Tamrac TR406 ZipShot Compact Ultra-Light Instant Tripod Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I own one of these tripods. It's quite hard to resist buying it, once you've seen it unfold. All you do is undo a few bungee cords, hold the thing by the ballhead, and watch it assemble itself! You then have to screw your camera onto the tripod, and you're ready to go. 5 seconds to deploy the tripod, and 10-15 seconds to mount your camera. Pretty great!
Why not five stars? You really have to use a self-timer or a remote trigger to use the tripod. Although the tripod is sturdy enough to hold a decent weight (unlike one of the reviewers, I don't have any qualms that the thing is going to fall apart), there's a slight wobble when you touch the camera once it's mounted. Mind you, my other tripods are Gitzos (only 11 times more expensive, and heavier), but you do need to take this into account when using the zipshot. Why does it wobble? Because the leg elements attach to the ballhead with a bungee cord; the platform is only as stable as the cord.
This tripod makes a great light stand (presuming your strobes are slaved or remoted, and you have "strobe feet" that can mount to a 1/4" tripod screw). It's also great for taking small-to-medium sized cameras (point-and-shoots through Olympus E-P1 or Lumix GF1, and maybe Canon Rebels -- NOT Canon 7Ds, Nikon 700s, or heaven forbid, D3s or 1Ds!) into places where weight and size are at a premium. Put it in your bag with your Gorillapods, etc.
Pros: extreme light weight, amazingly cool self-assembly, cheap, seems to be safe
Con: Wobbles. You need to use a remote trigger or a cable release.
Bottom line: Go ahead and get it if you're willing to live with the limitations, and want a very lightweight easy to carry tripod. It's better than not having a tripod, and is much, much more likely to be with you on a long trek.

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With the ZipShottripod, you can travel light, set up fast and take pictures that require a tripod.Most tripods are heavy, difficult to carry, and slow to set up.This causes many missed photo opportunities.The ZipShot tripod is the answer.At only 11 oz (312g) and 15" (38cm) when folded, it is ultra-lightweight and ultra-compact.Easily carried, it attaches to the handle of a camera bag, backpack, or travel bag, and is also compact enough to be slipped into a purse or luggage.Release the shock cords and the ZipShot's\' legs spring open in seconds to a height of 44" (112cm).The camera can be positioned at any angle so vertical and horizontal shots are easy.Designed for a DSLR camera and lens up to 3 lbs. (1361g), all point-and-shoot cameras, and compact camcorders.The ZipShot is constructed of sturdy, high-quality aluminum.

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