After purchasing the Canon 7D I needed to upgrade my tripod. The Vanguard combo had just what I was looking for with a pistol grip head to get those awkward angles and a quality tripod to support my new camera. The item met my expectations when it arrived. It is very easy to setup and included all the tools to connect the head with tripod. Some of my favorite features are: Solid Quick Connect Plate on Head The Pistol Grip has a death grip once set Easy to use lock for leg spread Orange rubber on column acts as shock absorber if you loosen and are not holding the camera Quick change from rubber to spiked feet with twist function Dedicated 90 degree slot for quick flip over for a vertical shoot I only wish it was a little more fluid on it's pan and the tilt is a little tricky if shooting video.Read full review
I waited for my first photo outing (a 4 day trip along the north shore of MN) to review this tripod (Vanguard Alta Pro 263AT) so I could give a good review based upon experience. In short...I love it. I recently bought this tripod after reading several reviews on it, as well as reviewing other similar-model tripods by other manufacturers. I figured if I was going to spend upwards toward $150-200 for a tripod, I wanted one I could be happy with and not be disappointed in the end as I had been with my recent experience with a Sunpak Ultra 7000 tripod (~$100...which I bought on a quick whim). I am an amateur but avid photographer after recently getting back into photography after a 30 year absence (from SLR's and film). I like to watch my money, but I'm willing to spend a little extra on something that will work and last long. I generally also like to research details myself...and I am careful to weed out the reviews which are the one or two sentence "this is a great tripod" reviews since you never really know how much use of the product was behind the review. One thing I want to mention...I also bought a TBH-100 ball head (comes with the QS-60 quick release) at the same time. I wasn't sure having not used a ball head before (my two previous tripods were the typical pan/tilt style) if I would like a ball head, but now that I've used it, I love it. I think the BBH-100 would be a nice step up, but it is notably more expensive. In any case, what I really like about the ball head is I can set the tripod and camera up, and without turning or moving the tripod, I can simply rotate the ball head around to any direction without moving the tripod. The ball head is also nice since you can level your camera (relative to the horizon) so easily, and you can also point your camera forward and down...all the while leaving the tripod alone. I'll never go back to a common pan/tilt mount again. The tripod...it is sturdy and built of great quality. It has rubber feet which can be rotated upward to expose the pointed spikes for use on soft surfaces such as dirt/grass (a feature which I completely forgot about on my 4-day trip). It's quick and easy to setup and use, and can be set up to put your camera into positions of which are much more flexible than my 55-yr old body can do. One thing I was really IMPRESSED with is the carry bag which came with the tripod. It is a very nice heavy duty quality bag with an adjustable shoulder-carry strap. Even with the ball head on, it just fits in the bag and you can pull the two drawstrings tight and push down the little finger knobs to keep the mouth close and the tripod inside. The bag also has a nice bright orange rubbery-ribbed "plate" on the bottom of the bag so you can set the bag down upright on a surface without it "slipping" away on you. It also helps keep the bag clean in case the ground is dirty, etc. The only "wish" is I think a smaller grab/carry handle somewhere on the bag would have been a nice plus. But, other than that, it's a great bag. I used the tripod along some very windy shores of Lake Superior on my trip, as well as with the heavy 300mm zoom lense on my Nikon D5300, and the tripod was good and sturdy. The quick-release latches work very well also. In an ideal world, it would be nice to have a lighter and shorter tripod, but that's not to speak against this tripod. It's true...like any other good product...you can always find something to gripe about if you really wanted to. However, I believe this tripod is one of the best values and quality I could find for being an amateur photographer. I hauled this tripod around Gooseberry Falls (MN North Shore), a number of creeks and rivers, and other various natural landscape areas. I highly recommend it to anyone from amateur to pro who wants a great tripod. I also found a (used) Vanguard monopod on eBay of which I purchased, and will soon be looking for another ball head with the QS-60 mount so I can use the same "system" between pods. Randy in MN, review posted 30 Mar 2016Read full review
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The Vanguard Alta tripod is easy to use, fairly light, stable and easy to set up for a modest price. The oscillating pistol grip is a must when utlizing optics in long range or rapid movement use. The only hinderance as far as I am concerned,unfortunately also encompasses the rotating pistol grip head. The forward looking angle is hindered because of the construction and position of the pistol grip. It does not allow the user to look up at any more than a 15 - 20 degree angle. Although this can be overcome by simply mounting your optics in the tripod backwards and using the grip in a reverse manner. Slightly inconvenient, but with the quality, value and versatility of this tripod who really minds. A must for the amature photographer or outdoors enthusiast looking for the best deal for their money.Read full review
I was a little skeptical about buying this tripod and the cost of shipping was a little high, I thought, but after receiving it I was amazed at the quality and excellent design of this tripod! I also understood the shipping charges, because this tripod is on the heavy side - but that's because it's heavy-duty. My last tripod snapped after I over-tightened the locking mechanism because it wouldn't stay in place. This will have no problem with a heavier camera "drifting" out of place. And although I probably won't use it, the extension feature (the angled piece on top that you see in most of the stock photos) is really kind of cool and very well thought out. It's a much better tripod than I expected, and if you're looking for a heavier duty tripod for your good Nikon or Canon with a pretty big lens, I don't think you can go wrong. Get yourself a decent Arca-compatable head and you're in business!Read full review
I found this to be an excellent tripod. very stable very practical especially shooting in areas (bushs) where you can't get a regular tripod. Some say to heavy then buy a cheap one or a carbon fibre. Came with more features then I expected such as a tool kit and a rubber shock on column. Very well designed more features then others that I was considering. If I lost it would I buy another one? there would not be any other choice.
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