICT
PROS: Versatile; excellent quality;
can attach to a variety of objects
CONS: Overkill for basic stills
photography; daunting price
WE SAY: Bulky and appealing for
video, but heavy on the wallet