VANGUARDAlta Pro 2+ 263AT Aluminum Tripod

Strong, sturdy, well made. Very versatile with multiple adjustments.Everything stays tight when tightened. I am using with a 3rd party bulkhead. Be aware of which model tripod you order, as some come with and some do not.No wobble when everything is tightened down properly, even with center column extended.Took some 30 sec exposures alongside a busy highway with 18 wheel tractor trailers going by at 65 mph and still got tack sharp images. Their passing was enough to blow my hair around, but didn't budge the camera.It's not exactly what I would call lightweight, but I've gladly carried it for several miles into the swamps of Florida to get the shot I was after.Very impressed with this piece of equipment.

This is one of if not the most well thought out/designed products I've ever purchased. Backed up with the highest quality parts and materials makes this one of those rare products today that exceeds expectations by a lot. While it has many applications, I realize that Astronomy binoculars is probably near the bottom of list in terms of design ideas. In that respect, I would change only one thing; I would make the center arm longer so the height could be raised to a accommodate pointing binoculars toward the sky while viewing in a standing position.Seller packed the product with great care and shipped it as promised. Extremely satisfied with seller, process and product.

I use an old metal Manfrotto tripod that is a couple inches taller and heavier duty for real estate photos. I needed something that had a shorter collapsed size but still had a stable footing.The cool places I can get this tripod to go really is great but if I extend it taller using the center column, even a 2-second timer isn't quite long enough to stop if from shaking for a longer exposure shot with a dslr. Probably perfect for small cameras but a 6d and 16-35mm is too much to stop it from shaking in a slight breeze with the neck extended.I also find the twist leg-locks to be cumbersome, but having the ability to make the tripod "squat" down lower is a great advantage. However, for now I will have to use it as a second tripod for hard to reach places only.I know I'm focusing on the negative aspects as they impact me specifically, so take all the good reviews into consideration because it is a very cool tripod.

I had high hopes for this tripod. Since my photo partner and I have each been using a Vanguard head for about 5 years and really like them I have been wanting to try out one of their tripods. Unfortunately this tripod is not as good as the Manfrotto 190L I was going to replace.All of the main features I like and the manufacturer does a good job of describing them; and if used indoors (or outdoors with no wind), it's a nice tripod. Outdoors, where wind is a factor, is where this tripod system falls short because there is looseness in the rotation joint that allows the head to move around in the wind.I put my camera and lens on the Vanguard with the arm extended to the side at about 90°, set the shutter to 1 sec, and took three shots with no wind. Then I took three more shots while blowing on the camera from three axes. Not very scientific, but the best I could do in the circumstances. I did the same thing with the same camera on my Manfrotto and compared the images.The Manfrotto showed some camera shake when blowing on the camera; the same type of shake I have noted when trying to take night shots in Death Valley with a 45 MPH wind that was being somewhat subdued by my truck. My test of blowing on the camera definitely blurred the 1 second image. However, the pictures from the Vanguard showed significantly more motion blur than the Manfrotto.I had made certain that every moving joint on both tripods were fully tightened so I investigated further and determined that the rotation joint on the Vanguard was allowing movement, not in the horizontal rotation (which was tight), but in the vertical where it should never move. It also appeared that the leg joints may have been contributing to the motion. Consequently there was some mild wobble.Another thing I didn't like was that the first fold-out position on the legs is 20°, which is narrow and less stable than the Manfrotto's, which is more like 30°. If I extend the center column out to the side, the Vanguard quickly falls over. Even though the center post is supposed to allow several angled positions, that's only if the center column is fully extended, and that's where stability becomes an issue. The column can only be retracted to regain stability when it is vertical or almost horizontal. The Manfrotto doesn't have the multi-angle feature... it only has vertical and horizontal; but, both positions are tight and stable.BOTTOM LINE: the Vanguard is a nice tripod for work where your environment is controlled. The tubing and joints are all solid enough to hold a heavy camera w/lens at many angles and will hold the setup stable, as long as it is set up properly, allowed to stabilize, and there is little or no wind. How much wind I'm not able to say, but I do know that it was stable in a 5 mph breeze. I do not recommend it for outdoor work; hence, the 3 star rating.

Size and weight are nice, it's a little over 1.5 lbs lighter than the one it replaces. I wish is was about 6" smaller when closed, I almost went with another brand for that reason, but the Vanguard brand is what I knew. I have used it several time over the last couple of weeks so I feel I can comment on it at his time. Easy to deploy and take down, and with the Canon 5DM3 and a 70-300 lens no issues. Recommended!

After one month of use, the legs are ridiculously wobbly.I had really loved this tripod. It was a beautiful stranger that I met and spent a lovely month with. I ignored the fact that there were no bi-directionally locking legs ... I was too enamored with the beautiful design and how well the two of us got along.Truth be told, in my month with Alta, I made some compromises for the relationship that I didn't think were possible. After the break-up and going back to my boring Manfrotto (which has its own personal issues), I'm starting to rebuild my self respect and am diverting my eyes away from the younger models that are out there.If I were to ever lose my way again, it might be over a more mature, world travelled Alta Pro 3+ that knows that it shouldn't keep spreading its legs and that knows how to stay strong and remain in a relationship for longer than a month.--In other words, this gypsy tripod stole my heart but I had to let it go as it was destroying me.