Why a big tripod

A big sturdy tripod platform has several benefits over a smaller model. The main advantages are that it is more stable and can raise up higher. The downside is that a large tripod is going to be heavy. The Auctus Plus 324AT is not a tripod that you will likely strap to you backpack for an afternoon hike. But when you need a big, seriously stable platform, this is where the Auctus Plus 324AT shines.

Features

The Auctus Plus 324AT is more than just three legs and a mounting plate, like other Vanguard tripods, the Auctus Plus 324AT has some unique features that make it sand out from the rest.

How good is it?

Large Plastic Feet

Hidden Spikes

Summary

I have been a fan of Vanguard products for a while and the Vanguard Auctus Plus 324AT Tripod certainly did not disappoint on any level. If you need a high quality, large tripod base, be sure and check out the Vanguard Auctus series and see if there is one that will suite your requirements.

Vanguard Website: http://vanguardusa.com/

Online Ordering

Amazon.com $429.99
B & H Photo $429.99

I have both Carbon Fiber and Aluminum tripods in my arsenal.  I use them pretty much interchangeably in my every day photography use.  Some are lighter so I choose them for travel.  Some are sturdier, so I use them for heavier applications.

But there are features of some tripods that really make them stand out from the pack.  The Vanguard Alta Pro 263AT is one of those unique tripods.  And its not that each of it’s individual feature are not available in other 3-legged competitors, but that all of these features are available in this single tripod for a great price.

The first, most unique feature to point out is it’s innovative Multi-Angle Central Column (MACC).  This feature allows you to move the central column from angles of zero to 130-degrees in multiple vertical and horizontal positions, making things like macro photography and specialty wide-angle shots much easier to create.

In this photo, you can see how the center column can be flipped 180 degrees to suspend the camera completely upside down.  I often shoot many table top items like food, and this feature gives me exactly what I need to get the camera into position.

The center column quickly releases with something that Vanguard calls the Instant Swivel Stop-n-Lock (ISSL) System.  With one simple movement, you can easily and securely reposition the center column while maintaining it’s stability.

The central aluminum alloy column moves from 0 to 130 degrees and can be reversed in the mount, giving you more than full range of motion.  Even with the center column fully extended, the tripod is amazingly stable with my 5D Mark II, battery grip and heavy Canon L glass.

Another feature, which is also common to many other tripods, is the legs that adjust to 25, 50 and 80-degree angles.  Combined with the sturdiness of the patented premium magnesium die-cast canopy and head, you feel comfortable that this tripod can truly support your camera with stability in most any position.  But combined with the flexibility of the center column and the angles it can obtain, this makes the tripod about as versatile as you could ever need.

This tripod ships with a triangular canopy that hangs between the legs and holds your camera or other gear.  It also comes with a carrying bag to tote it around.  There is a spring-loaded, retracting hook at the bottom of the center column for hanging weight or a bag.  The feet have spikes built in that you can retract with the rubber feet, depending on the floor or ground you are on.  And my personal favorite feature over the 284CT is the fact that it has flip locks on the leg extensions instead of the twist locks.

From the Vanguard website, here are the specifications:

Extended height(mm): 1650
Extended height(inch): 65
Folded height(mm): 630
Folded height(inch): 24.75
Weight(kg): 2
Weight(lbs): 4.41
Maximum loading capacity(kg): 7
Maximum loading capacity(lbs): 15.4
Titled Loading Capacity(kg): 5
Titled Loading Capacity(lbs): 11
Number of Leg Sections: 3
Leg Diameter(mm): 26

With a street price under $150.00 and after looking around online, I can see that I am not the only one who loves this tripod. You can read some great reviews (and find about the best price out there) here:

Vanguard Alta Pro 263AT – Tripod

Score Card

You can visit the Vanguard Website at: http://www.vanguardworld.com

Overview

There are a handful of pistol grip heads on the market today but most of them are pretty low quality units without much in the way of features. The Vanguard GH-100 has a handful of advantages over these other units, and most other squeeze-type ball heads as well.

First off, the ball system itself is has to different slotted sections giving you a lot of front-to-back tilting ability as well as the ability to flip very quickly between portrait and landscape mode.

Secondly, the bracket connector can also rotate 360 degrees around a labeled head for accurate positioning. Tension for the head rotation and ball locking is handled by two different knobs that allow for very secure positioning that stays right were you put it without any release sagging.

What is very unique is that the silver collar in front of the pistol grip handle retracts and allows the pistol grip handle to rotate 360 degrees giving you a lot of flexibility in exactly how you want to use the handle.

Features

• Dual-locking quick shoe mechanism
• 72-click point panorama
• 360-degree horizontal movement and 90-angle tilt

Specs

Usage

My initial impression was quite with the only issue being that I needed to crank down mounting plate onto the camera pretty hard if I was using a heavy lens and the design of the mounting plate makes it a little difficult my my giant sausage fingers to get to the screw handle. Once its tightened down securely, there are no other issues with it.

I’m not sure how helpful the bubble level inside the mounting section really is but if you do need to make sure the entire platform is level at least it is there and you can get a good level, drop the camera on and you are ready to go.

The main tightening knob on the back rotates about 260 degrees to adjust the tension but you will rarely need more than the last 90 degrees to come from loose to locked down. The lever on the side for the rotating head has 90 degrees of travel but you will only use the last 5 degrees or so to lock it down or loosen it up. These aren’t problems by any means, its just an observation.

To rotate the handle I can reach forward with my top two fingers and grasp the lock ring from the top and bottom and pull it back, rotate the handle to the new position and release the lock ring. This takes a little practice, but once you get it down you can manipulate the handle pretty easily.

Results

As I said before, replacing something like your tripod head is not something you do on a whim. While I have replaced tripod legs three times, I have still been using the same ball head on each set of legs. It had it’s quirks, but I knew them inside and out. After getting the GH-100 from Vanguard I decided to really give it an honest trial and use it exclusively for a month or so and see if I could get as comfortable with it as my long time head from the past. To be honest, it felt pretty awkward at first. If I was to make any design change it would be for the front-back tilt slot to be on the opposite side from where it is but this is a trivial change. The GH-100 handle feels a little “plasticy” but very very solid at the same time. Had the entire handle been made from metal it would have added significantly to the weight.

Well, its been a couple months since I got it and the GH-100 is still sitting atop my tripod. I am under no obligation to use it nor would I do so simply because Vanguard is a sponsor of CameraDojo.com, I actually have come to really prefer it over my old head and if you see me at any shooting event with my tripod handy you will see the GH-100 mounted on top.

I feel I have more control with the GH-100, it flips nicely from landscape to portrait and you can even get some fairly fluid panning and tilting by adjusting the tension and a little practice. Sure, it wont ever be as smooth as a true fluid head but its better than any other traditional still head in a pinch.

Score Card

Website: Vanguardworld.com

Purchase now for $99.99 on Amazon.com

The UpRise is what is referred to as a messenger bag as it is an over-the-shoulder bag with a large area inside to store gear. Inside you will fine a removable inner section with movable sections so you can customize the layout for your own needs.

Setup

Unless you want to customize the interior right off the bat the only thing you need to do is to attach the shoulder strap, remove the tags, and load it up with your gear. The UpRise came configured with a large area in the middle and smaller champers on each end, this seemed to work pretty nice to have a couple of lenses handy and being able to drop my camera in lens-down, flip the cover back over and go.

Features

Usually a camera bag doesn’t boast a lot of extra features besides it’s basic design and layout but the UpRise actually has some features to it that help separate it from the pack. On the front and practically invisible is a zippered pocket the is perfect for a wallet, keys, cleaning cloth, memory card holder, or other small items you may want access to without having to open the bag. On the top a zipper can open to allow access into the bag without having to flip the main cover over. A nice little piece of detail here is a small flap that is held in place with a magnet keeps this top zipper from opening accidentally. On the back is another zippered compartment that is great for flat items like boarding passes, a notepad, or some magazines. The back is also designed so the bag can slide down onto the handle of a rolling suitcase.
On the inside you will find two outside pockets, one with pen holders, a larger pocket area, a zippered mesh pocket, two small pockets for memory cards, a padded section for a laptop and the removable storage system. Attached to a lanyard is a rain cover for those inclement weather conditions.

If you need something just a little bigger on occasion, the UpRise has an external zipper that will allow the bag to expand by almost three inches.

Usage

During.our Maui trip there were basically two different times I had lots of gear with me, either driving around the island or out on a boat. If we were driving around, my large camera bag was in the trunk and I would keep the UpRise in the cab of the car with less gear in it for quick grabs to scenic spots. On the boats I would keep a couple of lenses handy in the UpRise and the rest stowed away until I wanted to switch hints around. Mid way through our first day I took as much out of the UpRise as possible to cut down on the weight I was carrying while hiking up and down trails and down rocky slopes. With the gear capacity of the UpRise it’s pretty easy to pack too much gear in it and end up with a pretty heavy bag. Packed efficiently it is comfortable to carry and still carry a good variety of gear.

Results

The UpRise may not be the perfect camera bag for every situation but neither is a roller or a backpack. For quick gran-and-go, it’s hard to beat the UpRise since you don’t have to take it off to get to your equipment like other bag styles require you to do. The features, layout, attention to detail, the quality, and the bag’s convenient pockets earn it high marks across the board.

Scorecard:

Amazon lists the Vanguard Up-rise 38 Zoom Expandable Camera Bag (Black) for $149.99

Vanguard Website: http://vanguardworld.com/

Vanguard Website: http://www.vanguardworld.com

The Vanguard Alta Pro 284CT Tripod

I first saw the Vanguard Alta Pro line of tripods at PMA last year and decided right on the spot that I just had to have one. There was one feature of the Alto Pro tripods that stood out from the rest for me, that was the ability of the central rod to be able to rotate from 0 to 130 degrees  in order for you to be able to shoot straight down onto something or for better angles for macro photography. For me, this is highly useful for product photography.

Other features include advanced camera vibration and shock control, legs that adjust to 25, 50 and 80-degree angles, quarter-twist leg locks,  patented premium magnesium die-cast canopy and head, hexagon-shaped central column for extra stability, and non-slip, spiked rubber feet for changing terrains and a removable hook for hanging camera accessories. Alta Pro 284CT is carbon fiber making it very light weight.

Specifications

• Extended height(inch): 63
• Folded height(inch): 21
• Weight(lbs): 3.71
• Maximum loading capacity(lbs): 18
• Titled Loading Capacity(lbs): 15.4
• Number of Leg Sections: 4
• Leg Diameter(mm): 28

Another feature that I was looking for in a new tripod was the ability to spread the legs out to multiple angles in order to get the camera as close to the ground as possible. With the Alta Pro’s ability to rotate the center column over and spread the legs out up to 80 degrees, this gives you some of the most control of any tripod available. The ability to screw up the rubber feet to expose metal spikes should help the Alta Pro tripods stay put on uneven terrain. This should be a welcome feature for landscape photographers. On the bottom of central column is a metal loop that you can use to strap down to a sand bag to steady the tripod when using it in the wind. The Alta Pro tripods all come with a slinging bag (SB-100 Stone Bag). This can be used to store all your basic “keep handy” gear like lens caps, light meters, and turkey sandwiches, or you can fill it with rocks to help keep the tripod sturdy. When looking at the different models of the Alta Pro series, the model number gives you some clues to it’s specs. The first two number designate the diameter of the legs while the third digit tells you how many segments the legs have, hence the 284CT has 28mm legs and 4 segments.

Usage

There is a lot to like about the Vanguard Alta Pro 284CT, the construction is solid, it has a great set of features, and is easy to use. My last tripod had clunky brackets to release the legs where the 284CT uses a twist-lock that takes only 1/4 of a turn to lock or unlock.

The leg angle adjustment is solid and easy to use as well with a simple push button release. To swing the central column over you raise up the column and push a safety button to release it up into the neck. Once up, you release the Instant Swivel Stop-n-Lock (ISSL) System and the central post will be free to move around.

Keep in mind that the 284CT is not a complete tripod system, it is just the legs and the central column. In order to actually attach a camera, you have to have some kind of head on it.  Currently, my most used head is a Manfrotto 322RC2 ball head. This head requires a larger screw mount than comes standard on the 284CT. Fortunately, Vanguard thought this could be an issue. The 284CT comes with a little tool kit that allows you to remove  a larger screw mount from the top mount and attach it on top of the existing screw mount to allow for a wider variety of heads to be used. The small tool kit also has an Allen wrench and sockets for maintaining the legs.

Along with the stone bag, you also get a carrying bag for everything. I only wish the bag would have been a bit longer to accommodate having a head attached to it. Even so, its nice to have a bag with a carrying strap to help haul it around.

Results

Ok, so remember at the beginning I said that good tripod legs go for upwards of $400 or more, and sometimes, much more. And notice how much attention to detail Vanguard has put into the Alta Pro 284CT. The best part, is you can get all of this for only $299.95. Sure, that is still a heft chunk of change especially when you add in another $50 – $100 for a good ball head. Is an investment of close to $400 really worth it for something as simple as a tripod? That sounds like a simple question but as someone who has gone through a handful of tripods over the years, I can attest to the fact that it does. Let me give you a brief history of my tripods over the years.

My first tripod was a cheap $14 special that actually came free when I bought a Hi8 digital camera once. While initially fine indoors for product photography, it was very wobbly and wouldn’t hold up a heavier camera/lens combo. As I upgraded and the cameras and lenses got heavier, it simply wouldn’t cut it.

The next tripod was in the low-end of the pro spectrum. It extended much taller, was more sturdy, and could hold heavier gear. Over time, the movements got gritty, the legs got looser, and it just didn’t feel stable enough. This tripod still serves duty for my much lighter camcorder.

My last tripod was a nice Calumet. While for a while, it was nice to have a good tripod with a nice Manfrotto head on it, eventually it really began to fall apart. In recent days the clasps are held together with JB Weld, O-Rings have fallen off, and I have to tighten up the screws all the time.

The Vanguard Alta Pro 284CT is easily the most expensive tripod I have owned to date but the features it had, along with much better construction should allow it to last longer and hold up to my abuse, while at the same time giving me functionality I never had before.

Summary

So far, I am impressed with the Alta Pro 284CT. It has the features I was looking for, it is reasonable priced for the class of tripod it is in, and has a nice, professional feel to it. Its also much lighter than my previous tripod which will be very handy as I do travel quite a bit.

But who is Vanguard? I bet most of you have never heard of them before. For 24 years, Vanguard has been a leader in high-quality photo-video accessories (tripods, monopods, ball heads, camera bags and cases), hunting accessories (archery bow cases, gun cases and gun pods/shooting sticks) and sporting optics (binoculars and spotting scopes).

Score Card

Vanguard Website: http://www.vanguardworld.com

At first look, the sling style would allow you to rotate the back to your front to have access your gear and then fling it back over your shoulder where it acts like a normal backpack.

As someone who does a variety of different types of shooting, I figured that I could really put the Pampas 57 bag to the test and see if this was going to be something I would really use on a regular basis.

Let’s get into it and look at the bag and then see what I thought of it.

Features

The Pampas bags are designed for comfort and functionality by allowing you to wear the bag as a regular backpack and then rotate the bag over your shoulder to your front for access to your gear. The Pampas bag has a good number of access points points and the build quality is top notch.

The back is covered in a nice breathable material over nice thick padding to help keep the bag comfortable on you and reduce sweating.

• Sling style design
• High Quality 600D x 600D Strong Polyester
• Secure Side Opening
• Extra padded inside dividers
• Contact areas offer breathable fabrics
• “Grab and shoot” quick access pocket
• Opens from front and side for instant access
• Front and top pockets for accessories

Usage

The Pampas bag certainly was comfortable as I used it during several small shoots as well as a 10 hour wedding shoot. Inside the dividers come setup for a handful of lenses and a DSLR body with a small size lens attached. I found that this wasn’t the optimum setup for me since once I am shooting I need access to the lenses and the main section was empty without the camera in it. Since the dividers can be arranged for your particular style, you can easily change it to match how you work.

Access to equipment from the side access section is very easy once you rotate the bag around to your front. However, getting to items that are further into the bag proves to be a little more challenging. While the large back section opens wide for easy access to the rest of your gear, I found myself quite nervous about having something fall out of the bag while it was open like that. To help prevent any issues like that, the side opening stays attached via some clever side webbing, but it just felt a little weird, this is probably something I will get over with more use of the bag.

I tended to keep my CF cards in the top outside pocket since it is pretty small but my CF card holder fit into it perfectly and was easy to get to. In the large top pocket I kept a container of batteries and my second flash head. Inside the main body I could have a 17-40, 24-70, 12-24, 50mm, and a Lensbaby Composer and still had room to spare.

Results

The Pampas bag did prove to be quite comfortable and the side access area was very easy to get to. I really only had some issues with the larger rear access area since it felt a little awkward getting to the equipment but not so much that I wouldn’t continue to use the bag. At weddings I normally have been using a Think Tank Photo Modulus Speed Belt which has worked out really well for me with one main exception. The speed belt fits lower on you around your waist and adds a good six inches of width on each side of you so navigating quickly between tight chairs in a reception can sometimes be difficult. With the Pampas bag sitting higher on your back I didn’t have as much problem squeezing through chairs at the receptions and I tended to carry more lenses in the Pampas bag simply because I could without adding any additional size. Where I really like the Pampas bag is when hiking or other situations that require lots of walking around between shots, I can put the entire camera with a lens on it into the backpack and not have to worry about the camera swinging around into things.

One of the best things about the Pampas 57 is the price you can get it for. While it is a good deal at the list price of $108, I found it online  Amazon for only $69.99. While it is to small to be my complete camera bag, it is certainly a great bag for keeping your most used items on you, its a great day bag or hiking bag, and its certainly a great bag for when I need to travel and want to take a good selection of gear without taking my entire kit.

Product Score Card

Product Website: http://www.vanguardworld.com
Author: Kerry Garrison
Photographs by John Loyola