Opteka 70" Full Size Professional Photo / Video Tripod
by Opteka
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List Price: Category: Digital Camera See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Opteka 70" Full Size Professional Photo / Video Tripod
Customer Review: I agree with " Not Bad ... for the money
Summary: 4 Stars
See the Jan 2006 review - Not Bad ... for the money.... He has excellent advice and his summary and comparison are excellent. Right on.
I give this tripod one more star because I am tall and this tripod was (and is) a good height. However, at root, this tripod cost me about $600 when it toppled over under a fairly slight gust of wind. It is not substantial. If you are going to use it, carry something to weight it down using the included hook. It moved just enough (in investigating what happened) to have one of the legs dip into a depression and down she went, as I was turning to get another lens for a very early morning sun rise. Camera was effectively ruined.
A further criticism though not substantial, is that the handles, gear and locking nuts are flimsy. They work OK for ordinary use but don't expect this tripod to stand up for the long haul. As is just about always the case, you get what you pay for.
Customer Review: For beginners....
Summary: 2 Stars
I really wanted to write a good review for this item but I can not. When I received tripod I was very excited and used it for few times before we went to Grand Canyon. And then my disappointment has started.
A tripod got loose after few uses, you can't screw tight the head of the tripod, so if you are using heavier camera this can be real worry. The worst thing is that the top of the tripod can't be locked once you set the target. It always moves few millimiters. If you are shooting details this is unacceptable. Another thing: it's very difficult to follow up subject without unscrewing all bolts which makes whole head of the tripod loose and until you put everything together your great pictures is gone.
If you are occasional photographer and you need tripod only for Xmas to take a family picture this is a great deal for you. If you want something more.... add few more bucks and go for something better.
Customer Review: Acceptable
Summary: 3 Stars
The tripod is very lightweight and works as advertised. It comes with the detachable head that more expensive kits ask you to purchase separately. It does reach the advertised 70" height. Which is excellent for my very tall wife, but not so great very stability. We were at a crowded photo shoot and had to catch the tripod a couple of times as other folks easily knocked it over.
The legs extend easily and lock with one hand.
Positioning the head takes some getting used to and you have to work in two planes so panning and scanning are more difficult. It's better for panoramic shots than action shots. If you only pan in plane (football, soccer) it works fairly well. But the plastic head components aren't as smooth as a metal ball and socket.
It will do until I can find a professional tripod kit.
The only real failure was the tongue of the zipper on the carry bag breaking the first trip out. It still zips so...
Customer Review: Good general use tripod is value priced
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a good value tripod that has many nice features on it and the price is very good. Although there is a lot of plastic on it, this does serve to reduce weight and requires some common sense in handling. It is not something you want your children to play with or climb on. Overall the fit and finish are good, and I like the ease of changing to a vertical format. The camera is easy to disconnect from the tripod and so one can screw the camera onto it while the bracket is off, and one can see what they are doing. The legs work well and the feet are stable, and there is a built in spirit level which is handy. The crank is a bit stiff when new but all the locks work well and do the job. I would recommend this tripod to people who do still photography. I might have some reservations about the smoothness of the pan and tilt for use with video applications. The 70" max height is a very good feature.Customer Review: Excellent for ANYONE who enjoys taking pictures!
Summary: 5 Stars
I purchased 2 of them, one for myself and one for my cousin, as a gift. I consider myself an amateur w/ some photography experience. As I first examined the product, it wasn't long before I figured out how to use mostly all of its features without needing the manual. I wanted it for my 'little' Canon SD300 and had SO MUCH FUN taking all kinds of pictures from up high, from below, w/ flash, w/o flash, etc, etc. My cousin, on the other hand, is more of the photographer, takes classes and even has one of those 'heavy-duty' professional digital cameras. I gave it to her on a day I knew she would be taking tons of pictures. Because it has a handle to hold on to and even comes with a carrying case, it's easy to tag along anywhere. She spent the entire day taking pictures with it and absolutely loved it! The quality of the tripod and all its features for the price is a steal! I just can't stop raving about it!