Vanguard Alta+ 203AP Tripod

$124.95

(1)

Item # 802292

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The light and compact Vanguard Alta+ 203AP tripod meets the demanding requirements of serious outdoor photographers in a sleek and modern design.

Designed by professional photographers, this svelte tripod is perfect for air travel, backpacking and other activities where size and weight are a concern
Tripod combines ease of use and stability with easy-release buttons and legs that adjust to 25, 50 and 80°
Vanguard Alta+ 203AP tripod features advanced camera vibration and shock control, all-weather foam leg grips and magnesium die-cast canopy and head
Also features nonslip, spiked rubber feet for varied terrain, quick-flip leg locks and a removable hook for hanging camera accessories
Large camera plate features a backup safety lock with a quick-shoe automatic closure
Fluid, professional head has a patented panoramic lock and 2 bubble levels for easy adjustment and precise positioning

Imported.

Item 802292

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Vanguard Alta+ 203AP Tripod Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews

Vanguard Alta+ 203AP Tripod

4.0

(based on 1 review)

REVIEWS

Reviewed by 1 customer

Displaying review 1

Jul

2011

(5 of 5 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

A Decent, Lightweight Tripod

By themediocrity

from Bay Area, CA

About Me Photo Enthusiast

See all my reviews

Pros

Flexible
Good Stability
Lightweight

Cons

Large folded size

Best Uses

Landscape/Scenery

Comments about Vanguard Alta+ 203AP Tripod:

I bought this tripod because I was looking for something relatively cheap which offered light weight and a large range of adjustments. At the time I bought this it was the only product I found with adjustable leg angles, and a reversible center column at this weight and price point.

I have had this for several months and have used it exclusively for nature/landscape photography. So far the construction seems to be quite solid and I like that, while fairly light weight, almost all of the key pieces are metal. The leg hinges and releases, and the entire head assembly including the small quick-shoe latching pieces are all solid metal. The result is something that feels solid and reliable and has proven to stand up to a lot of abuse (including falling onto rocks under a 40lb pack and being dragged through sand, gavel, dirt etc). The tripod has a weight limit of a bit under 5lbs so it probably isn't appropriate if you're using really large lenses but for a standard consumer film/digital SLR with standard kit zoom lenses or small to mid-sized primes it should be more than adequate (and if you have the sort of big, professional lenses that might not work on it you can afford a pricier tripod anyway). I was even able to use my crown graphic 4x5 on it by lowering the center column without major stability issues.

It's light enough for backpacking and the various adjustments and bubble level are nice to have in rocky or uneven terrain. The adjustable leg angles in particular have proven especially handy for me. I took it on a short backpacking trip and didn't notice the additional weight.

It's not perfect of course but at the price it's hard to complain too much. It doesn't fold down as small as many similar products due to having 3-section legs. The paint chips easily and rubber coating on the handles wears through quickly. Additionally, while the instruction manual promises that it comes with the appropriate hex wrenches to change the leg hinge tension, this is not true (it does come with one to remove head set-screws though).

Overall this is a solid product for the money if you need light weight and a wide range of adjustments.