Anyone tried this tamrac ultralight/small Zipshot tripod ?

pcarfan · 01-23-2010, 12:22 PM

I got it a few hours ago, and just quickly checked it, and here are my initial thoughts.

-The ball head is slightly larger than a bottle cap, and as long as a wine bottle cap. Much smaller than I thought. It is made of some very light metal and there is no way it will break.

- I've sat through a severe thunderstorm inside a tent with the whole tent fabric swirling all over the place, and I know these legs will not break.

- The only area I am concerned is where the legs meet the ball head. It has some sort of forged pin to attach the legs to the ball head, I hope this is strong, but I just don't know. (I cannot rule out the possibility of a catastrophic failure here, not because it looks weak, but i have no past experience with such an attachment and how it would behave, hopefully Tamrac did some stress tests on that joint )

-A camera attached to a reasonable sized lens like the FA24/2 seems very safe on the tripod and in no way looks like it will topple over, even pushing on the camera side to side with some force does not in any way feel like it will topple the tripod. The tripod is springy, so it just twists and straightens back.

- As expected, the whole tripod is very springy (just like the tent poles), and the only way to use the shutter is with the timer, and 2-sec timer is fine. Pressing the shutter in normal shooting mode will cause the tripod to shake. I am planning to either use a remote or 2-sec timer.

- The thing weighs almost nothing and very small. I can just slide it under the pocket straps of my fastpack200 bag and it just barely juts past at the ends. If I am willing to carry a camera bag, this tripod adds nothing more to the weight or size.

- Very easy to set-up and equally easy to pack it back up.

If the pin that attaches the leg to the ballhead will last, then this is exactly what I was hoping someone would do. Opens up a whole set of new photographic opportunities for me.....

P.S: This cannot be confused for a tripod....it can't do almost everything a tripod can do, it is only good for placing a camera on platform on a non-windy day at a specific height and still be able to take a long shutter shot. It cannot do macro, it cannot hold a large lens, it cannot be used to rest a lens on and the shooter still holding the camera, lens or the tripod etc. (I think this is obvious, but just wanted to mention, if some consider this a replacement for a true tripod)

Last edited by pcarfan; 01-23-2010 at 04:29 PM.

pcarfan · 01-23-2010, 04:22 PM

Here is a quick 30 sec. test exposure. The wind was at one time strong enough to blow the camera strap around during the exposure and yet the tripod was steady. I think it is impossible to do this with a monopod. EXIF intact.

Ratmagiclady · 01-23-2010, 09:06 PM

Hrm. Neat. The springiness would be the deal-killer for me, but Tamrac is not a company I've ever known to make anything liable to break just like that: I can only think the thing would topple over long before a pin failed.

pcarfan · 01-24-2010, 08:33 AM

Originally posted by Ratmagiclady

Hrm. Neat. The springiness would be the deal-killer for me, but Tamrac is not a company I've ever known to make anything liable to break just like that: I can only think the thing would topple over long before a pin failed.

It is quite strong, I am very confident in walking away from the tripod (unlike what I had assumed) and cannot see it topple easily, as long as the legs are properly spread to their maximum.

After my last trip to Vegas, where I did not want to carry my tripod and had the DA21, I found the need for a fast lens for low light night shots, and came back and ended up buying the FA24/2 and the FA35/2, but for my next trip this tripod will easily accompany me. Also, all those hikes, trips to Disney etc. we had made where we couldn't get both of us in the same picture will all be an experience in the past....

Last edited by pcarfan; 01-24-2010 at 10:26 AM.

pcarfan · 01-24-2010, 12:03 PM

Jasvox · 01-25-2010, 06:19 AM

what if the surface you rest it on is not level? Can you adjust the height of the legs to compensate?

Jason

pcarfan · 01-25-2010, 01:56 PM

Originally posted by Jasvox

what if the surface you rest it on is not level? Can you adjust the height of the legs to compensate?

Jason

No you can't, but the image I took was on uneven surface and with the ball head it is easy to compensate the tripod's skewed position.

But, my K-7 has the auto-horizon correction, which might make it easier, as the tripod head doesn't have a bubble gauge.

Last edited by pcarfan; 01-25-2010 at 02:45 PM.

pcarfan · 04-02-2010, 04:40 AM

UPDATE:

Have used it in real life situations, always with a timer. I have to say I got a few assumptions wrong. Now, I can say with 100% certainity that my worry about the equipment being unsafe is entirely unwarranted. There is no way this will topple over. I've used it in a fairly windy beach for long (5 min. exposures) and the tripod is amazing. It does not budge to even heavy gusts. So, other than supporting heavy lenses, it entirely replaces my tripod for me. It has exceeded my expectaions. The only issue is that I have to tighten the ball head fairly tightly to hold the camera. But, this tripod can truly be taken anywhere and is exactly what I was hoping someone would make - kudos to Tamrac.

philbaum · 04-03-2010, 10:30 AM

pcarfan,
thanks, i really appreciate your checking this out. Can one upgrade the ball head, e.g. is it removable??

For even short walking trips, the conventional tripods can get heavy and cumbersome.

I envision the legs working well in sand where one can hopefully push them into the sand a bit. I'm just thinking outloud here, but tent corners where the poles are attached have a fabric loop where one inserts stakes to make sure the tent doesn't fly away in winds. Why couldn't one duct tape a nylon line on and bring along 3 light stakes if one was concerned about wind?

gotta try one of these, thanks again,

pcarfan · 04-04-2010, 03:14 PM

The ball head is swaged onto the legs and is not changeable. Wind is a non issue with the tripod, it is very safe and tethering is not necessary at all.

I have trip planned for the grand tetons and yellowdtone for July, and one of the hikes I am planning takes 4-5 hrs., there is no way I would carry a tripod other than this with two small lenses. Also, it is a pain to take the regular tripod in flight, this is much easier. It is a nice product.

Ratmagiclady · 04-05-2010, 10:10 AM

Does seem quite useful, PCarfan. I think I'd much rather have one that was somewhat stouter. I think the best thing about it is really the ability to just drop it into place.

henzo · 04-05-2010, 05:26 PM

PCarfan,

How much weight do you think it can hold reliably? Would this work with zooms as well?

I'm a fan of long exposure shots, and this would be great for backpacking.

pcarfan · 04-06-2010, 03:55 PM

Originally posted by henzo

PCarfan,

How much weight do you think it can hold reliably? Would this work with zooms as well?

I'm a fan of long exposure shots, and this would be great for backpacking.

Good point!

I will not even dream of putting my 100-300 on it. I don't think it will work with most standard f2.8 zooms either. The only other zoom I have is the Pentax FA 80-320 which should be fine. But, I will only be comfortable using a lens as large as my F135/2.8, nothing larger.

May/20/2011 UPDATE:
Well! it wasn't as useful as I had thought....The biggest problem is the limited height, I wish it was a little taller.

Also, the tripod head is indeed weak, and I have to tighten the screw REAL hard for the camera to stay put without the head tilting under the weight which is frustrating.....I will keep it but will find very limited use.

raider · 04-09-2010, 12:02 AM

The tripod looks a bit like a nunchaku when it is not in its upright position. Cute :-)

04-06-2010, 03:55 PM	#43
pcarfan Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Dayton, Ohio Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,978 Original Poster	Originally posted by henzo PCarfan, How much weight do you think it can hold reliably? Would this work with zooms as well? I'm a fan of long exposure shots, and this would be great for backpacking. Good point! I will not even dream of putting my 100-300 on it. I don't think it will work with most standard f2.8 zooms either. The only other zoom I have is the Pentax FA 80-320 which should be fine. But, I will only be comfortable using a lens as large as my F135/2.8, nothing larger. May/20/2011 UPDATE: Well! it wasn't as useful as I had thought....The biggest problem is the limited height, I wish it was a little taller. Also, the tripod head is indeed weak, and I have to tighten the screw REAL hard for the camera to stay put without the head tilting under the weight which is frustrating.....I will keep it but will find very limited use. Last edited by pcarfan; 05-20-2011 at 04:50 AM.

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01-23-2010, 12:22 PM	#31
pcarfan Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Dayton, Ohio Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,978 Original Poster	I got it a few hours ago, and just quickly checked it, and here are my initial thoughts. -The ball head is slightly larger than a bottle cap, and as long as a wine bottle cap. Much smaller than I thought. It is made of some very light metal and there is no way it will break. - I've sat through a severe thunderstorm inside a tent with the whole tent fabric swirling all over the place, and I know these legs will not break. - The only area I am concerned is where the legs meet the ball head. It has some sort of forged pin to attach the legs to the ball head, I hope this is strong, but I just don't know. (I cannot rule out the possibility of a catastrophic failure here, not because it looks weak, but i have no past experience with such an attachment and how it would behave, hopefully Tamrac did some stress tests on that joint ) -A camera attached to a reasonable sized lens like the FA24/2 seems very safe on the tripod and in no way looks like it will topple over, even pushing on the camera side to side with some force does not in any way feel like it will topple the tripod. The tripod is springy, so it just twists and straightens back. - As expected, the whole tripod is very springy (just like the tent poles), and the only way to use the shutter is with the timer, and 2-sec timer is fine. Pressing the shutter in normal shooting mode will cause the tripod to shake. I am planning to either use a remote or 2-sec timer. - The thing weighs almost nothing and very small. I can just slide it under the pocket straps of my fastpack200 bag and it just barely juts past at the ends. If I am willing to carry a camera bag, this tripod adds nothing more to the weight or size. - Very easy to set-up and equally easy to pack it back up. If the pin that attaches the leg to the ballhead will last, then this is exactly what I was hoping someone would do. Opens up a whole set of new photographic opportunities for me..... P.S: This cannot be confused for a tripod....it can't do almost everything a tripod can do, it is only good for placing a camera on platform on a non-windy day at a specific height and still be able to take a long shutter shot. It cannot do macro, it cannot hold a large lens, it cannot be used to rest a lens on and the shooter still holding the camera, lens or the tripod etc. (I think this is obvious, but just wanted to mention, if some consider this a replacement for a true tripod) Last edited by pcarfan; 01-23-2010 at 04:29 PM.

01-23-2010, 04:22 PM	#32
pcarfan Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Dayton, Ohio Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,978 Original Poster	Here is a quick 30 sec. test exposure. The wind was at one time strong enough to blow the camera strap around during the exposure and yet the tripod was steady. I think it is impossible to do this with a monopod. EXIF intact.

01-23-2010, 09:06 PM	#33
Ratmagiclady Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: GA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,563	Hrm. Neat. The springiness would be the deal-killer for me, but Tamrac is not a company I've ever known to make anything liable to break just like that: I can only think the thing would topple over long before a pin failed.

01-24-2010, 08:33 AM	#34
pcarfan Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Dayton, Ohio Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,978 Original Poster	Originally posted by Ratmagiclady Hrm. Neat. The springiness would be the deal-killer for me, but Tamrac is not a company I've ever known to make anything liable to break just like that: I can only think the thing would topple over long before a pin failed. It is quite strong, I am very confident in walking away from the tripod (unlike what I had assumed) and cannot see it topple easily, as long as the legs are properly spread to their maximum. After my last trip to Vegas, where I did not want to carry my tripod and had the DA21, I found the need for a fast lens for low light night shots, and came back and ended up buying the FA24/2 and the FA35/2, but for my next trip this tripod will easily accompany me. Also, all those hikes, trips to Disney etc. we had made where we couldn't get both of us in the same picture will all be an experience in the past.... Last edited by pcarfan; 01-24-2010 at 10:26 AM.

01-24-2010, 12:03 PM	#35
pcarfan Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Dayton, Ohio Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,978 Original Poster

01-25-2010, 06:19 AM	#36
Jasvox Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 3,107	what if the surface you rest it on is not level? Can you adjust the height of the legs to compensate? Jason

01-25-2010, 01:56 PM	#37
pcarfan Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Dayton, Ohio Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,978 Original Poster	Originally posted by Jasvox what if the surface you rest it on is not level? Can you adjust the height of the legs to compensate? Jason No you can't, but the image I took was on uneven surface and with the ball head it is easy to compensate the tripod's skewed position. But, my K-7 has the auto-horizon correction, which might make it easier, as the tripod head doesn't have a bubble gauge. Last edited by pcarfan; 01-25-2010 at 02:45 PM.

04-02-2010, 04:40 AM	#38
pcarfan Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Dayton, Ohio Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,978 Original Poster	UPDATE: Have used it in real life situations, always with a timer. I have to say I got a few assumptions wrong. Now, I can say with 100% certainity that my worry about the equipment being unsafe is entirely unwarranted. There is no way this will topple over. I've used it in a fairly windy beach for long (5 min. exposures) and the tripod is amazing. It does not budge to even heavy gusts. So, other than supporting heavy lenses, it entirely replaces my tripod for me. It has exceeded my expectaions. The only issue is that I have to tighten the ball head fairly tightly to hold the camera. But, this tripod can truly be taken anywhere and is exactly what I was hoping someone would make - kudos to Tamrac.

04-03-2010, 10:30 AM	#39
philbaum Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Port Townsend, Washington State, USA Posts: 3,659	pcarfan, thanks, i really appreciate your checking this out. Can one upgrade the ball head, e.g. is it removable?? For even short walking trips, the conventional tripods can get heavy and cumbersome. I envision the legs working well in sand where one can hopefully push them into the sand a bit. I'm just thinking outloud here, but tent corners where the poles are attached have a fabric loop where one inserts stakes to make sure the tent doesn't fly away in winds. Why couldn't one duct tape a nylon line on and bring along 3 light stakes if one was concerned about wind? gotta try one of these, thanks again,

04-04-2010, 03:14 PM	#40
pcarfan Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Dayton, Ohio Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,978 Original Poster	The ball head is swaged onto the legs and is not changeable. Wind is a non issue with the tripod, it is very safe and tethering is not necessary at all. I have trip planned for the grand tetons and yellowdtone for July, and one of the hikes I am planning takes 4-5 hrs., there is no way I would carry a tripod other than this with two small lenses. Also, it is a pain to take the regular tripod in flight, this is much easier. It is a nice product.

04-05-2010, 10:10 AM	#41
Ratmagiclady Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: GA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,563	Does seem quite useful, PCarfan. I think I'd much rather have one that was somewhat stouter. I think the best thing about it is really the ability to just drop it into place.

04-05-2010, 05:26 PM	#42
henzo Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 37	PCarfan, How much weight do you think it can hold reliably? Would this work with zooms as well? I'm a fan of long exposure shots, and this would be great for backpacking.

04-09-2010, 12:02 AM	#44
raider Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Perth, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,989	The tripod looks a bit like a nunchaku when it is not in its upright position. Cute :-)