As an expert journey photographer, I’ve used plenty of journey tripods over time, together with fashions from Manfrotto and Vanguard.

At the moment, I’m going to be reviewing Peak Design’s journey tripod, which I’ve been utilizing within the area for the previous a number of months to see the way it compares to different journey tripods.

I’ve really been a fan of Peak Design’s merchandise for a very long time. They make a spread of pictures equipment, and I notably like their carry strap system which I’ve been utilizing for years on my cameras. Additionally they have a spread of widespread luggage.

My expertise up to now with their merchandise has been very optimistic, they’re properly made and backed by a superb guarantee and assist program. Let’s see if that high quality has prolonged to their journey tripod. I’ll share my ideas on utilizing considered one of their journey tripods for the primary time.

Peak Design Journey Tripod Evaluate

Peak Design launched their journey tripod (through Kickstarter) in 2019, with common availability coming in 2020. This was their first and is at the moment solely tripod.

It’s now been available on the market for a while, and I assumed it was about time I gave it check and evaluate. Let’s begin with the specs.

Peak Design Journey Tripod Specs

There are two variants of the Peak Design journey tripod available on the market for the time being, an aluminum mannequin and a carbon fiber mannequin.

The one distinction between the 2 is the fabric in use, which impacts the burden (and worth!). All the opposite specs are the identical. Right here’s a fast overview of the principle specs.

• Load capability – 20lbs (9.1kg)
• Max peak middle column raised – 60″ (152.2cm)
• Max peak middle column down – 51.25″ (130.2cm)
• Weight aluminum mannequin 3.44lbs (1.56kg)
• Weight carbon fiber mannequin 2.81lbs (1.29kg)
• Packed peak: 15.4″ (39.1cm)
• Packed diameter 3.125″ (39.1cm)

The retail worth of the aluminum mannequin is $379.95, and the carbon fiber mannequin is $599.95. You examine the most recent costs and purchase it direct from Peak Design right here, on Amazon right here, and from B&H Picture right here.

This tripod definitely suits what we search for in a journey tripod, which is a mix of portability and load capability.

In addition to the uncooked numbers, there are a number of extra options of the Peak Design journey tripod I needed to spotlight.

First, the tripod is designed from the bottom as much as be tremendous moveable. The primary manner that is achieved is with the top design, which could be very compact. The ball head mainly suits flush into the tripod when packed away and takes up barely any area.

The flip locks, triangular leg design, and small middle column additionally all contribute to permitting this tripod to fold down actually small.

I’ve used plenty of journey tripods over time, and this one is certainly among the best designs I’ve used by way of the way it packs away to take up a minimal quantity of area.

The ball head can also be fairly sensible. There’s an built-in bubble stage to make sure your digital camera is flat, and the flip lock design makes attaching and eradicating your digital camera very straightforward. You may also lock your digital camera into place with the flip of a toggle, which supplies nice peace of thoughts.

One other neat function is the combination of a cellphone head mount. This lives inside the middle column, and has a quick-release mechanism for straightforward set up.

It then attaches on to the tripod mounting plate and lets you use your tripod along with your smartphone. This could work with just about any smartphone available on the market in the present day.

It’s a pleasant worth add and can also be properly designed and durable.

One last item I needed to spotlight is the carrying case. That is usually an afterthought with tripods, if you happen to even get one in any respect.

Nicely, Peak Design is thought for his or her luggage and their tripod case is beautiful. It appears nice, the tripod suits inside securely, and it’s each padded and weatherproof. It’s lacking a strap, however there are add-ons to make it suitable with the Peak Design carry system.

Okay, so these are the principle options. What is that this tripod like to truly use in the actual world? Let’s discover out.

Peak Design Journey Tripod – Ideas on Actual World Use

I favor to do a evaluate based mostly on actual world expertise, so I traveled with the Peak Design journey tripod as my principal tripod for a number of months to see the way it carried out within the area.

As it is a journey tripod, I count on it to be one thing I can carry with me when climbing, so I took it with me on plenty of hikes up varied Welsh mountains in addition to different barely much less strenuous strolls. It has additionally been on extra leisurely journeys within the UK, France, and the USA.

After I’m testing a journey tripod, there are some things I’m all for. First, it needs to be light-weight, as a result of nobody desires to hold greater than they should.

This tripod undoubtedly meets that requirement, even the aluminum model is mild sufficient that I don’t must suppose twice about including it to my gear for a visit.

The following factor I search for is how straightforward the tripod is to arrange and put away. After I’m climbing, I don’t wish to have to spend so much of time placing a tripod up and down at any time when I see a possibility for a shot.

The Peak Design journey tripod undoubtedly works in that regard as properly. I’m usually not an enormous fan of flip-lock legs as they’ll catch on my digital camera bag when establishing and placing away.

Nevertheless, on this case they’re properly designed in order that doesn’t occur, they usually make arrange and put down a breeze.

The best way the digital camera attaches to the top additionally works properly. That is one thing that different tripods don’t all the time do as properly at, particularly when utilizing the Peak Design carry system which has the carry strap connected to the tripod plate.

The Peak Design carry strap hooks on the digital camera base plate can typically get in the way in which of straightforward attachment to the tripod head. Clearly, this being a Peak Design tripod, that problem has been thought via, and the digital camera simply attaches to the tripod head even with the strap nonetheless connected.

There’s additionally a helpful locking mechanism on the tripod head that makes it straightforward to make sure the digital camera is correctly connected to the tripod head.

After all, any tripod is barely price its salt if it really offers a steady platform for capturing from.

I’ve used it with a full-frame mirrorless digital camera paired with a heavy 100-400mm lens, and it carried out very properly. I additionally used it with my extra regular panorama wide-angle lens, and even with the smartphone adaptor.

Throughout, this tripod carried out very properly and let me get the photographs I needed, even the lengthy publicity photographs the place the tiniest motion can smash every part.

The ultimate factor I want in a journey tripod, or any tripod for that matter, is ease of operation.

Now this one was a little bit of a studying curve for me. The design of the Peak Design tripod head is that it slots down into the legs. Nevertheless, you must partially lengthen the central column (round an inch), to get full motion.

Earlier than I obtained used to the tripod, I’d attempt to transfer the top to the place I needed, however not have the ability to as a result of the top solely has full freedom of motion as soon as the central column has been partially prolonged.

Extending the central column isn’t exhausting, however it’s a further step to recollect to do.

As soon as the top is prolonged, adjusting the top is straightforward. It’s a ball-style design, and to regulate the angle of the top you loosen the management ring, transfer the tripod head to the angle you need, after which tighten the management ring.

That is all very straightforward and intuitive when you get used to it. That is actually vital, particularly if you happen to plan on doing any astrophotography or Northern Lights pictures, as you may must function the tripod in very darkish circumstances the place you’re working by really feel.

So that’s plenty of optimistic issues. Are there are points I encountered? Nicely, sure.

The primary draw back I found, which is the principle unfavorable of this tripod, is an absence of separate pan and tilt controls.

Whenever you loosen the management ring to regulate the top, you’ll be able to transfer the digital camera up, down, left, and proper. Nevertheless, you’ll be able to’t pan or tilt individually.

So, for instance, in case you have your shot framed nearly completely, however wish to shift the view a number of levels to the left, you must watch out to not tilt the digital camera up or down on the similar time.

This additionally makes duties like capturing panoramas much more difficult. Many tripod heads, together with many ball heads, supply separate pan and tilt controls, so you’ll be able to pan independently of the lean management.

Now, actually, whether or not or not it is a large deal will rely lots on the pictures you wish to take. When you take plenty of panoramas, then it will possible be an even bigger problem.

The excellent news is that the management ring additionally controls the friction, that means you’ll be able to loosen it solely somewhat after which simply watch out as you progress the digital camera, with friction in your facet to stop undesirable actions on the flawed axis.

Nevertheless, with a heavy digital camera setup it may be difficult to solely transfer in a single path.

The opposite factor to keep in mind is that over time the flip locks on the tripod leg sections can develop into unfastened, that means that the legs don’t keep prolonged. That is simply an general problem with all flip lock legs on tripods I’ve used.

This could occur with any tripod, however Peak Design have thought forward and included each a software to regulate the leg flip lock tightness, in addition to a helpful clip which lets you connect the adjustment software to a tripod leg.

You simply wish to keep in mind to carry this with you once you journey, in case a leg wants tightening up once you’re within the area.

Lastly, while the addition of the bubble stage is appreciated, the sunshine colour and manner it’s positioned signifies that my digital camera covers most of it up, making it tough to see and never very helpful as soon as my digital camera is ready up.

Truthfully, most cameras and smartphones as of late have a built-in stage function anyway, so I hardly ever use the bubble stage on a tripod, however I needed to say it in case it was vital to you.

Total, I undoubtedly loved utilizing this tripod within the area, and it has earned a spot in my pictures bag for positive.

Peak Design Journey Tripod Professionals and Cons

Having coated my expertise utilizing the Peak Design journey tripod within the area I needed to share a fast rundown of what I felt to be the principle professionals and cons of this tripod from a journey pictures perspective.

Professionals

• Light-weight, even the aluminum model
• Folds down very small
• Works properly with the Peak Design clip system
• Very nice tripod bag
• Can convert to tabletop tripod
• Constructed-in smartphone holder
• Lifetime guarantee

Cons

• Costly, particularly for carbon fiber mannequin
• No straightforward panning management
• Some constraint on portrait orientation shot

Total,l I undoubtedly suppose it’s journey tripod. The primary draw back is the fee is fairly excessive, particularly in case you are contemplating the carbon fiber mannequin, which prices much more however solely gives a modest lower in weight.

I feel most individuals could be pleased with the aluminum mannequin because the options are the identical.

Peak Design Journey Tripod Options

Whenever you begin researching tripods, you will shortly study that there are a terrific many tripods available on the market, and actually, it may be exhausting to inform them aside.

The primary choices will come all the way down to how a lot you wish to spend and the way vital specs like most load capability, most peak, minimal peak, folded peak and so forth. are to you.

Most tripods mess around with these specs, so you need to have the ability to discover the right tripod for you. I needed to spotlight a number of choices to contemplate, and you’ll see extra choices in our information to the greatest journey tripods.

Gitzo Traveler Sequence

Any comparability of tripods, particularly high-end tripods, goes to incorporate point out of Gitzo. These are usually thought to be among the greatest tripods available on the market, though they have a tendency to come back with a reasonably eye-watering price ticket.

Nonetheless, the Peak Design carbon fiber tripod isn’t precisely a price range mannequin, so I really feel it’s truthful to match it in opposition to a tripod of this caliber.

There are fairly a number of tripods within the Gitzo Traveler collection. I’d say probably the most comparable mannequin could be the Gitzo Traveler, collection 1, 5 part tripod.

This carbon fiber tripod has a most peak of 58.46″, a folded dimension of 13.98″, a weight of three.13lbs and a max load capability of 22lbs. It has a retail worth of $719.99.

So in comparison with the Peak Design carbon fiber mannequin, the Gitzo has a barely smaller folded peak, weighs barely extra, and has a barely decrease most peak.

Vanguard VEO 3 GO 235CB or 265HCB

A fast word, I’m a Vanguard Ambassador and have been since 2014, and I’ve used plenty of their gear over time, a lot of which I’ve additionally reviewed.

I feel their merchandise supply lots, and I’ve been very pleased with their gear in use world wide.

The 2 principal tripods I feel they at the moment produce which you may contemplate as an alternative of the Peak Design Journey Tripod could be from the Vanguard VEO 3 Go vary, and particularly the 235CB or 265HCB fashions.

These are each carbon fiber tripods, however with a retail worth round half that of the carbon fiber Peak Design Journey Tripod mannequin.

The 235CB is the smaller tripod, with a most dimension of 53.5″, a folded dimension of 13″, a weight of two.3lbs, and a max load capability of 8.8lbs. It has a retail worth of $269.99.

The carbon fiber variant of the Peak Design tripod has a a lot increased load score and the next most peak, but in addition weighs extra and doesn’t fold up as small. It’s additionally greater than twice as costly. One to contemplate in case you have a smaller setup that gained’t problem the utmost load score.

The 265HCB is the taller tripod, with a most dimension of 65.5″, a folded dimension of 16.1″, a weight of three.1lbs and a max load capability of 22lbs. It has a retail worth of $339.99.

The carbon fiber variant of the Peak Design tripod has an identical load score and a decrease most peak, however weighs much less and folds up a bit smaller. It’s almost twice as costly.

Each Vanguard tripods additionally convert to monopods and include a smartphone adaptor and Bluetooth distant shutter set off. They’re additionally obtainable in aluminum, at a cheaper price level and the next weight.

The aluminum VEO 3 Go 235AB retails for $219.99, and the aluminum VEO 3 Go 265HAB retails for $269.99. Usually the best manner to economize on a journey tripod is to decide on an aluminum mannequin over a carbon fiber one.

When you’re on this product, or any of the opposite Vanguard merchandise, it can save you cash utilizing our unique Vanguard low cost code. This will provide you with 20% off every part within the Vanguard retailer.

Simply use the code FindingTheUniverse in your low cost! This Vanguard low cost code works within the Vanguard USA, UK, Australia, Spain, and Germany shops.

Do you have to Purchase the Peak Design Journey Tripod?

Truthfully, solely you’ll be able to reply this query! Nevertheless, having used it for plenty of months I can undoubtedly say that it’s a well-made tripod. It really works very properly and has sufficient intelligent design options to make it stand out in a really crowded market.

Whenever you add up all of the little additional issues like the great bag, smartphone holder, and compatibility with different Peak Design merchandise, it finally ends up as a extremely well-rounded product.

After all, there are various different tripods available on the market at different worth factors, however I don’t suppose you’ll be upset if you happen to determine to go for it.

You should purchase it direct from Peak Design right here, on Amazon right here, and from B&H Picture right here.

Additional Studying

That’s it for my evaluate of the Peak Design journey tripod – I hope you discovered it useful. Earlier than you go, I needed to share a few of our different content material which we predict you’ll discover helpful.

• Our evaluate of the Vanguard VEO 2 265CB tripod after three years of normal use.
• A evaluate of the Vanguard VEO 2Go 265HCBM, the VEO 3+ 263AB and the VEO 3T+ 264CB.
• We’ve got a information to why you want a tripod, a information to selecting a journey tripod, and a round-up of our favorite journey tripods
• We’ve got a information to how one can use a compact digital camera, how one can use a DSLR digital camera, and how one can use a mirrorless digital camera. We even have a information to how a DSLR works
• Understanding how one can compose a terrific photograph is a key pictures talent. See our information to composition in pictures for many recommendations on this topic
• We’ve got a information to what depth of area is and once you would wish to use it.
• We’re large followers of getting probably the most out of your digital photograph recordsdata, and do to that you’ll want to shoot in RAW. See our information to RAW in pictures to know what RAW is, and why you need to change to RAW as quickly as you’ll be able to in case your digital camera helps it.
• You’re going to want one thing to run your photograph enhancing software program on. See our information to the most effective laptops for photograph enhancing for some recommendations on what to search for.
• When you’re searching for extra recommendation on particular suggestions for various situations, we additionally have you ever coated. See our information to Northern Lights pictures, lengthy publicity pictures, fireworks pictures, suggestions for taking pictures of stars, and chilly climate pictures.
• When you’re searching for a terrific present for a pictures loving buddy or member of the family (or your self!), check out our pictures present information,
• When you’re available in the market for a brand new digital camera, we have now an in depth information to the greatest journey cameras, in addition to particular guides for the greatest cameras for climbing and backpacking, the greatest compact digital camera, greatest mirrorless digital camera and greatest DSLR digital camera. We even have a information to the greatest digital camera lenses.
• If you would like a digital camera or lens, however the costs are a bit excessive, see our information to the place to purchase used cameras and digital camera gear for some price range financial savings choices.

Trying to Enhance Your Images?

When you discovered this submit useful, and also you wish to enhance your pictures general, you may wish to take a look at my on-line journey pictures course.

Since launching the course in 2016, I’ve already helped over 2,000 college students learn to take higher pictures. The course covers just about every part it is advisable to know, from the fundamentals of how a digital camera works, via to composition, mild, and photograph enhancing.

It additionally covers extra superior matters, together with astrophotography, lengthy publicity pictures, flash pictures, and HDR pictures.

You get suggestions from me as you progress, entry to webinars, interviews and movies, in addition to unique membership of a Fb group the place you will get suggestions in your work and participate in common challenges.

It’s obtainable for a tremendous one-off worth for lifetime entry, and I feel you need to test it out. Which you are able to do by clicking right here.

Observe: We had been despatched this product at no cost to see how we favored it. I selected to jot down this evaluate based mostly by myself private opinion of the tripod after utilizing it for some time. All opinions are our personal.