A tri-pod in it's simplest form is a three-legged stand for supporting a camera or other apparatus. I've used several tripods throughout the years, and each one excels at one thing or another. Some are light, some are super sturdy, and some are miniature making them easy to pack away or carry on a day trip.

For my general photography use (product photography, long exposures) I've found that finding the right set of compromises leads to the best tripod for my needs. That's where I've found the K&F to excel at meeting my specific set of needs. Here's what I like:

The tripod is light. It's not feather weight, or forget it's there light, but it's light enough to be able to carry around all day strapped to a comfortable camera bag. Weighing in at just 3.3 lbs, it's about as light of a travel tripod built of aluminum I could expect.

Completely folded, this tripod is about 17 inches long. Plenty of "collapsability" to be able to pack it on the side of your bag without it sticking up in the air.

This tripod feels really well built for being a sub £100 travel tripod. When you hold it, it feels and looks substantial. Not heavy, just very tight tolerances, and generally aesthetically pleasing. The anodizing on the aluminum lock-outs and ball head are a really nice touch. It is rated to hold 22lbs/10kg. I'm certain it will hold that easily, if not more. The rubber grips are all implemented nicely with zero movement between the rubber grip and the lock out it turns.

So, the absolute most important factor for me in a tripod, is obviously the stability. While this tripod will extend to almost 69 inches/175 cm, it's most stable when the center support is at the mid to low setting, and only the top three leg extensions are out. It's absolutely rock solid at it's med high, to mid level settings. When everything is extended to full height, a strong wind would absolutely introduce some movement.

Leg lock outs are as expected. They lock out firmly and confidently when unfolding. When extending the legs, the rubber twist locks are easily tightened and I have zero doubt about their ability to stay put.

The 28mm ball head is surrounded by what looks like a teflon sleeve offering smooth camera movements. The head also pans buttery smooth like a geared or fluid head would. The Arca-Swiss mount is a great option and seems to be the new standard in quick mounts. The Arca base also has a spirit level which is handy if your camera doesn't have in-camera level indication.

One leg is designed to be used as a monopod. I don't use that feature, but it's nice to have and easy to transition. Under center post is a bag or weight hook. This can be removed revealing a 3/8 female mount. Great for mounting a second ball head for quick camera position swaps. My only gripe would be that the feet are not replaceable. They are shallow spiked rubber feet that are not interchangeable. They work fine for light duty use.

All in all, I am very happy with this tripod purchase. At £90, I'm not sure you could get a better photo tri-pod for general use photography. It's lightweight, stable, and looks great. Just buy this tripod already, you won't be disappointed.

I picked this up because I'd heard some great things from friends in the photo industry, and I must say: I have not been disappointed. This thing is nuts!

The build quality is top notch: The head is sturdy while still being smooth/maneuverable when the tension is released - my Sony a7ii w/battery grip mounts beautifully and doesn't slip or cause the ball head to fall/move when it's tightened down. All of the adjustable knobs feel SUPER smooth and tighten down really nicely. The legs feel robust, and the latches on the collapsible legs feel great (and rule if you need to get this thing to full height in a pinch).

Overall I'm just kinda blown away. I didn't expect for a tripod in this price range to be SO great - this is definitely the best travel tripod that I've ever owned - and I couldn't recommend it more.

Years ago, not knowing what I was looking for, I purchased the Albott 70 inch tripod . It was a good entry-level tripod that is quite traditional with it's pan-and-tilt head and quick release lock. As I started to build out my video and photo equipment (I'm still a total novice), I've found that I needed a tripod that was more compact and sturdy.

This K&F Concept TM2515M1 tripod is certainly not professional level, but it is a good travel tripod. With a ball joint, and a screw-lock plate, I found that it is more versatile than the Albott tripod. With the orange highlights, it is also much better looking.

I've included a few pictures comparing the two tripods. As you can see, with the K&F tripod, I do not compromise on any of the features of the other tripod while gaining a more compact and sturdy frame. The build quality of the K&F is great. All parts are metal and the tripod legs are tightly screwed, giving it a very secure feel.

From the pictures, you can see that compared to the traditional tripod, the head is smaller and easier to pack away, without that long handle to get in the way. The maximum height is comparable to my old tripod, but when packed away, the K&F is much smaller. The carrying case is also more rugged. It has a heavy-grade nylon and the zipper is nice and big. What I'm losing compared to the traditional tripod is the monopod height but I'm not a tall guy, so I would never use the mono fully extended anyway.

The K&F has the upside-down feature that is common among tripods of this kind. It allows one to shoot videos and pictures from a much lower angle without risking the safety of the camera. I can imagine a low-to-the-ground timelapse on the bank of a river looking at boats on the river.

Form really follows function on this one. The orange highlights accentuate all the joint locations and the all round design gives this tripod just a sleek look overall.

I'm quite satisfied with my purchase and the sub-100 dollar price that was exactly what I was looking for.

Only received this today so haven't been in the field with it yet but gave it a thorough examination indoors with my heavy pro type equipment.Appearance is very good and quality seems high at this price point. The ball head has a very fluid smooth movement and panning is very nicely dampened. When all tightened up in position it seems very sturdy with no hint of a wobble.Many adjustments to suit all shooting situations and light enough to carry up to my local mountains for some landscape shots ! A fraction of the price of some branded models but not far behind in quality at all.So far so good !

I've been wanting a lightweight tripod for a long time that I wouldn't be too lazy to carry around all day when I'm out on the road. I have finally decided on this one from K&F and, for now, I couldn't be more satisfied with the purchase.

The first surprise, the cover. Compact, comfortable and very useful. Folded, the tripod is really small. It fits easily in any travel bag or is stored later without taking up much space.

Once opened, the 4 extensions give more than enough height, in addition to being able to climb the central column.

The lightness also has the collateral effect that stability does not seem guaranteed in heavy equipment (obviously it cannot be compared with a more robust and heavier tripod). However, the lower part of the central bar has a hook on which the backpack can be hooked and, by adding weight to the whole, prevent undesirable movements.

The ball joint is simple but functional, with an arca-swiss shoe.

In short, a good travel tripod, light and not too lazy to always carry with you, but with its own limitations.

Nice tripod, strong and sturdy.

I bought this few weeks ago and I absolutely love it. I ised it for few portraits and some long exposure fotos in the London nightsky.It is easy to set up at the required hight, very firm and solid and at the same time folds small and is not that heavy as it looks. It also has a small novel and a scale that will help with the panorama stitched images. And all of this for half the price of other brands.

Perfect for everything

I bought this tripod to replace my top-quality Manfrotto, which has been a trusty companion for over 20 years of professional photography.

I needed a smaller, but still solid tripod to fit in the back box of my Honda 50, along with a large medium format camera, for local photo-trips. I measured the back box interior and noted the dimensions information that was given with the tripod, and it fits perfectly (see photo).

I was a bit dubious about the ball head holding my very heavy camera, so I replaced it with the heavy-duty pan and tilt head from the Manfrotto and it works perfectly. I've put the ball head from this one on the Manfrotto to hold a DSLR that I use for digitizing negs.

No, it's not as sold and robust as the Manfrotto (which cost 3 times as much), and that's to be expected. But it looks like it will do the job, and saves me from putting a really heavy tripod on my back when I go out on the bike!

I am very happy with the product, it is sturdy and easy to use. The only thing missing is the quick release button, but other than that it is worth the money.