Agree with those wondering if you tightened it properly? This is not a quick attach system. You have to mount the camera and tighten the jaws against the plate. Even on my high end heads you still have to tighten it down firmly. Maybe the knob is too small to exert sufficient pressure to get it tight enough? It also seems strange that you indicate that you mounted the camera and came back 10 minutes later and it was loose enough for the camera to fall off. I can't imaging any possible way for it to _become_ loose while simply sitting there. That seems very odd. It would have had to have been loose to begin with and that should be easy to feel. A typical Arca Swiss mount will keep a camera in place in the long orientation of the parallel jaws even when quite loose. But it can _slide_ out of the jaws in the other orientation even if it is slightly loose. Many A-S plates and L-brackets have small stud screws that prevent a camera or lens sliding out in that direction. That would solve any issues regarding slight looseness. I do not have this tripod but on the other A-S heads that I have you have to turn the tightening screw 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 turns for the plate to come out in the long axis. If this tightening screw on this tripod is backing out THAT much during normal use it would be a deal breaker indeed. I'm still skeptical at this point. I'm probably going to get this tripod in a few weeks. I will report back if this is an issue.
Yeah, I had tested it prior to making this video (to double check that it wasn't my mistake the first time my camera had dropped). I screwed it as tight as it could go, confirmed that it did not wobble and after x minutes it became loose. I guess another callout here is that there is no feedback system which indicates whether or not it is 'tightened' to confirm 100%. Given the bulk of comments re tightening it properly, I'm thinking of recording a Part 2 of this video to show a continuous video (sped up of course) to show the loosening over time. I will let you know once I've got this video up and running. It could be a defect in my model (perhaps a QC issue?), but I have noted there was another UA-camr (Ralph Mayhew Photography) who had found the same flaw ua-cam.com/video/kKUI_YO4l04/v-deo.html with the tripod so I wouldn't say it's an isolated incident. Thanks for your contribution and would be good to hear if you've had similar issues once you procure one for yourself.
@@Hentacular If it is loosening over time while not being moved then something must be bending or compressing. It doesn't seem likely that the tightening knob would be _turning_ while the tripod is being used. The tightening knob certainly may be backing out while the tripod is being used, carried, adjusted, etc. If this loosening problem happens with every use then it should be easy to document. Make a mark on the knob and see if the mark moves over time.
That's old tech and the solution is already available. Go with the Ulanzi Y-38 quick release carbon fiber travel tripod, instead. It locks in place for worry free operation.
Agree that the Y-38 will resolve this problem. However, with the Ulanzi Y you get the Arca Swiss Plate which is super versatile/universal across different gear.
@@Hentacular Yeah was just gonna say be careful because if you have the F38 version it's not compatible with arca swiss. Stupid design IMO. The quick release plate is arca swiss but the mount is not. So for example I have a big telephoto lens with an arca swiss tripod foot and I can't use that on the F38. I need to either put a quick release plate on it which is not very stable for such a large lens, or switch the mount to the Zero Y, which is annoying.
Not a problem - I'm just sharing my experience and trying to help the online community. There have been others online who have experienced the same as well - so either we've received defective tripods OR this is an issue. Unfortunately I don't have the luxury to purchase multiple tripods to test 😅 or the bravery to film my camera with the possibility it will drop again. I will say if you keep your camera straight on parallel to the ground then there should be no issue, but anytime I've got it on an angle I'm sweating bullets.
@@timstools I would say that other than that this tripod is amazingly light and sturdy. If you haven't already, you could check out the F38 version of this but just note that it's not arca swiss compatible.
There are no 'symptoms' of the issue per say. It's a design flaw where there's no mechanism that indicates whether or not your camera is secured/locked on properly. As a user we twist until it gets tight and we can't turn it any more but this seems to loosen when you're leaving the camera on a tripod on an angle where there is added tension (e.g. if you were to leave it facing upwards or rotated 90 deg c for vertical shots).
And that's okay 😊 not looking to convince people, just wanted to share my experience and help people make a more informed decision. I don't benefit from people buying or not buying this product in any way shape or form.
Thank you for the honest review Hentacular!
No worries my friend
you can use an L bracket instead. which i have
Thanks for the suggestion mate 😁
I subbed
Thanks mate, appreciate it 😎
Agree with those wondering if you tightened it properly? This is not a quick attach system. You have to mount the camera and tighten the jaws against the plate. Even on my high end heads you still have to tighten it down firmly. Maybe the knob is too small to exert sufficient pressure to get it tight enough?
It also seems strange that you indicate that you mounted the camera and came back 10 minutes later and it was loose enough for the camera to fall off. I can't imaging any possible way for it to _become_ loose while simply sitting there. That seems very odd. It would have had to have been loose to begin with and that should be easy to feel.
A typical Arca Swiss mount will keep a camera in place in the long orientation of the parallel jaws even when quite loose. But it can _slide_ out of the jaws in the other orientation even if it is slightly loose. Many A-S plates and L-brackets have small stud screws that prevent a camera or lens sliding out in that direction. That would solve any issues regarding slight looseness.
I do not have this tripod but on the other A-S heads that I have you have to turn the tightening screw 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 turns for the plate to come out in the long axis. If this tightening screw on this tripod is backing out THAT much during normal use it would be a deal breaker indeed.
I'm still skeptical at this point. I'm probably going to get this tripod in a few weeks. I will report back if this is an issue.
Yeah, I had tested it prior to making this video (to double check that it wasn't my mistake the first time my camera had dropped). I screwed it as tight as it could go, confirmed that it did not wobble and after x minutes it became loose. I guess another callout here is that there is no feedback system which indicates whether or not it is 'tightened' to confirm 100%. Given the bulk of comments re tightening it properly, I'm thinking of recording a Part 2 of this video to show a continuous video (sped up of course) to show the loosening over time. I will let you know once I've got this video up and running.
It could be a defect in my model (perhaps a QC issue?), but I have noted there was another UA-camr (Ralph Mayhew Photography) who had found the same flaw ua-cam.com/video/kKUI_YO4l04/v-deo.html with the tripod so I wouldn't say it's an isolated incident.
Thanks for your contribution and would be good to hear if you've had similar issues once you procure one for yourself.
@@Hentacular If it is loosening over time while not being moved then something must be bending or compressing. It doesn't seem likely that the tightening knob would be _turning_ while the tripod is being used.
The tightening knob certainly may be backing out while the tripod is being used, carried, adjusted, etc. If this loosening problem happens with every use then it should be easy to document. Make a mark on the knob and see if the mark moves over time.
Thanks for sharing.
Glad I could help ☺️
That's old tech and the solution is already available. Go with the Ulanzi Y-38 quick release carbon fiber travel tripod, instead. It locks in place for worry free operation.
Agree that the Y-38 will resolve this problem. However, with the Ulanzi Y you get the Arca Swiss Plate which is super versatile/universal across different gear.
@@Hentacular Yeah was just gonna say be careful because if you have the F38 version it's not compatible with arca swiss. Stupid design IMO. The quick release plate is arca swiss but the mount is not. So for example I have a big telephoto lens with an arca swiss tripod foot and I can't use that on the F38. I need to either put a quick release plate on it which is not very stable for such a large lens, or switch the mount to the Zero Y, which is annoying.
@@nickcarneyphotography yeah it's a pain. So annoying that we can't get one universal system!
Lots of viewers will assume you just didn't do it up tight enough.
Not a problem - I'm just sharing my experience and trying to help the online community. There have been others online who have experienced the same as well - so either we've received defective tripods OR this is an issue. Unfortunately I don't have the luxury to purchase multiple tripods to test 😅 or the bravery to film my camera with the possibility it will drop again. I will say if you keep your camera straight on parallel to the ground then there should be no issue, but anytime I've got it on an angle I'm sweating bullets.
Thanks its useful info, I most likely would not buy one now because that, there are better options
@@timstools I would say that other than that this tripod is amazingly light and sturdy. If you haven't already, you could check out the F38 version of this but just note that it's not arca swiss compatible.
I've this tripod, so what are the symptoms of this issue? Don't want to learn it the hard way.
There are no 'symptoms' of the issue per say. It's a design flaw where there's no mechanism that indicates whether or not your camera is secured/locked on properly. As a user we twist until it gets tight and we can't turn it any more but this seems to loosen when you're leaving the camera on a tripod on an angle where there is added tension (e.g. if you were to leave it facing upwards or rotated 90 deg c for vertical shots).
Not convinced at all
And that's okay 😊 not looking to convince people, just wanted to share my experience and help people make a more informed decision. I don't benefit from people buying or not buying this product in any way shape or form.