Dolica ST-400 63-Inch Lightweight Tripod

I'm really shocked by this tripod. For the price, it's quite heavy duty, functional, and worked fine right of the box. I'm not particularly sure what happened to the other people who are unhappy with it - One could only assume that there were QC issues at one point or another. However, as of writing this, I do believe such issues were fleshed out. I bought two and both function well beyond their price point. First of all, my main camera is a Pentax K-r. This tripod is more than heavy enough to accommodate it without the need of a counter weight. Getting it balanced was a tad tricky - There are 2 liquid levels build in to help you get a good idea of rather or not the tripod legs are even or not. I found that, even with the bubble dead center, it was much more prudent to trust your own eyes - In my case, I had to over compensate one of the legs in order to get it balanced. Strangely enough, the bubble remained center on the balance even after raising the single leg. Panning is smooth. Being left handed, I don't find the placement of the handle awkward at all - Of course, right handed people might be a little bothered by it. The camera mounts via the traditional screw, which is connected to a detachable plate that clips in to the top of the tripod. This allows you to move around the camera without having to unscrew it every time you do so, keeping the option to switch to hand as simple as twisting a knob. Which sums up this entire tripod, really - It's incredibly convenient, and all of the locking mechanisms work much better than you would expect. If I didn't spend 17.99 on this unit I would of assumed it was easily worth 60. That all being said, I find the ST-500 to be easily recommended. It even comes with a nice cloth (and zippered) carrying bag. Dolica exceeded my expectations.

If you want an inexpensive tripod that won't let you down, this is it. I'm going to assume that anyone reading this review is looking at this product for the same reason I did - I wanted a tripod that was cheap. That's it. This thing is cheap, lightweight and so far has not let me down. It comes with a bag to carry it which makes it much easier to lug around between photo sessions. It has two bubble levels to make sure your shot is perfectly leveled. When it's extended fully and neck extension (the part that lifts the camera with a little crank) is fully raised, I'd guess this thing comes up to a full six feet. When it's completely collapsed it's no bigger than a rolled up poster and only slightly heavier. Personally, I'm a weakling, so it's great that this thing is light. I could carry it around all day without a problem. Is it sturdy though? It -is- inexpensive, which does mean you're sacrificing some sturdiness but unless you're hiking up mountains or something like that, you'll never notice. If you're an amateur or novice just getting into photography or want a tripod that won't break the bank, you can't do better than this. [UPDATE] - February 11, 2012 Still works as good as the day I first got it. I haven't noticed a single scratch, ding or dent. The bag is even in great shape.

As other reviewers said, it's a sturdy tripod, and not expensive. I also own the Polaroid 57" and 50". This tripod is noticeably heavier, maybe 50%? (the legs are thicker) and hence, more stable. The footprint is bigger as well. It is basically the same construction of the Polaroids, but a little better (and the Polaroid 57" is better built than the 50"). Box says it's 3.5 lbs, and supports max 9 lbs. The 50" Polaroid is too feeble and light, but may be useful if you're camping, hiking, etc. Between this one and the Polaroid 57", it depends on what you want. If you want the lightest tripod possible, but still decent, go with the Polaroid. If you want more stability and slightly better build and you don't worry about space, go with this one. Both are good tripods for a point and shoot. A few details on the Dolica: 1. the upper bubble level is useless, it should be put up in the head 2. the foot is looser than the Polaroid 57", which is good 3. the crank has a spring to keep it in closed position, unlike the Polaroids 4. the plate's lock locks when releasing the plate, like the P 57", but the P 57" lock is better 5. I find it a little too hard to pan, you have to hold the tripod to pan, but I think it's by design (took one star) 6. the hydraulic fluid head gives it a smoother pan/tilt than the P 57" 7. I paid less for the Dolica

Just receive mine today. What a surprise for the little money I spent on this. For me it seemed very heavy duty and well built. With panning and tilting their are allot of knobs that allow adjustments for each part of this unit . Up down, side by side, the geared center post all have lock downs. The geared center post raises and lowers very easily. Maybe I was lucky in my unit because I have read other reviews concerning stiffness, not so on my unit. All moving parts were loose,easily tightened, including the geared center post which goes up with ease. I am 6'2" and this unit is great for my height. Unit also comes with a nice black canvas cover. Could not be more happy with this unit. I am getting the Sony Nex C3 to use with this tripod. Will work great. Another nice feature is that the head can tilt vertically almost instantaneously for this type of photography. There is also a quick release lock that removes the head to screw on your camera. No screwdrivers are needed to attach your camera. All in all a great tripod for the price and worth much more.