For many photographers, the tripod is the natural extension to the camera and lens. It provides a solid, stable foundation that minimizes camera shakes, which is very important when shooting with slow shutter speeds and when trying to get that critical focus and sharpness. In fact, it is a vital tool for landscape, macro, and product photographers to ensure that no motion blur is introduced by any camera shakes.

Carbon fiber tripods have become more and more popular among both professional and enthusiasts and have the advantages over aluminum and metal tripods with their combination of strength and lightness. Of course, such exotic material does come at a higher price. A quick search at B&H shows over a hundred different models, with over two-thirds of them priced between $250-$499. At $369.99, the flagship Vanguard Alta Pro 284CT tripod is priced in the upper third of that field, but not just because of its quality, but also because it offers the kind of versatility few tripods can match at that price range. The $199.99 Vanguard BBH-200 ballhead that was sent to me along with the tripod is also very solid. Its standout feature is its Rapid Level System (orange slider switch under the ball in the photo below) that allows you to quickly center and level the ballhead to the base. Very cool and useful!

I’m not going to hold anyone in suspense about this tripod. I simply love it! There’s a good reason why it won the 2009 TIPA Awards for Best Accessory and the 2010 Red Dot Design Award – Best of the Best 2010.
The previous tripod that I had was an Induro A014 alumnium tripod with a Benro BH1 Ballhead, so using this Alta Pro is like the equivalent to driving a Porsche after owning a Honda. That Multi-Angle Central Column (MACC) System, as Vanguard calls it, just opens up a lot of creative options in compositing my shots. The swivel locks quickly, too, with one easy motion. As long as you extend it outward over one of the tripod legs and just watch your center of gravity, it can hold a Canon 5D mkIII with a good zoom lens with no problem.

The 284CT has 4-section carbon fiber legs that keeps the tripod at a relatively short 21 inches when folded in, and gives the tripod a maximum height of 62 inches when the legs and center column are extended all the way. Versatile, right? And of course, there is that wonderful carbon fiber material that just keeps the tripod stable but light on the weight.

Critiques, thankfully, are only at a minimum. The button that allows you to change the angle of the legs can sometimes get sticky unless you fold the leg in a little before you hold the button. And if I have to really nitpick, the material quality of the tripod center pouch that attaches to the legs is not at the same level as the tripod and while the tripod carrying bag is pretty good, it is not as as great as the Induro bags. This Vanguard bag is thinly padded and has a drawstring closure up top whereas the Induro bag is better padded, has a zipper running along the length of the bag for easy access, and has a small zip-pocket on the Induro bag for small tripod accessories like a small Allen wrench. It’s just easier to put a tripod in the Induro bag and it’s more weather-protected. Nevertheless, none of these are deal-breakers.

First thing that you will notice about the Vanguard BBH-200 is its design. A 2012 TIPA Award winner for best accessory, this ball head’s open air design looks sleek and actually makes it lighter and easier to clean. The oversized ball means more clamping power because of the larger surface area. As I mentioned before, what makes this ball head stand out amongst its’ $200 competitors is the Rapid Level System, the quick ball leveler that gets the ballhead centered and ready to go in seconds.

The three improvements that I can suggest is to have a bit more range of motion for the ball head, to move the main knob to where the 360 degrees pan knob is and move that panning knob under the Rapid Level switch so you can choose to use adjust the main knob with the left or right hand, and open another Potrait mode cutaway on the other side of the original cutaway so you can choose which direction you want to have your camera oriented in Portrait mode.

As you can see from the video, the center column is where all the action is. But before we go into detail with that Multi-Angle Central Column (MACC) System, let’s take a look at some of the specs of the tripod:

• Carbon fiber legs, aluminum neck collar
• Number of Leg Sections:4
• Quarter-twist leg locks
• Legs adjust to 25, 50 and 80-degree angles
• Extended height (with center column extended): 63″ (160.0cm)
• Folded height: 21.12″ (53.65cm)
• Weight: 3.97 lbs (1.8 kg)
• Maximum loading capacity: 18.0 lbs (8.0 kg)
• Tilted Loading Capacity(kg): 15.43 lbs (7.0 kg)

Around the neck and the center column are two knobs and a switch lever. The knob around the tripod leg collar itself rotates the center column, so when you have the center column up and over, you can swing it left and right like a crane.

Around the center column itself is the release switch and lever that lets you tilt the center column, and on the opposite side is the knob that lets you raise and lower the center column. In order to go to tilt mode, you raise the column all the way up and push down the ball bearing stop at the base of the column in order to let the column slide through to the end of its collar. There is a safety stop that prevents you from pulling the center column completely free from the tripod itself. Then you slide the orange switch and pull open the lever to tilt the column. You can angle the column all the way down until it’s pretty much upside down! Once you found your angle, just close down the lever and tighten the column knob. That’s it, you’re locked and secure. It doesn’t drag down from the weight of the camera and lens at all (just stay within the specified max load capacity of course). And should you want your camera extended pretty far out, you can hang a small counter-balance at the bottom of the center column.

The feet at the bottom of each legs also has a built-in spike that you can reveal by rotating the rubber feet. The spike is useful when you’re in dirt in order to add a bit more stability.

The three things I see as room for improvements are the sticky leg angle adjustment buttons, the material quality of the center pouch, and the tripod bag itself. If you want to change the angle of one or more of the legs, the release button can be stiff. You sort of have to wiggle the leg in a bit in order to push the button. It may be a locking mechanism in order to keep the legs still when it is in its locked position, but you have to be aware of it, especially when you already have the camera way out on the side and you’re trying to re-angle the leg.

The center pouch has this kinda plasticky, semi-rigid material that I just feel it’s not that great to touch. It’s in a cone-shape and kinda shallow, too, so you have to be careful that when you’re adjusting the legs, you don’t want to spill out the contents in the pouch. At least it feels pretty durable and should not tear if you place rocks in the pouch in order to weigh down the tripod for stability.

Finally, the tripod bag, as you can see from above, is a top-load variation. It can be a bit difficult to stuff the tripod in the bag sometimes, and it’s only closed up with two draw strings. While I’m sure the drawstring won’t open up inadvertently, you can’t really seal the bag all the way, so any liquid or sand can still make its way in, so be careful when you place it down in areas like the beach. The padding is also very thin and the shoulder strap is also unpadded and narrow. But the tripod is rather lightweight, so you probably won’t strain your shoulder.

Overall, though, the Vanguard Alta Pro 284CT Tripod is a strong, versatile winner for me and definitely a keeper. At $369, it is definitely more of an investment as opposed to just another accessory. Luckily, the 284CT is the most expensive model in the Alta Pro series, so there are less expensive models that are available. If you don’t mind a longer folded length of 25.2″ and a load capacity of 17.6 lbs instead of the 284CT’s 21″ and 18.0 lbs max load, then the $329 Alta Pro 283CT may be for you. There is also the smaller $319 Alta Pro 254CT that folds down to 20.9″ and has a max load of 15.4 lbs.

If you don’t mind a bit more weight and quick-flip leg locks instead of quarter-twist leg locks, there is also the aluminum version of the Alta Pro. The $159 Alta Pro 264AT weighs 4.63 lbs, folds down to 21 1/8″, has 4 section legs like the 284CT, and has a max load of 15.4 lbs, while the $149 Alta Pro 263AT weighs 4.41 lbs, folds down to 24 3/4″, has 3 section legs like the 283CT, and has a max load of 15.4 lbs. All the Alta Pro will have the Multi-Angle Central Column (MACC) System that sets it apart from other tripods.

Best of all, between May 1, 2012, and June 30, 2012, Vanguard has a special mail-in rebate that gives you back $50 for any carbon fiber Alta Pro tripods and $25 for any aluminum Alta Pro tripods!

Whichever version you end up getting, I’m confident that you will enjoy it as much as I do!

It’s probably not fair to review the Vanguard BBH-200 Ballhead right after reviewing the Alta Pro because the Alta Pro is such a stand out amongst other tripods. But that doesn’t mean that BBH-200 can’t hold its own. Since it’s built from solid magnesium construction (like your top of the line Full Frame Canons and Nikons), this definitely has a solid built quality. Plus, it’s Arca-Swiss compatible, which is a HUGE plus for me!

Here are some quick specs on it

• Height: 4 3/8″ (110 mm)
• Weight: 1.17 lbs (0.53 kg)
• Maximum loading capacity: 44 lbs (20 kg)
• Solid Magnesium Ball and Housing
• Two spirit bubble levels
• Open body design
• Arca-Swiss compatible quick plate

That open body design means that it can keep the weight down a bit while still carrying its heavy load. For example, whereas the $199 Vanguard BBH-200 weighs 1.17 lbs and has a max load capacity of 44 lbs, the $180 Induro BHD2 weighs 1.3 lbs and has a max load of 39.6 lbs. Similarly, the $214 Manfrotto 468MG Magnesium Hydrostatic Ballhead weighs 1.4 lbs, but can only carry up to 35.3 lbs. Lighter and stronger are Vanguard’s calling here.

Oh, and smooth, too. This big magnesium ball is not only strong, but it’s also smooth. At first, I was let down with the lack of a tension knob and how the main knob is more of a rotating lever instead of a traditional cylindrical knob. But in reality, the longer turning radius means you can be more sensitive in how much tension you want on the ballhead, which means the main knob effectively acts like a tension knob, and also have more leverage. Takes a bit to get used to, but it’s not a bad approach at all, especially if you’re wearing gloves when shooting outside. Also, if you want to readjust the lever knob, you can pull it out and rotate it freely. I have it so when it’s the absolute tightest, the lever points up. That is also helpful in giving you a quick visual confirmation that the ballhead is tight!

Aside from the main knob, there is also a panning knob to its left that does exactly like it does on any other ballhead that has such knobs. The orange horizontal switch to the right of the main knob, however, is what sets the BBH-200 apart from other ballheads. This Rapid Level System slider, when clicked unto the filled-in circle, sets something inside so that when you wiggle the ballhead around the center, it locks the ball when it’s centered and leveled to the base of the ballhead. There is a slight wiggle room, but you an also glance down at the spirit bubble level to double check. This just makes leveling quick and easy. Just make sure you tighten the main lever before you release the Rapid Level switch.

The Arca-Compatible quick release shoe also has a safety pin that prevents the quick plate from sliding out in the event that the quick plate is not fully secured unto the shoe. That can definitely be a life-saver, especially when it’s on an Alta Pro tripod and hanging out sideways!

So what’s not to like? Well, the lip at the top of the housing is a bit constricting, which means that the range of motion may or may not be as much as other ballheads. It’s not that noticeable, but it may just be me. Also, ergonomics-wise, because the main knob is directly the opposite of the Portrait mode slot, if you shoot Portrait like me, which is with the camera grip on the topside, that means, you have to operate the knob with your right hand and rotate your camera with the left hand, which is not entirely comfortable if you have a larger lens. What would probably be better is if the main knob is moved to where the panning knob is and the panning knob, which is pretty small, sits under the Rapid Level System slider. This way, you can have the main knob facing you and be accessible to your left hand as you rotate the camera to portrait mode via the grip.

On top of that, the space where the main knob used to be can now be used to put a second cutaway for Portrait mode for those photographers who prefers to have their camera with the grip facing down while shooting portraits. That would add even more flexibility to what is already an excellent ballhead.

By the way, the BBH-200 also has a little brother, the $169 Vanguard BBH-100, which weighs just 1 lb and has a max load of 22 lbs, as well as a big brother, the $249.95 Vanguard BBH-300, which weighs 1.45 lbs and has a max load of 66 lbs!

So all in all, as a photographer, a really good investment in a solid tripod and ballhead is worthwhile. It sure gives you that stability when taking photos like this quick 5-shot HDR photo I took near my house.

Both the Vanguard Alta Pro 284CT tripod and the Vanguard BBH-200 ballhead are strong, versatile products that I would not hesitate to recommend to other photographers and to you, our readers! Kudos Vanguard!

All photos in this article by Joe Gunawan | fotosiamo.com

Stay creative!

Read the full post on FStoppers.

Product Name: Airport International V2.0
Company: ThinkTank Photo
Cost: $349
Website/Purchase: www.thinktankphoto.com
Subject: Traveling Cases

We recently got our hands on the ThinkTank Airport International V2.0 and we quickly fell in love with what is now our new go-to case for destination shoots.

For those of you that want to see the entire bag in detail, check out the video below. If you just want a quick run down on our favorite features and why we gave this case 5/5 Stars, then keep on reading!

1. Carry-On Sized
The Airport International is designed specifically as a carry on case. So it meets all carry-on requirements in regards to its size. Just don’t mention or give hints of the case being heavy and loaded with gear since there is typically a weight restriction on carry-on luggage.

2. Extremely High Build Quality
From it’s external YKK zippers, to the internal lining and removable inserts, everything is built with the best materials available and is built to last.

3. Plenty of Space
This case has enough space for all of our camera gear for a typical destination wedding which includes 2 bodies, 5 lenses, two flashes and our accessories. I also love the fact that there seems to be a place for everything, CF cards, wallets, keys, etc.

4. Great Value
I know some of you are going to mention that the $349 price tag is too much and is more likely a con. However, knowing the cost of manufacturing products like this, I can tell you that this bag is a great value based on its design and build quality. While you might pay more for this case than others, it is going to last you much longer as well.

5. Silent!
I know this seems rather strange, but given that we shoot weddings, I love the fact that the wheels are virtually completely silent! The rubber wheels and ball bearings glide effortlessly and silently which is wonderful when wheeling them into a church during a wedding.

1. Non-Checkable
While this case can lock, is very well built, and can take quite a beating, I still wouldn’t check this bag with standard airline luggage as it is a “soft case”. The safest solution for checking gear is still going to be a rock hard plastic case such as a Pelican. However, there are trade-offs as a Pelican will weigh more, and hold a bit less.

All in all, the Airport International Version 2.0 is a bag that we would highly recommend to any traveling photographer. While there are cheaper bags on the market, the ThinkTank Airport International is a solid value for the money and we are confident that anyone willing to step into this solution won’t be disappointed. So, we are giving it 5/5 Stars!

The olloclip is a quick-connect lens solution for the iPhone 4/4S that includes fisheye,wide-angle and macro lenses in one small, convenient package that easily fits in your pocket. Nestled in the palm of your hand, the olloclip connects to the iPhone within seconds so you’ll be sure to capture the image you want…if you don’t see the picture you’re looking for just flip it over to switch lenses.

The Fisheye lens captures approximately a 180 Degree field-of-view and produces some striking images.The Wide-Angle lens is great for when you need that extra field of view, approximately double that of the normal iPhone. The Macro lens applies roughly a 10X multiplier and allows you to focus the iPhone within 12-15mm of the subject. The Macro lens is cleverly concealed within the olloclip and can be accessed by unscrewing the Wide-Angle lens that is normally attached to it.

The olloclip ships with a carrying bag made from a microfiber material that doubles as a lens cleaner and conveniently holds the supplied-lens caps or the Wide-Angle lens when removed for Macro shots.

Check out this overview video:

The olloclip is Price: $69.99 through www.olloclip.com

PROS:

Solid Construction. The olloclip is made from hard plastic and metal and is very solid in its construction.

Nice optics. Real glass lenses. No brainer.

Lightweight. You’ll barely know that there is anything there. It weighs 20 grams AKA 0.7 oz.

Works with screen protectors on. If you have a screen protector on your phone, you can still use the clip w/o removing it.

CONS (only slightly, I might add):

iPhone 4/4S only. Not a problem if you’re up with the latest tech, but if you’re still sporting a 3GS or heaven forbid a 3G, you’re out of luck with the olloclip.

Small parts to lose. Keep them in the pouch when not using them!

Covers the phone’s power switch while attached.

No cases allowed. The olloclip will not attach while a case is on your phone.

CONCLUSION:

The olloclip works great as it was meant to. I use it a lot with video as well. Overall the olloclip is AN AWESOME TOOL for any iPhone photo enthusiast. I will keep this thing in my arsenal for sure. I give the olloclip 4/5 stars.

Okay, seriously folks.  This actually happens every time.  Not just Canon or Nikon, it happens to everybody. (although more often than not, Canon.  Hate to say it…)  This is the risk of buying the absolute newest camera, right when it comes out.  You almost always have to deal with some random flaw or bug.  The Canon 5D mk1 had a mirror-falls-out issue that wasn’t corrected until WAY after the camera’s debut.  The 5D mk2 had that weird isssue with “light blobs”.  Oh, and the Nikon D2, D200, D70, D2X, …allllllll had their “bugs”.  Just google “Nikon D70 BGLOD” (blinking green light of death! LOL what an acronym, huh?) Or how about a classic, “Canon err99″…

What the heck am I talking about?  This is actually a brand new bug, one I never thought could be possible:  The Canon 5D mk3′s top LCD illumination feature actually is affecting 5D mk3 metering.  Don’t believe me?  Read about it here on DPReview.com, or here on Canonrumors.com.  To be honest, this is really no big deal if you usually shoot in manual exposure, or heck if you’re just an experienced photographer in general.  You should know metering well enough to not be fooled by a little light leak; or at the very least, just turn off your camera LCD illumination when you’re actually shooting.  Duh.

But the point is, you never know what you’re gonna get, as Forrest Gump would say.  Buying the newest cameras hot-off-the-shelf is a little like Russian Roulette, especially as a hard-working professional.  Sure, some bugs may not affect you at all, but others may be camera-crippling.  Especially battery-related issues; brand new cameras can “brick” themselves real quick if there’s a battery issue.  (Common with both Canon and Nikon)

Oh, and yes indeed, the 5D mk3 is not alone in this respect.  The Nikon D800 may also have an issue according to NikonRumors.com, and while we’re at it the 1DX might also have something hinky going on considering it’s been delayed twice.  Canon’s track record with brand new flagship sports cameras is not exactly spotless.  (Google “Canon 1D mk3 autofocus fiasco”)

…Sooooo, this is why I personally prefer to wait 1-2 years after a camera’s release before buying.  The only time I didn’t do this was, well, when I bought my first DSLR (Nikon D70) in 2004 right when it came out because it was simply the first $999 DSLR that Nikon ever made.  Then, I also bought the Nikon D300 just a few weeks after it came out in 2007, because well let’s admit it, prior to the Nikon 3-series generations Nikon was terrible at high ISO….we all wanted to get out of that boat ASAP!

Personally, I sure won’t be buying a Nikon D800 or a Canon 5D mk3 for at least 6-18 months.  Yeah, I know it’s a better camera in many ways, but the bottom line is that my D700 is getting the job done just fine, in fact it might even be a batter camera for what *I* do, compared to the D800.

I suppose it’s a little different situation for Canon 5D mk2 owners who want to upgrade to the 5D mk3.  Because since we’re on a roll with the whole honesty thing here: While the Nikon D700 has been rockin’ flagship autofocus for almost four years now, …the 5D mk2′s autofocus system is abysmal by comparison.   Plain and simple, the 5D mk3′s autofocus system rocks and in my opinion is a must-have upgrade for any wedding etc. photographer who cares about low-light autofocus.

Or does it rock?  We’re currently doing a lot of testing here at SLR Lounge, and might have a bug report of our own very soon.  There are a few rumblings here and there about 5D mk3 autofocus not working, but they are still far too varied and unreliable…  So, stay tuned for another article on that subject.

Bottom line:  There’s always a little bit of risk involved with buying the latest-and-greatest, especially the first few ones off the production line.   Solution?  Don’t buy new cameras, just win them in contests.   Of course I’m kidding, but we do indeed happen to be giving away a 5D mk3 / D800.  Details below…

Take care,
=Matt=