028zzzStore

I was so excited to receive this tripod and was eager to test it out as soon as possible. However, upon opening it, I found that the one shipped to me was missing the head plate for attaching the camera to the tripod. I was confused that maybe this model didn't come with one (the picture does not show it), but after reading through other reviews, the questions & answers, and the description of the item I ordered (the 500DX), I now know it should have come with one. I now I have to arrange to return it and have a replacement shipped to me which is kind of annoying. Will hopefully have updates soon on this product if I get the right one sent to me this time. :(

UPDATE:
Received my replacement which still doesn't come with the head (which would allow me to put a camera on it.) If this product listing is not supposed to come with that piece, the distributor needs to update the description and questions section of the product's page (still currently says that this model (500DX) does come with it). For anyone looking into this product, NO it does not come with the head. Wish this was made clear in the description before I made the decision to order. Super disappointed in the distributor when I could have just expected this from the get-go and not had any issues or confusion. :(

I am just getting back into photography after a couple of decades away from the hobby. I am therefore rebuilding my kit and I am in in the process of buying all new tripods, bags, lenses and camera bodies. When I was younger I always used a Slik and the one I had held up for many years with no issues. Straight out of the box, the only assembly required is to screw in the 2 handles. ** Note that one of the handles has a much longer thread than the other, the adjustment handles will not tighten properly if you screw them into the wrong holes, as I did. ** No worries though, just screwed them into the right slots and they both tighten up quite well. I played around with it for a half hour and the up/down left/right adjustments are easy to make and nicely weighted. The pan adjustment is made via a collar lock that is easy to grab and adjust, and I imagine it will be easy to work even wearing gloves. The tripod is REALLY well made in my opinion. All metal except for the leg locks with aluminum legs. The foam grips on the top are really nice and will be a welcome addition in cold weather. My only two concerns with this tripod are 1) the weight, and 2) the leg angle adjustment locks. On concern #1, buying one that is too heavy is my fault, not Slik's. It's just my recent lack of experience. The weighting will be fantastic during breezy conditions or on slippery surfaces, however, this thing is too heavy for me to want to travel much with it. This weight -vs- strength concern is one that we all have to balance, but I do wish I had gone for something lighter. On concern #2, the leg angle adjustment locks are not easy to get right. You pull out a tab, move the leg, and push that tab back in - it's not like the leg automatically "clicks into place." I can tell this is really going to annoy me! Another note: the description lists this as 5.9 lbs, but the instruction manual lists it as 6.1 lbs. Not a huge difference, but you might notice if you were hiking around with it. You can slightly offset that by removing the bottom half of the center column, which screws on. Might save you a few ounces. As for the height, I am short (5' 6") and at full extension, with the center column at it's lowest bottom position, my eye is almost directly in line with the viewfinder, which I really appreciate. Overall thoughts: well made and should last a long time, great for a studio, probably too heavy to take on long trips.

I have used this tripod about three times since I bought it and it almost brings me to tears how much I love this thing. I have gone through several Revellos and other lower quality gear and I have to say this is probably going to be my go to and I may buy a few more.

Pros: Its Heavy and Durable

Its easy to use with clip telescoping

Easy to clean with wide thick parts

Nice Pan / Tilt Feature when you figure it out

Holds a lot of weight- So far I have a 6D with bat pack/ flash / large lens.

Cons: Its heavy

Limited instructions.

Its a tad short for a 6 foot guy but its workable.

I needed something durable that could do what I needed to get done and one that would not rust out immediately and break from slight pressure and this one foots that bill. It feels solid, quality, durable and with some TLC I am sure it will last me a very long time. I cannot say enough about this tripod. I love it. Before I think I spent roughly 1,000 on various mid level and entry pro tripods and they have all failed (except a Targus for some reason... That thing has been beaten to near death and still works fine, would not trust it with my Full frame but yeah)

Fantastic Product (I included a bracketed panorama I took with this by using the panning feature)