Review on 📷 Slik Pro 700DX AMT 3-Section Tripod with Pan Tilt Head, 19.8 lbs Capacity, 6.23 feet Max Height, Black by Ricky Habbani

My wife is a serious bird watcher. I bought her a large spotting scope (100mm lens, 22X-66X, about £5) for her birthday and wanted to give her a tripod that not only could handle the size and weight, but was also very strong to absorb vibration to reduce to a minimum. . . at high magnification. I also wanted a fairly tall tripod so it doesn't lengthen the center column, which can reduce vibration dampening. We tested the scope on my good carbon fiber tripod with Manfrotto ball head and found that using a ball head scope was frustrating so a good pan/tilt head was a must. I knew I was going to spend over $100 but was hoping to stay within $200. Reviews of this Slik Pro 700DX AMT sounded like it ticked all of our boxes, so we decided to give it a try. She was a little concerned about the weight, but the scope and tripod combo still weighs just under 12 pounds, and I convinced her that she needed more stability than light weight. (Most of our birding trips don't involve long hikes, more like an excursion, a short walk, and a setup.) Well, this thing is perfect for you. It is very durable and the pan and tilt movements are very smooth. Our first outing was on a very windy day and the scope and tripod combination was very stable. I was a little worried about how the round quick release plate would work, but this is the epitome of simplicity. The quick release plate on my Manfrotto ball head sometimes takes a little effort to get it right, but the thing just clicks into place, you close the locking lever and you're done. The instructions show how to tighten the locking mechanism should it ever loosen through use and wear. I already told her that I would like to order a second quick release plate and borrow it for my camera! (The PT head is ideal for multi-exposure panoramas.) :-)