Velbon Videomate 438

I chose this while looking for a light tripod. Being cheap, I wasn't expecting a lot, so I am not terribly disappointed. The good: it's really light, and it folds small. The bad: panning is almost impossible because the head is not really fluid... it's way too stiff. The quick disconnect does not fit snug, I had to fold a business card and place it between it and the disconnect cradle. Overall - you get what you pay for.

It is wonderfully light in weight, a real plus for travel, and is easy to carry around on a shoot. It is just right for a small consumer camcorder such as my Canon Vixia. The legs are a snap to extend and retract in run 'n' gun situations. It is plenty sturdy even with the center column fully extended, and the pan and tilt action is nice and smooth. As you use it you will come to love its light weight and easy portability.

The tripod is very smooth and sturdy enough for most situations. It is very lightweight which is a good and bad thing. It's so light that you need to keep one hand on the stand while using the other to point the camera. The leg braces aren't strong enough for any weights to be attached and there isn't a hook at the bottom.

This is a terrific little tripod for times when you are just wandering around with a small camera. Quick setup and take-down. Lightweight to move around and shoot with. Light enough to keep it attached while you shoot hand-held, or use as a stabilizer / brace. Great value.

I expected to hundreds for a smooth motion tripod, but the Videomate 438 Aluminum Tripod suprised me with it's smooth motion. It's a great tripod, especially for lightweight cameras.