Velbon EX Series EX-430 - tripod

I bought this little tripod with the express purpose of fitting it in my rucksack for hiking. It measures around 280mm long when folded up.I use it with a Panasonic FZ200 super-zoom bridge camera.The tripod folds down to a very compact size, and comes with a drawstring carry bag for protection. The tripod offers a stable base for this size camera. It also works well with a cropped sensor DSLR, although that camera with a 300mm zoom lens is probably about the limit.I found the tripod easy to use. It offers a wide range of heights. The 3 stage telescopic legs have secure flip type locking levers, and are braced to the main column with two position stays. This allows a minimum of about 200mm between feet with legs unextended, small enough to fit on many bird hide shelves. The column can be extended by about 60mm, increasing the versatility. The detachable mounting plate registers securely, although a small flat blade screwdriver is useful for tightening the mounting screw (I carry a small Swiss Army penknife).The 3 axis head has easy to use handles which lock the head securely. The head can be panned in two axes quite smoothly, but it's probably not as good as a ball head for this function. I bought a tripod adaptor for my binoculars to work with this tripod in bird hides, and I'm sure it would suit a spotting scope tooGiven that this is an inexpensive compact lightweight tripod, it is excellent value for money.

Pros -CheapReasonably sturdy legs slide in and out without any real friction.Metal stop pins at middle (for the legs' extra-spread position) and outside.Cons -Plastic hinge pins for the collar on the center column.Plastic leg support struts.No bubble level on head.QR plate lacks easy release for screw - needs a coin.QR plate locking mechanism doesn't latch open when empty.

A good quality tripod for a good price. I already had a good quality standard sized trip but wanted something smaller for out walking and for macro work. As long as you appreciate that this is a VERY short tripod you will not be disappointed. I was so pleased with this that I ordered a second one as a present.

This is the first tripod I’ve purchased and very happy with the results so far. Stable, secure, easy to setup and once in place you can concentrate on your production.This ex-macro comes with a pouch case and is great for compacts, SLRs and compact videos. Personally, I use this with my camcorder to take product videos and it does exactly what I need it to do.It comes with a ¼ quick release plate which I’ve attached to my video camera for easy use. The legs extended from 203mm to 563 mm (27 inches) maximum, so quite tall for such a small tripod. The section legs extended out when you release the clips on the legs. I prefer the extra low angle when fully extending the legs and the lower base makes it more stable and for me, It’s the perfect height for the video I want to take.The 3-way head is a bit “ plasticky” but because all of my work doesn’t require me to use it doesn’t really bother me. I have moved it about a couple 2of times and it ok. Not the most fluid, but works well enough. It sits still on my floor and has handy rubberized feet to prevent it from moving.I purchased this because of the other reviews extolling its virtues. Have to add my voice and concur. It works really well and it’s a good purchase. Easy to use, set up and store away.This is the first tripod I’ve purchased and very happy with the results so far. Stable, secure, easy to setup and once in place you can concentrate on your production.This ex-macro comes with a pouch case and is great for compacts, SLRs and compact videos. Personally, I use this with my camcorder to take product videos and it does exactly what I need it to do.It comes with a ¼ quick release plate which I’ve attached to my video camera for easy use. The legs extended from 203mm to 563 mm (27 inches) maximum, so quite tall for such a small tripod. The section legs extended out when you release the clips on the legs. I prefer the extra low angle when fully extending the legs and the lower base makes it more stable and for me, It’s the perfect height for the video I want to take.The 3-way head is a bit “ plasticky” but because all of my work doesn’t require me to use it doesn’t really bother me. I have moved it about a couple 2of times and it ok. Not the most fluid, but works well enough. It sits still on my floor and has handy rubberized feet to prevent it from moving.I purchased this because of the other reviews extolling its virtues. Have to add my voice and concur. It works really well and it’s a good purchase. Easy to use, set up and store away.

Seems to be a very good little tripod.It's very lightweight but seemed stable with my xt-1 and 18-55 on itThe QR mech is a little flimsy though and very hard to do up right enough without a coin / screwdriver which is why I've reduced the review to 4 stars

I bought the Velbon EX-Macro Tripod to take Macro photographs at home (or away). It arrived on time and in perfect condition. I've used it a few times in the last 3 days, and it's easy to put up, easy to put down and easy to put away into its bag for storage. It's light enough to carry and will fit into my backpack if I need to take it anywhere for use. It's a sturdy little tripod that will, hopefully, last me a long time. I love it that much that I would buy from this company again in the future.

Handy, lightweight, the camera shoe makes it simple to dismount the camera. The height adjustments are very useful as is the ability to lower the camera by unclicking the leg supports. All in all, an excellent little tripod.

Great macro tripod, well made and nice to use for close up work.