Editorial Review

The sturdy Velbon CX-570 Deluxe is a full-featured standard-weight tripod.Impressive features include a three-way fluid pan head, a leveling bubble mounted on the body, a maximum extension height of nearly 60 inches, and a geared center column with preset friction control. It is designed for use with all 35mm cameras (including heavy SLRs), digital cameras, and video camcorders.Read more

Features

• Leveling bubble is mounted on the tripod body for more precise tripod leveling
• 3-way pan head with a left-positioned sure-grip pan/tilt control handle allows easy access to control camera functions
• Right-tilting camera platform allows 35mm cameras vertical as well as horizontal composition with more secure seating for heavier cameras
• Pan head incorporates a large bidirectional quick-release camera platform with retractable camcorder alignment pin
• Radial leg braces for maximum stability and convenient tripod setup

Reviews (4)

Solid stand
This is a very solid stand. It survived a 25 foot drop onto the lawn from my back deck. I doubt that sort of stress testing was done in the factory. It still works perfectly with no slippage.

Does exactly what it says on the box
Don't get too hung up on the decision if you are considering this tripod and on paper it does everything you want it to do. Take it from me, it is amazing value for money. I purchased mine from Fry's Electronics for ten spot more than here (doh!) and I'm still happy as a happy thing with it. EXCELLANT!! BETTER THAN EXPECTED!!!
When I chose to buy this tripod I was a little skeptical about purchasing without really seeing it.I was very lucky.This tripod is everything I wanted. Lightweight. Easy to use.It has a level so that you can be sure that your pictures will be accurately shot and not crooked.It moves in several different directtions so that you can shoot from most angles.I carry this thing around everywhere I go!I thougth it came with its own travel bag, probably one drawback to it. But overall a great tripod. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Velbon CX-300 is a basic aluminum tripod ideal for use with compact35mm cameras and video camcorders. It has a sure-grip handle for easy control,and a 2-way panhead designed for tilts and pans. The camera platform has aretracting camcorder alignment pin, but is not detachable. The center columnslides up and down for quick height adjustments, and the legs have side-leverlocks for fast setup and maximum stability. The legs are also rubber-tipped andinclude leg braces. ... Read more

Features

• Basic aluminum tripod that's ideal for compact 35mm cameras and camcorders
• 2-way pan head for tilts and pans, with sure-grip handle for easy control
• Stable camera platform with retracting camcorder alignment pin
• Sliding center column adjusts height from 19.8 to 57.1 inches
• Supports up to 3.3 pounds of equipment; weighs 2.42 pounds

Reviews (3)

If your looking for something like this...
your look is over. The price is very reasonable, it looks sharp and its versatility is excellent.

Lightweight Champion
This compact tripod fufills all my needs, except for table top usage.It's a well made product that sets-up and folds-up for storage quick usage or storage.All of this at a really low price.

Handy little pod
This was not the little pod I wanted to buy, but Amazon was out at the time.However, now that I have it, it is working great.Features I was looking for were light weight, small size, and (obviously) stable.So far, it meets all those expectations for a very small price.The legs extend smoothly and still lock downsolid.When fully extended, I think the pod is quite solid, even when I am moving the camera while shooting video with camcorder.It has all the different movement points lockable so once you set it where you want it, it stays put.Read more

Editorial Review

Engineered for use with full-size camcorders, the heavy-duty VideoMate-607tripod features a deluxe, fluid two-way pan head with a versatile handle design,makingit easy to adjust the camcorder to a variety of angles. The pan head and sure-gripcontrolhandle are a breeze to use, with four unique positions for maximum "follow theaction"camcorder control and separate tension knobs for fluid pans and tilts. Users willalsoappreciate the tripod's auto-lock system and camera-safe, side-mount, quick- releaseplatform, which includes a retractable camcorder alignment pin. And thanks to thetripod's radial leg braces, 1-inch tubular aluminum legs, steel ground spikes, andadjustable rubber tips, you can rest assured that the tripod will sit stably evenonslippery or uneven surfaces. Other details include quick side-lever leg locks foreasyheight adjustments, an integrated bubble level, a titanium bronze and blackfinish, and aheight range of 25 to 64.3 inches. The VideoMate-607, which measures 26.5 incheswhen folded, weighs 4.5 pounds and is backed by a five-year warranty. Read more

Features

• Heavy-duty video tripod with 2-way pan head for full-size camcorders
• Fluid pan head, 4-position sure-grip control handle, and separate tension control knobs
• Auto-lock system with camera-safe, side-mounted, quick-release platform
• 1-inch tubular aluminum legs with radial leg braces and steel ground spikes
• Adjusts from 25 to 64.3 inches; weighs 4.5 pounds; 5-year warranty

Reviews (6)

For the price, this tripod is amazing
I spent A LOT of time trying to find a reasonably priced tripod that had true fluid-head smooth panning and tilting.I have my own videography business, and had spent $100 on a tripod that was jerky when you tried to pan or tilt.This velbon cost $60 and is incredibly smooth for pan and tilt.The tripod is a little bit too light weight.i wish it was a bit sturdier.but other than that, excellent tripod for the price.To get a significantly better tripod, you'd have to pay at least $180.

Solid for home movie affairs
Though it is mostly plastic, the tripod is surprisingly sturdy and the fluid head movement is great. You can perform smooth pans and tilts in almost any direction without it being jerky.(Only problem is that because it's so light, the tripod will get knocked onto its side if you pan too fast. The best way to counter that is to keep one hand on the base of the tripod.) This is a great tripod if you want to make more sophisticated looking home movies as opposed to the "turn-it-on-and-leave-it-there" look of most videos.

Better than you'd think.
For the price, this is a great tripod. I've used my previous velbon 587-C for 5 years straight, and found it light, easy to travel with, with a perfectly fluid head. Whoever wrote that it's jerky may not realize that there are individual tension settings for every component, so you can set the tension to be light & quick or rock-steady. I shoot with a canon GL1, mainly live events and bands, and I've found this to be a perfectly suited solution at an excellent price. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Velbon UP-4000 Unipod provides stability to picture taking withoutslowing you down. The UP-4000 has a four-section extruded aluminum leg with adirect-mount camera platform, a wrist strap, and a polyurethane handgrip. Theside-lever leg locks allow for fast setup and fold-down, and an adjustablerubber foot with a concealed steel ground spike keeps the unipod in place. ... Read more

Features

• Polyurethane handgrip
• Direct-mount camera platform
• Rubber foot with concealed ground spike
• 4-section aluminum leg
• Quick side-lever leg locks

Reviews (8)

My first (not-so-great) unipod
EDIT (2006-03-26):
Lightweight, Cost Effective Monopod
This monopod is built sturdy and is very cost effective.At a fraction of the price of other monopods, this one is well worth the price.The three section extensions of the leg seem to be made of aluminum or another hard metal, and are very stiff to give good support.The last piece of the leg can get wobbly at times, but this is expected since it is the most skinny of all the sections.The quick locks on the legs are made of plastic but are built well.They clamp strong and the legs cannot move once clamped into place.The bottom piece is plastic, not rubber, but is threaded and can be removed to replace with whatever type of material you would like.I would have preferred rubber, but this doesn't affect much for me.The handle is made of a soft cushion material which is angled to fit nicely in the grip of your hand.The wrist strap seems to get in the way most of the time for me so I took it off.Folds down to a relatively decent length for travel purposes.Highly recommended for a cheap price!

lightweight and it locks tight
This is a very nice accessory to have.As someone else said, a monopod is NOT supposed to stand on its own.You still hold the camera and it's meant to support it and reduce shake.I still use my tripod more, but for things like sports, plays, etc. where you really can't use a tripod, this comes in handy.You also should consider a head for it.I have a cheap Bogen 3232 that allows you to more easily mount the camera AND allows you to rotate 90 degrees in a jiffy. The only problem I have with it is that the sections sometimes get jammed and they are hard to pull out.This doesn't happen all the time, but does sometimes.But it's so cheap it doesn't matter.Also, make sure you extend starting with the top sections on down.This makes it more stable. That applies to all monopods, not just this one. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The rugged Velbon CX-690 Deluxe is a full-featured tripod designed for use with all 35mm SLR cameras, digital cameras, and full-size video camcorders. Its key features include a large three-way fluid pan head, right-tilting quick-release platform, level bubble mounted on the body, an impressive full extension height of 63 inches, and a geared center column with preset friction control. The CX-690 is basically a heavy-duty version of the Velbon CX-570 with the same features incorporated into a larger overall body, including thicker legs and increased extension.Read more

Features

• Deluxe, heavy-duty dual tripod ideal for 35mm SLR cameras, digital cameras, and camcorders
• 3-way pan head with left-side, sure-grip pan/tilt control handle that offers easy access to camera
• Right-tilting, quick-release camera platform positions cameras vertically and horizontally
• Geared center column with preset friction control system; side-lever leg locks and rubber-tipped feet
• Adjusts as tall as 63 inches; folds down to 24.3 inches; weighs only 3.9 pounds

Reviews (4)

Satisfied Customer
The Velbon CX-690 Tripod is great.It met all my expectations.Very easy to operate.

VELBONHEAVY DUTY PHOTOGRAPHIC TRIPOD
Easy to use (set up & break down) , light weight and sturdy...

tripod quick release weak
I bought this tripod in February 2005 from Adorama.com. I had to return it because of the quick-release camera platform. The same thing that happened to the previous reviewer, "ez53" (Cumberland, Rhode Island USA), happened to me. It's just too difficult to screw on my Nikon N80 SLR to the platform and it comes loose after I tightened it. I also didn't like the fact that thequick-release platform is right-tilting (I prefer left-tilting).
Read more

Features

• Left-positioned 3-way fluid pan head with a sure-grip pan/tilt control handle
• Right-tilting camera platform allows 35mm cameras vertical as well as horizontal composition
• Large 2-position quick-release camera platform with retractable camcorder alignment pin
• Geared center column with preset friction control system for quick and easy vertical camera positioning
• 3-section 20mm tubular aluminum legs with radial leg braces for maximum stability and convenient tripod setup

Reviews (3)

FOR THE LOW PRICE...
...this is an outstanding little tripod. We have two. I use it with a pretty large digital camera and it balances the camera just fine. My husband uses it with fine results for his shirt-pocket sized camera. The tripod is light enough to hoist over my shoulder for treks into the mountains, but heavy enough to be steady for finicky closeups.
better than nothing
Quick release is a poor design.The plate is difficult to tighten, and even at that, slight camera movement loosens it off.The interface between plate and tripod is poor too, made of plastic, the tolerances to fit are sloppy and there is a little snap mechanism to hold the securing latch that loses tension over time, rendering it useless.As a tripod, it is very unsteady with center mast extended and lowest legs extended.If used with just the legs splayed and the camera bag looped over the legs for weight/ballast, it does a fine job, and in that respect, better than nothing.All locks work well with the exception of the plate latch/lock which is the most important one.This tripod is relegated to holding a flash for me. Pretty good for something so inexpensive..
Tripod serves it's purpose. For those of you who are just playing around with photography like I am, this tripod does the job. Built decently for what you pay for. The movement seems pretty smooth to me. The only thing I did not like were the legs. They're quite troublesome to extend and they sometimes got a little stuck. Other than that a great buy for the price. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The sturdy Velbon UP-43 deluxe professional unipod is built to handlethe weight of large and telephoto lenses. The unit has a die-cast aluminum ballsocket head (allowing vertical picture composition), a 4-section compact tubularleg with wrist strap, a foam-covered handgrip, quick side-lever leg locks, and arubber-tipped foot. It opens to 63 inches and closes to a compact 20 inches. Itis excellent for fast, professional photo and video work. ... Read more

Features

• 4-section leg
• Ball socket head for vertical shots
• Compact
• Foam handgrip
• Quick side-lever leg locks

Reviews (1)

Light, but sturdy and a good height
I have the black version of this monopod, the RUP-43.I bought it after carefully examining many other monopods from Slik, Manfroto, Etsumi and Velbon in a store.
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Features

• Deluxe single aluminum leg
• Fluid tilt head
• Quick-release camera platform
• Forward-facing control handle; adjustable strap
• Fully extended height: 65 inches

Editorial Review

The Velbon PH-157 is an all die-cast metal panhead. It features a leftside-mounted pan and tilt control handle and a right-tilting camera mountingplatform. ... Read more

Features

• All die-cast metal construction
• Left side-mounted pan and tilt control handle
• Right-tilting camera mounting platform
• Weighs 20 ounces
• 3.8 inches high

Features

• Center column features a grooved notch to eliminate rotation
• Unique leg assembly allows a five section design -- taller than three or four section competitors
• Max. Height -50
• Max. Height w/o Column -42
• Min. Height -12

Editorial Review

The Velbon dual-function mini photographic/video tripod is ideal for use low to the ground or on a tabletop. It can be used for 35mm cameras, digital cameras, or camcorders and comes with a unique three-way pan head with quick release. You get the same solid construction as with other Velbon products, but in a compact, easy-to-operate design. ... Read more

Features

• Works with both cameras and camcorders
• Unique 3-way pan head
• Quick release
• All-black finish
• Maximum height of 21.3 inches

Reviews (1)

Superb tripod for low shots
I really like this tripod for two reasons.Read more

Editorial Review

Made to fold down and fit easily into large camera bags and backpacks, the Velbon CX-444 Deluxe is a full-featured travel tripod for all 35mm cameras, digital cameras, and video camcorders. It collapses to only 18 inches yet still offers the unique Velbon 3-way fluid pan head combined with a right-tilting quick-release camera platform (including a retractable camcorder alignment pin).Read more

Features

• Aerodynamic 3-way pan head
• Sure-grip pan/tilt control handle with vertical setting
• Retractable camcorder alignment pin
• Extended height is 57 inches
• Folds to 18 inches

Reviews (2)

leveling bubble
I ordered one of these tripods and it did not have a leveling bubble as described.I was disappointed.

Good affordable tripod
I got this particular tripod for one of my zoon cameras and it is a good sturdy tripod that does not have the "loosening effect" of the swivel head like most tripods.Read more

Editorial Review

Velbon's first four-section tubular carbon fiber unipod, the CUP-40deluxe professional photo/video unipod combines superior strength with anextremely light weight (14 ounces) not found in most other conventional aluminumunipods. Carbon fiber is a third lighter than aluminum, with a strengthcomparable to iron plus aluminum. It is an excellent vibration-absorbingmaterial and is resistant to temperature changes. The direct-mount cameraplatform utilizes a reversible camera-mounting stud (0.375 inches and 0.25inches), an adjustable wrist strap, and a foam-rubber handgrip. The CUP-40unipod is ideally suited for professional photographers and bird watchingenthusiasts to use with all 35mm SLRs and most medium format cameras. This itemcarries a lifetime warranty. ... Read more

Features

• 4-section 28-millimeter tubular cross-layered carbon fiber leg
• Maximum strength
• All-metal rubber-covered collar leg locks
• Rubber-tipped foot
• Adjustable wrist strap

Editorial Review

Light yet extrasturdy, the Velbon PH-263 photographic/video tripod headis composed of heavy-duty die-cast magnesium (Mg) and aluminum construction fora third lighter weight than aluminum. It has a three-way ball socket head andfeatures single-lever operation. The PH-263 weighs 9.6 ounces and is 3.8 inchesin height.Read more

Features

• Single-lever operation
• Heavy-duty magnesium and aluminum
• 3-way ball socket head
• Lightweight
• Medium size

Reviews (2)

Velbon PH263 ball head
It is pretty good ball head and it is light. It max loads Velbon PH-263 Magnesium Alloy Tripod Head
This is an absolutely beautiful piece of gear.A great head and a great value.It is small and ultra light.The nice part is that it adds 3.8 inches of height but has only a fraction of the weight of other heads, including the expensive but heavy Gitzo. This is the hands down winner for the money! If you need a light and solid head, this is it!!! Holds 12 lbs max, again more than other famous brands. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

OK tripod - for heavy video equipment only
This is a top notch, heavy duty tripod for video needs, NOT photographic.If you own a camera such as D1, F5, D30, etc this tripod will overwhelm you and add serious bulk.For cameras, checkout the Velbon SX-681K (...).Read more

Editorial Review

The Velbon VTP-815 is an eight-section supercompact tripod designed for use with point-and-shoot 35mm cameras and digital cameras. Once folded, it's not much longer than a boot, so you can pack it anywhere. It features a two-way pan head, all-metal leg construction with single-twist leg-locking action, and rubber-tipped feet. It comes with its own carrying case. ... Read more

Features

• Extremely compact design
• 8-section 15-millimeter legs
• 2-way all-metal pan head
• Carrying case
• Maximum extension of approximately 40 inches

Editorial Review

The Velbon Carmagne 630 carbon-fiber tripod has three-section carbon fiber legs with die-cast magnesium alloy components that combine to create a product that is lightweight and extremely strong. It is ideally suited for use with all 35mm SLRs and most medium-format cameras and video camcorders. Carbon fiber is an excellent vibration-absorbing material and is resistant to temperature changes. ... Read more

Features

• Individually adjustable 3-position legs
• Reversible lift center column for quick and easy height adjustments
• Dual-thread panhead mounting stud (0.38 and 0.25 inch)
• All metal, rubber-covered collar leg locks
• Rubber-tipped feet for no-slip setups

Editorial Review

The four-section carbon fiber legs and die-cast magnesium alloy components of this tripod combine to create a product that is lightweight and extremely strong. The lower section detaches to allow full low-angle tripod positioning. It is ideally suited for use with all 35mm SLRs and most medium- format cameras. The carbon fiber is an excellent vibration-absorbing material and is resistant to temperature changes. ... Read more

Features

• 2-section lift center column for quick and easy height adjustments
• Die-cast magnesium alloy body
• 3-position leg spread: normal, semi low-angle, and full low-angle
• Rubber-tipped feet for no-slip setups
• All metal, rubber-covered collar leg locks

Reviews (1)

Good value but not as advertised.
This Hakuba carbon fiber tripod is a lightweight well-made item that provides good value for the price.However, it is NOT the Velbon CARMAGNE 640 advertised.The CARMAGNE is a carbon fiber tripod with a magnesium top - hence the name CAR (for carbon) MAGNE (for magnesium).The item offered is the cheaper version manufactured by Hakuba (which I believe is the parent company of Velbon) and has ALUMINUM components, not magnesium...Read more

Editorial Review

The Velbon Videomate-404 Photographic/Video Standing Tripod lets you take steady pictures or shoot steady film on almost any surface. The Videomate-404 is a floor-standing tripod constructed with three-section 20-millimeter tubular aluminum legs and steel ground spikes with adjustable rubber feet for no-slip set-ups. This durable tripod allows you to operate your camera from a minimum height of 23 inches to a maximum height of 57 inches. The deluxe, three-way panhead gives you the ultimate amount of head adjustment, while the geared center column and radial leg braces provide extra-sure stability. The Videomate-404 has a folded length of 21.6 inches and weighs only 2.7 pounds. ... Read more

Features

• Constructed with three-section 20-millimeter tubular aluminum legs
• Steel ground spikes with adjustable rubber feet provide for no-slip set-ups
• Deluxe, three-way panhead gives you the ultimate amount of head adjustment
• Operate your camera from a minimum height of 23 inches to a maximum height of 57 inches
• Geared center column and radial leg braces provide extra-sure stability

Editorial Review

Medium in size, the Velbon PH-460 three-way panhead is constructed ofdie-cast magnesium (Mg) alloy for minimum weight and maximum strength. Likecarbon fiber, magnesium weighs a third less than aluminum, yet offers superiorvibration absorption and strength. It has separate pan/tilt and side tiltcontrol handles, weighs 21.9 ounces, and is about 4 inches in height. The PH-460was designed for the user who wants to reduce weight, but not sacrificeperformance. ... Read more

Features

• Medium size
• Die-cast magnesium alloy
• Pan/tilt handle
• Side tilt handle
• Weighs 21 ounces