Velbon Ultrek UT-53D

Another tripod that’s a bit different from the crowd, the Velbon folds down very small yet stands reasonably tall

£150/$200

Folding down to just 30cm in length, the Velbon is only a couple of centimetres longer than the tiny MEFOTO on test, yet reaches a respectable maximum height of 158cm. This is thanks, in part, to having no less than six sections in each leg. As in the MEFOTO, there are no external clip or twist clamps. Instead, there’s the same internal mechanism that releases and locks each section with progressive twisting of the foot. In the Velbon, there’s also a separate twist-action lock for the uppermost section of each leg.

Compared with the other tripods on test, a design difference sees the addition of a horizontally rotating clamp where the centre column meets the legs. By raising and twisting the clamp, the legs are locked in their operating position, or freed to be hinged upward for folding away. It’s a simple and effective solution.

Like only the Manfrotto on test, the Velbon uses a proprietary, rather than Arca-swiss type, quick-release plate. Apart from having three spirit levels built in, the head is quite basic with no panning lock or adjustable friction damper. It also has the lowest load rating of any head in the group, at a rather measly 3kg.

Performance

Although the leg extension mechanisms work in the same way as those of the MEFOTO tripod, the locks proved rather more secure in the Velbon, during our tests. However, with those six leg sections, overall stability is good rather than great, and no match for the heavier tripods on test. The centre column can’t be removed and inverted, for very low-level shooting, either.