Opteka FTR56 54-inch 8x Heavy Duty BA Aluminum Tripod with TH55 Magnesium Alloy Quick Release Ball Head (15-inch folded)

Searched alot to find a compact tripod and I have found one in this tripod.15 inches folded !!!!! Extended height of 54 inches... I can increase it 60 inches with pistol grip... (comes with a nice carrybag not filmsy at all but rather short strap.. total surprise when I opened up the package as I didn't expect one). It will fit into any back pack. Little heavy for its class but the trade off is that it looks strong and appears to be made from pretty sturdy material. Advertized to hold 13 lbs and I would not doubt it. My camera (Nikon D5100) and lens (70-300mm) are no way close to that weight and does it job and I feel secure. Has a hook for your bag and additional stabilityBought a Sunpak Pistol grip to replace the ball head that comes with it.. (I read a review by someone that you can not remove the ball head on this tripod but not correct... I was able to remove it). If I need additional height to its 54 inches, I just put the Sunpak Pistol grip on top of it to add another 5 inches to get almost 60 inches.It can be slow in setting up... the twist on the legs is not the fastest to set up if you are used to the grip locks on the legs... need to take your time, extend one leg & one section at a time... maybe frustrating if you are not the patient type... A trade off I will take for its compact folded length.

Let me shorten it up.Pros:Small size - its one of the smallest in 54" class.Looks - Looks professional. It got a look than can invite attention.Easy to Handle ball head - I had a three way panning and tilt tripod which always came in my way when trying to focus. Here it is ball head which i fell much easier.Additional pan bearing - Additional Panning facility for use of movie cameras or Panorama shooting which goes all the way around.Quick Release head - useful as I can take off Camera easily.Cons:Heavy - its little heavy to carry around if you are a not a possessional photographer. But as an enthusiastic photographer, it is ok if u go for a long trip or hiking as this may be the best to carry around, in this height class.One Design flaw which make me unhappy - The head is not fitting properly between legs when I tries to fold it. The design incorporates a slot where the head neck can go but it seems like the neck position should have be little more right so that it can go between two legs. I am still trying to figure out how it can be packed to it's best compact size.Weak bottoms - The lowest leg parts are not so strong and it should be handled with care especially among kids.

It started out great! Then as I used it (a total of about 8 times) the legs were sticky...it drifted really bad and the finally the little plastic pieces inside the legs started to disintegrate! I sent a message to the manufacturer...I haven't heard back yet. Buying my third tripod. Spending more this time!

Opteka FTR56 54" 8x Heavy Duty BA Aluminum Tripod with TH55 Magnesium Alloy Quick Release Ball Head (15" folded)I bought this just a few days back (about 3-4 days). I was impressed with the Ball head which is pretty Sturdy and the knobs are quire impressive. However, It lacks the Bubble Level unlike in Dolica Proline Tripod. Also, The ball head cannot be replaced because you cannot unscrew the Ball head. Everything is one Piece!! That could be a problem as one may have to discard the whole unit, if there were a problem with a small part of the tripod!The grips are quite decent but the Tripod legs which have these rubber bottoms is quite "gluey" and can dis-colorize your hand and palms while unscrewing to lengthening the tripod. I'm pretty sure that they might even collect dirt and grass when taken outdoors due to their sticky nature! and could probably mess up your Tripod carrying case. I would give a 5 STAR rating for the Ball Head but only a 2 STAR rating for the legs.

Love this Tripod! I have been using it for 11 years and it has held up so well. Its a little heavy if you are doing long hikes but otherwise I highly recommend it :)

If you like to on the go easy to carry around tripod, this is all you need. Simple setup but strong enough to do its job. Its pretty compact & stable for my D7000 with the lens kit 18-105mm. Seems to be pretty durable and metals all at the right places. This is the low cost tripod in its category. I am sure , if you are reading this reviews you are not a pro! You would know alot of things in general and are looking for a high-end tripods. So the price of $49 will probably stir you away & would move on to branded names. Then by all means go for the better ones with carbon fibers, foam handles, special features etc.So if your are an amateur or a beginner like most people, buy this. its enough and good for the tight budget.

After rigourous checking and comparison, i finally got this Opteka ballhead 54" tripod. This tripod is the best you can have for its price. A perfect outdoor companion, just barely 1 foot when folded. You dont need those expensive tripod. Who does, when you can have this of almost the same quality. This one has a very good quality and with a solid feel and most of all, doesn't drain your wallet.I have a Nikon D90 and this tripod is just so right on my SLR.

The head on this is not removable so it cannot be used with the opteka gimbal head. That's disappointing.