Vanguard Alta 263AB 100 Aluminum Tripod with SBH-100 Ball Head

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Price: $170.99    

Product Feature

• Lightweight aluminum alloy
• Enables low-angle photography
• Quick-flip leg locks
• Includes solid, strong magnesium alloy ball head

Product Description

Hailed as the world’s most lightweight and compact high-quality tripods, VANGUARD Alta+ tripods were designed by professional photographers to meet the most demanding requirements – all in a sleek, modern design. Alta+ 263AB 100 is lightweight aluminum perfect for air travel and backpacking. Alta+ combines ultra stability, durability, easy of use and reliability every photographer needs. Its legs adjust to 25, 50 and 80-degree angles with a simple push of easy-release buttons for easy terrain changes and low angle-shooting. Other features include advanced camera vibration and shock control, all-weather foam grip legs, patented premium magnesium die-cast canopy and head, non-slip, spiked rubber feet for changing terrains, and a removable hook for hanging camera accessories. Alta+ 263AB 100 includes the popular SBH-100 ball head, which rotates 360 degrees and offers fine-tuning adjustments.

Vanguard Alta 263AB 100 Aluminum Tripod with SBH-100 Ball Head Review

Many different choices on tripods can be found on the market today, and the types are wide and diverse. Choosing the best one for use with a DSLR can be an interesting experience, and sometimes very perplexing. Putting it simply, a photographic tripod is used to keep a camera steady when maximum stability is required for use with long lenses, or when used in lower light conditions. Though most contemporary DSLRs have good image stabilization, but a good tripod can be not only a reliable ally but also a real necessity under some conditions.

This is a detailed hands-on review of the Vanguard Alta 263AB 100 Aluminum Tripod with SBH-100 Ball Head, and it's one of those that's quite suitable for pro and advanced enthusiast alike. It's good for use with digital and film cameras up through medium format, and especially for users who change cameras quickly. It's also a good choice for the beginning DSLR owner who doesn't want to waste money purchasing a tripod that's either too light for reasonable use, or one that's complete overkill.

For those who want just the quick pros and cons, I'll list them first, followed by the subjective details:

670; Pros:

+ Under 4.5 pounds; excellent aluminum & magnesium construction
+ Adjustable three-section legs with quick-release tabs
+ 65 inches (1,650mm) fully extended; lightweight enough for travel
+ Good anti shock ring on center column
+ Low-angle photo adapter on reversible center column
+ Excellent SBH-100 magnesium alloy ball head; two bubble levels
+ Three stop screws provide extra security for tripod heads
+ Quick shoe QS-39 with " screw changes easily
+ It comes with a carrying case as standard

`70; Cons:

- IKEA-style instruction sheet (pictures) could be better

◆ Details:

From the moment that this Vanguard Alta+ 263AB 100 tripod is removed from the box, it's clear that this is one decent support mechanism for most contemporary DSLRs. Weighing in at less than 4.5 pounds, yet capable of supporting 11 pounds of camera (or video) gear, this one has a solid feel throughout. It extends to 65 inches, which fine for my 5' 9" frame, putting it in a very comfortable shooting position. This tripod comes standard with a Vanguard SBH-100 Magnesium Alloy Ball Head, but more on this separately below.

The three-section legs move in and out smoothly after exercising them for a few minutes, which is not uncommon with tripods. The quick-release tabs did a good job of holding them, even when extra weight was put on the center column to see just how well it would support photo gear prior to actual use... it's better to find out the limits early on. One noteworthy point is the foam grips that are on each of the tripod legs, not only good for gripping all year around, but especially during the sub-freezing winter months.

The ergonomic leg adjusting buttons at the top of each of the tripod legs allow for quick adjustment to the standard 25 degrees, and there are further "click" adjustments to 50 and 80 angles as well, making it ideal for lower-angle photography. The legs also have adjustable rubber tips covering its spike tips.

A single adjustable knob secures the tripod's center column, and if it's loosened too quickly, there's an orange anti-shock ring made of some elastic plastic material to protect the camera and lens... a shock absorber of sorts, and one can hope will never be tested. The center column is easily and quickly reversed for extreme low-level or macro photography. Already had one quizzical onlooker advise me that my "tripod is all discombobulated" as I was testing it out for a close up photo in a local park. It happens... but it was easy to switch in seconds.

The center column also has a hook at the bottom that could be useful for suspending additional weight during windy conditions for greater stability such as your camera bag. But unscrew the hook and you'll find a standard 1/4'' -20 male threaded stud, which is perfect for attaching a small ball head and leaving it there. Already tried this with my Joby BH1 Ball Head and the Benro BH0-M Ball head plus a " to 3/8" screw adapter, and it works just fine with either.

As noted above, this tripod comes with a carrying case as noted in the product photos, which appears to be the Vanguard Alta+ Custom Bag. It's a pretty decent carry bag with an adjustable shoulder strap, a padded bottom and a drawstring at the end to close it up... a nice touch.

◆ Ball Head:

This tripod kit comes with the Vanguard SBH-100 Magnesium Alloy Ball Head with Two Onboard Bubble Levels, and this excellent head is almost worth a separate product review in itself... it's that good. It's constructed from a solid magnesium alloy, yet it feels lighter in weight than many on the market. It's said to have a max load capacity of 22 lbs., and from what I saw working with it, I could easily agree.

The SBH-100 has one knob to tighten and adjust the ball head and a separate, smaller knob to adjust the panning base. Its tilt goes from 90� to about -35�, offering a good range, and the swivel on the base is a full 360� marked in 5 compass-style increments. If you plan on taking series of overlapping images to stitch together as a panorama shot, you'll appreciate this feature of the SBH-100, along with its smoothness.

The two on-board bubble levels are positioned well, but depending on how your DSLR is mounted on the quick-release plate, it can sometimes be tricky to view the bubble levels, so take this into account when and how you mount it. The ball head comes with a Vanguard QS-39 �" Camera Screw Quick Shoe, and obviously extras are available here. The clamping knob for this is adjustable, and there's an orange button safety lock to keep the camera from falling to the ground if you loosen the clamping knob too far.

Understanding ball heads, I removed it immediately from the tripod base to check it out and do some slightly custom preparations for long-term use. The ball moved smoothly in its socket right out of the box, but from past experience with tripods and heads like this, I gently added a couple of dabs of automotive white lithium grease and 'exercised' the ball in its socket for a few minutes, then cleared up the residue.

This SBH-100 ball head is an excellent performer, and holds its positions quite well. I'm currently using it with a Nikon D5000 and a DSLR battery grip, and with a variety of lenses. It holds its position quite well, and even as a separate product this ball head is highly recommended.

◆ Suggestions:

It's been said many times before that one should buy a tripod that will support 1.5 to 2 times the weight of the camera with lens and any other gear that's attached. Do the math and see if your DSLR with its longest lens and any packs comes higher than six to eight pounds. If it's under that, this should work for you. Another consideration is the height. I'm 5' 9" and at with the tripod measuring 65 inches extended, and with the camera mounted on the head, I lower the center column to look through the viewfinder or the LCD panel. If weight is a consideration, you may wish to look for a carbon-fiber tripod, but they can get expensive. This one weighs less than 4.5 pounds, and suits me well.

Another consideration is the tripod head, and for some user and users, a ball head won't cut it in terms of functionality. If your primary use of a tripod is going to be for video, then I might suggest the similar Vanguard Alta+ 263AP 3-Section Aluminum Tripod with 3-way Magnesium Alloy Photo Panhead, as it's a solid performer. It has an excellent pan head, and is extremely adjustable in all directions.

[Update] 11/14/2012:

This Vanguard Alta+ 263AB 100 tripod has been in frequent and constant use since I first posted my review here. Most recently is was used in Downtown Manhattan when I was documenting Hurricane Sandy with a couple of digital cameras, and I was more concerned about keeping the cameras dry and functioning during that adverse weather than the tripod. Waited for a few days after power was returned to inspect this tripod and see if any maintenance needed to be performed. Happy to report that the tripod held up exceptionally well, even though it had been subjected to driving rain and a bit of salt spray. In fact, the only real maintenance that I did was to wipe it down with a wet cloth to remove the debris and to apply a couple of drops of WD-40 to the ball portion of the SBH-100 Ball Head, and it was back to like-new condition.

◆ Summary:

In actual use, this tripod and its ball head have proven themselves to be highly functional and quite comfortable in all functions. It's easy and fast to set up, which means a lot in the field, and I've had no fear of weakness in the unit or of my DSLR getting damaged by some unforeseen hardware failure. This one is package is quite well engineered, and spending an extra hour or so in the comfort of the living room learning all of its nuances paid off, just as if one was trying out a new camera or lens.

Considering its excellent price and performance, I'll rate the Vanguard Alta 263AB 100 Aluminum Tripod with SBH-100 Ball Head as a first-rate 5-star camera support product, but I'm subjectively inclined more towards ball heads than pan heads, so please take that into consideration; it's a personal thing based on function. In any case, this is the kind of tripod that will last years longer than your camera... it's a good one.

7/28/2012

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