Dolica ST-400 63-Inch Lightweight Tripod

I'm really shocked by this tripod. For the price, it's quite heavy duty, functional, and worked fine right of the box. I'm not particularly sure what happened to the other people who are unhappy with it - One could only assume that there were QC issues at one point or another. However, as of writing this, I do believe such issues were fleshed out. I bought two and both function well beyond their price point. First of all, my main camera is a Pentax K-r. This tripod is more than heavy enough to accommodate it without the need of a counter weight. Getting it balanced was a tad tricky - There are 2 liquid levels build in to help you get a good idea of rather or not the tripod legs are even or not. I found that, even with the bubble dead center, it was much more prudent to trust your own eyes - In my case, I had to over compensate one of the legs in order to get it balanced. Strangely enough, the bubble remained center on the balance even after raising the single leg. Panning is smooth. Being left handed, I don't find the placement of the handle awkward at all - Of course, right handed people might be a little bothered by it. The camera mounts via the traditional screw, which is connected to a detachable plate that clips in to the top of the tripod. This allows you to move around the camera without having to unscrew it every time you do so, keeping the option to switch to hand as simple as twisting a knob. Which sums up this entire tripod, really - It's incredibly convenient, and all of the locking mechanisms work much better than you would expect. If I didn't spend 17.99 on this unit I would of assumed it was easily worth 60. That all being said, I find the ST-500 to be easily recommended. It even comes with a nice cloth (and zippered) carrying bag. Dolica exceeded my expectations.

If you want an inexpensive tripod that won't let you down, this is it. I'm going to assume that anyone reading this review is looking at this product for the same reason I did - I wanted a tripod that was cheap. That's it. This thing is cheap, lightweight and so far has not let me down. It comes with a bag to carry it which makes it much easier to lug around between photo sessions. It has two bubble levels to make sure your shot is perfectly leveled. When it's extended fully and neck extension (the part that lifts the camera with a little crank) is fully raised, I'd guess this thing comes up to a full six feet. When it's completely collapsed it's no bigger than a rolled up poster and only slightly heavier. Personally, I'm a weakling, so it's great that this thing is light. I could carry it around all day without a problem. Is it sturdy though? It -is- inexpensive, which does mean you're sacrificing some sturdiness but unless you're hiking up mountains or something like that, you'll never notice. If you're an amateur or novice just getting into photography or want a tripod that won't break the bank, you can't do better than this. [UPDATE] - February 11, 2012 Still works as good as the day I first got it. I haven't noticed a single scratch, ding or dent. The bag is even in great shape.

As other reviewers said, it's a sturdy tripod, and not expensive. I also own the Polaroid 57" and 50". This tripod is noticeably heavier, maybe 50%? (the legs are thicker) and hence, more stable. The footprint is bigger as well. It is basically the same construction of the Polaroids, but a little better (and the Polaroid 57" is better built than the 50"). Box says it's 3.5 lbs, and supports max 9 lbs. The 50" Polaroid is too feeble and light, but may be useful if you're camping, hiking, etc. Between this one and the Polaroid 57", it depends on what you want. If you want the lightest tripod possible, but still decent, go with the Polaroid. If you want more stability and slightly better build and you don't worry about space, go with this one. Both are good tripods for a point and shoot. A few details on the Dolica: 1. the upper bubble level is useless, it should be put up in the head 2. the foot is looser than the Polaroid 57", which is good 3. the crank has a spring to keep it in closed position, unlike the Polaroids 4. the plate's lock locks when releasing the plate, like the P 57", but the P 57" lock is better 5. I find it a little too hard to pan, you have to hold the tripod to pan, but I think it's by design (took one star) 6. the hydraulic fluid head gives it a smoother pan/tilt than the P 57" 7. I paid less for the Dolica

I bought this for use with a Canon HF-200 camcorder. I had been looking at lots of lightweight tripods, and finally decided on this one. Using it primarily for indoor use (gymnasium) but have used it outdoors. I am very pleased with it. Pros -Sturdy construction -Easy to setup/use -Very stable -All directional movements have tighteners to prevent unwanted movement or gravity's pull -Very smooth panning -Quick release pad attaches securely to camera and tripod- metal screw (not cheap plastic) -Lightweight -Simple leveling system (single multi-directional bubble) -Entry level price -Includes zippered carrying bag w/ adjustable strap Cons -None with the tripod itself, but the "instructions" consisted of a double-sided 3X3 glossy card pointing to the various parts, but no explanation. I'm OK with that, I've used a tripod before, it's not hard. For the complete novice, it might be frustrating. Bottom line: Unless you are with Nat Geographic or plan on "extreme" videomaking, this tripod is perfect. Very impressed. I've seen plenty of other tripods with less to offer for more money.

Just receive mine today. What a surprise for the little money I spent on this. For me it seemed very heavy duty and well built. With panning and tilting their are allot of knobs that allow adjustments for each part of this unit . Up down, side by side, the geared center post all have lock downs. The geared center post raises and lowers very easily. Maybe I was lucky in my unit because I have read other reviews concerning stiffness, not so on my unit. All moving parts were loose,easily tightened, including the geared center post which goes up with ease. I am 6'2" and this unit is great for my height. Unit also comes with a nice black canvas cover. Could not be more happy with this unit. I am getting the Sony Nex C3 to use with this tripod. Will work great. Another nice feature is that the head can tilt vertically almost instantaneously for this type of photography. There is also a quick release lock that removes the head to screw on your camera. No screwdrivers are needed to attach your camera. All in all a great tripod for the price and worth much more.

I got this over the holidays and during a "Deal of the Day" sale. It cost $25. A steal to be sure but worth double. It has all the features it advertises and is really a quality product. A lot of conveiniencs built in to it make for easy use. All three axis' move smoothly. The quick release can be re-inserted with any of its four sides facing the relese lever. The swivel feet on each leg make for an extra secure and steady platform. The carry handle also makes it easy to safely move the tripod around. It's light enough and sturdy enough to do what I want from it; really good photos and videos from my sony camcorder and HTC ONE phone (with a "Square Jellyfish" spring tripod mount).

I am by no means an experienced photographer, but this tripod did not live up to my expectations. I owned a small very cheap tripod which panned better than this one. I'm using a canon T3i on this tripod, and it the panning is terrible. The tilt however is quite smooth. With the panning knob as loose as it can get it is still too tight for the camera. It is possible that this tripod is made for much heavier equipment. There are many other aspects of the tripod I like. The overall feel is very sturdy. The quick release, is great. The leg adjustments are smooth and slide with only gravitational assistance which makes deploying the tripod very quick. The head height crank is smooth and sturdy as well. The tight panning was a deal breaker, and I ultimately returned the tripod.

Edit: After some dealing with its shortcomings, I found that the problems were unbearable, especially the tight elevation knob and jerky panning. I think that this may be due to a defective unit, so I will not change my review score. Nevertheless, I will be returning this for a refund and buying another tripod. ---Original Review--- I actually give this a 3.5/5, but Amazon doesn't allow half ratings. I needed a budget tripod to record video with on a DSLR. I bought this because of the glamorous reviews it had gotten. I'm a bit disappointed. Pluses: - This thing is huge! Make sure that you don't underestimate its height, because I sure did. - With all three leg sections unlocked, it's quite stable. I haven't tried it in a hurricane, nor is my setup anywhere close to the max load of eleven pounds, but it's nice. - It's got a good bit of heft, and it feels solidly built for a budget tripod (good for a no-cost steadicam!). - It has a handle on it, and it comes with a bag. - It has TWO bubbles levels, aww yeah! - It has a counterweight hook, albeit a plastic one - Tilting (vertical panning) is quite smooth - It can go into portrait mode with looks steady Cons: - It is NOT a "hydraulic fluid" head as the description states, nor did I expect it to be for this price. - It IS a tension head, and although the vertical tension knob works wonders, the horizontal knob is crap in comparison - The panning (horizontal) ultimately is smooth, but it starts with a jerk, with seems to be the result of a loose part (maybe just mine?) - With only two or one extensions extended, it wobbles quite a bit, especially with panning - Some of the knobs can get quite tight, making it hard to unscrew them, especially the elevator tension knob - The elevator handle feels quite cheap compared to the rest of the tripod, and doesn't operate very smoothly - The quick release comes out a bit roughly All in all though, this is a decent tripod for the price (I got it for $20 with the Amazon Prime trial), and it will serve it's purpose. If I were to do it over, I would probably not buy this tripod again (probably going with a Slik or a Sunpak), but none of the cons are serious enough to warrant a return.