Though serving a rather different function than the sticks in your video here, my seven year old Jobu Algonquin and accompanying gimbal (my papa) “bear" witness to the old saw, “buy it nice or buy it twice”…oh, and the shirt, Maarten…fantastic. Thanks.
Thanks, always a pleasure to read your kind words, they are greatly appreciated. I've never heard that expression before, but I may use it. The shirt is from Lipson, from the time when their shirts were made in Canada.
If you want a better leveling solution then take a look at the Sachtler aktiv heads which eliminate the knob tightening point underneath the fluid head (brilliant design!) and which also has an illuminated bubble level you can see from above OR from the side. Expensive by most measures, but for quick and easy transitions during a shoot-even onto a slider without taking the camera off the head-there’s no other head and sticks combination that comes close. Highly recommended.
@@MaartenHeilbron You’re welcome. I have Manfrotto sticks as well, but the Sachtler sticks and heads are much easier to use. Especially the heads because you don’t have to reach under to adjust level and then only have one hand on the camera. With their aktiv system, you can adjust and keep both hands above the mount to better stabilize the camera. Absolutely brilliant. (and no, I don’t work for the company, I just appreciate great design)
Great detailed review. Do you know the 3985 DH-01 head from SmallRig? This one doesn't have any reviews except in Korean :D Its gonna be my first tripod and i'll probably be using it for a long time and I don't know which one to buy
Hi, i’m a xt30 user since the release date, the xt30 was my first camera of my life cause i was starting studying photography at highscool. Since that day many thing eveolved and now i have to take a big step up to work as a fashion photopher. I don’t do street Photography at all. I have to decide betwen xt5 or xh2 I feel that the material of xh2 are better than the xt5… This camera that i’m gonna choose will be the main camera for my future works and i’m not planning to change it for couple of years. I’m a Photographer so i couldn’t care less about the video features …
wow - that seems like to good to be true value. Smallrig aren't generally cheap per se - I wonder how they've done it? did it seem built to a price or not?
Well, Small Rig only puts their name on it. There are other companies that sale exactly the same tripod - but under different name. ( Or Small Rig allows other companies to put their own name on it and sale it under their own name). Either way, I I purchased 2 of them from Amazon, for $119.00 each ( ... original price $139.99, discounted to $119.99). Must say, great tripod. I put all my expensive tripods away, and now I am using only this one. Expensive doesn't necessarily means "good". This tripod is good for 90% of people out there. Highly recommend. Thank you
Yes, I noted that it's available on Amazon (even with the SmallRig brand) for much less than the list price. And I'm not surprised that it's a product that's white labelled by the manufacturer to anyone who wants to buy some quantity of these. I thought a lot about "how do they get it so cheap". I worry about the overt or covert mechanisms that fund this "too good to be true" pricing ( is it government subsidies or exploitive labour practices?) and the ultimate results of such tactics on those who don't enjoy the government support those kinds of practices require as well as the existing companies impacted by these products.
Your rule number one didn't apply to me. I started with a cheap Hama which I was quite happy with until I got my first 400 mm lens and tried it on a windy day. Then I bought my largest, heaviest, sturdiest, most expensive tripod + head to date. I still love it, but as it's about 125 cm tall, head included, when collapsed to its smallest size, mind!, and weighs 21 kg, after many years I decided it was time to get some smaller tripods - which happened to be cheaper and less sturdy. By the way, Manfrotto is my brand too. The big one is the 161mk2B with the 229 3-way head, and the next one was the 055pro3 with the MHXPro-BHQ2 ball-head, the RC-128 fluid head and the 393 gimbal head. I also own a Befree and two 209 table top tripods - not with the smallest ball head, which I consider to be almost worthless, but with slightly larger heads. And then I have one non-Manfrotto: A K&F concept KC-TM2534 travel tripod, because I wanted to try twist locks and carbon "sticks".
Thanks for sharing those experiences, always interesting to hear stories from other photographers. Although baby bear does have twist locks, they're not my favourite, as they seem to enjoy pinching my fingers.
@@MaartenHeilbron I twist them with my middle finger at the middle of the lock against the palm of my hand. I don't even touch the edges of the locks, so no risk of pinching.
while it's nice that there's a disclosure that smallrig isn't paying for the review, they also aren't asking for the item back. this begs the question... how many items will they send for him to review (and keep) in the future if the reviews start being negative. **This comment is a critique of how many reviews are done on youtube, and to be viewed as anything personally negative about the reviewer.
I'm happy that you companies like smallrig are reaching out to you for reviews... 9 years ago, your review about the a6000 made the decision =)
Thanks. I do have some misgivings about these kinds of videos, so I appreciate your kind words.
Though serving a rather different function than the sticks in your video here, my seven year old Jobu Algonquin and accompanying gimbal (my papa) “bear" witness to the old saw, “buy it nice or buy it twice”…oh, and the shirt, Maarten…fantastic. Thanks.
Thanks, always a pleasure to read your kind words, they are greatly appreciated. I've never heard that expression before, but I may use it. The shirt is from Lipson, from the time when their shirts were made in Canada.
So in depth for a 14 minute video. Great job 🗿✅ considering the mama bear
hehe, thanks for taking the time to comment. A pleasure to read your kind words.
Best, most coherent video on this tripod
Your kind words are appreciated, thanks!!
incredible review. everything I needed to know
Great! Very happy to read your comment.
Nice to see you again!
Hey, thanks! Sorry it sometimes takes longer than I plan to finish a RUclips video - a lot of other projects seem to get priority.
Thank you!
You're welcome! Thanks for your kind words.
Spirit level cube...use one of the inexpensive cube shaped types in your camera hot shoe or just place it on the tripod head platform during set up.
Good suggestion, thanks!
If you want a better leveling solution then take a look at the Sachtler aktiv heads which eliminate the knob tightening point underneath the fluid head (brilliant design!) and which also has an illuminated bubble level you can see from above OR from the side. Expensive by most measures, but for quick and easy transitions during a shoot-even onto a slider without taking the camera off the head-there’s no other head and sticks combination that comes close. Highly recommended.
Thanks for that note - I honestly haven't looked at a Sachtler head in years, I go out to my dealer and check them out!
@@MaartenHeilbron You’re welcome. I have Manfrotto sticks as well, but the Sachtler sticks and heads are much easier to use. Especially the heads because you don’t have to reach under to adjust level and then only have one hand on the camera. With their aktiv system, you can adjust and keep both hands above the mount to better stabilize the camera. Absolutely brilliant. (and no, I don’t work for the company, I just appreciate great design)
Thanks for adding these notes, I'm looking forward to seeing it in person.
Great detailed review.
Do you know the 3985 DH-01 head from SmallRig? This one doesn't have any reviews except in Korean :D Its gonna be my first tripod and i'll probably be using it for a long time and I don't know which one to buy
Thanks for the kind words. I am not familiar with that model.
@@MaartenHeilbron Thanks
Hi, i’m a xt30 user since the release date, the xt30 was my first camera of my life cause i was starting studying photography at highscool.
Since that day many thing eveolved and now i have to take a big step up to work as a fashion photopher.
I don’t do street Photography at all.
I have to decide betwen xt5 or xh2
I feel that the material of xh2 are better than the xt5…
This camera that i’m gonna choose will be the main camera for my future works and i’m not planning to change it for couple of years.
I’m a Photographer so i couldn’t care less about the video features …
Take the X-H2.
wow - that seems like to good to be true value. Smallrig aren't generally cheap per se - I wonder how they've done it? did it seem built to a price or not?
It's a mystery.
Do you know how to remove the fluid head and attach a different head. It seems when I detach it the bowl is still attached to the fluid head. Thanks!
After you've removed it from the base, turn the bottom half of the bowl until it's released.
Well, Small Rig only puts their name on it. There are other companies that sale exactly the same tripod - but under different name. ( Or Small Rig allows other companies to put their own name on it and sale it under their own name). Either way, I I purchased 2 of them from Amazon, for $119.00 each ( ... original price $139.99, discounted to $119.99). Must say, great tripod. I put all my expensive tripods away, and now I am using only this one. Expensive doesn't necessarily means "good". This tripod is good for 90% of people out there. Highly recommend. Thank you
Yes, I noted that it's available on Amazon (even with the SmallRig brand) for much less than the list price. And I'm not surprised that it's a product that's white labelled by the manufacturer to anyone who wants to buy some quantity of these.
I thought a lot about "how do they get it so cheap".
I worry about the overt or covert mechanisms that fund this "too good to be true" pricing ( is it government subsidies or exploitive labour practices?) and the ultimate results of such tactics on those who don't enjoy the government support those kinds of practices require as well as the existing companies impacted by these products.
@@MaartenHeilbron Good points. I think it is cheap labor we all benefit from. Just the case itself must be worth half of the price....
Does the SmallRig tripod have removal feet so i can screw in spikes for outdoor use? If so what is the internal thread size? Thank you
Although there is a hollow opening when the foot is removed, it is not threaded.
@@MaartenHeilbron many thanks
Can you change the head on ad01? I mean put a manfrotto(504) head on the ad01? Thank you!
I think so, as the 75mm bowl is interchangeable. However, I didn't try.
Your rule number one didn't apply to me. I started with a cheap Hama which I was quite happy with until I got my first 400 mm lens and tried it on a windy day. Then I bought my largest, heaviest, sturdiest, most expensive tripod + head to date. I still love it, but as it's about 125 cm tall, head included, when collapsed to its smallest size, mind!, and weighs 21 kg, after many years I decided it was time to get some smaller tripods - which happened to be cheaper and less sturdy.
By the way, Manfrotto is my brand too. The big one is the 161mk2B with the 229 3-way head, and the next one was the 055pro3 with the MHXPro-BHQ2 ball-head, the RC-128 fluid head and the 393 gimbal head. I also own a Befree and two 209 table top tripods - not with the smallest ball head, which I consider to be almost worthless, but with slightly larger heads. And then I have one non-Manfrotto: A K&F concept KC-TM2534 travel tripod, because I wanted to try twist locks and carbon "sticks".
Thanks for sharing those experiences, always interesting to hear stories from other photographers. Although baby bear does have twist locks, they're not my favourite, as they seem to enjoy pinching my fingers.
@@MaartenHeilbron I twist them with my middle finger at the middle of the lock against the palm of my hand. I don't even touch the edges of the locks, so no risk of pinching.
I should try that.
Can we shoot vertically?
Not without an additional accessory.
while it's nice that there's a disclosure that smallrig isn't paying for the review, they also aren't asking for the item back. this begs the question... how many items will they send for him to review (and keep) in the future if the reviews start being negative. **This comment is a critique of how many reviews are done on youtube, and to be viewed as anything personally negative about the reviewer.
I've decided that I am no longer accepting these kinds of offers.
Smallrig never contact me... but someone else did and it's better smoothcameragear T8
Thanks for the update.