Vanguard Alta Pro 263ab 100 Aluminum Tripod Kit Review
The Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB tripod has been effectually for at to the lowest degree the concluding ten years and is well-loved by those that use it. Information technology's a good all-around tripod if you lot dabble in a range of different types of photography merely for astro-specific photography, its bulk and weight forth with a fiddly connector plate make it something you might think twice about setting out with at night.
Given that the well-nigh important considerations when choosing a tripod for night heaven photography are portability, ease of apply and stability, while this tripod may be heavy to deport, it'southward pretty darned stable one time it's up. If it doesn't fit your needs or budget, we've reviewed enough of other models in our best tripods guide.
Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB: Key specs
Material: Aluminum
Leg sections: 3
Weight: 5.38 lbs
Max load: 15.4 lbs
Folded height: 28.xv inches
Ball caput or pan/tilt head: Brawl head
The Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB tripod scores well on stability, mainly because of its weight. But at over v lbs, it's not something y'all want to take on a long hike and with a folded-down length of around 30 inches, it wouldn't fit into an airline conduct-on instance. It does, yet, have one great feature that might but go far worth the extra back pain from lugging it around: its legs splay out from the heart cavalcade and the heart column itself can be swivelled to 180º which means it can be used very low to the ground which is great for very long exposures of star trails.
Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB tripod: Design
- Flexible leg position
- Adaptable center column
- As well heavy and bulky for long travel times
The star attraction of the Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB is its multifaceted flexibility and the sheer amount of positions you tin can become it into. Y'all can put it up in a standard tripod position and get all the variations the ball head allows, but a nifty pollex-printing push button at the top of the legs allows you to splay them from anywhere between the standard 25º at its most upright position all the mode to almost 90º to the centre cavalcade.
Not only that, but the middle column retracts and tin can be angled at 90º from the splayed legs and means the camera can be equally depression equally ten inches from the ground. The ball head can swivel allowing y'all to point the camera straight up into the sky and the 2 bubble levels next to the connector plate hateful yous tin can hands check the position without necessarily having to expect at the back of your photographic camera. This unusual configuration is perfect for night sky photography not to the lowest degree considering once the photographic camera is lower to the ground, there's far less risk of a sudden gust of wind affecting your advisedly timed long exposure.
But this flexibility and stability come with a downside and that's the weight of the tripod. It's fabricated of aluminum and at just over 5 lbs, it's the heaviest tripod nosotros've tested so far. Information technology'south as well the bulkiest to deport. It comes with a top-opening, hard-wearing nylon bag that has an adaptable shoulder strap but you still wouldn't want to behave it farther than a few minutes walk from your abode or car.
The legs comprise three sections which are fastened with clip stoppers rather than twisting in identify like most of the others we've tested. This doesn't seem to impede the stability as the stoppers themselves are fabricated of tough plastic and have plenty resistance when endmost to advise they won't get loose any time soon. The top part of the legs accept a spongy grip added that is satisfying to handle and is designed for gaining a practiced grip in cold or wet conditions.
The Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB comes with prophylactic feet merely they tin spiral off revealing a spike that volition enable it to pierce the ground for actress purchase. This makes them easy to replace if they wear out. You can also buy bigger screw-on spikes and clamps if you're going to be using the tripod in softer or rougher terrain.
Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB tripod: Functionality
- Fiddly screw connector plate and connecting mechanism
- Solid and stable once upwards
- Clip legs easy to put upwards and accept downwards in the dark
With only three leg sections on each leg, it ways the Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB only has ii clips to fix into place when setting upwards the tripod. This was very hands washed in the nighttime and it was upwardly in no time merely the aforementioned tin't be said for the connector plate that affixes the camera to the tripod. The connector plate uses a screw rather than a D-ring which means you need a coin or a tool to tighten and untighten it. Handily, Vanguard has included a little kit that features such a tool and it's supplied hanging with durable string from the apex of the legs. Hanging from here means you won't lose it and it's there when you need it but the swinging and the clanking around confronting the legs became quite annoying and during long exposures wasn't dandy for reducing wobbles.
Ideally, yous would braze your connector plate in the light earlier you head out into the night and then merely leave information technology on your camera. The kit comes with a spare plate so it does mean y'all can use two cameras at once just, during the testing procedure, we had several tripods to use and the lack of easy D-band disconnection became quite annoying. Vanguard may have solved some of the problems encountered with this screw plate design by supplying the tools just it creates issues if you then want to remove the toolkit and store it elsewhere. It would exist much easier if they had but engineered the plate to comprise a D-band.
The plate itself should hands slide in and out but it took a while to get the knack. In that location's a knob with a rubber grip that tightens the plate into place and there's a pocket-size, red quick-release push button that will stop the camera from slipping out if the knob becomes slightly undone. We did observe, however, that the colder conditions affected the properties of the metals used in the plate and holder which meant the mechanism was a lot smoother indoors before we took it out than when nosotros were out in the dark and cold when it was a much tighter fit.
The Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB is great for mirrorless cameras and information technology will likewise happily carry a DSLR with an equally hefty lens attached. In that location's no 'falling into place' that you sometimes get with heavy lenses on some tripods. Where yous affix it is where information technology stays.
Should you buy the Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB tripod?
If yous don't intend to walk or travel too far with your tripod, the Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB is a nifty option as it's well suited to photographers who don't travel as well far from abode or wander too far from their car. If you enjoy other types of photography – especially macro and close-ups – you'll detect the multiple options for positioning the camera a really great way of developing your compositional technique.
Features that can wear out – similar the rubber anxiety and the ball head itself – can easily be removed and replaced. The price is very reasonable because the versatility it incorporates and it'due south certainly something you tin invest in knowing it'south built from solid, well-engineered components and designed to last.
If this product isn't for you
If you're looking for something at a similar cost betoken but that's lighter to pack into a suitcase or for walking far to your vantage bespeak, the Benro Slim is just over one-half the weight at two.2lbs and packs downwardly to a neat xx inches.
If it's the versatility of the swiveling central cavalcade that appeals, the Manfrotto 190 Go! has a like machinery and the carbon fiber version is a bit lighter at merely over 4lbs although it's a more premium production and has a toll tag to match.
For those who don't intend to deport their tripod anywhere at all and don't mind the bulk, the Benro Mach3 9X CF Serial 3 is notwithstanding lightweight at effectually 4 lbs but comes with a multifariousness of head options including tilt heads every bit well as ball heads.
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Source: https://www.space.com/vanguard-alta-pro-263ab-tripod-review
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