Hi Scott, I have "had" the Mefoto Air, but gave it away. The deal breaker was that the head is fixed and I couldn't put my Arca-Swiss Monoball head on. I have two of the MeFOTO RoadTrip Aluminum Travel Tripods which work fantastic when I need to leave behind the big dog. The Arca-Swiss Monoball head has built in leveling which I find necessary for Panos and fast leveling. When you combine the near impossible leveling of the Mefoto Air with the single twist leg and the fixed head, the small size wasn't worth the trade off. I am a fan of Mefoto, just not the Air. They have a great idea, but if they made one that the head could be replaced, it would have a winner. I called into Mefoto tech support and chatted with them about the issue, but they did not seem to understand the problem. On the Capture Pro Clip, of which I have four, put a small washer between the plate and the camera to give you room to flip out the screen. It is a simple fix to solve your problem. Finally, check out the Arca-Swiss Monoball head, it is an amazing small head that packs a punch: www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/658802-REG/Arca_Swiss_801211_Monoball_P0_with_Panning.html?sts=pi-ps After getting one and testing it, I picked up another for my wife and then sold off two RRS BH-55 and a BH-30 plus the leveling bases. After shooting Canon since 1979, we have fully switched to Sony. We now shoot two a7rII and an A9, along with all of the Sony GM lens currently on the market. My last Canon to go was the 1Dx, replaced by the A9 and I don't miss the bulk at all. I am also impressed with the A9 focus accuracy and speed hanging off our Canon 600mm F4 II. Keep up the good work. I have over 60K subscribers and 11 million views on my YT channel, and you are way better than me. I will let everyone I know about your channel. Ron Paulk
Thanks for all the tips, Ron! Having used the Mefoto a bit longer, my main issue is the twist locks. They work alright, but not flawlessly. I've had enough glitches with them, including the center column "selfie stick", that I'm remanding the Mefoto to a studio tripod, occasional light work for very basic things in the field (ex: second camera for BTS type stuff). Love the light weight. However, as a long time RRS user, I think my sense of "normal" is a bit skewed. :-) And very glad to hear you are enjoying your Sony cameras. I did solve my problem with the Capture Pro Clip and A6000 with a once-folded business card. It was a field-fix and it's working well. A washer is a great idea. I'll slip one in the next time I have a need to dismount the setup.
Get Velbon Ultra LUXi L III, I had it for almost 2 years now, same twist lock mechanism and changed the ball head to manfrotto ball head with 496RC2 and Boss Adapter plus DBA-02 (use both arca and manfrotto plate) I could set-up and dismantle in less than 10 seconds and the whole thing still weighs less than 3 lbs. Only downside is item will ship from China so have to weight a little bit.
Great video, I'm thinking about pulling the trigger on the MeFoto Backpacker Air to use, well, for backpacking. Lightweight and packs down small, two important qualities when every ounce counts and space is at a premium. I also have the Peak Design Capture clip (actually the Capture Pro), and I love it. And I also found that the plate can interfere with the screen on my a6000 (also on my Sony RX100 M2), but I bought a Peak Design Microplate, designed for smaller, slimmer bodies like the a6000 and the RX. The plate doesn't stick out as far, making screen articulation no problem. And, the Microplate is still Arca compatible, so both it and the Pro plate would be compatible with the Mefoto tripod. Win-win situation, as they say. Keep up the good work.
The twist-locks took me a bit to get used to with the MeFoto. Now that I'm familiar with them, the tripod is easier to work with. It's super light-weight. I still use my Really Right Stuff for most of my shooting, with the MeFoto in tow for a secondary system on some shoots. I also have the Capture Clip. I wound up folding a business card in half and putting it between my A6000 and the mounting plate. No more interference with the articulating screen. Have fun backpacking!
Always enjoy it when you have some gear talk! Appreciate your insights on the tripod. I've been curious about it as well but it doesn't seem like too good a fit with a heavier setup and non stable surfaces. It does seem to be well thought out for travel though. Thanks!
+Frank F you are correct. Good for lighter bodies. On my current trip, I've been using the center column for family "selfies". Quite helpful. I might work that into future In The Field videos for "self interviews" while on location.
Scott it may be that Sony corrected the tripod plate attachment problem with the a6500 since it has a chamfer on the camera body at the flip out screen which puts the screen just above the tripod attach surface. This allows the screen to easily flip out for any tripod plate. I use almost all the Peak Design products and the clip is a great tool for everything from a a belt attachment to a backpack. It also works fine on the a7rll. You can put the strap attachment clips on there tripod plate and us them for quick attachment to a strap when you need it.
+David Sweet good to know newer bodies don't have the issue. I have a similar problem with my RRS l-bracket and my A7R (to a much lesser degree). An issue that doesn't exist with the A7RII :-)
I own the PD Capture, and it is always with me. Whether it is affixed to my messenger, backpack, pouch, or beltloop, it is a staple. Your experience is interesting, and I wonder if it is partly the design of the a6000 series. I shoot the NEX 7, and I can use may variable screen with no issue. Same for my Nikon D5100. The mounting plate is clear. It really is handy that I can go from handheld to tripod, without having to worry about swapping plates. Just thought I would share my experience... As always, thanks for the share, and enjoy your family vacation. 👍
+Leroy Javois based on your and other comments, it does seem to be an issue with the A6000. Good to know other bodies have no issue. And you are spot on about switching between the clip and a tripod - very nice feature.
Hi Scott. First may I say that I enjoy your informative and relaxed style of gear reviews! Regarding that MEFOTO RoadTrip Air tripod, I did use the older style MEFOTO GlobeTrotter, and it was a nice, no-frills, solid tripod.However, though that RoadTrip Air may have a niche, I'm not a "selfie" guy either, but most importantly, I evaluate a tripod based entirely on STABILITY, and I'm a bit skeptical on that new "locking" mechanism. If you check my site (TotalQualityPhoto), you'll hopefully see that I take great pride in sharpness and detail in my landscape and small product images, so I want a VERY solid, robust tripod for that reason. I recently came across a fantastic tripod for travel (or studio work!)...the Leofoto LN-254CT Carbon Fiber Tripod. It's lightweight, 10x carbon fiber legs, all CNC-machined metal, and includes quite nice metal interchangeable spikes plus a neat little carabiner tool plus allen wrenches and a nice carrying case.However, what really grabbed my attention, is that the Awesome ball head includes a built-in Panoramic head! So, needless to say, it makes a superb landscape tripod, plus, the pano head, when swiveled into the drop-down notch, now turns into a Gimbal Head! The build quality, IMHO, is up there with Gitzo and RRS, for a fraction of the price. And finally, I think it is the best ergonomically designed ball head, because each control knob is a completely different shape/texture, so there's no way of inadvertently making an unintended adjustment out in the field! So logical, and why all manufacturers don't do this is beyond me. Obviously, I highly recommend the Leofoto LN-254CT! Thanks again, Scott!
Hi Scott, here in the UK Arca swiss plates are becoming more popular and Manfrotto now make a head with Arca Swiss. I however shoot with an RC2 manfrotto plate and ball head. RC2 to Arca swiss adapters are available but difficult to get in the UK. Another expense and another thing to come loose. So a plate to mount to a back pack in arca swiss not good either. I also have a Mefoto aluminium road trip tripod. I had a problem with the plate would work loose on the bottom of my D7100 and I nearly lost the camera in the river a few times.My husband uses it with his Panasonic G8 and has not had a problem so it probably a weight thing. I have as a result gone to a Vanguard carbon fibre tripod with twist locks, fed up with Manfrotto clip locks and squeezing my fingers. Come to the conclusion Tripods are like camera bags and life, nothing is perfect. On a different note a fellow RUclipsr "First Man Photography" did a video recently comparing bracketing vs grad. Filters. You are a filter person what is your take on this? Thanks Scott great video and have a good holiday (sorry Vacation). Nicky
+nicola foulkes good point about camera weight. I've only used my A6000 with the Peak Capture Pro, which is a very light camera. Wrt grad filters, I don't use them. I have a couple of videos about filter systems posted that explains my reasons (search for "filter systems" on my channel)
Thanks Scott... I've since tried a makeshift shim (traveling at the moment). A business card folded in half is the perfect width. So... two patches of strategically placed paper has done the trick.
I would think another use for that Peak Design Capture Pro would be for those occasions where you can't put your primary camera down - I'm thinking as I negotiate over a stream to get a waterfall shot. I find that I end up either (a) trusting the ball head to securely hold the camera and attached lens as I wade across (leading to half a minute of pure anxiety), or (b) come across once w/ the tripod, get that relatively situated, then back over to the (dry) bank where the pack is sitting and grab the camera body and lens. I would think that having the camera and lens readily available on your upper chest as you cross w/ the tripod in hand might be useful. [To be honest, I've often thought about finding a good sling-style bag for that purpose.] I own a MeFOTO for (a) travel and (b) as a backup - it's a larger/older one that I've found to be quite nice, not nearly as sturdy as my main Gitzo - but certainly used a handful of times a year where the large tripod is just not very practical. Good practical advice Scott - thanks for sharing your expertise!
+Alan Brunelle a temporary hold is a good use case, too! Admittedly, I trust the lock on my RRS ball head. Once locked, I've never had it slip. (Although on occasion I have forgotten to tighten down the pan knob and had a major moment of anxiety.... but never a disaster)
For the capture pro mounting clip, would it be possible to add a washer/spacer (could be rubber or silicon based or metal) in between the bottom of the A6000 camera and the mounting clip and thereby adding some space to so that there can be enough clearance to pull the LCD screen out? Just curious.
+Albert Johnston Thanks for that idea... I didn't think about that. I got another suggestion via my website to use a shim between the camera and the plate. I'm going to give that a try. I think it'll work without too much fuss.
would you say that a regular mirrorless (Sony a6500) would benefit from such a small tripod? I use a tripod almost never, only with very dark conditions. Thanks!
I have an A6000 and with a smaller lens and the MeFoto is a good fit. If you rarely use a tripod, I think you'll be happy with the MeFoto on the occasions you do.
Hi Scott, I have "had" the Mefoto Air, but gave it away. The deal breaker was that the head is fixed and I couldn't put my Arca-Swiss Monoball head on. I have two of the MeFOTO RoadTrip Aluminum Travel Tripods which work fantastic when I need to leave behind the big dog. The Arca-Swiss Monoball head has built in leveling which I find necessary for Panos and fast leveling. When you combine the near impossible leveling of the Mefoto Air with the single twist leg and the fixed head, the small size wasn't worth the trade off. I am a fan of Mefoto, just not the Air. They have a great idea, but if they made one that the head could be replaced, it would have a winner. I called into Mefoto tech support and chatted with them about the issue, but they did not seem to understand the problem. On the Capture Pro Clip, of which I have four, put a small washer between the plate and the camera to give you room to flip out the screen. It is a simple fix to solve your problem. Finally, check out the Arca-Swiss Monoball head, it is an amazing small head that packs a punch: www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/658802-REG/Arca_Swiss_801211_Monoball_P0_with_Panning.html?sts=pi-ps After getting one and testing it, I picked up another for my wife and then sold off two RRS BH-55 and a BH-30 plus the leveling bases. After shooting Canon since 1979, we have fully switched to Sony. We now shoot two a7rII and an A9, along with all of the Sony GM lens currently on the market. My last Canon to go was the 1Dx, replaced by the A9 and I don't miss the bulk at all. I am also impressed with the A9 focus accuracy and speed hanging off our Canon 600mm F4 II. Keep up the good work. I have over 60K subscribers and 11 million views on my YT channel, and you are way better than me. I will let everyone I know about your channel. Ron Paulk
Thanks for all the tips, Ron! Having used the Mefoto a bit longer, my main issue is the twist locks. They work alright, but not flawlessly. I've had enough glitches with them, including the center column "selfie stick", that I'm remanding the Mefoto to a studio tripod, occasional light work for very basic things in the field (ex: second camera for BTS type stuff). Love the light weight. However, as a long time RRS user, I think my sense of "normal" is a bit skewed. :-)
And very glad to hear you are enjoying your Sony cameras. I did solve my problem with the Capture Pro Clip and A6000 with a once-folded business card. It was a field-fix and it's working well. A washer is a great idea. I'll slip one in the next time I have a need to dismount the setup.
Get Velbon Ultra LUXi L III, I had it for almost 2 years now, same twist lock mechanism and changed the ball head to manfrotto ball head with 496RC2 and Boss Adapter plus DBA-02 (use both arca and manfrotto plate) I could set-up and dismantle in less than 10 seconds and the whole thing still weighs less than 3 lbs. Only downside is item will ship from China so have to weight a little bit.
Sensible review, good audio, nicely done
Thanks, Peter. Hope it helps you out.
Great video, I'm thinking about pulling the trigger on the MeFoto Backpacker Air to use, well, for backpacking. Lightweight and packs down small, two important qualities when every ounce counts and space is at a premium. I also have the Peak Design Capture clip (actually the Capture Pro), and I love it. And I also found that the plate can interfere with the screen on my a6000 (also on my Sony RX100 M2), but I bought a Peak Design Microplate, designed for smaller, slimmer bodies like the a6000 and the RX. The plate doesn't stick out as far, making screen articulation no problem. And, the Microplate is still Arca compatible, so both it and the Pro plate would be compatible with the Mefoto tripod. Win-win situation, as they say. Keep up the good work.
The twist-locks took me a bit to get used to with the MeFoto. Now that I'm familiar with them, the tripod is easier to work with. It's super light-weight. I still use my Really Right Stuff for most of my shooting, with the MeFoto in tow for a secondary system on some shoots.
I also have the Capture Clip. I wound up folding a business card in half and putting it between my A6000 and the mounting plate. No more interference with the articulating screen.
Have fun backpacking!
Always enjoy it when you have some gear talk! Appreciate your insights on the tripod. I've been curious about it as well but it doesn't seem like too good a fit with a heavier setup and non stable surfaces. It does seem to be well thought out for travel though. Thanks!
+Frank F you are correct. Good for lighter bodies. On my current trip, I've been using the center column for family "selfies". Quite helpful. I might work that into future In The Field videos for "self interviews" while on location.
Scott it may be that Sony corrected the tripod plate attachment problem with the a6500 since it has a chamfer on the camera body at the flip out screen which puts the screen just above the tripod attach surface. This allows the screen to easily flip out for any tripod plate. I use almost all the Peak Design products and the clip is a great tool for everything from a a belt attachment to a backpack. It also works fine on the a7rll. You can put the strap attachment clips on there tripod plate and us them for quick attachment to a strap when you need it.
+David Sweet good to know newer bodies don't have the issue. I have a similar problem with my RRS l-bracket and my A7R (to a much lesser degree). An issue that doesn't exist with the A7RII :-)
I own the PD Capture, and it is always with me. Whether it is affixed to my messenger, backpack, pouch, or beltloop, it is a staple. Your experience is interesting, and I wonder if it is partly the design of the a6000 series. I shoot the NEX 7, and I can use may variable screen with no issue. Same for my Nikon D5100. The mounting plate is clear. It really is handy that I can go from handheld to tripod, without having to worry about swapping plates. Just thought I would share my experience... As always, thanks for the share, and enjoy your family vacation. 👍
+Leroy Javois based on your and other comments, it does seem to be an issue with the A6000. Good to know other bodies have no issue. And you are spot on about switching between the clip and a tripod - very nice feature.
Hi Scott. First may I say that I enjoy your informative and relaxed style of gear reviews! Regarding that MEFOTO RoadTrip Air tripod, I did use the older style MEFOTO GlobeTrotter, and it was a nice, no-frills, solid tripod.However, though that RoadTrip Air may have a niche, I'm not a "selfie" guy either, but most importantly, I evaluate a tripod based entirely on STABILITY, and I'm a bit skeptical on that new "locking" mechanism. If you check my site (TotalQualityPhoto), you'll hopefully see that I take great pride in sharpness and detail in my landscape and small product images, so I want a VERY solid, robust tripod for that reason.
I recently came across a fantastic tripod for travel (or studio work!)...the Leofoto LN-254CT Carbon Fiber Tripod. It's lightweight, 10x carbon fiber legs, all CNC-machined metal, and includes quite nice metal interchangeable spikes plus a neat little carabiner tool plus allen wrenches and a nice carrying case.However, what really grabbed my attention, is that the Awesome ball head includes a built-in Panoramic head! So, needless to say, it makes a superb landscape tripod, plus, the pano head, when swiveled into the drop-down notch, now turns into a Gimbal Head! The build quality, IMHO, is up there with Gitzo and RRS, for a fraction of the price. And finally, I think it is the best ergonomically designed ball head, because each control knob is a completely different shape/texture, so there's no way of inadvertently making an unintended adjustment out in the field! So logical, and why all manufacturers don't do this is beyond me. Obviously, I highly recommend the Leofoto LN-254CT! Thanks again, Scott!
Hi Scott, here in the UK Arca swiss plates are becoming more popular and Manfrotto now make a head with Arca Swiss. I however shoot with an RC2 manfrotto plate and ball head. RC2 to Arca swiss adapters are available but difficult to get in the UK. Another expense and another thing to come loose. So a plate to mount to a back pack in arca swiss not good either.
I also have a Mefoto aluminium road trip tripod. I had a problem with the plate would work loose on the bottom of my D7100 and I nearly lost the camera in the river a few times.My husband uses it with his Panasonic G8 and has not had a problem so it probably a weight thing. I have as a result gone to a Vanguard carbon fibre tripod with twist locks, fed up with Manfrotto clip locks and squeezing my fingers.
Come to the conclusion Tripods are like camera bags and life, nothing is perfect.
On a different note a fellow RUclipsr "First Man Photography" did a video recently comparing bracketing vs grad. Filters. You are a filter person what is your take on this? Thanks Scott great video and have a good holiday (sorry Vacation). Nicky
+nicola foulkes good point about camera weight. I've only used my A6000 with the Peak Capture Pro, which is a very light camera. Wrt grad filters, I don't use them. I have a couple of videos about filter systems posted that explains my reasons (search for "filter systems" on my channel)
Scott I trimmed the rubber off the mounting plate right under the screen on my a6000 and it works like a dream.
Thanks Scott... I've since tried a makeshift shim (traveling at the moment). A business card folded in half is the perfect width. So... two patches of strategically placed paper has done the trick.
I would think another use for that Peak Design Capture Pro would be for those occasions where you can't put your primary camera down - I'm thinking as I negotiate over a stream to get a waterfall shot. I find that I end up either (a) trusting the ball head to securely hold the camera and attached lens as I wade across (leading to half a minute of pure anxiety), or (b) come across once w/ the tripod, get that relatively situated, then back over to the (dry) bank where the pack is sitting and grab the camera body and lens. I would think that having the camera and lens readily available on your upper chest as you cross w/ the tripod in hand might be useful. [To be honest, I've often thought about finding a good sling-style bag for that purpose.] I own a MeFOTO for (a) travel and (b) as a backup - it's a larger/older one that I've found to be quite nice, not nearly as sturdy as my main Gitzo - but certainly used a handful of times a year where the large tripod is just not very practical. Good practical advice Scott - thanks for sharing your expertise!
+Alan Brunelle a temporary hold is a good use case, too! Admittedly, I trust the lock on my RRS ball head. Once locked, I've never had it slip. (Although on occasion I have forgotten to tighten down the pan knob and had a major moment of anxiety.... but never a disaster)
My Markins has been rock solid too. But that doesn't stop me from being worried. 😁
For the capture pro mounting clip, would it be possible to add a washer/spacer (could be rubber or silicon based or metal) in between the bottom of the A6000 camera and the mounting clip and thereby adding some space to so that there can be enough clearance to pull the LCD screen out? Just curious.
Sure could. My field workaround was folding a business card in half as a shim. That did the trick.
hi scott have you thought of trimming the top of the clip to allow the screen to swivile i have done it in the past on other mounts
+Albert Johnston Thanks for that idea... I didn't think about that. I got another suggestion via my website to use a shim between the camera and the plate. I'm going to give that a try. I think it'll work without too much fuss.
would you say that a regular mirrorless (Sony a6500) would benefit from such a small tripod? I use a tripod almost never, only with very dark conditions. Thanks!
I have an A6000 and with a smaller lens and the MeFoto is a good fit. If you rarely use a tripod, I think you'll be happy with the MeFoto on the occasions you do.