Peak Design Travel Tripod – Hands on Review

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    Topic: Peak Design Travel Tripod – Hands on Review Read 653 Times
  • John McCormick
    John McCormick
    Participant
    Posts: 7
    New Article Announcements & Discussions
    on: March 9, 2021 at 8:39 pm

    Thank you for your review of the Peak Design Travel Tripod.  Like you, I am a fan of their camera straps.  I have I’ve been thinking about purchasing this tripod for some time.  Your review is yet another positive account pushing me toward geting it.  I would be interested in carrying it into some dark locations in the Andes for astrophotography.   I haven’t found any reviews of the tripod for astrophotography.  Does anyone here have any experience with using it for astrophotography?  I also wonder how it holds up to long lenses.  I would like to use it with my Nikon D850 / 500mm PF combination.  I’m not sure how that compares to your Sony a7r iv with a 100-400mm lens on it.

    Kevin Raber
    Kevin Raber
    Silver Member
    Posts: 1324
    Re: Peak Design Travel Tripod – Hands on Review
    Reply #1 on: March 9, 2021 at 10:20 pm

    As far as astrophotography goes any tripod should work.  I would suggest if you use this tripod for long exposures with a heavy camera set up on it that you use the hook on the column and weight it down with a camera bag or something along those lines.  In the past, I have used bungee cords.  I put my camera bag under the tripod and then put a bungee cord from the bag to the hook.  It should be tight but not overly tight.  This prevents the camera bag if it is hooked directly to the hook from swaying in the wind.  I just recently (yesterday) used this tripod with the Sony a1 and 200-600mm lens and it held it just fine.

     

     

     

    Kevin Raber
    Owner and Publisher of photoPXL

    Bud James
    Bud James
    Participant
    Posts: 94
    Re: Peak Design Travel Tripod – Hands on Review
    Reply #2 on: March 11, 2021 at 7:57 am

    Kevin,

    Nice review!

    I own this tripod. My previous travel tripod, which I still own and use, is the Gitzo 1550. In contrast, the PD is “chunkier” yet light. It is more compact than the Gitzo when folded because of the unique leg design. The built-in iPhone holder is a nice touch too.

    My only issue is with the small plastic clip as the top of the tripod leg where it attaches with a pin to the tripod head. I have had two of these break, once when the tripod fell over (without a camera on it, thank God) and once inside the travel case when it fell out of my trunk. Peak Design replaced both time by sending me a whole leg. It was an easy fix, but left me with concerns about the durability of the tripod.

    PD should make this part out of metal in the future.

    Other than this issue, it’s a great tripod.

    Regards,

    Bud James

    Please check out my fine art and travel photography at http://www.budjames.photography or on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/budjamesphoto

    • This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by Bud James.
    • This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by Bud James.
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