jharter wrote:
I don't get the hate. It looks like a clever design. Anyone who travels a lot appreciates the trade off between size/weight and rigidity. Of course it is not meant for bird photographers with 800 mm lenses. Of course it has compromises. But for the size, weight, integrated ball head, integrated phone mount and the price is is a good deal.
I use a RRS TQC-14 with an Acratech GP-SS ballhead, or a larger Feisol tripod with Arca Swiss P0 ballhead. I am sure both of those are more solid than this PD setup. But they are heavier, bulkier, harder (or impossible) to fit in carry on luggage with everything else I take. And they cost twice as much.
I ordered one on the Kickstarter. Won't work for everything but sometimes it will work well for me - I think. I have tried smaller options like the Sirui travel tripods. Every time, I return to the RRS TQC 14 but the quest continues. I use Sony gear.
Even the discounted price is $489 and you think that is a good price for a compromised tripod not better than what's out there already (unless style is important - and to PDs market that is at least partly true)? To each their own JH!
I think it's the blatant false marketing that upsets some people. They claim half the size yet even their own head to head comparison in the ad. shows the MeFoto is shorter (only just, but still) in fact two of the three tripods that they compare against are virtually the same length (though note in the picture PD have reduced the size of their image to make it look shorter. It's this sort of psychological false advertising/marketing (along with their claims - which stick in people's thoughts) - that grates.
I've used the Siriu T1204X (940g + whatever ballhead you want) and now the Ingjue CK-228 (959g + whatever ballhead you want) and with a ballhead these are around the same weight as the PD, however I've have never lost a single shot to stability (note I'm not including my clumsiness in knocking the tripod!), even when shooting up to 3-4 minute exposures.
I always feel that people are conned big time into buying expensive tripods that have minimal benefit, as in the gain is far far from exponential, over those 1/3 price except maybe in terms of longevity but that is then a personal choice, I prefer to put out less now and see what comes along later, and of course in the event of theft or loss it's much easier/cheaper to replace. I still have the comfort in knowing my shooting is not compromised in any way by doing this.
For me those advocating expensive tripods (which is often on this board) is like going to the shops to buy groceries, the small Ford will do it just fine but some must use a luxury 4x4, both however achieve the same. You only need the 4x4 when you have off-road needs (and in tripod terms - a difficult scenario such as astro or shooting from in a stream etc.).
Just a word on some comments re. using Kickstarter. I can fully understand why PD use it, it's great economics. Here's their take on it which appears in the ad. and I agree with every word.
*We launch our products on Kickstarter because it gives us the freedom to run our business exactly how we want. The funds we generate on Kickstarter make it possible for us to continue developing products without seeking venture capital. That means we're not beholden to growth goals, revenue targets, or product timelines imposed by other people. Instead, we focus on doing what we love: building the best things we can possibly make, fueled by support from the best customers we could possibly ask for.*
May 21, 2019 at 10:56 PM
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