Great review! I picked up the Victiv AT26 Pioneer which appears quite similar but with the clips instead of twist locks. I enjoyed seeing the location and hearing a bit of history. I'm fairly pleased with the head on the AT26...but also looking at the AOKA Head online...thank you for the recommendation!
Thanks so much for watching. I stuck that ball head on an ancient Bogen (Manfrotto) tripod in my studio. Works fine in a more controlled environment. Take care and keep enjoying life!
@@VintageInsightPhotography It was a pleasure to watch! I still use my old Bogen with the 3265 Pistol grip...but love these lighter options. :) Keep up the great work!
FYI, the head is designed to be locked down very tightly by using the knurled knob (the one with the strap attached) and the twist lock on the vertical tube together. Tighten the knurled knob down securely as far as it will go, and then tighten the twist lock underneath it to cinch it up securely. I've never had a problem with it coming loose as you were demonstrating. I managed to replicate your experience by slightly loosening up the twist lock which caused the head to spin freely if you don't hold the knurled knob. The knob and the lock are meant to work together as a team to make the head easy to re-position and line up the scale markings, if you plan on using them, with the direction your camera is facing (a very nice feature if you have spent some time adjusting the legs to bring everything level and balanced on say a rocky base only to realize that 'zero' is on the other side) and also easy to lock down once in position. With both securely tight, it is very easy to use the degree scale and pan your camera. Also make sure the twist lock at the bottom of the vertical tube is tight as well, otherwise the entire tube will turn. Oh, and nowhere in the instructions does it mention any of this.
Very thorough detailed and balanced review James - we have two dogs who love to escape when we open the front door ! I’m one for reading the instructions tho and not just diving straight in 😂😂 The hook is very useful to hang ones camera bag on to weigh down the tripod in a breeze - I learned this the hard way when I failed to weigh my down and it was blown off a cliff in the Outer Hebrides 😩
OH NO! That’s tragic! I can’t even imagine the horror of watching a camera be blown off a cliff! 😫😫😫 Hey! Maybe you and Paul Cook could do a camera crash collaboration. 🤔😫🤣😉
After all that time James, I think you deserved a new tripod. Nice bit of local info about the Saint Claire river, it looked like it had quite a bit of flow to it.
Hahaha! I’m SO amazingly cheap. I am Scottish you know. At that point, the Saint Clair River has a tremendous undertow and unpredictable currents and eddies. The Pilot boats meet the freighters and a local pilot steers them through this area.
I owned a camera store back in 1981 through 1986. When I saw the camera strap I yelled out, "Oh my goodness! I sold those exact straps!" Then you said you pick them up at estate sales. Glad to see they are still holding up after 35+ years.
That’s a really cool story! Right in my era, too. I had a storefront portrait studio from 1980-90. Yes. This vintage stuff is truly holding up. I prefer the vintage stuff to most modern equipment. I think that’s why I shoot Fuji. What state was your store?
@@VintageInsightPhotography I bought an existing store that was in a mall in South California. My husband and I wanted to open one hour photo stores. Remember those?
@@tuc1113 yes. PhotoMat, Photo Hut, etc. I remember a sales rep trying to get me to buy a KIS machine for film & prints. My studio was in southern Michigan.
@@VintageInsightPhotography KIS machines were the absolute worst. I sold the mall store in 1990 but kept a street strip mall store until 1997. I saw the handwriting on the wall with changing technology. So glad I got out when I did.
Good review James. I have an ESDDI tripod (a recent Christmas present) which seems to share some very similar components to yours. Mine doesn't have the twist lock legs though.
Thanks, Craig. If I do more of these, I’ll need to set up a two camera filming so I don’t need to go back a week later and match up some closeups! 🤣 Thanks for watching.
@@mikem6796 I picked it because it was for sale super cheap on EBay. I really enjoy it because of its great quality, and because of the micro adjust control. There is both a fine and a gross tension dial for the ball head. This allows the ball head to be loose enough to position the camera, but not so loose that the camera will flop over.
Great review! I picked up the Victiv AT26 Pioneer which appears quite similar but with the clips instead of twist locks. I enjoyed seeing the location and hearing a bit of history. I'm fairly pleased with the head on the AT26...but also looking at the AOKA Head online...thank you for the recommendation!
Thanks so much for watching. I stuck that ball head on an ancient Bogen (Manfrotto) tripod in my studio. Works fine in a more controlled environment.
Take care and keep enjoying life!
@@VintageInsightPhotography It was a pleasure to watch! I still use my old Bogen with the 3265 Pistol grip...but love these lighter options. :) Keep up the great work!
Nice review ❣️ The funny thing is, you are a man that usually reads the directions 😊
Shhh! 🤫 That’s a secret! 🤣
Looks like a solid setup with that different head mounted on there. Pretty cool this tripod goes that high.
Yeah. I’m pretty eager to try it out in a series of different locations and situations.
Great quality video sir! Your channel is a diamond in the rough!
Thank you!
I love your style! You look like what I want a modern photographer to look like. And your house too! Beautiful!
Thanks. We our downsizing and just sold our beautiful house.
Amazing video. I haven't even watched it yet, just thought I'd be the first to like it and comment 😁
And watch it. Yeah value tripods are always let down by the quality of the heads.
Hahaha! Thanks for this first comment. I could give away the Jolican head as a prize... 🤔🤣
Thanks for watching!
Hahahaha
Thanks for review!
You’re welcome. I still use the tripod.
@@VintageInsightPhotography Great to know that, as I'm looking for my first tripod. 🤜🤛
FYI, the head is designed to be locked down very tightly by using the knurled knob (the one with the strap attached) and the twist lock on the vertical tube together. Tighten the knurled knob down securely as far as it will go, and then tighten the twist lock underneath it to cinch it up securely. I've never had a problem with it coming loose as you were demonstrating. I managed to replicate your experience by slightly loosening up the twist lock which caused the head to spin freely if you don't hold the knurled knob. The knob and the lock are meant to work together as a team to make the head easy to re-position and line up the scale markings, if you plan on using them, with the direction your camera is facing (a very nice feature if you have spent some time adjusting the legs to bring everything level and balanced on say a rocky base only to realize that 'zero' is on the other side) and also easy to lock down once in position. With both securely tight, it is very easy to use the degree scale and pan your camera. Also make sure the twist lock at the bottom of the vertical tube is tight as well, otherwise the entire tube will turn. Oh, and nowhere in the instructions does it mention any of this.
Good info. Thank you.
Thanks, good stuff!
Wow! Thanks so much! I’m still using the tripod. 😁
Very thorough detailed and balanced review James - we have two dogs who love to escape when we open the front door ! I’m one for reading the instructions tho and not just diving straight in 😂😂 The hook is very useful to hang ones camera bag on to weigh down the tripod in a breeze - I learned this the hard way when I failed to weigh my down and it was blown off a cliff in the Outer Hebrides 😩
OH NO! That’s tragic! I can’t even imagine the horror of watching a camera be blown off a cliff! 😫😫😫
Hey! Maybe you and Paul Cook could do a camera crash collaboration. 🤔😫🤣😉
😲
After all that time James, I think you deserved a new tripod. Nice bit of local info about the Saint Claire river, it looked like it had quite a bit of flow to it.
Hahaha! I’m SO amazingly cheap. I am Scottish you know.
At that point, the Saint Clair River has a tremendous undertow and unpredictable currents and eddies. The Pilot boats meet the freighters and a local pilot steers them through this area.
I owned a camera store back in 1981 through 1986. When I saw the camera strap I yelled out, "Oh my goodness! I sold those exact straps!" Then you said you pick them up at estate sales. Glad to see they are still holding up after 35+ years.
That’s a really cool story! Right in my era, too. I had a storefront portrait studio from 1980-90. Yes. This vintage stuff is truly holding up. I prefer the vintage stuff to most modern equipment. I think that’s why I shoot Fuji.
What state was your store?
@@VintageInsightPhotography I bought an existing store that was in a mall in South California. My husband and I wanted to open one hour photo stores. Remember those?
@@tuc1113 yes. PhotoMat, Photo Hut, etc. I remember a sales rep trying to get me to buy a KIS machine for film & prints. My studio was in southern Michigan.
@@VintageInsightPhotography KIS machines were the absolute worst.
I sold the mall store in 1990 but kept a street strip mall store until 1997. I saw the handwriting on the wall with changing technology. So glad I got out when I did.
I just came across your video and really enjoyed your presentation sir!
Thank you. I really appreciate it.
Nice review on the the product. Must look into them as I need a good travel tripod.
Thanks. I’m really happy with the tripod now that it has that amazing Aoka head. Looking forward to putting it through its paces.
Great tripod Review Vlog, thanks for sharing
Thanks for watching, Tony.
Good review James. I have an ESDDI tripod (a recent Christmas present) which seems to share some very similar components to yours. Mine doesn't have the twist lock legs though.
I looked at the ESDDI, but ordered this one. Pretty happy with it so far. Especially now that it has the Aoka head.
Would have been nice to demonstrate use with the stock head.
Good point. The stock head isn’t awful… I’ve put it on my ancient Bogen tripod in my studio.
Great walkthrough review, thank you.
Thanks so much. I really appreciate the feedback.
Nice unboxing and review video.
Thanks, Craig. If I do more of these, I’ll need to set up a two camera filming so I don’t need to go back a week later and match up some closeups! 🤣
Thanks for watching.
Thanks for the video. How is the tripod holding up? You still recommend it?
Yes. I still use it. Took it to Florida this spring for some seascape photography. Still works great even with a little sand in it.
@@VintageInsightPhotography Why did you pick that specific head for the tripod? What do you like about it?
@@mikem6796 I picked it because it was for sale super cheap on EBay. I really enjoy it because of its great quality, and because of the micro adjust control. There is both a fine and a gross tension dial for the ball head. This allows the ball head to be loose enough to position the camera, but not so loose that the camera will flop over.