A tripod for travel - a little review

I have been looking for a solution for a lightweight camera support system for my Architectural photography when I travel by plane. When I have the car I have my heavy indestructible Manfrotto 055, with geared head. This tripod is the perfect platform for me. But it does not fit in my "carry on".

So searching around I have found the "Three Legged Thing + Leo II" in carbon fibre, which packs down to 380mm and weighs a couple of Kilos. Yesterday it arrived from Germany (I found a ex demo on their website that was cheaper. But Brexit customs shit makes buying stuff from the UK a pain). British designed, but like everything else made in the Far East (the Dyson model). it is well made and the angle bracket is nicer than my heavy Manfrotto Bracket. Arca Swiss plates seem to be the standard these days, but I prefer the Manfrotto 401 plates that click into place. But It is just a question of habit.

It looks like it will be a pretty good solution for travel, or when I am in a city, and have to walk quite a distance from the car. It should fit in the rucksack I use for travel along with the camera gear. For the plane it fits in my carry on suitcase. I played with it today and it seemed more than sufficiently solid for what I want. It is a pretty clever design, in the way it folds down to a quite small size.

On my last visit to the UK I missed having a tripod. For this years trip over, when I want to visit East Anglia, it should do the job nicely.

Here are some shots of the tripod with my assistant helping out.

Here is a link if you are interested.

You have a good collection.

The BeFree was on my list, as Manfrotto are really built to take punishment. But it is longer than the Leo, and more expensive. Clipped leg clamps are far superior, but length and weight won out for TLT. I have had no problems with the screw clamps on my Three Legged Thing, monopod.

I have two monopods and now two tripods. I have had the Manfroto monopod and 055 tripod for ever, they do not wear out.

Now that is a serious piece of kit! I took a look at their site and see they do some really high grade kit. I will make do with my Manfrotto 410, which I thought was costly at the time.

A geared head is pretty essential for shift lenses I think. I hate ball heads too. but for travel they are compact and lightweight.

Don't use them that much but we have Rollei C6i and C5i carbon tripods.(C6i is 1,6kg and the C5i is1,25kg)
I also still own an ancient Polaroid SX-70 Ball-Head mini tripod with an Acra-Swiss adapterbase so it can be used with our Peak Design Plates

My tripod had a baby

The bigger one is a Geekoto X25 Defender. It comes with its own carrying bag, and one of the legs unscrew to double as a monopod.
The smaller one is a Camvate.

Steve Thomas

The K&F packs down to a good 40cm length when folded.

Tripods are like camera bags. You risk ending up with loads if you are not careful, as none are in any way perfect.