Definitely fair to prefer twist locks to flip locks, and to prefer the non-PD tripod. That being said, it seems a little disingenuous to separate the legs and then flip the locks open, when you can basically do all of them at once if you keep the legs together. That just exaggerates the difference when in practice they're both going to be about as fast.
Not really in the same class, the Peak Design CF Travel Tripod is significantly smaller in every dimension (including diameter) and much lighter in weight. Of course that comes with sacrifices to stability and rigidity. The TreeRoot is simply cylindrical legs with extra material filling in the gaps between them when closed, which just adds more material and more weight, but certainly helps it feel more streamlined. The real innovation is the "tri-wing" center column. Helps keep the diameter smaller despite the much thicker legs. Tool-less removal of lower section is just amazing. It's far superior to Peak Design, allowing recessing the ball head like Peak, but not sacrificing 90 degree angle (Portrait) movement. Ball head is superior as well, no doubt. No separate panning is huge bummer for Peak Design Tripod. But all in all Peak Design is being as small as possible plus lightweight. I would definitely prefer the TreeRoot for hiking and rougher weather conditions with heavier camera gear, but the Peak Design still wins for packability and travel when space and weight is at a premium for international air travel.
Got a video coming shortly about travel bags and in there I include that the F38 Treeroot tripod fits in even a small carry on bag. Peak Design simply went too small and too lightweight, sacrificing too much in stability, but also in usability with that terrible ball head. If you really are needing something that small, the the Ulanzi Zero tripod fits the needs with more stability and better ball head👍
@@drexplordinaire For TRAVEL. Size and Weight matter. If I were lugging very heavy camera equipment with huge zoom lenses, then thie Treeroot Tripod is definitely superior, because at that point, who cares about the extra size and weight.
Isn't F38 Pro a pre release name and it's actually called Tree Root? Smart move making it arca compatible and the extra weight & sturdiness make it a nice upgrade.
Yes, center column looks soft and unusable to me, as it seems from video. It needs sturdier profile and titanium alloy substance. Also solution that deviding clamp is positioned to center of column wants improve...
Hey David! love your videos! I'm on the fence between the Ulanzi F38 and the Falcam Treeroot tripod. Does the F38 do ok with a larger camera setup (like with a heavy 70-200 lens)?
They’re both pretty solid tripods, but the Treeroot is for sure a step up. Mainly with larger setup, the benefit comes with the stronger ballhead and dampening system built in. Helps to get your camera to the exact spot and not droop at all after locking in the angle
I love the idea of twist locks for legs, but there have been too many times where I've missed tightening a lock in a hurry and had my tripod topple over, complete with camera attached. Flip locks are more frustrating but safer in my experience.
Without having the tripod in hand, imagine that the locking mechanism is only 1/3 of the way around. It's essentially the same throw as a lever, just in a much easier motion and a bit faster. I get what you mean though that you can't quickly look and know if you missed one
I noticed that when unlocked there is a small space between the top of the ring and the point if stops when fully closed. I am thinking of painting a small red or neon strip there so I have a visual indicator of when it is open.
I haven't found a tripod that I felt like I could recommend for under $200. If you pickup the Ulanzi Tripod with the F38 ballhead though and use code DAVID10, that will get you down to $269 and I can tell you that it's absolutely worth it!
I purchased the tree root, loved it for photography, but sent it back due to the fact that I may lead to videography. What is your best recommendation for Videograppher that want to use the tree?
Peak design got lazy. They’ve been rocking that same tripod for years with not many improvements and then the falcam comes along. The engineers found every flaw in the PD tripod and fixed each one…and it’s cheaper.
Great video and thanks for posting this! Hard to come across recs aside from Peak Design nowadays. I like you addressed every main point in your argument. You've got a new sub and even though I can't afford this tripod at the moment I'm keeping it in mind
Ive largely been a Manfrotto user and bought the He3 grip for my Leica Q3 which is compatible with the PD items you are describing? The price spread you described is unreal...
This is a fantastic tripod. The price point is more than I need to spend, but it certainly seems to lap the PD in most features. I just bought a full-size CF tripod to hold my 400 2.8 and full gimbal, so I'm looking for a much smaller tripod to complement it when I'm just using a wide-angle lens and want something that fits in a bag. I'm still planning to get the original Ulanzi (I use all Arca, so not the F38 version). I love the head on this new Falcam, but I just can't justify $200 more for it. If this is what I did more often, it would be the tripod of choice for sure. Incredibly well thought out! Thanks for sharing it.
Totally get that Mark! I think having the two tripods at the two different levels is really solid. The Ulanzi tripod is very good, but the F38 Pro is definitely a big step up as far as features and stability. If lightweight and small is your priority though, the Ulanzi is a killer choice!
The twist grips were about to be a deal breaker for me until i seen that you don't have to twist and twist just to get one leg to slide out. Also, i found a pretty quick way to pack up a tripod. I usually close all the legs so they are all in the center, then i flip the tripod upside down and flip or twist each section and let each section of leg slide down into place and lock them in. Gravity can be a pretty useful tool sometimes lol hope that helps somebody. Btw the thumbnail for this video is misleading. I thought the tripod was gonna under be $100. Not just $100 cheaper than the more expensive one. Lol
David you could sell ice to Eskimos !! Please stop tempting me as you know I’m an F38 fanboy !! I never wanted a tripod as much as I want this one and I’ve no real idea why lol😂 love your enthusiasm :-)
Bro. Peak design tripod has been out since 2020. And it shakes the tripod industry. And now for all new travel tripod are now copying what they did. Thats for sure an advantage for other manufacturers
Launched in 2019 and that’s sort of the issue. That’s five years ago and they never iterated or followed up with a V2 that improved on the first🤷♂️ I’m still bummed I dropped $650 of that thing!
@@DavidManningvlog yeah 2019. Thats why a lot of manufacturers came in to this idea to upgrade it from the pk tripod. Thats why this tripod has a lot of positives than pk tripod
What about the bag of the falcam tripod? Peak designs is great. I have the aluminium one and am wondering if I could sell it to swap without losing too much money.
Well then you've got a very dope tripod sir! They're both so dang good, this one is just a step up from that one with features and stability. The Ulanzi F38 is still amazing though!
Though it seems to be great, same problem with the most travel tripods. It is not tall enough. It is 155cm, what means, on the go, when I speak to the lense, the cam can`t be leveled. It`s facing upwards. That is something to avoid. I prefer the togopod PATRICK carbon. 39cm small, 180cm high, 1,5kg. It carries 50kg and 15kg on the head. Amazon sells it for 50 Euros. Can it get better ?
Yeah, if you have the base adapter column for the Ulanzi legs, you can mount the F38 Pro ballhead on there. Just adds a bit of bulk to that smaller setup
@@DavidManningvlog It is a very good travel tripod. For the price, you can't beat it. It will come with my to Iceland to the trip I lead next year. Amazingly compact, stable, center column adjustments to shorten it is super easy, appreciate the built-in spike/claw feet.
Love your video, I’m just not shure what to get. If you could choose between the f38 for 230€ or the treeroot for 400€ what would you recommend? I am a beginner photographer/videographer and in need if a good tripod. Also any recommendations for a good fluid head to pair to the tripod preferably nothing too expensive max. 130€. I will be shooting on aps-c sytems so the weight won’t be too high. Edit: I just noticed, the tri pods prices are pre tax. (FYI)
Get the TreeRoot, I just ordered it, even though I have the Zero F38. TreeRoot will be more stable as its 4 legs sections instead of 5. It is slightly larger and heavier, that makes it more stable. Unless you are carrying it hiking and need to watch every gram of weight and compactness. I recommend buy once, cry once.
@@Ontological1000 thanks for the helpful response. I don’t need to watch out for every gram so that is not an issue I just want a compact and light tripod that works well. The buy once cry once is also a idea, because I wanted to by once and keep it for a looong time, not buy a new one every few years. So The treeroot it is. I hope it will work well with a fluidhead 🤞🏻
I bought the PD cf tripod when it was on kickstarter, but I hated the head for all the reasons you list. I bought the universal head adapter just so I could mount my really right stuff ball head on it. This the best solution for my purpose, but this new falcam tripod you’re reviewing seems ideal today. I may have to consider it and sell my pd tripod.
It's crazy that five years later, Peak Design hasn't iterated on their tripod at all to fix that ball head. Feels like Falcam has taken all the lessons of the past few years and created a tripod that addresses all of them🙌
@@DavidManningvlog when Ulanzi released the F38 travel tripod, I inquired directly with Peak Design to see if they had any updates forthcoming. Their response was that there are no tripod updates on their current roadmap.
Copied it would be very generous to Peak Design. The upper leg design is for sure sleek like Peak Design, but tube legs, more stability, a much better center column, and a significantly better ball head. Hard to say it's a copy when it's that much better at everything🤣
@@DavidManningvlog haha that's awesome - love Peak Design but Ulanzi just is taking over. Still a Manfrotto fan boy at heart too. That center column is really cool. Thanks again for the videos
I like peak design but each time I’ve damaged my gear it has been because of peak design integration. Just recently my FX3 dropped from the peak design tripod costing me $680 to replace the screen. Previously it was the everyday bag, side zipper on one side opened and everything spilled 😢
Mark 2 should come out with O-rings between the leg sections to stop water and sand ingress then I buy :-) This is what my current Sirui carbon fiber tripod has and I've been very happy with it. As for the bag you don't use it only to carry your tripod but to protect it. So I'd like a bag thrown in as well.
Wow! Great review! I almost fell for the (_arn) expensive PD tripod! But, I am a bit confused. Advice, please? The other tripod you reviewed that I am very much interested in getting for our travels is the one with the Quicklock. Shown on screen at "1.14." on the right with the PD on the left. I understand it is the Falcam R141K-320P with the F38 pro ball head 320P as an option, right? Which other option(s) would you recommend for a quick and easy setup using both camera and mobile phone use? Thank you very much! Keep the great reviews coming!
When i saw the commercial video from peak design i thought its the one i wanna use for 10 years, thank you David for clarifying many things which i could not see :)
Hahaha! I always tell people not to buy things just to buy them, but buy them when you need them. That said, if you need a tripod, this is absolutely the way to go!
Nice comparison of these two tripods! Though I think PD can produce high-quality products, as a landscape photographer I fail to understand how this tripod is so popular because, unless I’m mistaken, there is no way to make a level horizontal pan!! Also, the small leg sections are pretty thin, which I would guess affects the overall stability when extended...So, after some research into a "travel" tripod to supplement my Leofoto LS-365C studio tripod, I found a 3LT Leo 2.0 system, that seems quite robust and stable. It also has an incredible max load capacity of 66 lbs! The AirHed ball head is very smooth and dampened as well. Highly recommended.
First of all, great review and introduction of that tripod, thanks!!! You showed the sturdiness of the legs but this made me wonder how sturdy the TreeRoot (center "pillar") itself is, especially when raised to maximum height. Is it getting wobbly or is it solid even with high loads? (could imagine the quick release comes at a cost) Anyone experience with this?
The best 'pod for you of course depends on your needs (rarely for me--only for some macros and very long exposures), but in my case, the Manfrotto Befree GT XPRO Carbon can't be beat. It's solid, reasonably light, fits inside my LowePro ProTactic 450AW II pack, and its 90° folding center column is a very useful and unique feature, allowing you to get lower than either of the ones you show and place the camera in virtually any orientation you can imagine (with minimal futzing). Also, its twist-lock system is just as fast to deploy/stow as the one you show. I have a lot of PD stuff, but I knew their 'pod wasn't for me. The F38 Pro seems like a nice enough, well-thought-out unit, but I won't be trading in my Manfrotto for one.
My sister asked today about buying an action camera. She asked about Go Pro and I said Go Pro is king of action cameras but the other action cameras have passed Go Pro. What is your suggestion of what she should buy. I said since she’s new the Insta360 Go 3 would be the #1. #2 would be DJI Action 4. What would your order be with the following cameras? Action 4 Go 3 Ace or Ace Pro Osmo Pocket Hero 12
Ok David, my wife wants me stop watching your channel because of how much money I spend on the items you highlight! 😂 I just received the f38 Pro tripod, after getting the Ulanzi Coman last year along with a bunch of Falcam stuff, and sadly it came in with a frozen and bent dampening knob - Arrrrrrgh! Makes me wonder if this is not as robust a build as I would have expected based on the other stuff of theirs that I own. Please let us know if you run into any issues with yours down the road.
Very nice and informative video. One question.. It looks like the bullhead lock (or demper) is loosening when you move it around (at 17.05). What can you tell us about that?
I think if they could make this with single twist for each leg I would pull the trigger. It seems like the last little improvement I want, so I will stick to my Coleman f38 for now. Hopefully next year they will implement this. I don’t want to replace a 500 dollar tripod. The new Siuri monopod implemented this design and it seems ideal.
The TreeRoot looks nice, but it's not in the same weight class as the PD. I think Ulanzi Zero Y is the best in PD look-alikes with its more universal ARCA-style head.
This thing looks awesome for so many reasons, but it’s crazy to me that so many of the great tripods don’t have the ability for their legs to go PAST horizontal. I have a crappy old $95 tripod and yeah it’s rickety and not great, but the legs can go as far UPWARDS as they go downwards. And quite a few times I’ve been shooting backed against a wall or something and been able to have two legs down and fully extended, with one leg fully collapsed and all the way vertical so that the camera could be right against the wall. If this tripod could do that it’d be truly ultimate 👌🏼
Your Falcam quick release clip video got me to switch to their system over Smallrig. I had a Smallrig cage for my Sony a6700, Smallrig tripod, that had a leg I could remove and use as a Monopod, but it required a 3/8th" hole for the screw. I had a Cotton Carrier, but the small plate for that covered up the 3/8th hole. Then tried Peak Design, same thing and the quick release clip didn't work with the Arca Swiss plate on bottom of the Smallrig. That's when I saw your video on the Falcam, and then came across the Ulanzi tripod/monopod/walking stick TT35. I just ordered that. I switched to the Falcam cage, and the Falcam quick release v2 clip, and already love it! Combining it with Think Tank belt and harness system. Have you done a review on the Ulanzi TT35 tripod? I'm excited to receive it.
Holy crap. Someone sold me on switching my PD tripod. This tripod has us in mind to a T! Wonder if PD will release a travel tripod 2.0 that either changes the game or adds a bunch of great features like this one 🤔
Curious if you can pop the pro mount off the ball and swap them out? I just purchased the F38 tripod for its small form factor and fitting into the waterbottle pocket of my bag, but also ordered the F38 Pro Ball Head hoping I could just swap them out at the ball.
can the ball head and release system from this, be put on the slightly older Ulanzi travel tripod? The TreeRoot is bigger than I want, I prefer the Ulanzi travel tripod - but with the better head.
Nice review! I have the Ulanzi F38 travel tripod and love it for size and relative rigidity, but I use it with the non-F38 centre column (came with the tripod) and a separate arca swiss based ballhead for strength. Both the PD and Ulanzi F38 (non Pro) tripods have ballheads with limited weight load capacities, especially if you are using relatively heavy pro full frame systems. The F38 Pro looks like a huge advancement.
For me, the peak design size is perfect for my backpack. Unfortunately, the price is very not perfect, lol. I settled for the Ulanzi Zero Y and I love that tripod. The only catch is that for travel, I have to remove to head so I can zip my backpack's tripod pouch shut.
Can't wait for mine to arrive, I intend to use this as a back-up/2nd/travel tripod, with my Pineta Peak Pro for the more heavier and try-hard camera rigs lol
Thanks for the heads up. ordered mine for $399.20 today. There 9th anniversary countdown timer shows 11 days left and I assume the 20% off anniversary special is good for that long.
Who at peak design hurt you. I understand that Ulanzi and Falcam give you products for free so you want to keep that relationship going, but it’s getting pretty shameless with how badly you are trash talking peak. You know that the brands you are working with exist by ripping off existing brands products. Peak is a brand that pioneers products and they are the sort of brands you want to support, not the other guys
Peak Design is a great company. I've bought many of their products including straps (2) camera bags (3) the tripod (1) and too many Anchor Links to count. They were all well made. That said, I don't use any of them now as I have found things that work better for me. One of them is the Ulanzi-Coman ZeroY tripod (not this one). I had a Gitzo Traveler, Peak Design, and the Ulanzi-Coman. I sold everything but the Ulanzi. It works better for me if I ever need a tripod that light and small. Mostly I use a full size tripod. There are many fine ones but I use the Leofoto LS-365C+LH-40. Mostly I switch the ballhead and use a FlexShooter for wildlife work. All of the travel tripods are too flimsy unless the rig is light and there is no wind. I'm not the market for this tripod, but all his criticisms seem valid to me.
@@BushidoDevilDog you know how much easier it is to take someone else’s idea and improve on it. What brands like peak do is spend a lot of money on R&D and bring out a product that is unique and not just a copy of someone else’s. It needs to be on the market for a period of time to recover those costs. If you think supporting those brands that exist by ripping off designs of those pioneering brands is a good thing for the industry, then go you
Great vid. Problem is that this result shouldnt be all that surprising given that here in Oz, the falcam is $400 more, almost double the price of the Peak design. For that much it would want to be better by a considerable amount.
You might not have caught it, but the Peak Design carbon fiber tripod is $599 and the Falcam is $499. So the Falcam is $100 cheaper than the Peak Design👍
Pretty much every link I post is an affiliate link that supports the channel. But there's no sponsorship by Ulanzi or Falcam. Just the dopest tripod around👍
@@DavidManningvlog Maybe sponsored is not the right usage of the word here. But transparency regarding the affiliate link would be awesome. Even just pointing out that you'd earn a kickback but that you'd love the tripod regardless of that link would go a long way at conveying trust.
@@Terribad13you should know this about almost all reviewers by now. I mean, it’s not like he mentions it in the description or something. It’s also your job to come up with your own conclusions based on all of your research
