Sirui For The Not Quite So Serious - Part Two

Okay. You have your new mirror-less system camera, you have a card and a battery and have read the instruction book.

You have booked a trip to the Landscape Coast during the sunset season. You are all set to make fabulous postcard views and insightful artistic statements...and you only need one more thing.
You need a tripod.

Trust us. The Landscape Coast will supply all the ocean and sunset you can handle but if you are trying to capture it by balancing the camera on the bonnet of the tour company's 4WD you will be disappointed with the results.

Sirui to the rescue with an extremely lightweight travel tripod plus ball head combination, The T 024X and C10X come as a package deal inside a nylon travel bag. It is ideal for you as a mirror-less user whether you are walking out to the coast or out to the airplane...in both cases weight is a factor and at .8 Kg this choice is a blessing. All thanks to a lightweight yoke casting and carbon fibre legs.

It will hold up to 6 Kg of camera and lens so it is unlikely that you can exceed the spec there. It will come up to 139 cm. so you can deal with your camera out on the rocks with some comfort and confidence. It is weather-resistant so when you are caught by the spray or rain you are not in too much trouble.

The head has an Arca Swiss-fitting quick release and plate - you are not going to have to fumble about in the dark trying to attach the camera. The usual bells and whistles - weight hook at the bottom, reversible column, macro column, and leg spread ( ...for when you graduate to lying in the mud taking pictures of mushrooms...don't laugh...it is coming...)

The leg locks are the screw type and go to a slim line to fit in that carry bag. The whole thing folds back 180º on itself to become smaller. You can easily fit it into your suitcase for longer trips.


Safety note: That red button on the side of the ball head is a saving feature. If the Arca Swiss-size jaws are loosened, it prevents the quick release plate and your camera from lurching sideways onto the ground.

Tripod tip from the experienced. Put three bits of cardboard - or better three bits of carpet tile - into your pocket when you head out into the bush or down to the beach. Put these down as pads under the legs and they won't disappear into soft sand or moss. Much more stability.

Second tripod tip. Wrap one of the CF legs with a strip of reflective tape so that you can see the little beggar in the twilight and don't stumble over it.

Cullmann Lightweight Concept - The Carbon Fibre Tripod To Fly With

You'll be travelling to the Greek islands to see the polar bears, llamas, and elephants? And you'll be getting there by ferry down the Rhein? And you need a tripod to do star trails while under way? Yes, yes, I see, I see...

Have you thought of  carbon fibre tripod to save weight? You'll be able to take more lenses then. And polar bear locators. And a EPIRB.

Cullmann have made a pair of good, big, light carbon fibre tripods - the Concept One 625C and Concept One 628C. they differ only in the length of legs - the 628C longer than the 625C.

Both have carbon fibre legs and centre column and twist locks. Both include an additional short centre column and associated tools for use when the tripod is very close to the ground. Both take a wide range of tripod heads utilising the standard 3/8" screw fitting.

Both have 10-year warranties. There are accessory bags available for them from Cullmann too - well worth adding to the list.

Note that the 625C will support 6 Kg and the 628C will do 7 Kg.

Hint: Don't trigger the EPIRB in the bar of the Rhein cruiser. They have no sense of humour on the Rhein.