I have to say though, the Befree Live I shown in this video IS the lightest and smallest VIDEO tripod, comes with quick levelling and that video head packed in between the legs is just an amazing design. There are smaller and lighter and cheaper photo tripods, but NOT video tripod. ___________________________________________________ Peak Design Travel Tripod bit.ly/PDTripod Manfrotto Befree Advanced Carbon Fibre Travel Tripod Amazon geni.us/vvR5 B&H bhpho.to/2W9PitS Manfrotto Befree Live Carbon Fibre Video Tripod Amazon geni.us/e0w7 B&H bhpho.to/37D99Wq
The most common problem with tripod reviews is that everybody compares them to trees and cows. Of COURSE nothing holds a camera like a sturdy, harnassed-up Holstein. Great review.
Really appreciated this. Lok coming back and doing an honest review and discussion without being censored by sponsorship makes him 100x more credible than any other gear reviewer on RU-vid.
I’m torn on this one. It looks like a very cool design overall, but the price is very high and I got so overwhelmed with all the influencer marketing when it first launched that it left a bad taste in my mouth.
If compactness is something you're looking for, Peak Design's so far is the best of the bunch. But as with many travel tripods, they're flimsy. (like Lok said, it's a compromise)
Im with you. I love gizmos and gadgets as much as the next guy and I buy them, but the flood of influencer reviews Every time a product comes out keeps me from buying anything for many months after launch.
Unfortunately, the link to the peak design travel tripod has an affiliate referral code attached, so if you were to click and buy, Lok gets a commission. He has a vested interest in encouraging sales. Don't get me wrong, I'm fine with that, people have to earn a living, but I prefer youtubers be upfront about a financial interest in product being reviewed, and in this video, he isn't.
David Sandall - Did you watch the video? He pointed out both the flaws and what he liked about the lens. What do you expect to find in an “independent” review that you didn’t see here? EDIT: Obviously I meant tripod. Apparently that needs to be pointed out...
Station , Erm... yes I did, but did you? He reviewed a tripod not a lens, and If you can’t work out why an independent, unsponsored, unrewarded review has more credibility than than one that benefits from these rewards, well, more fool you.
David Sandall - What do lenses have to do with it? If you’re looking for mythical, independent reviews on a site where all the videos are monetised then that’s on you.
The price is what puts me off from the PD one. Hopefully they'll release the v2 in due time and I can get this one for cheaper. They're slowly becoming the Apple of the photography world
It seems really stable when the camera is on it, I don't kick the legs of my tripod when I'm shooting photos so some leg flex doesn't really bother me as long as it takes stable photos, which it does.
This is awesome work Lok! Honestly you are one of the best consumer photo video reviewers in my opinion! Practical, straightforward and you cover every question I have in my mind. Your pros and cons and very objective and you really demo its actual use. I had the Manfrotto BeFree live, this one is super light but the flex is so bad, can't use it with lenses above 50mm. On wooden floors, the shake is amplified even more. For weddings, you cannot rely on the BeFree Live when following a subject and the max height is not enough. Product photography, this one tips over on odd camera positions. On the other hand, this is perfect for backpackers and motorcycle riders who do still photos, vlogging, and static video. Lately, for my vlogging / travel videos I depended on my Zhiyun Weebill 90% of the time. Camera stays on the gimbal and the whole setup is lighter than the tripod setup. It has its own mini tripod too for static shots. I have a Sachtler Flowtech 75 at work and this is the most beautiful tripod ever. I am happy to see the Peak Design looks like the flowtech.
I have to give it to Befree Live as the smallest video tripod, comes with quick levelling and that video head pack in so small is amazing. It's not super stable but you can't find a smaller video tripod. And man the Sachtler Flowtech 75 is amazing...
I have the Manfrotto BeFree Live video tripod and it's great for my Canon XA20. It fits into my backpack easily and the little bag it has keeps things neat. The legs *are* thin and while they do flex, that's not the main problem with lightweight tripods. Transmitting vibration up the legs to the video camera is the main problem, flex or no flex. I like that I can use just about any Manfrotto plate (or knock-off). It's not great for dynamic movements - it's hard to balance perfectly and leave unlocked, so I usually lock the tilt down, leaving the pan unlocked. The ball head is very handy, as are the bubble levels. The Peak Design looks great, but if it's twice the price of the Manfrotto then it's not for me.
Thank you Lok, for an honest and detailed comparison. Your grasp and use of the English language just gets better and better, well said. " Carbon Fiber My Arse "
I really liked your review of this tripod. I already bought this tripod for no other reason than it can fit in my packraft or the bow bags and I can just leave the peak design plates on the cameras whether they are on the tripod or not. I have other tripod but I rarely take them with me because of the bulk. I also wish it was cheaper but not at the cost of quality or durability and only time will tell how durable this tripod is. Cheers.
I found the smartphone mount ridiculous when I first saw it. But now I own the tripod and I am actually using it. Not to take pictures with my smartphone but it is extremely useful for videoconferencing.
Just got back from a filming trip through desert, forests, mountains for 2 weeks with the aluminum model and it worked great! Will be putting out our review of it in our travel channel ru-vid.com very soon!
THIS is the video I was looking for.. I can't thank you enough for making a video using logic with a great comparison against the Manfrotto.. I've been going back and forth on these two tripods and you helped me significantly.
Respect to you Lok for a comprehensive and unbiased review 🙏🏽. I’m sick of every other RU-vidr raving on about this tripod just because they’ve been sent it for free. The thing is, for that reason alone it actually put me off Peak Design just because nobody would say a bad word about it (without actually testing the tripod myself like you say) but after watching your review, I can actually see that it definitely does have some good points about it too, and seems to be engineered quite well. But all things considered, it’s another Peak Design product which means it is over-priced. I like their products, I like their innovation, but I can’t justify their prices.
I agree, most incentivized reviews are utter garbage.. Yeah PD ist extremely pricey but I think it is mostly justified since they use high quality materials and generally have very unique designs. There is no other tripod like this. If I didn't pick up the travel tripod through kickstarter (20% off and no taxes in europe made quite a difference) I would never even think about buying it.
At 6:26, You just mounted it directly on the tripod plate with the video head. Would you say the Universal head adapter by Peak design is pretty useless then? Instead of changing the head with that head adapter, I just need to buy a second arca swiss plate and mount it on my video head?
what is the pan head you are attaching at 6:41? I was interested in getting this tripod for a long trip where I'm trying to be efficient with packing, but I mostly use a spotting scope for bird watching which works best with a pan head. I would however like to drop the pan head and spotting scope occasionally and quickly mount the camera on this same tripod. I tried this tripod out at the store and it works nice with a camera, but the folks at the store couldn't fix me up with a quick attach fluid pan head for arca plate.
I own this. and love it despite all the negative crap I read online. You need to remember. Half of the people complaining about the price. Think $400 for a lens is expensive. lol, This tripod is great so far. The compactness sold me. Nothing folds up as tightly as this.
Does it have slack? If you tighten the head in a tilted position does it stays or it moves so you frame one way and it balances on another frame? Does it make creaking sounds when panning etc? (not good for video). The small flex you demostrated translates into huge movement with a 500mm lens with which they advertise this. How is this compared with the gitzo travel tripod?
No both of then don't make creaking sounds when panning. For whatever load they claim they can take, I don't think you should put long lens on them to be honest
I bought the PD Travel Tripod as part of their Kickstarter and had a Manfrotto Befree regular tripod. The PD blows the Befree out of the water in terms of stability, build and compactness and have not regretted the purchase. It’s incredible how they managed to make it stable without compromising the size. Anything that reduces size and weight and increases stability should be able to outweigh cost considerations.
I have aluminum Peak Design about to buy Be Free carbon w video head. Then you show mount manfrotto fluid head on Peak Design!! Howd you do that?? Love your work and thorough.
Great fix with the Manfrotto MVH400AH video head- The only issue that I've found is that the particular model (105PL plate) also doesn't come with a quick-release plate, and isn't compatible with the PD plates- I wonder if there's a way to replace that part so that it can support PD quick release too? Edit: Bought and mounted an ARCA-compatible (200LT-PL) mounting bracket onto the 501PL plate- it does the job, so I can keep the quick-release compatability now! - The befree+mounting setup weighs in at 591g on my kitchen scale, very reasonable :)
I know this is a 2 year old video, but if you check out the new Ulanzi & Coman Zero Y travel tripod, it's similar to the PD tripod, but fixes all the problems with the Peak Design tripod, and it's half the price, and carbon fibre.
Lok, many reviewers don't mention (forgotten or just don't know about) the three carbon fiber Sirui travel tripods that are actually smaller AND lighter than Peak Design. Please compare. I have an old version of the T-025SK. The T-025SK (cheapest, smallest & lightest of the three ... of all tripods), the T-024SK (like the T-024SK but folds slightly taller due to reversible center column & taller maximum height), & the T-1205 (reversible center column, converts to monopod, most expensive).
@@ikoyDaPnoy It seems to me only T024SK and T1205 do extend as high as the PD and Befree, but of course shorter tripods has their places, more choices to us! They are not much cheaper than the Befree though however, but they are light I give it to that. Have to say I should try them out before I come up with my final thoughts! The PD is of course expensive, you're really paying for the size and no need to flip the legs design.
I owned the Carbon Befree long before the Peak Design was released, and I've wanted to upgrade to the Peak Design from the moment it came out. The Befree drives me mad. It wastes so much space, and I hate that the center column has to be extended for it to fold up. Because every time I want to deploy the damn thing, I have to unscrew the column, push it down, and retighten it. You still need to adjust the center column a little on the Peak Design, but it's way less. I also need to be careful to place the head in exactly such a way that the legs will fold around it without sticking out, which I never get right on the first go. The Peak Design automatically aligns the head when you stow the column. When the center column extended, even just a little, there's a lot of flex everywhere. I've never really dared to put anything on it that approaches the weight limit. You can see it very clearly in the video, I feel like the column will snap off when it's fully extended and has a heavy camera on it. It's also a pain in the ass to switch it to underslung mode. Removing the column from the goes relatively easily, but putting it back in is very difficult. The Peak Design tripod is expensive, but I've decided to bite the bullet.
The fact that this packs down tiny and works seamlessly with the Peak Design capture clip are the biggest selling points for me. I still bring a big aluminum tripod for star gazing and the occasional long exposure waterfall shot and I hate it. I banged it up good climbing through a lava tube in Hawaii but it still works great (It’s a Mefoto Roadtrip) but I think it’s time for an upgrade.
I use a Manfrotto 128RC as my main tripod. Had it for about 20 years and it does all I need for most things. If i want a lighter tripod, I use a cheaper one from Andoer. Not quite as stable but ok with a remote trigger when necessary.
I want a travel tripod with fluid head cause I wanna use it for video, the peak design one doesn't have a fluid head right? Are you able to put one on it?
I already own the aluminium version of the peak design and wanted a fluid head. I was about to buy a beefree tripod with the head but your video just showed me I can just add the head to this tripod and it saved me quite a bit of money. Thanks.
Not sure why the PD is being pitted against the Manfrotto when the Gitzo 1545 would have been a better contender (almost same price and the Gitzo is actually a photo tripod).
Good comparison, but rather have the Manfrotto with a ball head or pan and tilt. Peak needs to redesign that head to give it a full 360 rotation when you tilt it.
How does it hold up in windy conditions? I'm not talking about a tornado, but a normal windy day. Is it possible to get longer exposures with it, or should I just accept that I need to carry 10 kg tripods for those conditions?
Man... Lok sound exactly like my mentor who taught me graphic designing and he is from Hong Kong.. If i were to do something wrong.. he would go "why are you welly welly stupid?! I teach you day and night, still stupid!" But yeah he never gave up on me. God blessed his soul and yours Lok!
Love the idea of using fluid head on peak design tripod. What is the stability of using peak design with fluid head compared to manfrottoo with no centre column extension.
The peak design looks really good, and its more compact than the manfrotto, but I have a befree gt aluminium and it doesn't flex like your carbon befree in the video, it's got a bit of play, but not that bad!
The befree broke with my first use in Colorado. The center column just comes right out. It’s not stable at all. I had great difficulty doing long exposures. I was very upset, because I didn’t bring my Gitzo. The price of the befree for what I got....low value. Thanks for the review. I may try the peak for travel.
Lok I love your enthusiasm. You and Kai make me laugh allot. I learn but I have a great time watching your "wideeos". The Peak is a nice tripod. Probably more than I will spend but nice to know the options. That is why I watch you guys. From Digital Rev days to now, you and Kai have gotten so much better. Keep shooting those great "wideeos".
I got both BeeFree Live and BeFree Advanced aluminum versions for $200. And also I can throw in my MT190XPRO4 with MVH502AH fluid head, all of that for a price less than single PD. So if you have cash burning hole in your pocket, I'll go with Lok - get Gitzo.
The befree gt pro is solid if you extend the central column one inch less than full length. Wobbles like peak design if fully extended. The k&f is better value for money but the manfrotto's ergonomics are better (my opinion).
The camera clamp mount broke week 1. For some reason, the shaft is metal, but the clamping pieces are plastic. Pushing my pixel between the jaws caused the plastic to snap on both sides of the mounting post.
Dzisiaj pierwszy raz zobaczyłem w sklepie,PD,przy okazji odbioru Z9,widziałem tam różne,ale on do mnie przemówił,jakość jakość i jeszcze raz jakość,dalej się nie zastanawiałem,jest wykonany perfekt i jest mój,pozdrawiam✌️👋
I have a Case Flex cheap aluminium tripod (cheap meaning around $80), it weighs 980g, feels very high quality and is plenty stable, especially with my bag on the bottom hook. The price of Peak tripods and up are just absurd to me. Nothing has more diminishing returns than a tripod. Maybe if I was trying to stabilize a camera in gale force winds I'd pay $400 for an expensive one.
If Lok Cheung is getting angry... then I'm getting scared! :) More reviews on the net need to be so direct, showing more the bads than the pros of a products. Btw at last I thought you're not suggesting to buy the Peak Design because of the most cons, also the high price. That's what's I was thinking for the entire video, it was like a no-no :D
Honestly I ended up just getting a cheap one from Amazon - glide gear? Anyway, its cost me maybe $70NZ and has been fine. I don't know why people get so bent out of shape about their tripod. If I want stability I put a rock in a bag and hang it from the bottom. There are rocks everywhere man.
Overall I like the pd tripod because the the speed in that I can set it up. I greatly preferred the latch system vs the twist style. Now this being said. There’s many other ones out there with a latch. Some people just want to complain. People need to try things before then jump in them! Great review you gained a sub!
