My go-to photo backpack of late, when on the streets of Chicago, has been the ThinkTank StreetWalker Pro. The bag is compact and lightweight, yet holds just the right amount of gear securely. But it’s not the best pack for nature outings. For the hiking trails, you need a backpack with hiker savvy: fully protective, carries what you need, and comfortable. Translation: something more robust than the StreetWalker is needed—a backpack that moves with you and which seemingly bends to your will. Something like the MindShift Gear rotation180° Professional. This bag is, in my view, the ultimate hiking/backpacking photo pack, with practically all the accouterments. But it’s big and somewhat heavy. We don’t always need something of that caliber designed for a tortuous journey into the woods or over rocky or watery terrain. Often, we need something smaller and lighter. And that’s where MindShift Gear’s rotation180° Panorama comes into play.

Getting Familiar with the rotation180° Panorama
Available in blue or charcoal, the backpack has two sections. The one that justifiably gets the most attention is the rotating waist, or belt, pack that is securely attached to the backpack at the bottom. Release a magnetic latch and pull to the front to reveal this pack. Unzip the lid, and voilà!

Before releasing the small pack, first make sure to firmly secure the waistbelt end to end. Otherwise, you’ll pull the small pack free, with only a lightweight tether to keep it from dropping to the ground. This action might be enough to destabilize you and the pack on rough or uneven terrain, so exercise the proper precautions.

Accessed via a zippered panel at the top is the upper section. This is where you stow personal stuff, like a change of clothing, insect repellants, and anything of a bulky nature, including some light camping gear. Or, if you splurge for the optional r180º Panorama Photo Insert, you can stow a camera body with attached lens, a couple of other lenses, and a shoe-mount flash in this fully padded and adjustable insert. However, be aware that this occupies the entire upper section, leaving no room for your other stuff.

There are sadly few pockets, but I’ve managed to make do.

The Panorama features the full complement of straps: fully padded, contoured shoulder harness with compression straps up top; adjustable chest strap; contoured and padded waist belt (which is part of the rotating waist pack). And it has an internal frame.

In the Field
Working with the waist pack takes a little getting used to. There’s a special bungee cord that’s designed to make the flap fly more easily out of the way, but I still seem to have problems. For some reason, I found this procedure—from releasing (and relocking) the magnetic buckle to freeing and rotating the small pack—easier on the Pro version than here. But I’m sure that will work itself out in time, as it did with this bag’s big brother.

This design’s key advantage lies in that rotating belt pack. When you’re surrounded by water, snow, mud, or heavy vegetation, with no place to set the bag, the rotating pack is a lifesaver. It also works well on city streets and in public parks, where you don’t really want to turn your back on the scene in order to retrieve the camera.

There’s really only enough room for a D-SLR, such as my Nikon D610, with an attached lens, such as my Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 VC or Tamron 70-300mm VC. You can store more, individually on end (upright), if you don’t mind putting all the pieces together in the field. My problem with that is this: What if it suddenly starts to rain? Not so easy to get everything safely put away, is it?

To allow me to carry more stuff for quick access, I use a photographer’s vest (using these pockets to hold a white balance test target, cell phone, lens tissue/blower, and lens cap when not in use). And I’ll wear MindShift Gear’s Lens Switch Case on my belt (or attach it to the pack). I usually keep a flash in this belt pouch, which was originally designed for a spare lens, or, more to the point, to make it easier to switch lenses on the fly.

The r180º rain cover is optional and strongly recommended for heavy downpours and dusty environments.

Evaluation
I would have preferred more pockets, especially a pleated outside pocket for a light jacket since the camera insert took up the entire interior, and a roomier mesh water bottle pocket. But by and large, I was very happy working with the rotation180º Panorama. I took it on a nature hike for openers. I even found it useful in the city, so I wouldn’t have to put the pack down and watch my back when accessing my gear. Especially at a busy skate park. And I managed to fit a sling strap in the waist pack by refashioning the included dividers around the camera with attached lens (the trick is to create a “basement” level out of the dividers and slide the strap in here). Still, if I did need to get at more gear, I found removing and donning the Panorama easy enough. OK, I’m still getting used to the rotating belt pack, but that hasn’t interfered with me getting at my gear in an efficient manner when I needed it.  And wearing summer or winter garb, I was always comfy wearing this photo backpack.

Pros
Comfy & wears well; stabilizes load on your back; breathable airflow back padding with internal frame; rotating (and removable) belt pack facilitates use of camera with attached lens in mucky, wet surroundings and on crowded streets; protective of camera gear; roomy (if you don’t add the optional camera insert); built tough; largely weather-resistant (but benefits from optional rain cover); hydration sleeve; carries tripod; numerous lash points.

Cons
Serious scarcity of pockets makes it necessary to use optional pouches; rotating belt pack takes a little getting used to.

Best Use
Serious or casual hikes over any terrain; nature, wildlife, and landscape photography; macro & close-up photography (keep straps secured while bending over); street photography. D-SLR system (full-size or compact).

Worst Use
None really, but I wouldn’t use it for wedding or portrait photography.

Where can I get more info?
www.mindshiftgear.com

Manufacturer:
MindShift Gear,
1105 N. Dutton Ave. Suite C
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
Toll Free: 855-757-2727
International: 707-284-9999

How much is it?
Direct: $199.99 ($199.99 at B&H or Adorama). 

Technical Specifications
Overall size & weight: 9.8 W x 19.7 H x 8.3” L (25 x 50 x 21 cm); 3 lb (1.3 kg)
Construction: coated nylon (durable & weather-resistant); 3-ply bonded nylon thread (keeps seems weather-tight), YKK zippers (you can’t do better than this); polyester lining; closed-cell foam (anti-shock).

Does It Reach pixelPERFEXION? (100 pixels is best):
r180º Panorama photo backpack: 95 pixels, practical, protective, comfortable.

No doubt about it, a camera’s pop-up flash is handy. There’s nothing extra to carry around or leave home. And there’s no added expense. But as convenient as it is, this built-in flash also drags you down, limiting what you can do. Recycling times are painfully slow; it prematurely exhausts the camera’s battery; the light reach is fairly restrictive at low ISO levels; a long lens barrel or lens shade (hood) can get in the way and obstruct part of the light (toward the bottom of the frame); and it almost invariably produces red-eye in people and many animals. What’s more, the lighting is flat and harsh when used as a primary light source.

Enter the accessory shoe-mount flash, or simply shoe-mount. This flash slides into the camera’s hot shoe (“hot” meaning there’s a singular electrical contact point whereby releasing the shutter triggers the flash).

Making things even simpler, on practically every camera today that accepts an external flash, that hot shoe features a camera brand-specific array of “dedicated” contact points that allow the camera and flash to communicate with each other. This dedicated hot shoe gives any flash unit amazing capabilities centering on the ability to effortlessly deliver usable exposures tailored to the subject and surrounding conditions automatically, with little or no user input, aside from switching on the camera and flash and selecting TTL mode on the flash.

What this does is, when using any camera autoexposure (AE) mode, it directs microprocessors in both the camera and flash to talk to each other to determine a proper exposure for a given subject and situation. And all by reading light through the camera lens (TTL), much the way normal ambient-light exposures are made—and the way the built-in flash works. This is what allows camera and flash to deliver balanced fill-flash so that backlit faces are not lost to the murky depths of shadowland.

TTL flash is also usable when the camera is set to Manual mode, but here you have to set both the lens aperture (f-stop) and shutter speed. With shutter-priority autoexposure mode, you need to set a flash sync speed or slower so that the flash is triggered at the right moment. If you use aperture-priority AE mode, the camera should set a suitable flash sync speed, and in program AE mode, the camera also sets the required f-stop as well.

TTL flash, in any camera mode, does away with having to manually calculate flash exposure when: the flash is bounced, filters and/or lens extension is employed, and the flash is used off-camera—it’s all calculated automatically.

Of course, there is one piddling little problem with a shoe-mount. Most are big clunkers, whereas the small ones can’t really do much. So a flash worth carrying is often a pain to carry around and it weighs the camera down when mounted.

Well, that picture has changed with the new Nissin i40. This is the one shoe-mount flash you’ll want to carry with you all the time. Unlike its more robust siblings, the Di866 Mark II and MG8000 Extreme, the i40 is not a bells-and-whistles kind of flash. There’s no fancy display. It’s understated in size and appearance, yet packs a punch where it counts. You might say it’s flashy without being obvious. And it’s small. Really small.

Just Dial It In
In contrast to some of the more high-tech flashes, with their fancy and sometimes colorful LCD panels, the i40 simply relies on two mechanical dials and accompanying indicator lights to set modes and output. Unfortunately, for those of us who need reading glasses, using the mode (“function”) dial unaided can be a chore and, for anyone, reading even the larger output (“power”) dial under low light levels is not an easy task. A flashlight would be handy (or your cell phone).

The main mode is TTL. When TTL is selected, a white indicator light glows next to TTL and a corresponding white indicator light glows alongside the power dial setting, where you adjust output upwards or downwards, up to +/- 2 steps.

Whereas detents on the mode dial are positive enough to lock in the mode without fear of moving the setting, the same can’t be said of the output dial. I’ve noted the setting inadvertently changed by apparently a slip of a finger. So that’s something to keep an eye on.

There’s also an Auto setting, but this deactivates the power dial, so, for me, this setting is meaningless. However, you might feel more comfy with it if you don’t fully understand when and by how much to override the flash exposure. (Tip: use plus settings for more fill light or when encountering overly reflective subjects; minus settings for the opposite effect.)

Manual mode is something you’ll rarely use, so one wonders why Nissin bothered with it on this flash. Select this mode and the power dial selections switch to the left side. You can choose full (“1/1”) to 1/256th power output. The reason to choose Manual is where you don’t want the camera controlling output. Specifically, unlike TTL flash, where output can vary from one exposure to the next just by the inclusion of an object passing through the frame or by reframing, Manual output is constant. You have tighter control over a sequence of exposures. If you hadn’t guessed, Manual mode requires a more studied approach.

Manual mode is also the only mode that supports manual zooming. In contrast to the majority of TTL flash units, which offer manual zoom overrides in practically any mode, that’s not the case here. Disappointing that Nissin chose to take this route, but it’s not a major flaw.

One little extra you’ll find on this flash is a built-in video light. Consisting of two white LEDs, light output can be increased or decreased with the power dial. Frankly, this light is not strong enough to be of practical value, but it does make a great flashlight. Since it’s a mode and not a separate function, it can’t be used to help with focusing in flash photography.

Tilt & Swivel
The i40 has both tilt and swivel functionality, although it does lack a couple of things. For one, there’s no negative (macro) tilt to lower the flash head for close-ups, but this is not a feature ordinarily found on compact shoe-mounts. Also lacking is a locking mechanism that prevents head movement when the head is fully raised. That means that attaching accessory flash panels such as the weighty Rogue FlashBender is an iffy proposition because the flash head might plop down under the weight.

In fact, the detent positions are not all that secure—they’re fine to work with, but can easily be knocked out of position if the head brushes up against something. Not a major concern, but something you should watch for when running around. That being said, raising and rotating the head is made that much simpler because there is no lock-releasing mechanism to deal with.

Wireless Operation
In wireless operation, the flash can be used remotely, that is, off camera, without any sync cords connecting flash to camera. A triggering pulse (the “Master”) triggers the remote flash (the “Slave”). That triggering pulse can come from a camera’s built-in flash (where that function is provided—it’s not available with all cameras or all camera models), or from another flash (again provided this function is built in) or triggering device seated in the camera’s hot shoe. There are different kinds of wireless technologies. This describes a simple scenario, and when all connections and devices support TTL auto flash operation, it’s known as “TTL wireless” or “wireless TTL.”

The mode dial features several wireless settings. The i40 supports TTL wireless flash when the mode dial is set to A, B, or C. These represent Groups, which must correspond to the Group setting on the Master/transmitting pulse. In theory, any number of flash units can be assigned to any Group.

TTL wireless operation on the i40 is omni-Channel. That is, there is no Channel selection required and the flash responds to pulses from any Channel on the Master/triggering unit. Normally, you’d select a Channel for the Master/triggering flash and that same Channel on the Slave/Remote flash to avoid other flashes from triggering yours if they’re on the same frequency (Channel). That is only likely to happen when you’re among a crowd of photographers, and only if they’re using compatible flash units specifically set to trigger remote strobes. Which is rare, so it’s not a real concern.

Nissin offers two additional wireless modes. In contrast to the TTL A/B/C settings at one end of the Mode dial (where output is controlled by the Master device, whether that be the Master flash or the camera, in the case of the Nikon D610/D300 that I was using), the SF and SD modes let you select output by way of the Power dial.

Unfortunately, you need to access the e-manual to find out how to use these modes. And, frankly, as often as I’ve written about it, I don’t entirely get the SD mode. Normally, any wireless flash (other than Nissin) that I’ve worked with made jumping through such hoops unnecessary—it was all controlled by the microprocessor.

That said, SF wireless mode is a nice touch. SF allows the flash to be triggered by any flash pulse, so the i40 can be used as a kicker or fill light when used together with a conventional studio strobe. Otherwise, you’d need an optical Slave connected to the flash, which in this case would not be possible, since there are no input terminals on the flash.

Keep in mind that wireless operation with the i40 and compatible triggers requires a direct line of sight. Also, outdoors bright or glinting light can interfere with the signal. And distance between trigger and remote flash should be kept short. Indoors you have more leeway, but don’t place the flash in a different room or otherwise block the sensor from receiving the triggering pulse. The signal will bounce off walls and furniture, but it won’t go through them.

In Use
I loaded up the i40 with four freshly charged Ansmann 2850 mAh NiMH batteries and hit Chicago’s Michigan Avenue and surroundings. The flash was seated in the hot shoe of my Nikon D610, with Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 VC lens attached.

When I work with my Nikon flashes, I typically attach the included diffusion dome (dome diffuser). It may reduce overall output and reach, but the dome softens the light, making on-camera flash less harsh, and produces a more uniform light spread. And often I’ll use the dome in conjunction with bounce flash. Yes, outdoors there’s nowhere to bounce light off of, but the flash in this instance either provides a kicker or fill for a candid portrait or, again, creates a less harsh light when shooting close-ups. So, I employed the diffusion dome that came with the i40, with the head in bounce mode, where warranted.

I must admit. This tiny flash surprised me, very nicely, I might add. Okay, it’s not perfect. Light distribution on the raw head (sans diffusion), when used with a Nikon D300 and 60mm Micro lens (sans lens shade), was uneven. It was visibly weighted toward the upper half of the frame (horizontal format), with some vignetting occurring in the bottom corners.

I brought the i40 indoors for a simple studio still life, to test wireless flash. I set up a resin figure inside a rectangular light tent with both my new Nikon SB-700 and the Nissin i40 providing all the light, triggered by the D610’s built-in flash serving as Commander (Master/triggering pulse). I set up output for each flash on the D610’s menu, with the camera in Manual mode and each flash in TTL mode. I often prefer Manual mode on the camera for tighter control, whereas TTL mode on the flash allows camera and flash to talk to each other and deliver the best exposures without worrying about light lost with diffusion and bouncing and flash-to-subject distance. Of course, things aren’t really that simple in the real world. You do have to play around with settings to arrive at the right combination for the two flashes, as well as positioning each relative to the subject. A practiced hand can do this in minutes. Give yourself time if you’re new to wireless photography. And if you don’t have a second flash, no worries. Use a bounce card instead. There are always workarounds.

Conclusions:
You really can’t go wrong with this flash, especially for travel. Although it doesn’t automatically adjust beam spread for sensor size, the Nissin i40 worked flawlessly with my Nikon D610 and D300. In wireless TTL mode, I had no problem triggering the flash with the pop-up strobe on either camera in the corresponding Group (A/B/C) setting.

One small thing that concerned me: the lack of a low-battery indicator. The flash does enter standby mode (on/off indicator—aka test flash button—blinks) after a short spell. However, it doesn’t respond directly to the camera’s on/off/standby status, unlike Nikon’s dedicated strobes. But it’s easy enough to press the microswitch on the flash and turn it off when it’s not needed. Besides, after 60 minutes of sitting idle, the flash shuts itself off.

Pros:
Very user-friendly; tiny size; lightweight; appears to be ruggedly built—certainly feels that way; wireless functionality (remote only); durable metal foot; included dome diffuser proved very handy in a variety of situations.

Cons:
Difficult to remove flash from camera hot shoe (not for arthritic hands); flash head does not lock in position; output dial can too easily be moved to another setting; mode dial is difficult to read (both dials are difficult to read in very low light); requires the e-manual for a fuller explanation of how to use the flash.

Compatibility:
Canon, Nikon, Sony DSLR systems; 4/3 & Fujifilm mirrorless (Canon E-TTL II/ E-TTL, Nikon iTTL, Sony PTTL, 4/3 TTL, Fujifilm TTL).

Tested version:
Nikon iTTL.

Where can I get more info?
www.nissindigital.com

E-manual:
www.nissindigital.com/files/EN_i40_rev_1_1.pdf

Manufacturer:
Nissin

Distributor:
Minox USA. 

P.O. Box 123 Meriden, NH 03770
TEL: 866-469-3080 / 603-287-4840 / FAX: 603-287-4834

www.minox.com/usa
usa@minox.com

How much is it?
$269. At B&H and Adorama.

What’s in the box?
Nissin i40 flash, mini stand, dome diffuser, quick guide instruction sheet, padded soft case.

Does It Reach pixelPERFEXION? (100 pixels is best):
Nissin i40: 90 pixels—eminently practical for travel and everyday use, and a great kicker/fill light for the home studio. Leave the padded case at home and you won’t even know the flash is in your jacket or vest pocket.

Selected Specifications:
For complete specs, visit: http://www.nissindigital.com/i40_spec.html
Guide Number (GN) @IS) 100/ft: 89 (at 35mm zoom position)
Auto zoom range: 24 – 105mm
Bounce/tilt: Yes/Yes
Interface: 2 dials (modes & power output); on/off button
Special features: video light; spring-loaded release
Power: 4 x AA
Recycling: 0.1 – 4 sec
Color temp: 5600K
Size: 3.35” (H) x 2.4” (W) x 3.35” (D)/85 x 61 x 85mm
Weight: 7.16oz (w/o batteries)/203g
Design and specifications subject to change without prior notice.

Review by Jack Neubart. 
©Jack Neubart. All rights reserved.

Fairly compact, reasonably priced, 4-leg-section, carbon fiber camera support.

As tripods go, this one ain’t bad. In fact, I’d say the 3Pod P4CFH is a very reasonable choice. Especially when you consider the inviting price tag for a carbon fiber pod: $229.95, after a $70 instant rebate. Most carbon fiber tripods easily cost $100 to several hundred more. Granted, those pricier pods do come with a more recognizable brand name and reputation, but sometimes the lesser-known names can surprise you. And, when you consider that the ballhead is included and that this pod converts to a monopod, that makes this a sweet deal—at least on the face of it.

Flat-Folding

What do we mean by “flat-folding”? When the legs on the P4CFH are collapsed to their original position, they lie flat, one next to the other—two-dimensional, in a sense. That works really nicely when attaching the pod to a photo backpack. It also makes it easier to stow the closed pod in a suitcase, since it won’t crowd out other essentials.

The 4-Section Legs


The twist (knurled collar) leg locks work fine. A quick twist to release and lock. As with many other tripods of this ilk, simply grab all four collars on each leg in turn, then twist, and each leg section is released. 

You can take the legs apart—something that should only be done when a leg section is damaged. Be careful when unscrewing the leg sections, as two plastic pieces come loose. These have to be properly fitted and aligned to allow the leg to be re-attached and work smoothly. If you feel the least resistance in sliding the leg up, you did it wrong. That said, I don’t see leg sections listed as an option. Which means, damage a leg, and you may have to replace the entire tripod, unless you can send it in for repairs. That’s one of the benefits of buying a brand-name tripod from a company that specializes. They can supply the replacement parts.

There are 3 preset leg locking positions. Pull out the catch/lever (easier said than done—don’t even try it with gloves on) and pull the leg out. Regrettably, the stops are not ratcheted or spring-loaded so they don’t just lock in position. The best method is to pull the leg out all the way, then push and hold the lever with your thumb until it engages at the required leg angle at you collapse the leg.

I should also add that the spider has both a spirit level and a compass. The compass is pretty much useless, from a practical standpoint. I never used the spirit level, finding it impractical, instead relying on the camera for assistance.

The Ever-Present Center Column

You have to attach the center column before use and detach when traveling. It’s not recessed, as with most tripods. You have to screw it onto the spider (or shoulder, or hip, if you will, where the legs attach) and it just stays up there, extending the height of the pod by about 7.5 inches. This center column extends up further, but the height of the tripod with the column as is was good enough, so thankfully, I never had to extend and test the limits of the column—and you shouldn’t have to. If the tripod is not a convenient height as is, then maybe you should look elsewhere. Once the column is attached I leave it in place, until time to break down and fully collapse the tripod for the trip home, or between waypoints. For short hops from point to point, it’s just easier to let it be. When attaching to a backpack, definitely remove the column.

But here’s where it gets interesting. You don’t need the center column, if you can deal with the height of the leg assembly on its own. Simply mount the head onto the spider, after first removing the ballhead mount (a collar of sorts) and handstrap.

Caution: Make sure you remember to add the ballhead mount and handstrap between column and head. Otherwise you may find that the screw goes into the column so tightly after securing the head that you’ll need a wrench to loosen it. It can happen—and did.

Converting to a Monopod

The instructions tell you to simply attach the ballhead to the leg that you just unscrewed. Easy to tell which leg it is—the only one with the leg warmer. What the instructions fail to mention is that, should you desire to also attach the center column with ballhead attached, you first need to add the 3/8” screw (included). This then lets you attach the center column to the leg. The topmost screw, by the way, is 3/8-1/4” reversible, should you opt to use another head. No adapter bushing is included. These bushings are optionally available for a few bucks. (You’ll also find a hex, or Allen, wrench, included for tightening the legs. Haven’t needed it, but the legs should not need it under normal use.)

One more thing: make sure to attach the handstrap and bullhead mount, to avoid the problem noted earlier.

H2 Ballhead

It’s heavy, hence woefully unsuited to the monopod, but it does fit nicely on the leg assembly of the tripod. And it works smoothly. There is a bit of give when tightening the head in place, but nothing that you can’t easily work around by very slightly elevating the camera angle first. Granted, this does make ultra-precise positioning somewhat questionable, but for the price I can live with it. Other than this, I hadn’t noticed any drift once the head is locked in place.

There’s no separate drag (friction) control and for many of us, that’s not a problem. You can control drag to match the load on the head simply by first tightening the main knob until there's the proper amount of resistance to match the load on top (not all the way), setting camera angle, then locking in the position. 

The only down side, where the head is concerned, actually resides with the tripod. It lacks a set screw to lock the head in place and prevent it from coming loose. In use, it didn’t appear to be a problem, but there’s always that possibility. 


Caution: never walk around with the tripod draped over your shoulder when the camera is attached. The camera or ballhead may come loose and take a dive.

Quick-Release Camera Plate

The Arca-Swiss-style quick-release (QR) plate is large enough for the average-size DSLR and even for use with a tripod collar on a lens, provided it’s not an overly long lens. I tested with a Nikon D300 and a Tokina 50-135mm zoom, which has a built-in collar, and Nikon 18-200mm, as well as with a D600 and Tamron 70-300mm (the last two lenses without collar).

The QR camera plate features two security pins to keep it from sliding off the head. However, to seat the plate, you first have to fully open the locking knob and unscrew to remove. Many heads simply let you slide the plate in place with the use of a safety catch, which is also engaged when removing the head—thereby speeding up and simplifying the process even further. The plate has rubberized elements to grip the camera. They seem to do the trick.

The one deficiency on the plate is the camera screw. It uses a very uncomfortable and what appears to be rather flimsy handle and entirely lacks a coin slot as an alternative means for securing the plate to the bottom of the camera. Fortunately, this can be replaced with the QR plate of your choice.  However, you will likely lose that safety pin feature, meaning that you have to be extra careful when seating the camera/plate onto the head so they don’t slide off.

Evaluation

The 3Pod P4CFH carbon fiber tripod is a good value overall. Some minor quirks, but I was happy to use it. Hard to say how long this support will last, but on the surface, this tripod appears to be well constructed. That is, provided you don’t have to replace any of the leg sections. There is even a hook from which to hang a ballast, for added stability in the wind. However, you can’t reverse the column for ground-hugging close-ups. While the tripod overall is fully functional, the best part appears to be the H2 ballhead. In fact, the pod appears to be outmatched by the head. Although I’d replace the quick-release plate at some point.

Perhaps most relevant is my 10-second test. Using the self-timer (to allow vibrations to subside from contact with the camera) on the D300 with 18-200mm VR lens at 200mm (300mm full-frame equivalent) (VR disengaged), the pod held steady both without the center column and with the center column attached (but not extended). (Note: 10 seconds was a practical limit, given available-light conditions and practical f-stop selection, without stopping down too far and incurring a reduction in sharpness owing to diffraction.)

Closing Comments

Carbon fiber tripods are pricey. This one is not. You can either save your pennies until you can afford a brand-name pod, or get something you can use right now. Will this tripod last and last and last? Hard to say, but for the time I had it, it didn’t look like it would fall apart any time soon. And the well designed padded carrying case is a nice added touch.

You may be wondering if there’s any practical benefit to a 4-section over a 5-section pod. The more leg sections, the more compact the tripod. In reviewing a range of 4- and 5-section tripods, I found no practical difference, provided they were carbon fiber. In metal, with rare exception, I’d avoid a 5-section support. Three-section tripods are best in the studio, although some may argue this point.

So, all in all, I'd say the 3Pod P4CFH is worth a shot.


Manufacturer's Selected Specifications

Tripod material  CNC forged carbon fiber

Max. load capacity  28.6 lb

Max. height (column extended)  65.5"

Max. height (w/o column)  50”

Min. height  13"

Column  Screw-on, 2 sections (not split)

Folded length  18"

Leg sections  4

Leg locks  Twist

Weight  5.75 lb

Where can I get more info?

http://www.adorama.com/FP3PP4CFH.html

Where can I get it?

Adorama or www.adorama.com

How much is it? $229.95 (includes $70 instant rebate)