Sunpak Platinum Plus Tripod

Deal Chatter Daily Deal
81

If you are in the market for a super expensive tripod, built like and as heavy as a tank, look on eBay for someone selling “an old tripod that sat in the attic for the past 20 years.”

Some of those are super high quality, built to hold 15 lb camcorders, so they are beefed up and have quality controls.

For example, I have a Philips aluminum tripod that looks to be from the late 80s. It weighs about 12 lbs and feels like it could hold 50 lbs. It extends to 65" and leg to leg measures 45" Picked it up for around $20.

Just a thought.

82

[QUOTE=artbatter1, post:79, topic:239588]
Apparently it just stabilizes camcorders. It shouldn’t affect a camera.
[/quote]

Why would a camera be different than a camcorder? (Answer: it isn’t, though the head on this has a method of adjustment that is better for camcorders)

No, this is not a great tripod. I haven’t used this specific one, but I have had a couple similar ones in the past. The similar Sunpak I had worked fine for a year or so, but eventually the leg clamps loosened, and the tripod would collapse randomly. For the $35-40 I paid for that one, it did its job. For $11 shipped? You can’t complain.

You do’nt want to be using something like this on the edge of a 100’ cliff. A strong breeze will knock it over. Nor do you want to use it in a mission critical application where you desire perfect stability - something this light will vibrate a bit more than a better one, giving you a less sharp image (though still far, far better than handholding).

But it’ll work fine for light/casual use of a P&S, or handle a DSLR + plastic lens in non-stressful situations just fine. It could also be used for offboard flashes, reflectors, etc, though I prefer light stands for that sort of thing due to the smaller footprint and folded size - but even my cheap light stands were five times the price of this tripod.

If you’re looking for something to use with your small P&S, or a cheap travel tripod, give it a whirl. If you want something to stick 3lbs or more of camera on, spend a few bucks on a cheap Manfrotto with a nice ball head.

As others have noted, this is a 4’ model - and that’s probably with the center column fully extended. I probably wouldn’t use it with an SLR with that column extended. This will have somewhat limited use as it is quite short, but, be creative with placement, and note that oftentimes, a vantage point quite low to the ground can be interesting.

I won’t be getting this as it’d be redundant, but if I needed a cheapie tripod, I’d be all over it.

83

I don’t know if they have “odd” tripods but they all have the screw in and pin lock from what I’ve seen so I don’t think it will be an issue for any camera.

As someone pointed out if it’s a really heavy zoom lens on a DSLR it may be an issue but if you’re dropping $1000+ on a lens, I’d hope you’re not looking at a $10.99 tripod. :slight_smile:

84

i’m always seconds late when these show up on woot-offs, so i’m in for three, hoping a friend or two want to split the shipping cost.

85

This is great for me, I can never seem to get my hands to hold still to take videos.
So instead of fishing this year, I am taking pictures of birds. No eyeballs staring up at me accusingly, no guts, and I don’t have to kill anything. Not even my pics (or my wallet)!
Thanks, Woot!

86

I bought one of these four years ago to use with my Nikon D50 (DSLR).

Bottom Line: works, but is not a work horse.

The horizontal adjustment pin that controls horizontal pan broke within a month of usage due to over-tightening. The catch is that even at that tension, the horizontal head would still swivel at a touch. The glue that holds one of the legs to the head on top also dried and cracked, so I have to manually re-insert that leg every time I use it.

I am going to buy a better, more longer lasting model soon. For now it will work.

87

I would NOT recommend this for an SLR. Get a heavy duty aluminum one for that (I use a Manfrotto 055xProb and it’s a real workhorse, but it’s pricey unfortunately). For a small camcorder though, something like this is ideal. Lightweight and portable. For this price it’s a no-brainier if you don’t have one.

88

if this wont work with DSLR camera, what is an inexpensive trip to use with one?

89

Even photographers like to save a buck! I would know :wink:

90

It can’t be any worse than the flimsy Sunpak Travelite that I paid $12 for on clearance from Best Buy, so why not?

Now the real question is… how many?

91

Just to correct those who say it’s flimsy and not for outdoor or DSLR usage…

I bought for around this for about $40 along with a Canon XSi for my girlfriend about a year ago and she’s used it on every photo shoot she’s done. A lot of outdoor use and often with the Canon XSi D-SLR with a big telescoping lens (not ginormous mind you, but big and yes ginormous is a word because I say so). She’s never had any problems with it and absolutely loves it.

Canon XSi:
http://images.google.com/images?q=canon xsi

Some of my girfriend’s photography: HannahAKingsley - Hobbyist, Photographer | DeviantArt

92

I’m in for 3.

I have a very old 1980s heavy video tripod so I was thinking I had no need for this…then I remembered I have these CCD video surveillance cameras that are hard to mount and that flop around when I test them.

I’ll use these to hold the video security cameras in various spots around the house either semi-permanently or to figure out where I might mount them more permanently.

93

Awesome deal. I shoot at tripods when I mount bullet chronographs on top of them. I’ll have no fear sending bullets downrange towards a $6 tripod. In for 3!

94

ahh, just the thing for my flip mino hd. also for my nikon d60. my other tripods were abused and not working now, so this will help.

95

So stoked to use this with my holga & strobist gear!

96

woot has this uncanny ability to provide products that woot! on the day that I need them to be at my house…

That said, I’m in for three on this one. Hard to beat this price. If it functions even briefly it’ll be worth it, plus two for spares as christmas gifts, sawhorses, plumb lines, etc

97

got one, hope this will work on my galileo telescope, and i discover the comet that will crash on our planet on 12.21.12.

98

If you look at the baseplate for most video cameras, there will be the usual tripod threaded mounting hole, and right in front of that, a non-threaded second hole. That second hole accepts a “video indexing pin”. The point of it is to keep a camera precisely aligned with the tripod head… more of an issue with a video shoot than a still shoot, since with stills, you’re composition is static (usually).

A high quality tripod mounting plate (such as those for my Manfrotto pods) will have fixed video pins that can be put in several locations, or removed. Cheaper models have these spring-loaded.

Despite the video indexing pin, this is not a good tripod for video… perhaps better than nothing, but don’t let poor become the enemy of good. First thing for a good video shoot: you want some weight, just to keep the tripod solid while you’re panning. I often hang my video bag from the tripod, as well as starting out with a much heavier tripod, to add stability. You also pretty much need a fluid head… this will allow smooth panning. A plain old camera tripod will not so much… your pans can get jerky.

Also, height… this one’s really short, though it doesn’t fold down small enough to really be considered a specialized model (sometimes you find these, with 4-6 sections, for travel, backpacking, etc… though I actually use a walking stick with tripod thread as a monopod for backpacking… much lighter, and you need the walking stick anyway).

On the other hand, it’s not expensive… this is about the going rate for used tripods at yard sales, though I think I’ve found several better than this (spares, for lights or 2nd/3rd cameras on a shoot) at yardsales for under $11.

99

You shouldn’t forget about the quadpods.

100

Thank you, haha. If I had to read “platinum” one more time I’d have lost all hope. At $1177 per ounce, I don’t expect to see the “platinum” tripod any time soon.