Pro-Pod Video Camera Tripod - Fluid Panhead

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Pro-Pod Video Camera Tripod - Fluid Panhead Review

*UPDATE BELOW

I was excited to finally get a tripod that would let me actually pan a video camera without shaking/sticking, but I was disappointed once again. How much does one have to spend to get a tripod that allows movement up/down left/right without any rebound/bounce? Whatever it is, I'll pay it! This was not the one... SHOW ME THAT TRIPOD! The unit has a decent build structurally, but not as good as expected. The main issue is not that though. It's the fact that the swivel/pan piece allows a slight wobble when articulating the head up or down. To their credit, if you pan with a light touch, it works fine, but if you wish to move the camera vertically, you get a tilt in the swivel/pan head like it's not made to tilt. It's smooth, but not stable. To be clear, it feels ok and does both functions ok compared to a typical cheapo tripod, but if you tilt up and down, the pan head will have a slight tilt, thus you get an unprofessional bounce (or rebound effect) in video. Maybe I'm expecting too much, but I think it should not have such slack in the horizontal, if moving vertical. As you might guess, a several millimeters of bounce looks like an earthquake on video.

Other things...

- The clamps seem cheap. The arms seem cheap and the two pieces that make up the arm spin if twisted a bit. Even the rubber handles were not on straight/uniform. One had the red area pointing outward, while the other arm the red pointed down. A lack of attention to detail in Taiwan, no doubt, but I find myself just saying "not good enough" with several parts of this build.

- The tighteners get in the way if you plan to use an SLR video camera. I could have lived with that, as there is a "work around" by just twisting the camera around on the base and then tightening, but it was annoying and just not right. I just want it tight everywhere, especially the part that holds the camera on the thing! I suppose it's ok for a true video camera or camcorder that is narrow, but it just seems like a lack of attention in design as well. Clearance for several types of cameras would seem to a big a logical consideration. Videographers are increasingly using the SLR's for their video.

- Oh, and the level/dot on the head was balanced, but the one on the stand never lined up. I still can't figure out why it needed both, but now I just don't care to try. It just seems like another lack of attention to detail. Wait, I think I still would like to know why it has two levels, but only one works ;)

*Update- After contacting Alzo Digital by email to return the product, I went ahead and filmed the terrible packaging it came in, with the torn "instructions" that came inside that amount to a photocopy page thrown in the box. I noticed as I was taping up the box that there was a UPS label under their tape. It was a return label to them from another buyer! Surprise! I had noticed that some of the paint on the clamped parts was scratched like it had been put together already, but at first I was pretty giddy about getting a half way decent tripod, so I overlooked it. Now I see that they sold me a used/returned product like new. This is just weird and shady... The box has no markings on it actually, which is also odd. It's just wrapped in a couple half pieces of plastic and thrown in the box with the hardware. Oh, one last off thing is they had an extra tightener (3 total), but when I tried to screw them in, only 2 would go in, and one was a bit rough going in. It's almost like they know there will be problems with the tighteners, so they throw in an extra from the factory. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and hope they are not dishonest. Otherwise I'd change my star score to a 1. The more I look at this the more aggravated I get. Can't wait to visit UPS Monday to return it. I have already ordered a Fancier FC-470 Heavy Duty Video Camera Tripod With Fluid Head, so let's hope!

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