New compact travel tripod

A NEW tripod weighing just 500g, the Novo Mantis T3 Mini Tripod has been released. It folds down to just 215mm when it is closed, so it could t into a jacket pocket without much forcing, and certainly a bigger camera-bag pouch. Despite its compact size, the Novo Mantis can hold up to 5kg of camera gear. The tripod is made from aviation-grade aluminium and Superweave carbon

bre, with a hard anodization nish for scratch resistance and robustness, plus carbon bre legs with rubber twist locks designed for fast leg extensions.

Stainless steel spikes can be used for extra stability in softer ground, by removing the rubber feet on the legs. ‘You can attach virtually any type of ball, 3-way or video head to the platform, using the integrated spring loaded thread (mainstream 1/4-inch or 3/8-inch threads),’ said the company, so you no longer need to unscrew and ip to get the optional thread type. It’s priced at £69. Novo has also announced the Mantis ET25 Tripod Column Extender (priced £29), which attaches to your existing tripod platform via the universal 1/4-inch or 3/8-inch thread present. It is also made from Superweave carbon bre and entends to 350mm, with a closed form of only 210mm and can take loads of up to 8kg.