4.15 pounds

4.6 out of 5 stars

We’re talking about the Manfrotto <a href=”https://amzn.to/2YZBa5I”>MKCOMPACTADV-BK</a> https://amzn.to/2YZBa5I and not the quick release model $99 MSRP. This tripod extends to 65″ and weighs 3.1 lbs. It is fairly light for traveling but not as light as other more expensive or really cheap models. Don’t expect Manfrotto / Bogen quality from this tripod. It uses cheaper materials (that look really cheap!), especially on the plate and head. But you have to give up something to make the tripod lighter, right? The leg locking levers did not all work at first making the bottom leg extensions useless. But after working them in for a while they eventually locked. The tripod isn’t as stable as you would hope (especially in high winds) so I would be careful about using slower speeds unless in the shutter timer mode (pressing the shutter release does move the camera, you know :). Overall for the money it is a good tripod, but don’t expect great things if you are attempting to use professionally.

3.37 pounds

4.7 out of 5 stars

So my Geekoto tripod arrived late in the day three days ago. It was well package and comes with a well made carrying bag with strap for easy carrying for those days you may not want to carry a camera pack. I wasn’t looking to upgrade my Carbon Fiber MyFoto tripod but wanted a lite weight tripod for my wife. I’ll admit she is happy with my selection. For the last two days I have been putting it to the test to see how it would perform with my Nikon D800 and wife’s D90 with lens ranging from 16mm to 600mm with exposures up to 8 seconds. On the plus side:
1. Height/Weight – The height of this tripod is really good actually taller than my Carbon Fiber tripod and it’s the same weight!
2. The panoramic ball head is well made and showed no creeping even with my longest lens. I did produce a 6 exposure sunrise panorama (shown in my examples) which stitched together very well even though I wasn’t using my RRS pano head. I also like that the head is Arca-Swiss compatible, you can always use the included plate. The center extender has a a wrist strap attached making it a welcome feature if you are using the monopod.
3. The legs of this tripod has three angle positioning so you can always level it in any circumstance you may find yourself working. The legs extend using a snap locking mechanism which for me personally is not my favorite but I have been using a tripod since the late 1970’s so old habits are hard to change! For my wife these are perfect as the leg is either locked in place or free to move. It also comes with an allen wrench to tighten anything that may become loose over time.
4. Build quality is good and this one seems sturdy. I can say when testing the night after it arrived in the desert evening winds that I was glad it had a center hook below the central extender that I was able to hang my Mindshift Backpack from to help keep it steady when I was useing a 600mm lens to photograph the Hawk at Sunset.
5. A feature that I didn’t try was the monopod. One leg unscrews from the base, the center extender attaches to the leg to create a monopod a definite plus for some.
6. This tripod comes with a good quality bag and a separate cover for the head mount to avoid any scratches on the tripod legs when folded. The color scheme is nice and makes for a good looking tripod.
Overall I would say the build is not of the same quality as my Carbon Fiber tripod but then again neither is the price tag! For the price and the accessories of the Geekoto tripod I would say it’s an outstanding value. I am sharing some of the images made using the Geekoto tripod with this review. They were made using either a Nikon D800 or Nikon D90. I’ll also be sharing my review on Facebook and to other members of the Photography Groups I belong to. I hope you find this review helpful.