AOKA 15.75"/0.99 lbs Mini Carbon Fiber Tripod, Compact Pocket Travel Tabletop Tripod for Mobile Phones, Mirrorless Cameras, Digital Cameras, Projectors, Webcams

This is really a fantastic tiny little tripod. I'm not sure whether it's better than the competition because it's the only tiny desktop tripod of its type that I own. The only other stable one I own is the Manfrotto one that is also solid, but doesn't have height adjustment. To help keep the tripod narrow, the center extender is actually detached, which normally would seem like a problem, but the include bag has a special pocket for that extender, which works great. There's also a screw in carabiner for helping to lower the center of gravity with some extra weight and improve stability. However, with it installed, you can't close the legs. Another item to just leave in the bag. The device is not stable with a mirrorless camera if a heavy lens is attached. So if using an f2.8 24-70 or 16-35, or f4 or f2.8 70-200, this little tripod is not really trustworthy. But if using a mirrorless camera with a lightweight lens, like a cheaper prime lens, or very light zoom (e.g. Sony's new FE 28-60 lens), this tripod is very stable. It comes with a smart phone mount. It also comes with the attachment for connecting regular cameras, so you could bring this tripod with you on a variety of trips (business, travel, backpacking) and it should serve just fine as a dual purpose. I also own larger travel tripods, which are excellent and can hold greater weight (DLSRs and mirrorless with heavy lenses), but even the lightest ones are about 3.5-4lbs. This little tripod, by itself, is so light you could throw it in a backpack and never even know it's there. Some other little characteristics that I found interesting. - the tripod leg locks are not spring-loaded. you have to pull them outwards, rotate the leg to the next lock point, and push the locking tab back in. Not a big deal, and feel like a solid mechanism. - one of the bolt/hinges has inner screw lines that you can attach something to. If you attached a cold shoe mounting bracket (like the ones that Smallrig sells), you could attach a monitor to a mirrorless, though that would make it unstable. You could also attach a light. My guess is that attach a shotgun mic is the main purpose for it. Though, it would have been nice if Vanmoss included a cold shoe mount from the get go. - The included ballhead mount uses a quicklock lever (really just a quarter turn screw tightener), but so far it has proven very stable. You have to unscrew the ballhead mount to attach the extender just a side note). All in all, this is an excellent little tripod with multiple uses, a lot more versatile than the desktop tripods that don't have height adjustments. Highly recommend it.

I don’t often write reviews about my photo gear. For reference, I own Manfrotto and my goto table tripod has always been a sturdy Velbon (well made but heavy) so when I saw this, the size is what first caught my attention. I was biased to think this would be a cheaply made piece—it is not. The carbon legs are comparable to those of my Manfrottos, although they make little to reduce overall weight given the amount of well machined aluminum parts, but it it still much lighter than my Velbon. The craftmanship on this is superb: very well made precision parts. The ball head is no exception, being about 3/4 the size of every other one I own—the numbers are small but so well printed they are easy to read and the panning action is smooth. there is a dovetail plate with a clamp (and a useless bubble leve) but the greatest thing about this is how small it packs—definitely a day-hike keeper. The center height extension is a screw-on type and can be left behind to shed weight. The all mount can also be removed for the weight purist. The locking system in the legs is not spring loaded but is still very solid. The twist locks are all machined aluminum and work well—there seem to be guides too as the legs don’t rotate: they extend on a same axis as if on a rail or groove. Overall a solid, well built piece and extremely packable.

Interesting tripod. I've used this full time traveling since August. I would not buy this again, but there aren't many options at all in the this category, in fact there are.. none. Primary issues: - Threads are not glued into the poles. They regularly come unscrewed when you are detaching the center pole or head. You will need to glue them in. - The leg angle is an issue. The first angle isn't wide enough to hold your camera stable. The next angle is too wide. - Alongside that, the button to allow the legs to open isn't spring loaded. It's just a piece of friction fit aluminum you have to pull out with your fingers. - This is a heavy tripod. - it is too short IMO. Benefits: - extremely solid. There is no manufacturing issues, any wobble, any loose-ness. It's a chunk of aluminum and carbon fiber and it feels like it. - the phone holder is great. - it is very small. Overall. The thing is, I just think AOKA COULD charge 2x for this tripod and make the single best travel tripod available, if they fixed some things: This tripod is too heavy. The head needs to be a high quality plastic instead of aluminum. It needs rubber bumpers for the sharp edges. The leg angle thing should be fixed and the that whole contraption should use a real mechanical button, so i can just press and release. Also, for it's size and weight, I think it could be taller. Maybe if the smaller version included (i'm fantasizing here..) a longer extension rod or an additional leg extension, that would be nice.

This little tripod is so much better than other “ mini “ tripods that I have used in the past. This very sturdy yet small enough that I can slip it into my back pocket. There are limitations because it is a small tripod. Instead of a rising center column there is an extension included that one can add onto the tripod. This extra piece stows neatly in the side pocket of the bag. To add this you unscrew the ball-head from the top and assemble the extension in between. It’s not awful as it may sound. Once the legs and this center extension are fully extended the whole unit is rock steady for small camera or a phone. The whole thing is really good quality and I expect years of use. The twist locks are sound. The ball-head is very well made. There is a phone clamp that is included that is also very well made. I will still use my larger,” compact tripod “ on occasion, but I see this tripod as the one that I can always have handy. I had a cheap mini tripod that didn’t extend, had a bad phone clamp and a ball-head that would become loose. That mini pod cost nearly half as much as this one. So “ cheap “ is relative. Buy nice or buy twice. I am sure that the readers of this review will really appreciate this little tripod. The time lapse video that I added was taken this morning while recording twenty three minutes with my iPhone while I ate breakfast on the Illinois Tollway. I had my phone in one pocket and my tripod in my back pocket.

This tripod exceeds my expectations. I am so happy with it because it is very light and very compact, which is important to me, because I’m not that strong, and I want to be able to carry it with me when hiking. The latches that are released to move the legs of the tripod are easy for me to operate, unlike my previous tripod, and it truly is able to sit all the way down on the ground. I also like that the knobs for the head are not real small. Little knobs are not easy for an older woman like me, so I’m real happy at how easy I can loosen the head to adjust it. The quality of everything seems quite high. I’m feeling a little spoiled. But I have needed this for a long time. I don’t have a need or plans for using the extension, I will be fine using it with just the basic configuration. I have another tripod for when I need more height and or more steadiness. I don’t typically need that when I am hiking.

I do a lot of backpacking out in the wild, with a focus on animal photography and of course landscape shots on the side. Anyway, with these trips, the total weight can get pretty heavy, but with this new AOKA Compact Carbon Fiber Tripod...things got a bit lighter! Super light, compact, multi-use, etc.. I love that it can handle my heavy SONY A7III with a pretty heavy (lbs) lens with no issue. For me it's perfect. I don't need something super tall or elevated on most trips, so this tripod works. I can also slip it into my pack. A lot of photographers have asked about the tripod and I assume they bought it right after I showed it to them. I love that I can put my phone on it as well and use it for vids while hike or even videos of me bouldering with my iPhone at the climbing gym (I use it a lot for that too). I don't really use the FULL extension that much, mainly because it get's windy everywhere in the wild I go and it can lose balance a bit, and I don't really have external hooks to act as a force pulling down. But, I am sure you can DIY easily. Highly recommend for ultralight photography/backpackers, that are looking to take photos of a wide variety of subjects. I think it's a perfect one for me for those types of trips...blogging...or climbing videos.

This is pretty cool. Its extremely light which is attractive because i want a seated glassing tripod that minimizes pack weight. This is tall enough to use a spotter or binos from a seated position, but its small so the legs go inside your legs as opposed to a tricer or higher quality one with legs long enough that you sit inside the tripod legs. If you’re looking for an affordable option to get you through the season until you want to spring for the fancy one, i recommend. This is strong enough to hold a 20x60x85 vortex spotter and packs down to around 8x4 inch cylinder at like 1lb.

This is actually very impressive quality. Packed with features. Feels very high end. Not quite as light as I was hoping for the size, but given the quality it's worth the extra bit of weight. Way nicer than I was expecting!

Hermoso mini tripie. 100% calidad Un tripie muy, muy pequeño. Mini

It's a desk tripod, so it's not a replacement for a full sized tripod, but it works great for me and use it for setting up my camera on my desk. I like you can attach a weight to help steady it and have actually attached an external battery pack there. Packs down neatly for ultra light weight travel. I only have a light camera can't speak to how it bears heavier weights.

very light and high quality product.

I got the AOKA carbon fibre tripod to use with a Nikon D7200 DSLR and 105mm lens for macro work, although the manufacturer says it is suitable for mirrorless cameras only. The main advantage of this tripod is it's super light, so it's easy to carry around everywhere. It also opens flat so you can use it with subjects at ground level. I have been able to use it with my camera in most situations with good results. There are issues with stability and slight shifting when locking the DSLR camera position at an angle however, and that does affect composing macro shots where the slightest shift changes the frame. I recently replaced the ball head with the K&F Concept KF-25 ballhead which is suitable for DSLRs and the result is perfect. The new ball head supports my camera+lens combo perfectly and the tripod is very sturdy and solid, except at the narrowest leg position. I highly recommend it if portability/ size is the most important factor. It will be perfect for lighter camera+lens combos and mirrorless.

Love this Mini tripot ,very useful ,easy cary.fast shipping