A lot of your fellow Best Digital SLR Review readers have added themselves the ranks of of DSLR shooters who love the Slik Pro 700DX tripod with panhead.It's easy to see why.
The big challenge with most tripods is that they achieve light weight at the expense of being flimsy and unable to firmly support your camera and lens.
That's not the case with the the 700DX.
This DSLR tripod comes with a 4-way panhead that can handle most or your telephoto and zoom lenses AND it's very light (which is always a plus if you're going to be lugging your tripod around with you to get tack-sharp photos).
Light-Weight Means Easy to Carry
Slik used a special alloy called AMT (Aluminum Magnesium Titanium) on the 700DX, which makes for strong legs that are easy to carry. I really like this mixture because the lighter your tripod is, the more likely you are to take it with you and use it on a regular basis (...and using a tripod is what separates many of the pros from the amateurs). This tripod weighs in at 7 pounds (3,670g).
Easier to Use
Another great feature about this tripod is the gear-less center column. If you've ever used a cheap tripod with the little hand-crank that makes your expensive camera wobble around like a hula dancer while you make adjustments, you know why it's better to have a smooth center column that you can just pull up or push down into place and then lock into place.
Versatile
If you've ever set your tripod up on uneven ground, or even on a flight of stairs or steps, you'll appreciate the time you save and the mobility you have with the 3-angle leg positions. This means you can not only adjust the legs up and down, but you can also angle the legs away from the center of the tripod into three different positions.
Good for Low or Tall Shots
If you need to get low to the ground, you can get down to 15 inches if you use the optional PRO 700 DX Short Column. If you need to go even lower and still use a light tripod, check out the Manfrotto 055XPROB Review.
As shipped, this tripod has a range of 24 2/5" - 74 4/5" (395mm-1,900mm). That means it's great if you are either a tall person or a person who wants to get your camera up high.
Another innovative and time saving feature is the quick-release plate on the 700 DX - it can be released and put back into place from more than one direction. It's essentially circular, which allows you to put it in with the camera facing in any direction you choose. This may not seem like much, but it will definitely save you time during the setup process.
Overall, this is a very solid tripod offering great value for your money.
Mfr. Part: 615-315
Summary
This tripod represents very good value for your money and is light-weight at the same time. Almost all the user reviews I've seen are very positive (4-5 stars/5 stars).
Key Points
- Light weight but sturdy
- Good height range
- Included panhead
- Excellent value
- Great user reviews
