Dolica AX620B100 62-Inch Proline Tripod and Ball Head

OK bottom line up front - this is a lot more tripod than you are paying for. If you are looking for a professional tripod, dont buy this. If you are looking to impress your friends with your cool expensive gear, dont buy this. If you are looking for a darn good value and a more than good enough tripod, you cant go wrong with the Dolica.This is my first ball head tripod and I bought as a "starter" tripod so I could learn how to use one and if I liked it. I do and I dont plan on replacing it any time soon. There is a huge difference in control over a pan head and I love the control and stability it gives shooting "action." It lets you stabilize AND move. The head has a slotted side for shooting portrait and you can rotate the center tube without touching the camera. I can lock most of the way it with a flip of the handle and then crank it down.The legs are probably the weakest part. Fully extended I worry about flexing the last section too much. If any part is going to fail early on this it will probably be the leg clamps. They are plastic and look like they could be stronger. The bag is nice and the soft grips are excellent. Mine had a very strong chemical smell when I took it our of the box so I set it on my porch for a day to air out and now its fine.The legs have three settings - normal, wide and super wide. Each can be set independently giving you a HUGE range of options for how and where you want to use it. I have not tried flipping the center column over for macros but I know it can be done.The hook on the bottom of the center column is perfect for hanging your camera bag from for extra stability.I use a K200D with a battery pack and with my Sigma 70-300 fully extended for macro shots it is a little hard to lock down accurately. Its a heavy (1.2 lbs/.5kg) and long lens so I normally lock it down with the lens retracted and then extend it. The 300mm is the only one I have issues with but I think the 13lb/6kg rating is a little generous.Do yourself a favor and order a second mounting plate for $7. I lost mine after a month and paid $15 for a replacement at a local store. Thats 1/3 of the cost of the entire tripod.There is no pretending that this is the same quality as a $300+ Manfrotto but the Manfrotto was not even an option for me right now. So between no tripod and one that wont last for 20 years, I'll take good enough and spend the difference on a nice prime - which is exactly what I did!

I've owned this for 2 years now and it's still going strong.Pro's:- This stand has lasted me 2 years of indoor and outdoor use. However, I am a hobbies and I don't use it everyday. I also take care of it by keeping it in a bag most of the time when I'm not using it. The stand pretty much still looks brand new. All the knobs, twists, springs, and locks work like new after 2 years.- The plastic clips on the leg extensions haven't given me any issues so far and are still working well.- For light camera/lens this is a great tripod. It felt very stable with my Canon T5i and kit lens. However with my Canon 6D and Tamron 24-70 2.8 I feel less comfortable with it. I typically won't leave the 6D on the camera by itself if it is windy or there are people around the camera. That being said I still put my 6D on it regularly for portrait shots- The customer service is very good. I sent an email to Dolica with an issue and they resolved it without cost.- This is way better than the sub $30 tripods on the market. I've had 3 or 4 of them before getting this tripod with the ball head. For anybody who hasn't used a ball head before I highly recommend trying it out.- My quick release plate came with a rubber top instead of a cork top. They might have changed this after a couple years but I'm happy with the rubber.Con's:- The knob of the ball head is attached by a small hex screw which is good because it make it replaceable. However, the screw fell out after less than a year's worth of occasional use and I lost the knob as well. On the good side I contacted Dolica by email and they sent me a new knob and screw free of charge. I was very happy with the service. This is a small con and it didn't make me like the tripod any less because it was an easy fix.- When the legs are full extended the legs can feel a little shaky however I still trust it to hold up my gear.Overall I'm very happy with this tripod. It's one of my most reliable and well made pieces of gear for the money. There are sturdier and pricier products out there but this is a great value. I'm surprised to say that this tripod is one of my favorite pieces of camera equipment that I own.

With the technology of image stabilization packed in a lot of lenses, I usually don't use tripod under normal shooting. However, with long-exposure or low-light requirements, such as night cityscape or trailing waterfalls, a tripod is a must. This light-weight yet sturdy tripod is great for general use. It is well designed and easy to manipulate to get the angle and height you want. It also comes with a decent carrying bag, which is a plus.This tripod is also good for micro/macro photography, especially for the crippy crawly on the ground. Thanks to its ability to go almost flat to the surface.February 2018 Update:After years of using the same tripod, I am still loving and trusting it. Dilica and I have been through many hikes, snow fields, oceans, rock cliffs, with my heavy Nikon D700 and big lens. Everything still works now as the first day. Inexpensive, sturdy, light weight, & fast setup!!However, if you use an extra heavy or long lens, you have to attach a weight at the base for balance purpose. It would be disastrous if the tripod should fall! Common sense perhaps, but worthwhile mentioning.Furthermore, under some vertical shots at certain steep angles, the cork surface of the plate may not be able to hold the camera still, especially with heavy lens attached. Most of my shooting style is horizontal and thus this is not a big concern. You can also get a different type of head if you wish to. This tripod is versatile enough to accept other (expensive) heads.All and all, this is a very decent and dependable tripod for everyday use. It is also some pros' favorite! However, it does have some limits (heights, weights, etc.) and it is important to know them. Use it properly, you won't be disappointed!