FIRST LOOK
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Smart Photography December 2015can use the rubber “boots” supplied.The tripod comes with a very good
ball head and has a unique screw
system called ‘quick wheel’. While
this is not as fast a QR clamp, it is
certainly faster than any other way
of fixing the camera. A bubble level
is also included. The tripod is a little
short even when fully extended but
that might have been a design decision
to get the required lightness and to
satisfy other design parameters.To conclude, this is a super lightweight
tripod which is rugged. It is made for
people for whom every gram countsand for those who want to travel
really light. It satisfies that niche
market admirably.The tripod is currently available from
the Manfrotto retailers. The MRP is Rs.
9,977/- |SPOff Road Tripod
Manfrotto Ashok Kandimalla
M
anfrotto has introduced a
series of new tripods called
the “Off road” series. These
are designed especially for hikers
and mountaineers. In fact, Manfrotto
engineered these in collaboration
with Fizan Italy, a very famous
outdoor goods manufacturer. The
tripod has a metallic green finish
(red and blue colours are also
available). It is made in Italy and
true to its Italian heritage, it is very
handsome to look at.This tripod is light as a feather
(a shade less than 1.5 lbs./ 0.65b
kgs, almost unbelievable) but
can withstand rough and tough
conditions. It can comfortably hold
a mirrorless or a small sized D-SLR
with a kit lens. Most parts can be
easily removed and cleaned. So, you
need not worry if your tripod takes a
dip in the slush.The tripod does not have a center
column. Before you give it thumbs
down, remember that the legs are
easily extendable. There are no
external locks. You just have to twist
a leg section, pull it down and twist
in the opposite direction to lock it.
The leg sections have scales on them
(we are seeing this for the first time).
So, it is easy to adjust all the legs to a
specific length.However, pulling a leg (section) too
much (pun intended) can get you
into trouble! You are not supposed
to pull the section beyond the “Stop”
marking. If you do so, the leg section
will get detached. This is a design
feature to allow easy cleaning. You
can of course, reinsert the detached
leg section easily. The legs have
spiked feet made of stainless steel to
dig into soft soil. In case you want to
use the tripod on hard surfaces, youNetwork Interface: Material: Aluminum
Weight: 01.43 lbs / 0.65 kgs
Maximum load: 5.51 lbs / 2.5 kgs
Folded length: 22 in / 56 cm
Maximum height: 40 in / 122 cmKEY SPECIFICATIONS
A leg section with scales.
See also the “Stop”
marking.Ball head with quick
wheel. Cameras can be
fixed very easily with this
simple mechanism.