Review on SMALLRIG Tabletop Tripod, Compact Mini Desktop Travel Tripod with 360° Ball Head and Quick Release Plate - Lightweight Aluminum Alloy for DSLRs, Compact Cameras, Phone, Gopro (Black) by Hco Cortes

As photographers and videographers, we're constantly looking for the right gear to get our job done and get it done right. As for YouTube, we need a little less, shall we say, a tripod. Actually as big as a table. Knowing this, SmallRig has developed two new tabletop tripods and was kind enough to send them to me for review. Right off the bat, none of them have a specific name; only their model numbers are the hallmark of the name: the smaller headless one is 2288 and the larger ball headed one is 2287. I'll break them down one by one for you so you can learn the cons as well as the pros of both. Since the specs of these tripods are listed in the links provided, I will share with you all the thoughts I had on each aspect of tripods. Something most of us as creatives would rather have anyway: personal experience. Table Tripod 2288 CONS: The rubber pads on the bottom of each leg don't wrap. Indeed. And because of that, the pads aren't enough to grip the surface when the legs are even a little more than halfway apart. Also, the cushions are generally too slippery and I'd hesitate to mount a mirrorless camera on this tripod for fear the weight would be too much for it, but I'd still be perfectly comfortable. Light or action camera on it. Aside from the pads, the legs are held in place by a single Allen screw and mine weren't as tight as they could have been, causing my legs to buckle under the strain of the weight. The fact that this tiny tripod only has these few "cons" is fantastic. Because, as you'll soon discover, the "advantages" far outweigh the disadvantages. ADVANTAGES: Staying on the end of the hex bolt is a fairly simple fix: just tighten it with a hex wrench. The legs don't give out easily. Although it still doesn't solve the problem with the rubber seals. The tripod in my hands is MUCH sturdier than it looks in the photos and the fact that it's so thin makes it super light. Each leg has a single 1/4 20mm hole (great for mounting this lightweight accessory), although I feel the placement of the holes on each leg is too far apart for vloggers to be able to use this particular tripod . as a manual option and can still use holes. So if you use it on a table or other surface, the holes can definitely be used. The top of the tripod has a 1/4 20mm mount so you can use most ball head options or phone clamps. /mounts or mounts for action cameras. Essentially, this means you can fully customize your desktop setup. 4 fasteners 20 mm on the legs. I find this a bit odd, but I'm sure SmallRig had its reasons. While the individual hex bolts on each leg were pretty tight, they're still bolts. Screws that I would have to tighten or loosen with an Allen key to get the legs to my liking/need, meaning I have to have them with me at all times. that you need a flathead screwdriver or a nickel (because we've all done it) to tighten or loosen it. I find it odd that it can't come with a 1/4 20mm D-ring (which SmallRig already makes) that can be manipulated with one hand instead of another tool. holding the ball head on the tripod is 3/8 instead of 1/4 20mm. It's not too bad, but it does limit your mounting options if you want to swap out the head for a different one, but I like that the 3/8 gives the joint more strength. Bad and good at the same time. INTERESTING: Yes that's right, there is an interesting note about this tripod. Specifically, we are talking about a ball head. In fact, it is even more: handles on a ball head. Handles have the ability to relieve! What I mean is, after tightening the knobs for the pan and ball head location, you can pull and twist the knobs straight out without tightening or loosening, then release and they retract. This means that once tightened, the handles can be in different positions so they don't get in the way of the cables. or see differently. Pros: It comes with an Allen key that you need to tighten or loosen a screw for each leg, so you don't have to buy one. It comes with a ball head already attached (as you've probably already gathered from one of my previous comments) that fits the arca swiss. and also has its own panel, ready for installation. Adheres to all interior surfaces and most exterior surfaces. There is one caveat though: I want the pads to fully cover the bottom of the legs so traction is present in all positions, not just most. Like the smaller model, this thing is CRAZY durable. This is an important note because in my opinion the most obvious competitor is the range of mini tripods that Manfrotto makes and (in my opinion) they all look like they're about to break under the weight of a camera and a decent lens . FINAL THOUGHTS: Despite their small size, both have tremendous potential. I will probably use the smaller model (2288) with caution. Possibly holding an LED (as shown above) or a microphone; while the larger (2287) model (and that's me, to be honest, I'm quite surprised by it) I envision that it will replace my Joby Gorilla Pod. Yes, you read it right. My reasons are simple: I don't use the versatility of the Gorillapod legs like others do. For most of my content (both for myself and for collaboration) I use it mainly for the vlogging possibility. And since we all know that gorillapods' legs fail over time (some of us much quicker than others), I'd rather leave my expensive gear on something sturdier and much faster to get the legs in the right position. Are they worth your small investment? It depends on your needs. SmallRig: great work! Keep it up. And I hope you consider my ideas for your next table tripod design. *All photos were taken on iPhone X using Moment lenses and the Moment camera app*