MRomine wrote:
Travel or no travel, for six bills and you still have to add head it had better be solid. Never been impressed with anything made by PD.
Ahhh.. ok. I’m using the included ball head for max compactness. And it’s pretty stable. Not as stable as a full size/weight tripod but pretty good. I find it a more than acceptable trade off for it being so compact and convenient.
I took a chance and bought it for $479 on the Kickstarter campaign so for me the gamble paid off.
I have the Peak Design tripod and I also have a solid Gitzo carbon fiber 3-section. If I were using anything 200/2 or larger, I'd say I'd bring the Gitzo (think it's rated for 39 lbs). The Peak Design one for anything smaller since the weight capacity for it is 20 lbs.
But unless I knew I was shooting with anything heavier than a 70-200, the Peak Design one is extremely well thought out and designed. It being compact, light, and good for most things are the main reasons I bought it. The drawback is that the thinner legs means it's a bit less stable should something bump up against it or move it. The Gitzo is STABLE without compromise.
reality is that capacity ratings by manufacturers tend to be invented by the marketing department of said company. with no consistent methodology that has been set forth in this wild west industry so it tends to lean towards the dartboard method. but there is a level of consistency among some makers products.
I looked at the PD and it was not for me. The 5 leg sections and flip locks were a mess to use. Stability was lacking, the head was odd to use, and tiny center column and tiny connecting point between head and column were not up to snuff, at all. The PD website says good for "pro dslr and telephoto lens." Uh, no. M43 or small FF mirrorless with lens up to 100mm, OK.
I then looked at the Gitzo Traveler 1 series. 4 leg sections, 1/4 turn twist locks, super fast setup, solid legs, and good operating height without the center column (52"), and without the column it was 2.1 pounds. Add a RRS BH-20 head (or the Leofoto version) and you are good to go with a much more solid setup than the PD, lighter weight, and quality for many years to come. It is capable of mounting my D850 and 200-500 if needed in good conditions. The camera and the 80-400, no problem. in any conditions. The PD is not really comparable.
Then, the Gitzo went on sale for $450, and I got an additional 10% discount code from B&H, taking the price to $410. Absolute no brainer!
Also, if you are willing to go to about 3.1 pounds, you can get the Gitzo traveler 2 series with a good head. Solid as a rock even with the D850 and 200-500. I think these are still on sale for about $479.
The PD is good if your overriding and singular value is compactness when folded. It does excel there. And build quality seems good. But, it is over-engineered. And, it is not the lightest weight, easiest to use, or sturdiest travel tripod. As long as the Gitzos stay on sale, there are better and more cost-effective options.
The 4 section Gitzo 1 is superior but it's also a much longer tripod folded. The better comparison is with the 5-section Gitzo 1 and the Peak Design is pretty comparable. The Gitzo is a little shorter but wider folded while the Peak Design is somewhat longer but narrower. Both have mediocre ball heads (with the peak design one worse) but the Gitzo legs drawback is that it doesn't fold properly with any other ball head.
I think the Peak Design tripod is really optimized to be used in cities where being compact makes a big difference on whether it comes along or not. I can easily fit the PD Tripod + RRS Ball head + 1 high quality zoom lens + camera into a 20L backpack. Even the Gitzo Traveler is a little on the large side and would be hanging out on the side at best. The RRS TFC-14 is just large and cumbersome to carry around in an urban setting unless you really want to stick out for attention. For use in more nature settings, the RRS is the winner - e.g. if I had to pick which tripod goes into a moving stream, it's the RRS.
I frequently use the Peak Design for experimenting with cityscapes while my RRS 3-series tripod sits in my closet until the next long trip but I wouldn't replace one with the other.
The RRS TFC-14 is just large and cumbersome to carry around in an urban setting unless you really want to stick out for attention.
Cumbersome? low tolerance i guess. i haven't had issues nor given them using it all around. (and i mean all around)
lets face it these ladies (last shot) don't have issues getting their tools around. i tended to do a lot of cities the past few trips. i get to choose the dynamics.
i guess i have no issues because i have to use the tripod in a number of locations so i really don't know what i'm getting into until i'm into it. tall enough and short enough for just about all my needs in travel mode. its Darn Tough just like my socks
i have family in HK and Guangzhou are they urban settings?
one can always look for a relative advantage. mine is in use and i really have no trouble carrying it. but then relativisms are personal.
Mong Kok just a few people on a June evening. HOT!
Yes we know you love rrs tripods and they can do no wrong. As someone who lives in a large city and also has visited Asia plenty, I still think the peak design tripod is superior for urban photography. Nothing screams tourist or theft target like having a large tripod sticking out of your backpack. The peak design is small enough where you can throw it inside a backpack and not worry about it - you can’t do that with the rrs (I tried - far too long folded even if the diameter is pretty tight).
tzhang4284 wrote:
Yes we know you love rrs tripods and they can do no wrong. As someone who lives in a large city and also has visited Asia plenty, I still think the peak design tripod is superior for urban photography. Nothing screams tourist or theft target like having a large tripod sticking out of your backpack. The peak design is small enough where you can throw it inside a backpack and not worry about it - you can’t do that with the rrs (I tried - far too long folded even if the diameter is pretty tight).
in HK during certain times i do also. it all depends on what i'm shooting
first shot- evidently i'm not the only one who uses a tripod in cities
second shot- tripod required in a crowded area no less
third shot- really no one notices anything in a big city unless you are looking for it. and then it still might be hard to find.
well you are going to find it limiting to go to places like the peak and get a long exposures w/o one.
Large city- you mean like NYC (i was born there) lived in a few other what's that term you used "large cities" too. now i have a patch of land and privacy but still work all over the place that i pick and choose.
Visited Asia plenty- you mean like i do as in working partially over there as required since 1990 out of Tokyo. used to have a base in Roppongi (a "nice quiet" area in Tokyo ). this year was heading back there for the Olympics but that has been put on hold. still open though.
you have some interesting perceptions/perspectives about how things look out in the world.
in the end you believe what you wish to believe and i will continue to do what i do
As I posted in another forum, I'd love to have a Peak tripod for its size but I know I'll be replacing the ball head so the price makes it a hard sell at $600 dollars (carbon fiber version).
That said if I were to get one, I'd have to get a dovetail plate and attach it to my GXP ball head; that would be my quick release attachment to the integrated peak ball head.
No tripod is perfect for everyone, and (I believe) depends on intended use. Example if If you're a world traveler of many environments you'd probably want something a bit more rugged. If you're an urban traveler you have your needs just as an avid hiker has theirs. What's great for the world traveler may not cut it for the urban traveler.
In that vein, people pushing/knocking particular brands or features need to realize not everyone has their needs. For some the Peak is perfect for others a nightmare. And that's ok case as said, not one size fits all.
Anyway, I love that Peak Design for it's fold size, but at $600 dollars (carbon version) the cost of ownership is a bit high considering I'd have to not only replace the ballhead, but also purchase the Universal Head Adapter since I'd be mounting a D850 + 70-200 2.8 lens on it. That's certainly not "just cruise around with the camera attached" acceptable to me.
At the end of the day depending on needs one man's junk is another's treasure.
One other thing... while all the cool kids have Gitzo's (for example), not everyone needs a "Gitzo" to get good results. I'm not modeling for an advertising firm, I'll looking go out and shoot some photos with a tripod.
That’s why I have 4 tripods. These days 85% of the time this one is the one.
My first cheapo tripods are now used for speedlights and I have a beefy set of cf sticks that can go a foot taller than me if needed.
Bought the PD on the Kickstarter deal so that was $480. $600 might be pushing it, especially if you won’t be using the ball head.
Not cheap but per use it’s now the most cost effective tripod I’ve ever owned because it gets used all the time.
What's great for the world traveler may not cut it for the urban traveler.
i don't know isn't a world traveler an urban traveler too?
i don't split hairs that way i find for me a balance. a tripod that performs per my needs as a photographer first and then balance it out with transportability.
). this year was heading back there for the Olympics but that has been put on hold. still open though.
