Peak DesignTravel Tripod, Aluminum, Compact Design, Quick Setup and Takedown, Pro-Level Stability, Ergonomic Ball Head, Compact and Portable Travel Tripod for Camera and Phone, 20 lb Capacity

That is what I was looking for. It's the right size to carry in your backpack. I hate carrying a thick and heavy tripod all day in the city. This is super sweet, lightweight, and easy to hold. Be warned, though, a tripod should be light, but when you add stuff to your backpack, it might get a little heavy. Overall, I love it.

I have a tripod problem. Too many tripods in the stable over the years! Still in search of the perfect tripod. With low cost, low weight, compact for hiking, easy deployment, tall enough for near eye level work, and sturdy enough for a heavier setup. And more importantly, plate compatibility allowing easy transferability to alternate carry systems (strap clip, PD Capture).The Peak Designs team really did listen to photographers looking for a multi-purpose travel tripod. As a photographer who spends time hiking for picture taking opportunities, I have looked for the perfect travel tripod over the last decade. Surveying my current collection, including a Manfrotto MKC3-H01 travel tripod (now, MKCOMPACTACN-BK, with different proprietary hybrid head “joystick” grip ball head, and a different plate arrangement), a Velbon carbon fiber 630 with a Manfrotto 498 RC2 head, a Velbon DF-10ML (closely related to the EX Macro 3-section), and a small Neewer CK-30 compact tripod purchased for the Arca plate and ability for ground level macros.The PD aluminum tripod is not the lightest among them, and it is expensive --but it is one of the most thoughtful, compact, well-constructed, stable, and confidence inspiring tripods, with an advantage “in the field”.Features I like.Compact. In its carry state, a little taller than the size of a standard Nalgene water bottle.The legs, connection pieces, and clasps. I prefer the flip-out clasps for leg deployment over the screw types. For me, there is less fumbling around trying to find release and locking positions. The height is great, along with being able to position close to the ground.The ball head works well for me. The tightening mech on the ball works as expected, even with a Sony a7r-IV with a heavy Sony 200-600mm zoom. Positioning is easy and can be straight up or down. The Peak Design Capture clip uses the same Arca mount plate so you can easily go from carrying to tripod mount with no fumbling to change the mount plate. There is a locking mechanism that prevents accidental release of the plate.Tools attached to the tripod are a thoughtful addition. The carry bag is durable and apparently water proof.Things I don’t like.Price. Oh, the price is high for sure, even higher if you pick the lower weight carbon fiber version.Weight. It is not as light as my Manfrotto compact tripod, but not overly so. With anything like this, lower weight is always something I want.Is this tripod worth it? For those inclined to save money and look for a similar feature set, albeit not as complete? The Manfrotto travel tripod-- if you can find a head version that works for you (read through the comments on the different versions). IF Manfrotto had an Arca plate version, it would be a no brainer – significantly lower cost, lower weight, with just enough features, it would be a great choice.That said, I am keeping the Peak Designs tripod! For me, it is nearly perfect. If you can afford spending over $350 for a tripod, I do not think you would be disappointed.

Let's be real: this thing is not cheap, it's not a Manfrotto, it's not the most fully-featured.What it is is a portable, sturdy, thoughtfully-designed system using an incredibly convenient quick release system usable with other Peak Design products and any other 3rd party accessories that use the same rail based mount. It's quick to set up, has a delightfully easy to use ball mount allowing for free rotation in all three directions, supports flipping the center column upside-down to suspend a camera underneath, and includes a small hard tool pocket that snaps into one of the legs, perfect for quickly swapping out mounts (not necessary if you are using a mount that uses a thumb screw, just nice to have). I'd like a level and knobs for fine adjustments but honestly, it's good enough. And feels good to use!I'm confident I'll have this thing for quite a while. Great to travel with, easy to set up, great build quality. Maybe just a skosh pricey.

Peak Designs tends to be name of the game when it comes to photography equipment. After using a very old and bad tripod for a long time, it was time for an upgrade. While I really wanted to have the carbon fiber model, we opted for aluminum because of the price. This is still a very expensive tripod, but it is significantly cheaper than its carbon fiber counterpart. Unless you must absolutely have the lightest available thing, this should serve your tripod functions just fine!It comes with a decent enough carry case, and the setup/teardown is so quick and convenient.Peak designs mounts are also second to none. We often use this tripod in a portrait configuration, which requires that the camera be turned 90 degrees on its side with nothing holding it to the tripod other than the mount/plate that you get with the tripod. Across multiple accessories, this mount is just incredible. I’ve used it to secure my camera to the outside of my motorcycle tank bag, on my shoulder strap of my hiking bag, and lots of other convenient spots.The head is also insanely adjustable, able to be manipulated to put the camera at just about any angle, portrait or landscape.Combing the adjustability with the sturdiness and lightness of the tripod makes it a really great performer, but it is a little pricey. A lot of other companies make similar-looking items for much less money. I decided to join the buy-once, cry-once camp, and while I don’t know that I absolutely needed to do that, I don’t regret it.

It may be a 'travel' tripod, but unless you need more height, it's perfectly good for every-day use.This tripod is expensive, but keep in mind Peak Design's lifetime warranty.You can absolutely get by with a $50 tripod, especially if you're not shooting for a living. But for pro's, the tight tolerances and satisfying design has additional value since you're using it day in and day out.-The ball head is very quick to adjust, but it does occasionally slump over when loaded with a full size DSLR and flash.-You're going to need to tighten up the leg latches to your preference, but the included key is very convenient. I have yet to lose it.-You will get the most out of this if you move into the Peak Design ecosystem, and switch to their mounting plate. That's a huge ask for most people, but I've made the switch from a Manfrotto plate without issue, other than the cost.- It is quite heavy. Get the carbon fiber one if you'll be hiking up actual mountains and such.