Photo Plus - USA (2019-07)

110 http://www.digitalcameraworld.com

SUPERTEST

CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL Aluminium

ALTERNATIVE MATERIAL None

WEIGHT 1.1kg

FOLDED HEIGHT 32cm

MAX, MIN OPERATING HEIGHT 141cm,

8cm (w/o column)

MAX MONOPOD HEIGHT N/A

HEAD ADJUSTMENTS Lock, pan

BALL HEAD Sirui B-00

QUICK-RELEASE PLATE Arca-Swiss type

LOAD RATING 5kg

SPECIFICATIONS

SIRUI T-005 £110/$145

A rather cunning plan comes together well in

this off-beat design from SIRUI

ust when current travel
tripods designs were
starting to look pretty
similar, SIRUI bucked the
trend with its T-005. Naturally
it still has three legs and they
swing up dutifully for stowage.
However, considering that the
maximum operating height is
relatively limited in small
tripods, SIRUI has taken the
step of giving the centre column
a minimum length that’s no
shorter than the height at which
the feet wrap around the head.
It therefore can’t drop down
into the tripod spider, but you
can still make it longer, thanks
to its two-section extending
build. This enables a decent
maximum operating height of
141cm, despite the kit having
the joint shortest folded height
on test, of 32cm.
Despite the non-adjustable
lower section of the centre-
column, the minimum
operating height is still low at
36.5cm, with the three-angle
legs splayed to their widest
angle. If that’s not low enough,
you can remove the centre
column completely and screw
the ball head directly to the
tripod spider. This enables the
shortest regular-orientation

shooting height of any tripod in

the group, at just 8cm, although

the design precludes inverting

the column for ground-level

shooting. There’s also no facility

to use the SIRUI as a monopod.

Performance

Rigidity is pretty good for such

an ultra-compact, lightweight

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section legs is smooth and the

twist clips require minimal

turning to loosen or tighten.

Despite the ball head being

similarly small, it’s nice and

steady and features a panning

lock but, typical for heads with

a modest load rating, there’s no

friction damping adjustment.

FEATURES

VERDICT

01

The ball head has a

top 5kg load rating.

02

You can’t lower the

height of the centre

column, but it can be

upped thanks to an

extending inner

section.

03

A bubble level on the

tripod spider helps

keep it all level.

04

A carabiner is

supplied for easily

attaching a ballast to

the bottom of the

centre column.

05

The twist clamps for

the five-section legs

have slick action.

FEATURES

BUILD & HANDLING

PERFORMANCE

VALUE

OVERALL

05

J

ulti-angle legs help reduce the

min shooting height, but the

limiting factor is where the

centre column touches the ground. So,

the min height is the height of the

centre column, plus the ball head. A

two-section extending centre column

can reduce the min operating height.

Better yet, the Kenro Ultimate Travel,

Novo Explora T5 and Vanguard VEO 2

GO kits are supplied with a short,

stubby ‘low angle adaptor’. You can

attach this to the tripod head and use it

instead of the centre. You can remove

the centre column in the SIRUI tripod

and attach the head to the spider.

For lower shooting, invert the centre

column in all of the tripods, apart from

the SIRUI, and shoot between two of

the legs with the camera upside down.

THE LOWDOWN

How low can you go when shooting with a tripod?

M

Some kits are supplied with a low angle adaptor, which
can be used instead of the centre column to reduce the
minimum shooting height

01

03

02

04