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10-01-2013, 01:44 AM   #1
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Sirui T-025x Review - The Perfect Travel Tripod?

The latest Pentax Forums Accessory Review has been posted!



Sirui T-025x Carbon Fiber Tripod - a Pentax Forums In-Depth Accessory Review

-Heie

10-01-2013, 05:06 AM   #2
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It is, as always when you write something, extremely thorough, well researched, and informative. Thanks for taking the time to collaborate this article.

Only one thing leaves me wondering. For added stability, more usual tripod designs allow the center column to be lowered flush with the top of the legs. This tripod doesn't appear to allow this. Did you find it played on the stability in any way?
10-01-2013, 02:41 PM   #3
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Thanks for writing this review. I enjoyed reading it.
10-01-2013, 04:43 PM   #4
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Great review.

I am still more inclined to travel with my monopod, a mini ball-head and a roll of double-sided velcro to lash the monopod to something else when I need tripod-like stability. My Manfrotto 3006 'junior' fits in my carry-on roller bag (and unlike a poster in another thread, I have NEVER been blocked from carry on when flying in three continents - but this monopod has a simple booted foot - NO spike), and I often clip it to my belt or whatever bag I'm carrying. And so long as I come into a museum using it as a walking assistance device and not a piece of photographic gear, I've never had it banned (although staff have checked to make sure there is no spike to damage a floor). The price of my monopod is in one-way comparable to the Sirui unit. The monopod costs about 1/3 the price of the tripod, but it also has 1/3 the number of legs!

10-02-2013, 04:38 AM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by bdery Quote
It is, as always when you write something, extremely thorough, well researched, and informative. Thanks for taking the time to collaborate this article.
Only one thing leaves me wondering. For added stability, more usual tripod designs allow the center column to be lowered flush with the top of the legs. This tripod doesn't appear to allow this. Did you find it played on the stability in any way?
Thank you very much! That is a great compliment and I really appreciate it.

Not sure if you noticed, but you can remove the center column entirely and attach the ballheads directly to where the legs meet. It's in that position that I took most of the product shots otherwise it required weird crops because of how tall and thin it was

QuoteOriginally posted by Homo_erectus Quote
Thanks for writing this review. I enjoyed reading it.
Same as above, thank you!

QuoteOriginally posted by JimJohnson Quote
Great review.
I am still more inclined to travel with my monopod, a mini ball-head and a roll of double-sided velcro to lash the monopod to something else when I need tripod-like stability. My Manfrotto 3006 'junior' fits in my carry-on roller bag (and unlike a poster in another thread, I have NEVER been blocked from carry on when flying in three continents - but this monopod has a simple booted foot - NO spike), and I often clip it to my belt or whatever bag I'm carrying. And so long as I come into a museum using it as a walking assistance device and not a piece of photographic gear, I've never had it banned (although staff have checked to make sure there is no spike to damage a floor). The price of my monopod is in one-way comparable to the Sirui unit. The monopod costs about 1/3 the price of the tripod, but it also has 1/3 the number of legs!
Jim, thank you! And since traveling with the Sirui, I haven't have any issues before, and I also was allowed to us it in the Sedlec Ossuary just outside Prague despite tripods being banned. "Oh that's not a professional tripod, go ahead."

But I'm curious, what monopod are you talking about? And excellent use on concealing it as a walking stick

-Heie
10-02-2013, 05:09 AM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by Heie Quote
Not sure if you noticed, but you can remove the center column entirely and attach the ballheads directly to where the legs meet. It's in that position that I took most of the product shots otherwise it required weird crops because of how tall and thin it was
Yep I noticed, but you loose quite some height this way. I usually use my (taller) tripod with the center column down for added stability.
10-02-2013, 10:06 AM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by Heie Quote
But I'm curious, what monopod are you talking about? And excellent use on concealing it as a walking stick

-Heie
I have the silver (unpainted aluminum) version of the Manfrotto 3006 'junior' monopod. The picture below is of the black version, but is otherwise identical. The key for airport security personnel seems to be the total lack of a spike on the foot - and museum staff have the same concern.

I also have a Giottos mini ball-head (it's only use is to flip the camera into portrait mode) and I use the Sima quick release. This plastic wonder is so inexpensive that I can purchase one for each piece of my gear and leave them there. As for durability, my oldest unit dates back to the mid-1980's and is still going strong. The Sima quick release also gives my monopod a 'walking assistance device' look if you aren't paying close attention.

Attached Images
 
11-27-2013, 06:06 AM - 1 Like   #8
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Heie, I have no idea if you really know what you are talking about when it comes to tripods, but I respect your photography, and admire your obvious enthusiasm for this device, so I have ordered one based purely on your review.
Take that as a compliment, as it means I trust your judgement enough to spend more on this than I ever have for a tripod before having only ever bought cheap tripods as I don't use them enough.
Im trying to develop my night-time cityscape skills as my winter task and a portable decent quality pod that I can carry around with me has become essential, and after your review this seemed a no brainer..
Don't worry, I won't blame you if it all goes horribly wrong!!
11-27-2013, 06:36 AM - 1 Like   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by edgedemon Quote
...I trust your judgement enough to spend more on this than I ever have for a tripod before...

A good tripod is like a good lens in that it can serve you well for many, many years and can be a one-time investment. I did the same thing you're doing many years ago. I closed my eyes, took the advice of a photographer, and spent more money on a tripod than I'd ever spent before. I wish I could tell you exactly how many years that investment lasted me, but I can't. However, that's only because I haven't stopped using it yet. So far, it's at 25 years...and counting. Good luck!
11-27-2013, 09:38 AM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by edgedemon Quote
Heie, I have no idea if you really know what you are talking about when it comes to tripods
I just copied and pasted that from different reviews I found off google and the manufacturer's website

QuoteOriginally posted by edgedemon Quote
but I respect your photography, and admire your obvious enthusiasm for this device, so I have ordered one based purely on your review.
Take that as a compliment, as it means I trust your judgement enough to spend more on this than I ever have for a tripod before having only ever bought cheap tripods as I don't use them enough.
Im trying to develop my night-time cityscape skills as my winter task and a portable decent quality pod that I can carry around with me has become essential, and after your review this seemed a no brainer..
Don't worry, I won't blame you if it all goes horribly wrong!!
In all seriousness that is a tremendous compliment on all accounts, and your admission and purchase alone validates that review. Adam was pretty shocked when he asked me how much time I invested in that review when all was said and done (35+ hours in the product photos and write-up, thankfully the majority of the sample images had been taken over the course of owning the previous tripod, which I contend is more than any tripod review ever written! ). As was I. My wife, on the other hand, was not pleased I will be extremely interested to see how you take to it, and like TaoMaas says, it's an investment. I for one was never planning to replace the T-025 (original) model, but the company was so impressed with the review they contacted me and offered me the T-025x as a gift when I told them the tripod reviewed was a loaner from B&H. Disclaimer - I wrote it 100% without their knowledge, but just sent the link to them after it was posted - in no was was it was not an endorsed review.

Now that I have the T-025x, I don't see myself ever replacing it because the only thing I really wanted was to remove the center column for better stability...now that they did that, I can't think of a single thing to REALLY make it better. Unless it gets run over by a car and needs to be replaced - with another T-025x!

Again, thank you for the feedback, and please share your thoughts on it and whether they mirror the review's. I'm really excited to see what you can do with it

-Heie
11-27-2013, 09:52 AM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by Heie Quote
Again, thank you for the feedback, and please share your thoughts on it and whether they mirror the review's. I'm really excited to see what you can do with it

-Heie
Ha ha, baby steps Heie, baby steps..

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/120-general-technical-troubleshooting/239...o-holiday.html

One of the reasons I went and got one is that I wanted to have a tripod that didn't move with the wind and fit into my rucksack.
The good thing is that I have been out every week since then and the pics are slowly improving as I gain experience, long way to go, but Im determined to get there..
12-02-2013, 11:46 PM   #12
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Compared to Slik Sprint Mini II

I wonder how this tripod would compare to the "Slik Sprint Mini II"

I bought the Slik a bit ago but haven't really used it much, so I'm considering if I should ebay it off and go for this one.

Ideally the most compact and light one is what I'm going for, as I don't want my photography equipment to have too much of a presence in my single pack.
12-18-2013, 01:27 PM   #13
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sorry to rescue an old thread, but can anyone recommend a tripod with deatachable monopod combo? I'm looking the sirui ones, also giotto, benro. benro offers wood handle to attach, very convincing as a walking aid!

JimJohnson very interesting what you siad about travel, I never thought about spike being a problem in airports or museus. Thanks
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